For the record, I don't profess as some football genius or a crack at identifying issues, etc. But I can honestly say this is the first time in a long time that really sticks out as being inept at Notre Dame. Weve had QB's that make some really bad decisions at times, some bad reads, etc... but I can't recall one that simply doesn't have the tools like I believe Leonard lacks.
Freeman needs to go
- Thread starter theskibro
- Start date
Is this whole post some kind of joke. Is it that i am 73 and just don't get the modern mind?
What I see on the field the past few years is hype, inconsistent play, lack of skill position players. Am I wrong. I don't smell the roses??
He ran all over them first drive. We scored. He had 4 carries the rest of the game. It was a bad coaching decision
We had 28 carries for 123 yards. However, that includes two sacks that lost 23 yards. So without those, we had 26 carries for 146 yards, which would be 5.6 ypc. We didn't run enough in that game. But Leonard's injury apparently played a part in that decision. They tried to turn him into a dropback passer the rest of that game, and it didn't go well.
But I thought his passing was better last week, from the 2nd quarter on.
Yup, guess Texas is happy they didn't fair Sark after he was 25-14 in his first three years.
Texas under Sark started to dramatically increase the talent base. You can go 25 and 14 if you are pulling in top 5 classes.
A lot of coaches have improve the talent at their institution upon hire and then did nothing with it.
It's always a good thing to increase the talent base in your program, but then when you can execute on it as well and greatly improve your teams performance on the field you're doing a good job.
I like how Texas turned through coaches quickly and found one that's turning them back into a modern power. Notre Dame can learn a lot from Texas as Texas was Notre Dame (talent and production wise) before the Sark hire
He's doing well there. But he was 8-4 Sark at his previous head coaching stops. He must've learned well from Saban during his time at Bama.
They called him seven win Sark at UW. And he wasn't considered successful and maybe was going to get fired. And then got the USC job after Kiffin self-annihilated. And of course Sark himself did the same after hitting the bottle too hard. Both were eventually rescued by Saban, and now are like two of the top coaches in CFB.
Last 3 years avg player rank on the comp
24 - 92.37 NDs 91.46
23 - 92.96 NDs 91.77
22 - 91.17 NDs 91.82
It's not a big increase over MFs talent he is bringing in. So if you think Sark is bringing in top level talent, you would have to say MF is right behind him. And with some of our standards, you might even say MF is outrecruiting him
I know that many are disappointed with the NIU loss, but I think that you all will see the type of coach that Marcus Freeman is. We are going to win on this weekend. I feel pretty good in saying that. Watch Riley and the receivers, not to mention Mitchell Evans, who will play a pivotal role. Call me crazy and yes, I am a die-hard, but we will get it done!!!
Go Irish!!!!
If Marcus Freeman is recruiting as well as Texas, even “out recruiting…” Sark, losing to Northern Illinois at home now sounds even worse.
Huh?
I know you're not new here and have been around to witness the following.
Gilson...tiny and became the fumble king
Wimbush...couldn't hit the ocean throwing from the pier
Book...weakest arm of any ND QB until Buchner, Pine, Hartman, Riley showed up.
There's been one starting QB here in the last 15 years to have legit QB skills. Kizer.
Coan was probably #2
We have one right now that would make our offense 10x better. Angeli.
BUT
He's not making 7 figures in the NIL and the NIL sets the depth chart around these parts
ND has way more incentive to win football games (in order to make more millions) than to stubbornly keep a lesser player at the most important position starting games.
I think MF cleared up the QB depth chart issue pretty clearly: In this offense, Riley Leonard gives them the best chance to put points on the board/win games. ND wants to control the clock/compliment the defense (probably because the coaching staff thinks running the ball gives them the best chance to win due to the quality of the personnel on that side of the ball).
Riley Leonard is 6'3 215lbs and runs a 4.5 (he's a deceptively very good athlete, faster than Kyren Williams while having a much larger body), he gives the offense another running back quality player on the field, and he probably has shown enough in practice in the passing game in order to continue to hold off Angeli for the job.
Last edited:
I didn't say they sucked.
And I'm sorry but the Convicts of the 80's and the Creminoles of the 90's were absolutely media darlings.
Even if you want to say they were the best teams they were absolutely the most undisciplined...which was my contention to a particular post saying why are the best teams the most disciplined.
Stop...
Riley wasn't coming here to be a backup.
Understand that.
Nobody gave him 7 figures to hold a clipboard.
You better believe this NIL nonsense is playing a part.
"couldn't hit the ocean throwing from the pier"... thats my favorite... lol.
I dunno my friend, I personally wasn't overly concerned about our QB play, for the most part in years past as what Leonard is doing right now. I can't recall covering my eyes and holding my breath everytime we dropped back to pass like I am at the moment. Its probably my anxiety... lol.
I would really like to see Angeli start a game and see where we stand. Louisville probably isn't the spot as we don't want to be adjusting an offense for a new QB mid week.
For now, I guess we just have to be optimistic and hope Leonard finds something in his game and we can push the ball over their heads now and again. What bothers me is it seems as though the play calling is definitely handicapped and tailored to the fact he can't throw the ball past 10 yards with any consistency. Its going to burn us again soon I'm afraid.
I agree this NIL mess is greatly affecting ND's decision making, probably every team for that matter.
It's funny when MF makes a mistake or something people don't agree with, people start saying see.... 1st time head coach blah blah blah learning on the job
But then you see a Jeff Brohm make mistakes with timeouts and clock management and with his 4th down flub at the end of the game.... then what is that?
