Final two teams and they share.....

[tkirish]

Lets's assume ND gets average defensive players. Maybe a great player here and there, but more on the par with hard hat and lunch pale type. ND can have a good defense, maybe not elite. That doesn't mean you can't win and win a lot. The bigger issue at the moment is the offense. I've said this all for a while. Kelly's offense is not good for his defense unless they score a lot of TDs. I think ball control, run oriented with play action pass would be a better fit for a team that has trouble fielding a very good defense. ND can get elite offensive players at all positions, especially lineman. Linemen love to run block and maul their opponent. Play that style and I really believe they can win year in and out and be in the hunt in most years.

 

[DieHard_Irish]

http://ndnation.com/archives/5916

Don't share those thoughts. Talent level is really the problem at ND. We have struggled attracting talent for defense. Just very few really good players coming on defense over the years and that has been a problem since Weis. Weis was able to attract a few terrific players. Coaching can solve a few defensive problems with a change in schemes, but talent wise, we are no comparison to the top 8-10 teams. That's just the truth. Lots of reasons for the recruiting difficulty as has been discussed here. You need a coach at ND that players will want to come and play for. The days of top talent coming to ND because of the name, Catholic heritage and history are gone forever. Need a coach that people gravitate to. Kelly ain't him! Next year is going to be as disappointing as this year. Prepare yourselves.

Guess we will agree to disagree. Manti, Jaylon, Tuitt, Day, Russell, Okwara, Smith .. all defense, al, in the NFL. Add in Martin, Riddick, Tate, Jones, Floyd, Nicklaus, Rudolph, Eifert, Carlson .... there has been plenty of talent... Our primary issue is not talent, it's coaching and developing that talent. There wasn't one team we lost to this season that had better talent than us, not one. You don't need all 5*'s to compete for an NC, but you do need to coach and develop the talent we have, and that is simply not happening at ND.

 

[Howard Hall 74]

http://ndnation.com/archives/5916
Guess we will agree to disagree. Manti, Jaylon, Tuitt, Day, Russell, Okwara, Smith .. all defense, al, in the NFL. Add in Martin, Riddick, Tate, Jones, Floyd, Nicklaus, Rudolph, Eifert, Carlson .... there has been plenty of talent... Our primary issue is not talent, it's coaching and developing that talent. There wasn't one team we lost to this season that had better talent than us, not one. You don't need all 5*'s to compete for an NC, but you do need to coach and develop the talent we have, and that is simply not happening at ND.

Agree with a sizable portion of your thoughts, particularly the coach. You do need 1-2 5* players on each side of the ball to compete with the top 4 teams. Top 4! You need difference makers, impact players. We have none. On either side of the ball. FYI, many of the guys you mention above Weis recruited. I think we both agree that if we had the right head coach who can teach, motivate and be a magnet for the program - things could change dramatically, even with the inherent academic challenges the school brings. What we have now is a horrible mess that will delay for years the rebuilding of the program with Swarbrick's delusional management decision to keep Kelly.

 

[deadirishpoet]

Actually putting a big time defense on the field is a complicated football issue. Which is why so few teams play elite defense. It seems like a simple process to you because you are a simpleton and a football ignoramus.

ND has not consistently recruited big time defenders in 26 years spanning 5 Head Coaches. But the dopey "sewing circle" makes themselves feel like big men by blaming the Head Coach. Your little club is just a bunch of nitwits pointing out obvious problems that Stevie Wonder could see. You have no answers, no meaningful feedback because you know nothing about football. Congratulations on being as stupid in 2017 as you were in 2016!

There you go again proving my point coach Kelly in not right for the ND job.

Speaking of a meaningful reply your Post says everyone on this board already knows

No one said anything g about an elite defense goffy, we are talking about a decent defense. Look at all the defensive players in the NFL from ND. The talent is there the coaching is not.
I thought coach Kelly played defense? He sure as hell doesn't know how to coach it?
ND academic restrictions prevent them some getting alot of the top notch high school defensive players out there. That's common knowledge
That's why it's smarter to have an offense that is more defensive friendly but you are too stupid to figure this out

Elite? What are you talking about? Notre Dame can't even get a decent defense six out of seven years under coach Kelly. He is clearly out of his depth in this matter

Go back and read your Football for Dummies florida because you seem to have difficulty retaining on working with the players you can get chapter and you are stuck on stupid

 

[hvillebill]

Agree with a sizable portion of your thoughts, particularly the coach. You do need 1-2 5* players on each side of the ball to compete with the top 4 teams. Top 4! You need difference makers, impact players. We have none. On either side of the ball. FYI, many of the guys you mention above Weis recruited. I think we both agree that if we had the right head coach who can teach, motivate and be a magnet for the program - things could change dramatically, even with the inherent academic challenges the school brings. What we have now is a horrible mess that will delay for years the rebuilding of the program with Swarbrick's delusional management decision to keep Kelly.

What about St. Brown? Adams? Sanders? Stepherson is a budding star, and I believe Alize Jones will have a big impact coming back this year.

On the defensive side of the ball, I think moving Tranquill to Sam will be a smart move and more in line with his size/skills. Throw in younger players that got experience this year such as Kareem, Vaughn, Studstill and Love along with the older guys with Morgan and Bilal and we have legitimate impact players.

You may not agree that all of these are "impact" players, but I can't believe you think none of them are.

 

[Howard Hall 74]

What about St. Brown? Adams? Sanders? Stepherson is a budding star, and I believe Alize Jones will have a big impact coming back this year.

On the defensive side of the ball, I think moving Tranquill to Sam will be a smart move and more in line with his size/skills. Throw in younger players that got experience this year such as Kareem, Vaughn, Studstill and Love along with the older guys with Morgan and Bilal and we have legitimate impact players.

You may not agree that all of these are "impact" players, but I can't believe you think none of them are.

Yes, you're right - few are. Perhaps, someday, Stepherson, St. Brown. But beyond that - no. Way over estimating the quality of the players. None of them would be in the 2 deeps for Alabama or Clemson, or even Ohio St. I only compare against the best because that is who you have to beat. And right now, we would have trouble with any of the top 15. That's reality.

 

[hvillebill]

Yes, you're right - few are. Perhaps, someday, Stepherson, St. Brown. But beyond that - no. Way over estimating the quality of the players. None of them would be in the 2 deeps for Alabama or Clemson, or even Ohio St. I only compare against the best because that is who you have to beat. And right now, we would have trouble with any of the top 15. That's reality.

Howard - I think we'll have to agree to disagree. I believe we do have good players.

I do agree with your statement that we would have trouble beating the top 15 but it's because we need a better HC.

 

[88ND]

Talent is not the problem at ND, it's clearly coaching, err lack there of. Kelly has done a lot if good at ND, but he has gone as far as he can.

Yes...and now unfortunately he is having a negative impact.