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Good win tonight

88ND

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Sep 9, 2013
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I'm not going to shower the coaching staff with praise for doing a normal coach the kids and don't lose the game coaching performance.

I'm also not going to try and connect the dots because of what Georgia did against MSU.

I will though say the night was good because of what we did on the road.

The verdict is still out on how much that means because nobody really knows how good or bad the Spartans are but we needed to win and we did. Period.

Defense is light years from BVG.
Just not being confused that alone has made strides of difference. The tackling is ten times better. #4 is still a bit out of control but nothing glaring.

I can't express just how bad they were on defense under BVG. Definitely the worst tackling team I've ever seen.

It's so nice to have that garbage bullshit behind us.

I also love the don't give them nothing attitude on defense. The fumble caused at the one. Years past we just give up on that play and they score.

Offense.

Well we still have the pacifier in Wimbush.

But......one deep ball attempted all game? Just one? My god...help Brandon out and get the back seven off the line of scrimmage a bit. Just show we will at any time throw it long. Plant that seed.

Return game getting better on kickoff. Punt return still sucks.

I don't woulda, coulda, shoulda about any of this stuff and connect the dots to make myself feel better about the team...but damn it...
If this team had this defense two years ago we make the playoffs. And that makes me feel like giving BK a throttling.. lol..because he allowed his personal feelings and relationship with BVG to get in the way of reality. Damn it!!!!

After week four we are looking better collectively than we have in years. The fifteen offense was much better but the defense was atrocious.

Things are looking up. At some point though Kelly will be challenged again and we'll see if he has gotten a little bit if nerve and can pull off the miracle...win a big game. He'll get his chance again when SC comes visiting.

For now...its nice to see we're playing respectful football once again.
 
Good post. The defense is 100% then last year. They actually forced all of those turnovers. Well the QB gave one way but last season many times there would have only been on defender around the play and a fumble would've rolled out of bounds. Or something else which would've ended with Sparty keeping the ball. Great effects by Love and Crawford on the other plays.

And they are agreesive and sound without be too aggressive and getting flagged a lot in a game. The pressure is always there. Now maybe they don't get a hit or a hurry but the QB can't sit back there like they could last year.

Pass protection has to get better. Idk if it's the line or BW not doing a good job setting the line presnap.

We need another PR. Somebody who can make the first defender miss.

Fewer and fewer head scratching play calls on offense. The reverse to Claypool was dumb and they stuck to the quick screens a tab too many tim

Wimbush is somebody we can win with as he doesn't fumble the ball. I'll take 150 thru the air and another 85 on the ground from him instead of asking him to go for 300 in the air each game.
 
Good post. The defense is 100% then last year. They actually forced all of those turnovers. Well the QB gave one way but last season many times there would have only been on defender around the play and a fumble would've rolled out of bounds. Or something else which would've ended with Sparty keeping the ball. Great effects by Love and Crawford on the other plays.

And they are agreesive and sound without be too aggressive and getting flagged a lot in a game. The pressure is always there. Now maybe they don't get a hit or a hurry but the QB can't sit back there like they could last year.

Pass protection has to get better. Idk if it's the line or BW not doing a good job setting the line presnap.

We need another PR. Somebody who can make the first defender miss.

Fewer and fewer head scratching play calls on offense. The reverse to Claypool was dumb and they stuck to the quick screens a tab too many tim

Wimbush is somebody we can win with as he doesn't fumble the ball. I'll take 150 thru the air and another 85 on the ground from him instead of asking him to go for 300 in the air each game.
I agree with all of it expect fir the OL giving Wimbush time. He's getting good time most snaps. He bails too soon on the play. He threw two balls tonight in the seam. That's all. Two. One was a ridiculous catch by Smythe because that was a floater with disaster written all over it. He won't catch that more than he he doesn't most times.
The other was a long pass to St.Brown. Completed. Now back to that...they threw one deep ball. It was completed. But only one attempt? I say again that will help open up some seam passing for Wimbush just by putting the thought in those safties minds that we might go up top.

