General thoughts

[ftnfan62]

The first is the upgrades of talent. 34 and 27 should be the full time LB’s. They are better than Kizer and Sneed and it’s not close. 5 before he went down was our best DE. Leonard showed why Mickey left. I don’t think Jayden runs down the QB from behind and punches that out. Young is gonna be special too. I’d like to see what Gilbert and Cam can do, what we got now is basic route runners.

The OL is struggling. It’s serviceable but we are used to great lines. This is not it.

RL had a solid game. Managed it well. I’m not sure we win that with Hartman.

Let’s keep the youth movement. We need 2 more Faison type WR that are bigger. He is the only one that can make you miss.

Impressed with these young guys. Bowen was all over.

 

[Golson5]

The first is the upgrades of talent. 34 and 27 should be the full time LB’s. They are better than Kizer and Sneed and it’s not close. 5 before he went down was our best DE. Leonard showed why Mickey left. I don’t think Jayden runs down the QB from behind and punches that out. Young is gonna be special too. I’d like to see what Gilbert and Cam can do, what we got now is basic route runners.

The OL is struggling. It’s serviceable but we are used to great lines. This is not it.

RL had a solid game. Managed it well. I’m not sure we win that with Hartman.

Let’s keep the youth movement. We need 2 more Faison type WR that are bigger. He is the only one that can make you miss.

Impressed with these young guys. Bowen was all over.

4 has been making plays too

 

[ftnfan62]

Yes. I agree and should have said that’s. 27, 34 and 4 are one of the better LB groups I have seen here in a long time. I really like Sneed also, just maybe in certain spots. 8 as well. Of course Benji and Watts but that a diff level. Can’t forget J love.

 

[Get Nasty]

Yes. I agree and should have said that’s. 27, 34 and 4 are one of the better LB groups I have seen here in a long time. I really like Sneed also, just maybe in certain spots. 8 as well. Of course Benji and Watts but that a diff level. Can’t forget J love.

The lbs are showing a lot of potential but they are missing a lot of run fits

 

[ftnfan62]

That last series for the win was so good. 34 peeled off and took the hot route out forcing the deep ball. Great pressure. The play before on 3rd the LB’s came up so quick and put them into 4th and 1 before the delay of game. The defense on that last series was perfect.

 

[ftnfan62]

I really had no idea that KVA and Bowen are both 240lb LB’s that can run. Those are big ass LB’s.

 

[Get Nasty]

I really had no idea that KVA and Bowen are both 240lb LB’s that can run. Those are big ass LB’s.

KVA has much better change of direction than bowen, but when bowen plays confident he can't hit a gap or cover a flat well with solid speed and a lot of power.

Our lbs early missed a ton of fits in the run game, and struggled in the pass game.

Louisville had 4 big pass plays in the game

RB wheel route vs Bowen
RB wheel route vs Kiser
TE seem route vs KVA
Long TD pass (Great pass) vs moore
They should have had a 5th on bad coverage by morrison that was dropped and picked by watts

Again, i like our LB potential, but they are still making a lot of mistakes

 

[Quest4Twelve]

KVA has much better change of direction than bowen, but when bowen plays confident he can't hit a gap or cover a flat well with solid speed and a lot of power.

Our lbs early missed a ton of fits in the run game, and struggled in the pass game.

Louisville had 4 big pass plays in the game

RB wheel route vs Bowen
RB wheel route vs Kiser
TE seem route vs KVA
Long TD pass (Great pass) vs moore
They should have had a 5th on bad coverage by morrison that was dropped and picked by watts

Again, i like our LB potential, but they are still making a lot of mistakes

That bust by Kizer the RB delayed out of the backfield and Kizer I think had bad eye discipline. I wonder if that was Sneed or Ausbery out there if they would've recovered better (speed).

 

[Rockne's Rambler]

Yes. I agree and should have said that’s. 27, 34 and 4 are one of the better LB groups I have seen here in a long time. I really like Sneed also, just maybe in certain spots. 8 as well. Of course Benji and Watts but that a diff level. Can’t forget J love.

How about 23?

 

[Get Nasty]

That bust by Kizer the RB delayed out of the backfield and Kizer I think had bad eye discipline. I wonder if that was Sneed or Ausbery out there if they would've recovered better (speed).

Kiser is fast. Ausberry seems better in coverage though. Sneed is not known for having good eye discpline hence why he didn't play a ton.

 

[HDK]

I really had no idea that KVA and Bowen are both 240lb LB’s that can run. Those are big ass LB’s.

I've noticed the improving speed on defense the past couple of years. Sometimes our guys are a little out of control, but they are reacting much faster than our guys did even five years ago.

 

[NDblitz]

The first is the upgrades of talent. 34 and 27 should be the full time LB’s. They are better than Kizer and Sneed and it’s not close. 5 before he went down was our best DE. Leonard showed why Mickey left. I don’t think Jayden runs down the QB from behind and punches that out. Young is gonna be special too. I’d like to see what Gilbert and Cam can do, what we got now is basic route runners.

The OL is struggling. It’s serviceable but we are used to great lines. This is not it.

RL had a solid game. Managed it well. I’m not sure we win that with Hartman.

Let’s keep the youth movement. We need 2 more Faison type WR that are bigger. He is the only one that can make you miss.

Impressed with these young guys. Bowen was all over.

OL needs to be given a pass. They are literally playing without 3 guys who entered fall camp as the starters. And a C at LT.

 

[ftnfan62]

How about 23?

