Brian VanGorder / 4th Quarter Defensive adjustments

[1Redrum]

I was fortunate to sit in the Gold seats directly behind the Notre Dame defensive bench on Saturday evening. Before I get to the point of this email....yes I was standing and so was everyone else around me....no one asked us to stop screaming or to sit down....

Now...we were all pretty upset as it appears the message board was with the huge lapses in defensive play that resulted in big plays and touchdowns for USC. Throughout the game I would look down and was always pleased to see the communication / coaching going on between VanGorder and Gilmore and the players. It seemed that Schmidt was involved in more communications with him as he should be as in my opinion he was not playing very well!

What I found interesting though is after USC scored to make it 31-24 not only did the talks with the defense continue but it really seemed to intensify. I am sure he may have had it out earlier but I finally saw a white board out with players gathered around and X's and O's being drawn on the board and things discussed in detail. I did not notice that in the first three quarters...just more one on one and group discussions but no visuals. It does not mean it did not happen but I did not notice them. The ND defence then played better and shut down USC!

I know in the NFL they always seem to have print outs of overhead visuals for players to look at it between plays or even tablets with visuals up loaded to them. Do they do this at ND and if not why not?

 

[twalsh]

I was fortunate to sit in the Gold seats directly behind the Notre Dame defensive bench on Saturday evening. Before I get to the point of this email....yes I was standing and so was everyone else around me....no one asked us to stop screaming or to sit down....

Now...we were all pretty upset as it appears the message board was with the huge lapses in defensive play that resulted in big plays and touchdowns for USC. Throughout the game I would look down and was always pleased to see the communication / coaching going on between VanGorder and Gilmore and the players. It seemed that Schmidt was involved in more communications with him as he should be as in my opinion he was not playing very well!

What I found interesting though is after USC scored to make it 31-24 not only did the talks with the defense continue but it really seemed to intensify. I am sure he may have had it out earlier but I finally saw a white board out with players gathered around and X's and O's being drawn on the board and things discussed in detail. I did not notice that in the first three quarters...just more one on one and group discussions but no visuals. It does not mean it did not happen but I did not notice them. The ND defence then played better and shut down USC!

I know in the NFL they always seem to have print outs of overhead visuals for players to look at it between plays or even tablets with visuals up loaded to them. Do they do this at ND and if not why not?

Also made a big adjustment at halftime last week, Jarret Grace in for Onauwalu and more of a 3-4 look that really stymied Navy's rushing attack.

 

[perseverare]

so, you were at the game, what adjustment were you able to identify that you can tell us about?

 

[1Redrum]

so, you were at the game, what adjustment were you able to identify that you can tell us about?

To be honest I am not a football coach and was not studying every play as I was mostly high fiving on the good plays and explaining to my kids what exactly was happening and the rules. They watch ND football every week with me (not the whole game but parts) and have been to a couple of other games but sitting up close as we were I spent most of the night explaining all of the rules and situations!

I did notice #10 Redfield playing and tackling hard in the second half....I did not notice him in the first but when I re watch the game tonight I will see if that was a change. I did pay a lot of attention to #6 KeiVarae Russell and when he played tight to the receiver / man coverage they rarely threw his way. When he gave the receiver 10 yards at the line of scrimmage they would sometimes look his way. JuJu Smith #9 was looking very good until he limped off after the pick by Russell and I did not notice him the rest of the game.

One thing that impressed me late was the handwork by #99 Wayne Gretzky...I mean Jerry Tillery on one of the sacks. I want to say it was the Okwara sack but will have to rewatch as I know the last play of the game I think Tillery was off and Day was back in.

 

[perseverare]

playing better is not really an adjustment; just a helluva good idea!

 

[1Redrum]

playing better is not really an adjustment; just a helluva good idea!

The playing better seemed to coincide with the white board being brought out rather than just the talking that I noticed most of the game after big plays.

 

[perseverare]

hopefully the beat writers can ask about the specific adjustments. I am going to rewatch the 3rd qtr.
Kei and Max made 2 key plays; Kei made a great play. I think the 2 int's were the real 'adjustments', if playing better is an adjustment.

 

[perseverare]

Redrum

not sure if this is an adjustment or an adjustment by substitution, but the key difference in the 4th qtr.
Cage clogged the middle and was key to slowing the SC running attack.

Otherwise the two Int's were the real key on ND's part. The real key to the game was actually a bad throw by C Kessler on a 3rd down when SC was ahead in the 3rd and driving. Kessler threw high and it killed the drive.
A good throw and SC might have gone up by 2TDs.

Like the Hunter fumble that was a very key play.

 

[Chitownrealist]

Perse,
I don't engage you much on this board, but your repeated challenges to a poster who explained his perspective and background, acknowledging he is neither an X/O guy or a coach of any kind seems out of line. If you think it was simply a matter of playing better - nonsense. Adjustments are made in every football game of any consequence to counter strategies employed by the opponent. They are made throughout the game and I think it is absurd to suggest otherwise. This defense has been exceptional at adjusting and correcting possible weaknesses. I was unable to watch this game due to overseas travel but I did hear parts of the replay and it appears Russell was playing a significant amount of man on Juju in the second half, even when the rest of the secondary appeared to be in a zone. I believe the tip on the second interception was a direct result of fooling Kessler and excellent play. I don't know if that was an adjustment or not, but this defense has shown itself to be very resilient and I appreciate the OP's posts.