I don't care about his numbers but he's going to have to get some deep in routes completed going forward. Accurate throws too. You can't be one-dimensional within just the one dimension of passing. Those spot passes are going to get picked off before long. Can't go to the same well over and over. Screen, spot pass. Screen spot pass.

It was also nice to see none, zero , stupid QB, zone reed sweep that NEVER go anywhere. Not one tonight.

I loved that.
 
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I'm not going to shower the coaching staff with praise for doing a normal coach the kids and don't lose the game coaching performance.

I'm also not going to try and connect the dots because of what Georgia did against MSU.

I will though say the night was good because of what we did on the road.

The verdict is still out on how much that means because nobody really knows how good or bad the Spartans are but we needed to win and we did. Period.

Defense is light years from BVG.
Just not being confused that alone has made strides of difference. The tackling is ten times better. #4 is still a bit out of control but nothing glaring.

I can't express just how bad they were on defense under BVG. Definitely the worst tackling team I've ever seen.

It's so nice to have that garbage bullshit behind us.

I also love the don't give them nothing attitude on defense. The fumble caused at the one. Years past we just give up on that play and they score.

Offense.

Well we still have the pacifier in Wimbush.

But......one deep ball attempted all game? Just one? My god...help Brandon out and get the back seven off the line of scrimmage a bit. Just show we will at any time throw it long. Plant that seed.

Return game getting better on kickoff. Punt return still sucks.

I don't woulda, coulda, shoulda about any of this stuff and connect the dots to make myself feel better about the team...but damn it...
If this team had this defense two years ago we make the playoffs. And that makes me feel like giving BK a throttling.. lol..because he allowed his personal feelings and relationship with BVG to get in the way of reality. Damn it!!!!

After week four we are looking better collectively than we have in years. The fifteen offense was much better but the defense was atrocious.

Things are looking up. At some point though Kelly will be challenged again and we'll see if he has gotten a little bit if nerve and can pull off the miracle...win a big game. He'll get his chance again when SC comes visiting.

For now...its nice to see we're playing respectful football once again.

They didn't need to go deep more than that. They got to a quick 14 point lead and did not want to have Wimbush get sacked or throw an interception. They even said before the game thatt hey were going to get Wimbush slowly back into the passing game. It was brilliant and worked like a charm. He will probably open up a little bit more as each game goes by. IMO. He passed much better last night and he opened up the scoring with a great td run that not many qbs besides Wimbush can make. Later this season he will be much more dangerous in the air.
 
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Interesting what we each see. My only complain't about the passing game was the terrible screen plays, once again. They're a thing of beauty when they work, but they require a lot of attention to detail by almost everyone to sell the play before it is sniffed out, and we're giving the play away too soon.

Tonight is the first game where I felt Wimbush was in sync with his receivers, and specifically St Brown, Claypool and Mack. The later two made some outstanding blocks tonight.

Loved how Kelly told the sideline reporter that we needed to come out and stay committed to the run, and we come out throwing the ball all over the field on that first drive, with accuracy and great results. Can't you just hear the bitching about Kelly and the coaching if Wimbush had missed on his first two and we failed to get a first down, and had to punt to start the game, etc.... gutsy calls.

I think we'll start seeing some over the top passing several times per game as Stepherson is worked into the lineup.

As for defense, it's hard not to continuously measure our performance in comparison to the BVG disaster, and think back to the what if scenarios. I do it all the time. It's so damn refreshing to see the guys swarming to the runner for gang tackling, aggressive play at the LOS, good hard tackling by our linebackers most the time, and the absence of the one on one missed arm tackles that was so prevalent and embarrassing. We're not an elite lock down defense, but we're a good defense that is getting better and more confident game by game.

lastly, I am totally blown away with our red zone efficiency.
 
That is a quality win....have to give credit when credit is due....the coaches and team did well....on the road.....quality opponent....
 
