Any Coaches or people who know their stuff???

[NewHampshireIrish]

Two questions:

1. Why was ND in their base defense almost all game? We had guys like Schmidt, Romeo, and Trumbetti dropping into coverage against RBs and WRs all game. I was at the game and it was remarkable seeing how overmatched ND was in coverage in those areas. Is it simply because Farley started at safety and they lacked the nickel they wanted? For the way USC was running their offense, it would have made more sense to me to play Rochell - Day - Tillery - Romeo, Jaylon and Onwalu at LB, and then Kei'vare Luke Farley Shumate and Redfield at the back.

2. I was able to call WAY too many of ND's plays. I'm FAR from an expert, but I found the plays to be easy to predict based on substitution patterns and formations. When you line up Luatua on the left, spread CJ out wide right and start him in motion, it sort of tips the play, no?

 

[IRISHJD98]

I'll leave it to the self proclaimed experts to opine on the defense.

To the extent the offense has been a bit predictable, I think you have to keep in mind that Kizer still has a lot to learn and might need a manageable playbook.. He's got a great offensive line and some strong surrounding characters, so it isn't necessary to get too exotic with the play calling. That would put too much of the game on KIzer's shoulders. Let that big shouldered offensive line run the show. As long as they can blow up holes for the running game and give receivers plenty of time to get open in the passing game, we don't need to confuse the defense. Nothing hurts a defense more than consistent offensive execution. IMO, that's football. But I'm no coach.

 

[Bodizephax]

I am not a coach or anything but I did stay at a holiday inn last night.

Kizer is a stud quarterback and very smart and cool and does not need the playbook dumbed down too much. He outplayed Cody Kessler---he did not throw any interceptions and the offense scored 34 points out of the 41 they scored and they could have scored a couple more TDS if Tori did not fumble at the half yard line and if they did not get a Holding penalty at first and goal from the three. Kizer also did great in the readoption.
Dishone Kizer is the best quarterback we have had in a long time.---Hell he almost led us back for a great comeback against Clemson in a Monsoon.

Kizer is our starter for the next three years (including this one). Malik or Wimbush may transfer.

 

[BGI User 348]

I did not understand why Romeo was asked to cover a slot WR on a crossing pattern in the 1st half. That was as bad as the 2nd GT TD to skov asking Martini to cover. Really wish BVG tried harder to get matchups right. After farley was missing assignments was happy to see Max get a chance. In 1st half I was thinking Tevon or Nyles in for a slow Schmidt. But BVG gets paid more than me.

WIN OUT!!!

 

[South Bender]

Defense - seems more and more that it needs to be simplified. If your best players/athletes
can't get on the field because the defense is too complicated - that's a problem.

Offense - we're 6-1, the offense is averaging over 38 points a game. If it's predictable - the other
teams don't seems to be picking up on it. And if they have, they can't seem to stop it.

 

[FightingIrish44]

1) If you think about it, ND basically has 6 DB's on the field. The four DB's, then Jaylon who is a great athlete, then Onwualu who is also very athletic playing the strong outside linebacker. That's plenty of athleticism for all four downs.

As far as Okwara and Trumbetti playing coverage, they're not asking those guys to cover a slot receiver all over the field. There are "if, then" rules. If he runs an out route, you got him (or expand underneath the outside receiver depending on the coverage call). A lot of times, those guys are going to have a safety aligned above them to play the vertical route.

I know on the one play Romeo ran with the one TE all the way across the field, I'm not sure what the coverage call was there, but sometimes you have to live with certain weaknesses. If it was a zone blitz, there is usually one less guy in coverage, so you have your two outside underneath droppers match the TE or back on any outside or vertical releases -- but its usually done within a structure to give them some help. The USC made a good throw over Schmidt's head too. Perhaps, Schmidt should have run with that guy too? I'm not sure and would need to see the play again.

That line up you had? It seems unneccsary given that Onwualu is a good athlete. I'm not saying it can't be done, but putting one of thise DB's in at Onwualu's spot would mean more teaching. Are those guys going to consistently execute their pass assignments? We've already had a problem with numerous coverage busts this year. How about blitzing? Do they know their responsibilities? Do they know the formational adjustments if there are shifts and motions? Again, its just more teaching when the defense is already very multiple.

You don't need great athletes to be effective in coverage, and besides, ND already has them in Jaylon and Onwualu at OLB.

