Unfortunately Deadirish, your handle is the perfect metaphor for ND. You cannot and they will not salvage this season. They just lost to freaking Northern Illinois at home. A 28 point underdog to boot. The season is OVER !! Sad but true. Freeman says in the press conference he needs to fix it. Well you can’t fix what’s unfixable. A new coach with elite players is the only cure. Sadly that won’t happen either
Freeman has to go.
- Thread starter theskibro
- Start date
11-1 would salvage the season, but we look more like a 8-4/7-5 team right now. Does Freeman dare go with a QB change next week? On one hand we need to; on the other hand it would look like a panic move.
I was just thinking that that is the only way we win a NC. To get a guy like that.
I don't understand why people on this forum hate him so much. He's won in college everywhere he's been. Yes he's made mistakes off the field, have him go to confession, repent, and all's good
We have pretty much the talent; QB and a couple of other positions not yet
BUT to lose to a team we have so much more talent then they do, at home, THAT is on the Coach.
Every aspect of the team was terrible… offense defense special teams
Freeman used a grad student analyst for all decisions
No one was prepared for the exact offense nor ran last week, jet sweeps, wildcat, a lot of oline pulling , etc
Nd has an offense that has no clue what it can do but it’s calling a game know Leonard can’t throw downfield, so why is he starting?
Epic coaching failure, worst loss in my 35 years of searching ever nd game because this team in paper was set up to make a title run
Freeman needs fired tomorrow, golden acting HC
Freeman used a grad student analyst for all decisions
No one was prepared for the exact offense nor ran last week, jet sweeps, wildcat, a lot of oline pulling , etc
Nd has an offense that has no clue what it can do but it’s calling a game know Leonard can’t throw downfield, so why is he starting?
Epic coaching failure, worst loss in my 35 years of searching ever nd game because this team in paper was set up to make a title run
Freeman needs fired tomorrow, golden acting HC
They will never go after Meyer. The only way Freeman goes is if he voluntarily steps down. They will never fire him. Games like this is why the college football world laughs at ND. I can understand being an opposing fan and hating ND. They are and have been an overrated program for decades. This loss today just might be the worst loss in my lifetime. Believe me, I have seen some really tough losses. But to lose to a team that isn’t a true a D1 program at home and you’re a 28 point favorite? Embarrassing and pathetic doesn’t even scratch the surface. They lost because they suck. It’s that simple. Talent alone should have won this game. But I just realized they really aren’t that talented. I know what I saw. NIU had equal talent and played like they were favorites.
OF course NIU does not have the talent we do. They did not play up to their potential today; and NIU did. But to claim they have the same level of talent is just stupid
What they need is a SPARK.
One possible scenario is that Freeman sticks with Leonard, but if he and/or the offense starts off poorly against Purdue, HE'S PULLED.
I've seen that before. Give the guy a chance to right the offense, but if either he or it falters, NEXT QB IN.
Just one possibility.
What happens may also depend on how the team practices.
Anybody who paid attention to what he did on the recruiting trail and off the field understands why ND will NEVER hire him. I legitimately think if the choice was between hiring Urban Meyer and folding the football program the ND administration would fold the program. Some people, like Meyer, are so toxic as human beings that you simply won’t do business with them regardless of talent.
My friends are mostly non ND fans and they all complained the last time we got in the playoff, saying we crash and burn every time. And we did. Last week was a great start, but now we do this the next week. Good teams just don't do this. The right coach can turn it around; just look at Meyer, Harbaugh and Sark. But you have to pay big bucks for those guys.
Deaddirish , I am just venting my frustration with this game and the “ fools gold “ we’ve been given. My post wasn’t a slight at you. You’re a true Irish fan. As much as this sucks, this too shall pass. Just not fast enough. Lol
You can't fire MF. He still will win the majority of his games. And because MF is acceptable given what the ND administration aspires to in football. And because no top coach will most likely come.
I like MF. Even if I no longer have faith he will become a top coach. Again, I don't see a better alternative.
I'll still follow the rest of the season...and still have fun. I just need to get over today's crap loss.
I like MF. Even if I no longer have faith he will become a top coach. Again, I don't see a better alternative.
I'll still follow the rest of the season...and still have fun. I just need to get over today's crap loss.
30+ years of mediocrity….whats the bid deal having 10 more.
Maybe N. Illinois will end up winning the MAC. That would make it less than "the upset of the year".
Nope. Cant wait til they struggle on a random MACtion Tuesday vs Kent St. just like 2022 Marshall went 6-4 after their big win
What was the final score? Did Bama's rookie coach fold? 14-13 going to the 4th, final 42-16! Let's keep hiring first time head coaches!
Because people hated Kelly for going 54-9 his last 5 years and winning 57 straight against unranked opponents, you have now have the guys who have been sitting behind they're keyboads, glazing Freeman for 2 years throwing him over the side. Meanwhile those of us who understand history, understand football and have some emotional maturity, were calling for Luke Fickell. Which if he was hired ND would be on it's way to the CFP this year.
The ND job has always been too big for a first time Head Coach, Faust, Davie and Weis were not stupid people, or bad coaches. They just had no frame of history of success to fall back on, when adversity strikes, so they panic. Freeman is no different. Mike Denbrock was in the CFP at Cincinnati in 2021, LSU won the SEC West in 2022, last year LSU had the #1 offense in the Nation, and the Heisman Trophy winner. So he forgot how to coach?
ND is going to have to figure a way to move on from Freeman, period.
The ND job has always been too big for a first time Head Coach, Faust, Davie and Weis were not stupid people, or bad coaches. They just had no frame of history of success to fall back on, when adversity strikes, so they panic. Freeman is no different. Mike Denbrock was in the CFP at Cincinnati in 2021, LSU won the SEC West in 2022, last year LSU had the #1 offense in the Nation, and the Heisman Trophy winner. So he forgot how to coach?
ND is going to have to figure a way to move on from Freeman, period.
You watched yesterday's game? You think ND deserves to be in the playoffs? There's no coming back from that sh!tshow. Start looking For a experienced H/C & using the young QB's.
It's going to depend on other factors. How far does this loss drop ND in the polls? How other teams ahead of ND finish in win/loss? How ND's opponents finish in terms of win/loss. Currently, FSU, GTech not good, if USC is undefeated or 1 loss and ND wins that game to end up 10-2 or 11-1 they are in, If USC is a loss to end up 10-2 I don't think they get in.
I can't root against the Irish. But I know if he wins out then he saves his job. I knew it when he had 10 players on that goal line stand vs Ohio St. I want him gone like when Bruce Willis had his LA privileges revoked in Pulp Fiction.
If he sticks with Leonard, this is a 3-5 loss team. If he makes a switch at QB he has a chance to go 10-2 or 11-1. Leonard is atrocious. There's a reason Leonard was at Duke and only had 8 offers out of hs, most of which were from MAC level or middling P5 programs.
What I can’t stand is why we can’t give just one series to the backup as a change of pace spark etc. See what happens. Just 1 series.
11-1 will not happen. 10-2 , 9-3 , 8-4 probably won’t happen . Right now they need to figure out how to beat Purdue. ND could be 1-4 by the end of the month. Their offense is absolutely awful. You won’t win if you don’t score. This could be an abysmal season ahead. After that loss yesterday, there isn’t one game that you could pencil in as a win. This team is not that good. Players are overrated and coaches are as well. If they lose next week , then what ? As a player you have nothing to play for. Why risk an injury? Yesterday was an absolute disaster. Lose next week and you lose the entire season and program.
