Duke

[Holycrossover3]

I can see why a lot of ND fans now see Duke as a big obstacle. I certainly don’t think we can just show up and roll them, but after watching the entire Clemson/Duke game, I don’t see Duke as an incredible team.

Clemson shot themselves in the foot in all 4 quarters. Two fumbles inside the 10 yard line. Klubnick looked terrible. I’m sure he’ll improve but I didn’t see Duke’s defense do anything spectacular. Clemson was running it down their throat and i expect ND’s stable of backs to do the same.

Duke on offense also didn’t look amazing. Their QB can certainly run which is my biggest concern for when we play them.

Overall, I took that game as a “wow, Clemson was significantly overrated” not so much as Duke can win the ACC. We certainly need to show up in that game but I expect us to take care of them.

Go Irish!

 

[ftnfan62]

We have top 10 talent in most positions and generally our weakness is coaching experience (MF, GP).

I dont think we can say Clemson shot themselves in the foot anymore than Duke. I believe Duke had multiple issues from the fumbled punt that gave Clemson and easy score to a fumble going the other way.

I think the "Beating themselves" was even, but maybe I missed something. I think to your point, Duke is really a good team and its just another team on our schedule to show the football world "ND plays one of the toughest schedule of top 10 teams period!"

I think is also shows the talking heads dont ever really want to discuss, is teams with new QB's are unknowns and you cant just toss the helmet out there. Bama, OSU, Clemson and a few others are going to struggle.

Look at ND, we have not had a QB for some number of years at the "elite" level, all the sudden Parker is a genius. Who knows how Tommy would have looked here.

I think if you look at our schedule its 3 buckets of teams. T1, T2, T3. At the start, we all had OSU, Clemson and USC in T1. Duke, NCS, Louisville, Wake were the T2 and T3 we all know.

T3 losses is unacceptable. T1, you gotta take 2 of 3. T2, those games are the ones that on any day someone can beat you if you have turn overs, lose composer or over look them.

T2 normally have the facilities, coaches and first string to compete with you but fall off later in the games as you sub players. Your subs are normally on par with T2 starters.

I agree with you completely, Duke is now a team you cannot just roll in and hope for it. You better bring your A game just like NCS.

 

[tbonesays]

Clemson was tackling very poorly in the 4th quarter. I wonder if they are bad at it or Duke's players got much harder to bring down.

 

[ftnfan62]

Or they were just deflated. Duke in the first half could not get out of their own way. Clemson, just the opposite. They made all theirs in the second half and there was no recovery time.