 

[FightingIrish44]

I also wanted to add that sometimes it is a formational adjustment (couple times there were twins receivers to both sides). So if they're in their base Cover 4 check from their 3-4 look. The weakside backer (usually Jaylon) is outleveraged by the slot receiver. He's not in position to cover the out route from that slot receiver. So you walk out the OLB/DE to do that assignment, which allows that inside backer to stay in his base alignment. He then becomes an extra guy in coverage, 4th rusher, spy, etc.

 

[FightingIrish44]

I did not understand why Romeo was asked to cover a slot WR on a crossing pattern in the 1st half. That was as bad as the 2nd GT TD to skov asking Martini to cover. Really wish BVG tried harder to get matchups right. After farley was missing assignments was happy to see Max get a chance. In 1st half I was thinking Tevon or Nyles in for a slow Schmidt. But BVG gets paid more than me.

WIN OUT!!!

I'm not sure he was even supposed to run with that guy, to be honest.

 

[FightingIrish44]

New Hampshire, when you say you could call the plays, are you saying things like "run right, left, pass"? Or, "inside zone, power, halfback counter, outside zone, power read, jet counter, jet, inside zone read, outside zone read"? That's just the runs plays and doesn't even include QB draw or pass plays.

You mentioning CJ going in motion, no, it doesn't tip the play. It tips what the play could be. It could be a number of things, and the plays are run as series off of that motion. It could be jet giving it to Prosise. It could be jet motion with the QB counter coming back the other way. It could be jet read where they're reading the play side end for give/keep and then they're running QB Power with a couple of potentially different blocking schemes tagged to it. They could also do playaction and any number of passing concepts. That's quite a different number of things off of just one motion.

 

[88ND]

New Hampshire, when you say you could call the plays, are you saying things like "run right, left, pass"? Or, "inside zone, power, halfback counter, outside zone, power read, jet counter, jet, inside zone read, outside zone read"? That's just the runs plays and doesn't even include QB draw or pass plays.

You mentioning CJ going in motion, no, it doesn't tip the play. It tips what the play could be. It could be a number of things and the plays are run as series off of that motion. It could be jet giving it to Prosise. It could be jet motion with the QB counter coming back the other way. It could be jet read where they're reading the play side end for give/keep and then they're running QB Power with a couple of different blocking schemes tagged to it. They could also do playaction and any number of passing concepts. That's quite a different number of thing off of just one motion.

I think he is speaking of cj split out and going in motion ...odds are... a jet sweep to him is coming. just like carlisle...he splits out and goes in motion ...again odds are it's a jet sweep to Carlisle.
Matter of fact I can't remember a play all year that when either of those two players comes into motion through the backfield that they did NOT get the ball on a jet sweep.

I can only assume NH was speaking of these situations on offense.

 

[FightingIrish44]

I think he is speaking of cj split out and going in motion ...odds are... a jet sweep to him is coming. just like carlisle...he splits out and goes in motion ...again odds are it's a jet sweep to Carlisle.
Matter of fact I can't remember a play all year that when either of those two players comes into motion through the backfield that they did NOT get the ball on a jet sweep.

I can only assume NH was speaking of these situations on offense.

I just posted a a number of examples showing otherwise. ND mixes it up pretty well off of jet motion. Kizer has had numerous carries off of that look. He had a touchdown on QB counter off of jet vs. UMass for one example.

 

[MTIrish98]

I did not understand why Romeo was asked to cover a slot WR on a crossing pattern in the 1st half. That was as bad as the 2nd GT TD to skov asking Martini to cover. Really wish BVG tried harder to get matchups right. After farley was missing assignments was happy to see Max get a chance. In 1st half I was thinking Tevon or Nyles in for a slow Schmidt. But BVG gets paid more than me.

WIN OUT!!!

This is all part of the chess match between coaches. The offense sees what the defense is showing and then runs a play to exploit a mismatch. The offense has a slight advantage because the defense can't change personnel after the other team breaks the huddle. It happens all the time in the pros too.

It can be very bad if the offense catches a defense in a zone blitz because instead of a LB covering a WR, you might get a DE attempting to.

 

[perseverare]

44

I assume you reviewed the game. In the 4th Q when Cage came in - did someone come out? (Trumbetti) Or was the front alignment different?

 

[twalsh]

I did not understand why Romeo was asked to cover a slot WR on a crossing pattern in the 1st half. That was as bad as the 2nd GT TD to skov asking Martini to cover. Really wish BVG tried harder to get matchups right. After farley was missing assignments was happy to see Max get a chance. In 1st half I was thinking Tevon or Nyles in for a slow Schmidt. But BVG gets paid more than me.