He's a veteran coach and he had a bad game. So what about all his experience?
But then you see a Jeff Brohm make mistakes with timeouts and clock management and with his 4th down flub at the end of the game.... then what is that?
He's a veteran coach and he had a bad game. So what about all his experience?
Wish you hadn’t brought this thread back to the top 😜
When you lose to an NIU at home, a team that was 20-20 the last 40 games and lost to Buffalo the game after Notre Dame, expect residual criticism.
Last edited:
Doesn't matter. The argument doesn't make sense.
The last 3 seasons and coming into our game they were 21 and 20. I have no idea where you got your numbers
Right over your head though the point
lol….”turning through coaches quickly”…since their NC they had 20 years of mediocrity ….until last year …
TelX
This post is for you cause i know you dont want to see this topic bsck to the top of the board
but heres the thing - Freeman screwed the pooch big time with loss to NIU.
unless we win every remaining game including USC we dont make playoffs.
there is no excuse for that. this team with a solid QB should be in final 4. our season schedule was so easy. we are under achieving
freeman brought in leonard. freeman let leonard throw that interception that cost us the game
freeman stopped running leonard in second half
freeman has used up his mulligans.
so he should be fired unless he wins out.
i am a supporter but he has not fulfilled or earned continued backing win out and that will be redemption
This post is for you cause i know you dont want to see this topic bsck to the top of the board
but heres the thing - Freeman screwed the pooch big time with loss to NIU.
unless we win every remaining game including USC we dont make playoffs.
there is no excuse for that. this team with a solid QB should be in final 4. our season schedule was so easy. we are under achieving
freeman brought in leonard. freeman let leonard throw that interception that cost us the game
freeman stopped running leonard in second half
freeman has used up his mulligans.
so he should be fired unless he wins out.
i am a supporter but he has not fulfilled or earned continued backing win out and that will be redemption
Nonsense to you and those who accept screw ups and mediocrity. Clearly time has passed me by because there was a time when nonsense resulted in unemployment. As it should. Too many losses to bad teams.
Don’t confuse affability and many good qualities in a coach, which Freeman has - with performance. He has screwed up At the least his seat should be hot and on notice from Bevaqua
Ski, just read this. You’re right, we can’t afford another loss and expect to make the playoffs. And yes, I think Freeman AND Denbrock screwed up by keeping Leonard in the game after the injury. You either let him play his game or you bring in Angeli. Freeman did neither, and I feel he and Denbrock own that loss more than the players.
I don’t agree that this is a top four team. Our OL sucks, and losing three of our five planned starters to injuries, on top of losing Alt and Fischer to the NFL, has seriously downgraded what we should expect from this offense. That said, given our remaining schedule, we should be 10-1 when we face USC, and frankly, I like Freeman in those kinds of games.
Telx and anyone, are we rooting for USC to be 10-1 to help ND make a statement at the end of the season? 11-1 ND is in either way. 10-2 ND is likely out regardless of USC record.
Some people want USC to win every year for strength of schedule. Some people want the opposite.
Just curious. If ND loses to USC, it’s probably best for ND that it’s to a 10-1 USC rather than 7-4 USC. Then again, a mediocre USC weakens their program and helps ND recruiting.
I'd urge you to step away from the ledge because I don't see the administration putting any heat on Freeman for at least a couple of years.
There was definitely a valid argument against hiring him to replace Kelly. Not only did he not have experience, but he was very young.
Other than the fact that he's not going to win a NC this year, in his third year, the one ND fans hold out as the bellwether of greatness, I don't see what I'd consider a fireable offense or offenses. I've seen growing pains and the kind of inconsistency you get with a young coach.
Hell, there was never any reports of heat on Kelly, despite a very inconsistent performance right up to 2016 and beyond. Even Weis and Davie escaped the heat until the bitter end. I think the only reason ND fired Willingham was because they got hoodwinked by Meyer's agent into believing he was theirs for the taking.
NIU sucks, as did Marshall and Stanford in 2022. You can add Cal to that group because we escaped in that game. Last year, Freeman screwed the pooch against Ohio State. And his team did not look good from Duke through Clemson.
I've followed ND long enough to see some real inexplicable performances. I remember sitting in the rain watching Missouri, a 35-point underdog, which had gotten walloped the week before by Nebraska, just take Ara's '72 ND team to the woodshed. And I remember watching an average Georgia Tech team embarrass a Devine-coached team in 1976. There were too many to list during the Faust years, and even the sainted Lou Holtz coached some stinkers, including losses to average Stanford teams and even Air Force.
Sorry for going on and on. I do think Freeman has the chance to grow into an excellent coach. I think he'll always be defensive minded, but I think he has the kind of makeup that would allow him to succeed, although it may not be at ND,
Fighting Irish, probably lots of differing opinions about this. Personally, I want USC to be undefeated and highly ranked every year when we play. I love the added anxiety and excitement if both teams are in the top ten, and this has game of the week like atmosphere. I want ND to whip an overhyped USC, and I really don’t care how USC plays after our game. So strength of schedule per se, isn’t my main driver, it’s having the added anxiety and excitement that comes with playing, and hopefully beating a top ranked historic rival, USC.
You cannot compare Freeman’s third year with the “standard” of ND coaches that won National Championships.
This era with NIL and the Portal is an entirely different animal altogether.
This era with NIL and the Portal is an entirely different animal altogether.
Similar threads