 

[onlyonenow]

perse is and has always been a POS to everyone else. He thinks he is so much smarter then anyone else that its hard for him to lower himself to speak at all.

 

[perseverare]

chi

i was not challenging the OP's post. I was replying and our exchange was anything but confrontational.
As result of his post I watched and rewathed the 3rd and 4th Qtrs.
They played very much the same in Qtr 3. Cage played a lot in the 4th Qtr.
Kei was man on JuJu in the 1st half.
The vid is up. Watch it.
Kessler threw the ball to low; the WR was there for him. But you are correct ND was getting more penetration. I think SC depth issues became apparent in the later 2nd half.
The adjustment on D was actually more that the secondary played better or the 'perfect' throws by Kessler made in the 1st half were less 'perfect'. Kei had great coverage on the first Smith catch but the throw was just to on the mark. The Int - Kei made a spectacular play; he was man on man as he was in the 1st half.

Watch the vid. Listening is not a way to review a replay - see the game. The D looked to be in same D throughout, but the Cage insertion in the 4th was a big lift. Again I think the Kessler pass as tipped was the important play of the game. A good play by one team is often a/c of a lesser execution by the other. Kessler was not fooled; he just made a bad play.
See 1:30 on vid

 

[naysayers stop nonsense]

perse is and has always been a POS to everyone else. He thinks he is so much smarter then anyone else that its hard for him to lower himself to speak at all.

After the Clemson game the POS stated that fumbling is coached

I simply do not understand why anyone engages him in discussion -- don't get it

 

[88ND]

My take.....
let me first say people know I'm critical of BVG, but I will praise when needed too.

The Georgia tech game the defense was more than prepared. They were very prepared against the navy squad too but we tackled like garbage.

So the USC game.
We came out and looked lost at times. Looked confused again. Usc shredded right through us on several occasions.
Some was our formations and personnel.....some was we tackle like shit.

How many times did we pressure the qb and let him slip out? Several.

Onto the 4th quarter......it's much easier to play defense when it becomes situational football. I.e. knowing the other team has to start passing.....it's easier to play the pass when odds are it's coming. Personnel, scheme, geared toward the pass helps the cause...no? When you know it's coming!?!

BVG has done a good job with some games but I would not say the SC game is one of them.

 

[FightingIrish44]

I think there's a lot of merit to what Perse is saying in this thread. They mostly just played better. The only real adjustment I think I noticed was changing up the technique of some of the DL. It looked like they were two gapping, which is something I haven't seen them do. They were also having them blow through the OL they were aligned on rather than stunting them. Neither method is right or wrong.

That Russell tip and Redfield INT? I wouldn't say that was an adjustment. They were playing their Tampa 2 coverage and Russell had matched his receiver (basically, turning it into man after the patterns being run had become clear). I don't know if that fooled Kessler, or if it was deliberately done to confuse him (probably not considering the short middle of the field is voided in that coverage), but it was a GREAT play and execution by Russell causing the turnover.

That's not to say the staff doesn't make adjustments. In breaking games down, it does seem like they make some adjustments.

Think about some of the scores USC got. 1) Home run off of trick play. That didn't happen in the second half. 2) Home run off of tunnel screen. That didn't happen in second half. 3) The first drive of the game they converted a third and long do to a busted coverage by presumably Jaylon Smith. Kessler then makes a perfect throw on a deep ball beating Russell. That's 21 points and a whole bunch of yards on just three plays right there. Also, the TD USC had in the second half, there was a huge run by USC that set up a score. I think Jaylon was to eager to get into his pass coverage (it was a zone blitz where he had to work to the TE on the opposite side of the formation).

The big play killed the ND defense.

 

[Pazuzu]

After the Clemson game the POS stated that fumbling is coached

I simply do not understand why anyone engages him in discussion -- don't get it

Are you really this dumb? Of course fumbling or not fumbling is coached. There is a certain way a player should carry the ball which limits the potential for a fumble. Tiki Barber was notorious for fumbling. Then Coughlin and staff taught him to carry the ball high and tight and the fumbling stopped.

 

[SALittleGiant513]

Lets be clear, fumbling is not coached. No coach says this is how you fumble the ball. Rather what most people talk about here is that coaches do coach ball security, how to protect the ball when running, how to control the ball in space. Its a miss-characterization of what was being said but then again... par for the course.

 

[perseverare]

Sal

this week I found that a lot of fans do not want you to tamper with pre conceived notions.

 

[perseverare]

btw......44

thanks for you insights and evaluations.

 

[Pazuzu]

Lets be clear, fumbling is not coached. No coach says this is how you fumble the ball. Rather what most people talk about here is that coaches do coach ball security, how to protect the ball when running, how to control the ball in space. Its a miss-characterization of what was being said but then again... par for the course.

I guess that drink you bought me is no longer valid You are right. My post was meant to convey that coaches can teach how not to fumble. But my guess is you knew what I was driving at. I gave an example with Tiki Barber.

 

[SALittleGiant513]

Wasn't referring to you although it came chronologically after your post. It was more in agreement with you.