WIN OUT!!!

You are supposed to be able to ask a linebacker to cover a fullback. And he is supposed to be able to do it.

 

[FightingIrish44]

You are supposed to be able to ask a linebacker to cover a fullback. And he is supposed to be able to do it.

To be fair, I think the scheme was a little unsound. We would have our run force player take the A back vertical, so that means one of the inside backers need to cover that. Really hard to do when facing that type of offenses. Hopefully the staff comes up with a solution for that.

 

[FightingIrish44]

44

I assume you reviewed the game. In the 4th Q when Cage came in - did someone come out? (Trumbetti) Or was the front alignment different?

I just reviewed it yesterday, but I couldn't tell you to be sure. I think everyone was still playing and subbing in/out. It seemed, at times, ND was having the DE (in our 3-4 look) fill B gap when he was base blocked to help fill up the middle and force the ball to the outside.

 

[perseverare]

I cannot find Trumbetti in at same time as Cage. But cannot be certain.

 

[stu4don]

Our defense would be so much better with Jarron Jones AND a big hitting ML protecting the middle. (Don't get me wrong, I love Schmidt's FB IQ and great leadership (but he is undersized and lacks elite athleticism.)

Offense: Just imagine Kizer in three years! (He is a brilliant kid -- he will be like a pro on the field...) He has NFL measureables. He throws the deep ball better than any ND QB I've seen in a long time (yes better than Clausen and Golson! But he needs to have JC and EG's accuracy on middle and short routes! That will come -- the kid has an arm.)

And Wimbush! And Zaire! (Kelly is building a top five program with kids who get a REAL COLLEGE DEGREE.)

Go Irish!!!!

 

[MTIrish98]

Our defense would be so much better with Jarron Jones AND a big hitting ML protecting the middle. (Don't get me wrong, I love Schmidt's FB IQ and great leadership (but he is undersized and lacks elite athleticism.)

This is VERY true. It has been discussed ad nauseum, but Schmidt isn't 100% back. Morgan and Coney must not quite be ready for primetime. Hopefully they get some meaningful snaps before the Stanford game.

 

[echowaker]

I think he is speaking of cj split out and going in motion ...odds are... a jet sweep to him is coming. just like carlisle...he splits out and goes in motion ...again odds are it's a jet sweep to Carlisle.
Matter of fact I can't remember a play all year that when either of those two players comes into motion through the backfield that they did NOT get the ball on a jet sweep.

I can only assume NH was speaking of these situations on offense.

plenty of times they have faked the jet.

 

[NewHampshireIrish]

I think he is speaking of cj split out and going in motion ...odds are... a jet sweep to him is coming. just like carlisle...he splits out and goes in motion ...again odds are it's a jet sweep to Carlisle.
Matter of fact I can't remember a play all year that when either of those two players comes into motion through the backfield that they did NOT get the ball on a jet sweep.

I can only assume NH was speaking of these situations on offense.

Yes, that's what I was referring to.

 

[NDCap]

I am not a coach or anything but I did stay at a holiday inn last night.

Kizer is a stud quarterback and very smart and cool and does not need the playbook dumbed down too much. He outplayed Cody Kessler---he did not throw any interceptions and the offense scored 34 points out of the 41 they scored and they could have scored a couple more TDS if Tori did not fumble at the half yard line and if they did not get a Holding penalty at first and goal from the three. Kizer also did great in the readoption.
Dishone Kizer is the best quarterback we have had in a long time.---Hell he almost led us back for a great comeback against Clemson in a Monsoon.

Kizer is our starter for the next three years (including this one). Malik or Wimbush may transfer.

It helps to have Fuller and Procise in your offense. Keep in mind next year ND will take a huge step backwards if both go to the NFL. Personally I think both stay. Kizer without those two may not have the same "success" Malik is the better duel threat QB. The run game empasis with MK is an easier transition .Kizer has been very very good but IMO BK sees a championship QB in Malik from day one. The more ND wins the tougher it will be for BK to make a decision.

 

[perseverare]

^ I think the Irish will have even more weapons in '16. Kizer will also see the field better from experience.
And Adams if he stays healthy and with more maturity will be very good.

 

[Bodizephax]

I think Adams is going to be a GREAT back in the future.