Bama intimidated ND prior to BCS NC game.

[TDIrish27]

Here's a heads up------sometimes the other guy is alot better than you.

 

[chaseball]

7 ? I think you're mistaken once again. Major double digit underdog.

I'm positive the final line was -7 Alabama before kickoff. That 2012 team had a lot of talent from Weis' 2008 & 2009 classes.

 

[FightingIrish44]

I am with you on this. I think Manti was making it sound worse than it really was; maybe there is an element of post hoc rationalization in there to explain why ND was dominated in the manner it was? Was ND dominated? Yes. But was it because they were intimidated? I doubt it. I once had a brief conversation with Robby Toma about the game. My impression was that he didn't feel like they were prepared, and simply didn't make good adjustments during the game, though he didn't say that in so many words. And let's face it, Alabama's running backs were a load. Let's not also forget that while ND came into the game with a 12-0 record, we easily could have lost a couple of games that season. We should have lost to Pitt and of course the Stanford game went down to the last play. So it is not as if we had a juggernaut team. I wonder how much Kelly's courtship by the Philadelphia Eagles became a distraction in the championship game. It was obvious Saban had the Tide prepared, but that is what you came to expect with Saban. With Kelly, on the other hand, he just always seemed to falter under the bright lights and on the big stage.

Preparation and adjustments….scheme. Give ND the same players from Alabama with the same mindset, I still think Alabama wins going away.

It’s definitely true that 2012 ND wasn’t a juggernaut, but looking at the box score, you can see that ND dominated Pitt statistically…except perhaps the most important one: turnovers. It goes to show that games can have a wide variety of outcomes based on so many different things.

 

[BGI User 756]

The team certainly wasn't resigned going 12-0. Numerous great wins, beating Stanford stands out. At Oklahoma as well.

The win at USC to go 12-0 is one of my favorite wins of the last 15 years. Theo Riddick was $$$$$$$$$.

That team had tons of resiliency until that game. Attended 6 games. Deserved to be there.

But Bama was a different animal with 4 weeks to prep. Stick to the subject matter if you are able.

 

[BGI User 756]

I'm positive the final line was -7 Alabama before kickoff. That 2012 team had a lot of talent from Weis' 2008 & 2009 classes.

Bama was heavy favorite . The lowest line was Bama by 10 points. Tons of chatter prior because ND was undefeated …

 

[tbonesays]

Preparation and adjustments….scheme. Give ND the same players from Alabama with the same mindset, I still think Alabama wins going away.

It’s definitely true that 2012 ND wasn’t a juggernaut, but looking at the box score, you can see that ND dominated Pitt statistically…except perhaps the most important one: turnovers. It goes to show that games can have a wide variety of outcomes based on so many different things.

My understanding is that Bama had ND scouted and basically knew our play calls based on how we lined up. Which may not have mattered since we were not fast enough to cover the #3 WR.

If Pitt was the only game then it was forgivable. But almost every game in 2012 was close. Just from memory we had to outlast Standford, Michigan, BYU. SC was a good win but not dominant.

 

[Kelso86]

My understanding is that Bama had ND scouted and basically knew our play calls based on how we lined up. Which may not have mattered since we were not fast enough to cover the #3 WR.

If Pitt was the only game then it was forgivable. But almost every game in 2012 was close. Just from memory we had to outlast Standford, Michigan, BYU. SC was a good win but not dominant.

"My understanding is that Bama had ND scouted and basically knew our play calls based on how we lined up."

Read a quote from the Center who played for Alabama in that game -- he something to the effect that once they got the pre-snap read, they made their adjustments knowing ND would not adjust. Said ND's defense was very vanilla and it was easy to pick it apart.

 

[FightingIrish44]

My understanding is that Bama had ND scouted and basically knew our play calls based on how we lined up. Which may not have mattered since we were not fast enough to cover the #3 WR.

If Pitt was the only game then it was forgivable. But almost every game in 2012 was close. Just from memory we had to outlast Standford, Michigan, BYU. SC was a good win but not dominant.

ND was too predictable and didn’t play well. I think ND was fast enough in the secondary. Alabama was just able to effectively attack open space and McCarron played outstanding.

It’s true that there were a number of close calls that year. Most teams will have a couple though in a 12-0 season. Perhaps ND had more than usual. I can forgive the close calls since they did go 12-0.

It’s interesting to think that, had ND lost two of those games, and even if they won a BCS bowl game to finish 11-2, perhaps Kelly isn’t brought back after 2016? That title appearance bought him a lot of leeway when you think how truly mediocre his win/loss record was prior to 2017.

 

[FightingIrish44]

"My understanding is that Bama had ND scouted and basically knew our play calls based on how we lined up."

Read a quote from the Center who played for Alabama in that game -- he something to the effect that once they got the pre-snap read, they made their adjustments knowing ND would not adjust. Said ND's defense was very vanilla and it was easy to pick it apart.

I agree with that. Diaco’s defense was very vanilla. I’m actually a fan of that, but it can be problematic when going against a team like Alabama with a great QB and receivers. This can be more true when the base defense is designed to really get after the run which inherently makes it weaker against the pass.

That’s why the outcome was not a foregone conclusion IMO. ND played poorly by themselves and got out-schemed on top of that. The players aren’t going to make up for schematic deficiencies when the other team has better athletes on top of all that.

 

[sjb75]

My understanding is that Bama had ND scouted and basically knew our play calls based on how we lined up. Which may not have mattered since we were not fast enough to cover the #3 WR.

If Pitt was the only game then it was forgivable. But almost every game in 2012 was close. Just from memory we had to outlast Standford, Michigan, BYU. SC was a good win but not dominant.

Forgivable?? 12-0 is 12-0.

 

[tbonesays]

Forgivable?? 12-0 is 12-0.

and 8-5 is 8-5 is 2011, which was almost 2012 with the opposite turnovers.