I didnt see him much in the card game, his film at Purdue was flat out some of the most exciting run support I have seen since the loss of Hamilton.

 

[ftnfan62]

OL needs to be given a pass. They are literally playing without 3 guys who entered fall camp as the starters. And a C at LT.

Agree.....some key injuries for sure....but its hard to "pass" when you have 3 upper classmen playing. They are playing because they got beat out by younger players. Coogin, Spindler, Wagner and Baker are all 3 years in......Next man up, we should just be better IMHO.....I would feel the other way if the upper classmen were all hurt and the frosh showed up. I give Knapp a big break, but he honestly is playing better than most of the others.

 

[Golson5]

Agree.....some key injuries for sure....but its hard to "pass" when you have 3 upper classmen playing. They are playing because they got beat out by younger players. Coogin, Spindler, Wagner and Baker are all 3 years in......Next man up, we should just be better IMHO.....I would feel the other way if the upper classmen were all hurt and the frosh showed up. I give Knapp a big break, but he honestly is playing better than most of the others.

Knapp is not a left tackle and is not good at pass protection. He's good in the run game. He's an interior OL playing LT. He's struggling and RL has no confidence in him

 

[NDblitz]

Agree.....some key injuries for sure....but its hard to "pass" when you have 3 upper classmen playing. They are playing because they got beat out by younger players. Coogin, Spindler, Wagner and Baker are all 3 years in......Next man up, we should just be better IMHO.....I would feel the other way if the upper classmen were all hurt and the frosh showed up. I give Knapp a big break, but he honestly is playing better than most of the others.

Baker doesn't play.

 

[NDblitz]

Knapp is not a left tackle and is not good at pass protection. He's good in the run game. He's an interior OL playing LT. He's struggling and RL has no confidence in him

He literally looks like a center.

 

[mbd11]

Knapp is not a left tackle and is not good at pass protection. He's good in the run game. He's an interior OL playing LT. He's struggling and RL has no confidence in him

PFF gave him a good pass blocking rating for the Louisville game. He was credited with zero pressures for the game. I guess Gillotte's pressures must've been credited to a different OL.

 

[Get Nasty]

PFF gave him a good pass blocking rating for the Louisville game. He was credited with zero pressures for the game. I guess Gillotte's pressures must've been credited to a different OL.

Knapp gave up a hold that was actually clean I thought where defender just slipped… imo it was Knapp first good game of the season

 

[88ND]

The first is the upgrades of talent. 34 and 27 should be the full time LB’s. They are better than Kizer and Sneed and it’s not close. 5 before he went down was our best DE. Leonard showed why Mickey left. I don’t think Jayden runs down the QB from behind and punches that out. Young is gonna be special too. I’d like to see what Gilbert and Cam can do, what we got now is basic route runners.

The OL is struggling. It’s serviceable but we are used to great lines. This is not it.

RL had a solid game. Managed it well. I’m not sure we win that with Hartman.

Let’s keep the youth movement. We need 2 more Faison type WR that are bigger. He is the only one that can make you miss.

Impressed with these young guys. Bowen was all over.

#34 is very refreshing. I love watching inside backers that understand how to play the position properly.

That said we've had this problem of rewarding older players far too much.

Marist Liafau comes to mind.
When he was lined up as an inside backer he was a coward. Absolutely terrified to engage at the point of attack.

He was good at one thing. Blitzing. Then he couldn't play selective football. He had to go.
You couldn't blitz him every play. Thankfully Golden started to figure out he was a coward and system blitzing him more...or take him out.

But this happens too much. Rewarding upper classmen just because.


#34 will only get better and will eventually challenge for the linebacker award next year.

WR's? They suck. They're good. Don't know as we can't get them the ball.

 

[mbd11]

Knapp gave up a hold that was actually clean I thought where defender just slipped… imo it was Knapp first good game of the season

He got good reviews for his TX A&M performance, too - against a talented DL.

 

[Get Nasty]

He got good reviews for his TX A&M performance, too - against a talented DL.

IMO, Tex probably agrees. If you re watch the A&M game, he gave up way more pressures than what stats lead you to believe. Louisville, he was called for a holding that to me wasn't a hold, and had a good game.

 

[ZibbyQuinn]

The first is the upgrades of talent. 34 and 27 should be the full time LB’s. They are better than Kizer and Sneed and it’s not close. 5 before he went down was our best DE. Leonard showed why Mickey left. I don’t think Jayden runs down the QB from behind and punches that out. Young is gonna be special too. I’d like to see what Gilbert and Cam can do, what we got now is basic route runners.

The OL is struggling. It’s serviceable but we are used to great lines. This is not it.

RL had a solid game. Managed it well. I’m not sure we win that with Hartman.

Let’s keep the youth movement. We need 2 more Faison type WR that are bigger. He is the only one that can make you miss.

Impressed with these young guys. Bowen was all over.

I’d like to see KVA, Ausberry and Bowen get the bulk of snaps at LB

 

[Get Nasty]

I’d like to see KVA, Ausberry and Bowen get the bulk of snaps at LB

I get why everyone likes these 3 LBs, but they still have a long ways to go. This is their first season getting PT.

As an example. Watch bowen and the first 2 plays of the game when ND is on D (obviously) vs Louisville. You can't play the position worse than he does those two plays. He played better throughout the rest of the game though.

 

[ftnfan62]

I think it’s the way that play, their size and athleticism. They are frosh, mistakes are bound to happen. It’s a complex scheme. But man do they look like we finally got the right group.