I agree with all of it expect fir the OL giving Wimbush time. He's getting good time most snaps. He bails too soon on the play. He threw two balls tonight in the seam. That's all. Two. One was a ridiculous catch by Smythe because that was a floater with disaster written all over it. He won't catch that more than he he doesn't most times.
The other was a long pass to St.Brown. Completed. Now back to that...they threw one deep ball. It was completed. But only one attempt? I say again that will help open up some seam passing for Wimbush just by putting the thought in those safties minds that we might go up top.

I don't care about his numbers but he's going to have to get some deep in routes completed going forward. Accurate throws too. You can't be one-dimensional within just the one dimension of passing. Those spot passes are going to get picked off before long. Can't go to the same well over and over. Screen, spot pass. Screen spot pass.

It was also nice to see none, zero , stupid QB, zone reed sweep that NEVER go anywhere. Not one tonight.

I loved that.
I would make the move to Ian Book. Might as well get him ready now:rolleyes:.
 
I agree with all of it expect fir the OL giving Wimbush time. He's getting good time most snaps. He bails too soon on the play. He threw two balls tonight in the seam. That's all. Two. One was a ridiculous catch by Smythe because that was a floater with disaster written all over it. He won't catch that more than he he doesn't most times.
The other was a long pass to St.Brown. Completed. Now back to that...they threw one deep ball. It was completed. But only one attempt? I say again that will help open up some seam passing for Wimbush just by putting the thought in those safties minds that we might go up top.

I don't care about his numbers but he's going to have to get some deep in routes completed going forward. Accurate throws too. You can't be one-dimensional within just the one dimension of passing. Those spot passes are going to get picked off before long. Can't go to the same well over and over. Screen, spot pass. Screen spot pass.

It was also nice to see none, zero , stupid QB, zone reed sweep that NEVER go anywhere. Not one tonight.

I loved that.

Idk why we don't see more deep passes. Maybe the oline has showed in practice that they can't consistently hold the pass rush long enough for the receivers to get down field? Maybe Wimbush struggles with accuracy over a certain amount of yardage? I actually liked the quick hitting game plan tonight. I felt they went to the WR screen a bit too much (and posted as much) but then Claypool took a sceen for a first down (the one that they measured for) so that shows how little I know.

As a member of the "bad fan" club I admit that BK and company put together a very good game plan. My only grip was the reverse with Claypool even though that would have worked brilliantly if Wimbush would have set his block a split second earlier. I'd also like to see CJ Sanders get a look or two. The poor guy was dicing Sparty up on returns so his shake game was strong and should have gained him atleast a few looks on offense.
 
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We don't have a long ball threat receiver until Stepherson returns. I thought St Brown would be a long ball threat because he chews up yardage quickly once in full stride, but he doesn't seem a natural receiver in this mode. I thought he should have scored on the completion to him down the seam last night, instead he left his feet unnecessarily and made an easy catch look difficult. He also made a mistake on the catch out of bounds in the back corner of the end zone. Both should have been passing td's and there would be a lot more narrative here about Winbush throwing for three scores instead of one.
 
Interesting what we each see. My only complain't about the passing game was the terrible screen plays, once again. They're a thing of beauty when they work, but they require a lot of attention to detail by almost everyone to sell the play before it is sniffed out, and we're giving the play away too soon.

Tonight is the first game where I felt Wimbush was in sync with his receivers, and specifically St Brown, Claypool and Mack. The later two made some outstanding blocks tonight.

Loved how Kelly told the sideline reporter that we needed to come out and stay committed to the run, and we come out throwing the ball all over the field on that first drive, with accuracy and great results. Can't you just hear the bitching about Kelly and the coaching if Wimbush had missed on his first two and we failed to get a first down, and had to punt to start the game, etc.... gutsy calls.

I think we'll start seeing some over the top passing several times per game as Stepherson is worked into the lineup.

As for defense, it's hard not to continuously measure our performance in comparison to the BVG disaster, and think back to the what if scenarios. I do it all the time. It's so damn refreshing to see the guys swarming to the runner for gang tackling, aggressive play at the LOS, good hard tackling by our linebackers most the time, and the absence of the one on one missed arm tackles that was so prevalent and embarrassing. We're not an elite lock down defense, but we're a good defense that is getting better and more confident game by game.

lastly, I am totally blown away with our red zone efficiency.

Very true on your observation of "meeting at ball carrier." That was evident from game one. ND has talent on defense and has for years now. That's what made all of us go insane each week.

Red Zone play has been remarkable on both offense and defense. Best results on defense since 2012 or atleast it feels that way. Idk if the stats back that up or not. Offensively I don't dread when we start inching toward the 15-10 yard line. Frankly I always hoped for a big play once the Irish passed midfield just so that they could avoid playing inside the 10. Watching them floundering on 2 and 3 or 3 and 1 nearly cost me a few pieces of furniture.
 
We don't have a long ball threat receiver until Stepherson returns. I thought St Brown would be a long ball threat because he chews up yardage quickly once in full stride, but he doesn't seem a natural receiver in this mode. I thought he should have scored on the completion to him down the seam last night, instead he left his feet unnecessarily and made an easy catch look difficult. He also made a mistake on the catch out of bounds in the back corner of the end zone. Both should have been passing td's and there would be a lot more narrative here about Winbush throwing for three scores instead of one.
Ya know I thought the same thing. Someone that has been practicing the position for many years how do you not be aware of that endline.
NFL scouts see that shit like a hawk.

Does he seem a bit disinterested because of the lack of action he's been involved in so far?

Something just seems off with him. He doesn't look like a one year more experienced and mature player to me.

What say you?
 
Ya know I thought the same thing. Someone that has been practicing the position for many years how do you not be aware of that endline.
NFL scouts see that shit like a hawk.

Does he seem a bit disinterested because of the lack of action he's been involved in so far?

Something just seems off with him. He doesn't look like a one year more experienced and mature player to me.

What say you?
I think he loves being the main guy, and he's not happy about The modest number of throws by the QB per game compared to the last two seasons; and I think he's frustrated with the lack of catchable balls thrown his way in the first three games, and the lack of throws when he has been wide open. And yea, his body language just doesn't show the same energy and enthusiasm we saw last season. Hope last night is the beginning of a turnaround because we need him. Again, from my perspective, he should have walked off the field with two td's and about fifty more yards which would have created some buzz.
 
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I think he loves being the main guy, and he's not happy about The modest number of throws by the QB per game compared to the last two seasons; and I think he's frustrated with the lack of catchable balls thrown his way in the first three games, and the lack of throws when he has been wide open. And yea, his body language just doesn't show the same energy and enthusiasm we saw last season. Hope last night is the beginning of a turnaround because we need him. Again, from my perspective, he should have walked off the field with two td's and about fifty more yards which would have created some buzz.
I agree all the way.

To me he just looks like he's going through the motions.

If that is the case then he can find his way to the sideline.

Sulking and being a brat is doing nothing but hurting his future NFL contract. As I said every NFL scout will remember that out of bounds TD whether it's this year or next year.

Moreover we have better fundamentally sound recievers dying to get in that game.
 
I agree all the way.

To me he just looks like he's going through the motions.

If that is the case then he can find his way to the sideline.

Sulking and being a brat is doing nothing but hurting his future NFL contract. As I said every NFL scout will remember that out of bounds TD whether it's this year or next year.

Moreover we have better fundamentally sound recievers dying to get in that game.
Who are these fundamentally better receivers on our sideline? St Brown is our best receiver, just been in a funk. I don't think he's sulking or being a brat, I think he has not been happy about de emphasizing the passing game and frustrated over Wimbush not getting him more catchable passes. I don't think he has an attitude, just been in a funk and it shows. I want St Brown starting and finishing every game.
 
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