I am one of the biggest Kelly supporters but.......

[Zorich 88]

This loss is 100% on him. There is absolutely no way MZ should have gotten any reps. This one decision made by coach Kelly, cost ND the game. Yes, the defense was not great. Yes, Nick Coleman got burned multiple times for big plays. This game was decided on two plays. 1. When Kelly decided to "bench" Kizer the second series, even after he just lead his team to a TD the first possession of the season.
2. And this is the decision that hurt us the most. Why in the world did MZ start the 2nd half??? He had what, 20 yards of total offense? How can any coach that claims to know anything about the game, not pick Kizer over MZ? What was he looking at all summer? How can you play two QBs when clearly one is better than the other by leaps and bounds? Again, I was a huge Kelly guy. Now I am looking for his replacement. I would take our offensive coordinator over Kelly right now.

 

[HuddleBurger]

I concur. Kelly decided, against all conventional wisdom, that he was going to use a 2-QB system. No one was clamoring for this, and most doubted it would work. That is squarely on him, and he has to own it. We all saw the results.

It's clear to me that the man doesn't have a definitive plan on offense and therefore cannot determine which QB most closely fits that plan. The plan doesn't exist.

 

[justacollegefan]

This loss is 100% on him. There is absolutely no way MZ should have gotten any reps. This one decision made by coach Kelly, cost ND the game. Yes, the defense was not great. Yes, Nick Coleman got burned multiple times for big plays. This game was decided on two plays. 1. When Kelly decided to "bench" Kizer the second series, even after he just lead his team to a TD the first possession of the season.
2. And this is the decision that hurt us the most. Why in the world did MZ start the 2nd half??? He had what, 20 yards of total offense? How can any coach that claims to know anything about the game, not pick Kizer over MZ? What was he looking at all summer? How can you play two QBs when clearly one is better than the other by leaps and bounds? Again, I was a huge Kelly guy. Now I am looking for his replacement. I would take our offensive coordinator over Kelly right now.

Yes forget logic, or the points you also made about the defense, that one decision changed the game. Throw the bum out!

 

[Zorich 88]

Yes forget logic, or the points you also made about the defense, that one decision changed the game. Throw the bum out!

The guy is proving he is not a big game coach. There was no reason to play both QB's. Especially to start the 2nd half when one looks totally uncomfortable out there and the other was just catching his grove.

 

[perseverare]

 

[wicker]

This game was lost thru an inability to tackle

 

[Java65]

While I didn't like the 2 QB system the team scored 37 pts and that should always be enough to win. This loss was on the defense. Shouldn't need to score 40 pts to win a game

 

[Zorich 88]

While I didn't like the 2 QB system the team scored 37 pts and that should always be enough to win. This loss was on the defense. Shouldn't need to score 40 pts to win a game

Yes, I agree the defense played terrible. However, DK accounted for every single ND point. Why was the guy still sharing snaps with a player that looked as though he was in a daze? Starting MZ in the 2nd half is was really blows my mind. Playing 2 QB's absolutely cost ND this game. Even with the bad defense ND still had a chance to win. Why? Because DK was the best QB in the building and should have been given every snap.

 

[TXNDFan88]

Like you I am huge Kelly supporter, but I can't even begin to blame this on the offensive side of the ball. Yes, I was shocked when Zaire came out after his 2nd series, but the defense is atrocious. Kelly hired BVG and let him run this mess for three years now. And don't tell me about talent, BC had a top 10 defense last year with a heck of lot less talent than ND has/had. Unprepared, out coached , and lacking fundamentals is a common theme and Kelly has to own that because he allows it to continue.

 

[perseverare]

not sure Kelly has a clue what to do. The ND job exceeds his grasp.

 

[ronron125]

Just for the record the team that won played two QB's....Just saying

 

[perseverare]

Just for the record the team that won played two QB's....Just saying

but they must have done it far more effectively; nor does UT have a QB of the ability of DK.
(the young kid may eventually be a v good QB; but others have had dimilar games vs BVG and then became anonomous!)

 

[nook91]

I concur. Kelly decided, against all conventional wisdom, that he was going to use a 2-QB system. No one was clamoring for this, and most doubted it would work. That is squarely on him, and he has to own it. We all saw the results.

It's clear to me that the man doesn't have a definitive plan on offense and therefore cannot determine which QB most closely fits that plan. The plan doesn't exist.

spot on

feel bad for MZ, but in big time college football you gotta get the W and that means that even the good players get benched so the great ones can play

 

[DublinND]

Just for the record the team that won played two QB's....Just saying

You don't play 2qbs in 2nd half when your down on the road and one qb has 2 touchdowns and the other ZERO! It's absurd. You don't ask your defense to hold up at end of gm when they have not held up in 2 yrs when it counted. You go for win on the road not to tie for overtime. Not with that D and in that Texas heat. The not going for it and 4th and 1 and then getting a lucky reprieve . Get ball back with score still tied and on 3rd and 12 run a dive play . What a moron!!! Qb has scored 7 touchdowns and u take the gm out of his hands . You HAVE to keep the Damn Ball! Duh.... you win or lose with your best not try not to lose with your worst. Indefensible. It's clear the ND program has reached its ceiling under Kelly . It will not advance . It's solid average overall. That's it. That shouldn't be good enough with the potential and resources ND has . But it is... As long as the money spigot continues unabated the university will continue to allow mediocrity. I for one am disgusted. It's beginning to look like a program based solely on PR hype and a bit of ruse .

 

[nook91]

You don't play 2qbs in 2nd half when your down on the road and one qb has 2 touchdowns and the other ZERO! It's absurd. You don't ask your defense to hold up at end of gm when they have not held up in 2 yrs when it counted. You go for win on the road not to tie for overtime. Not with that D and in that Texas heat. The not going for it and 4th and 1 and then getting a lucky reprieve . Get ball back with score still tied and on 3rd and 12 run a dive play . What a moron!!! Qb has scored 7 touchdowns and u take the gm out of his hands . You HAVE to keep the Damn Ball! Duh.... you win or lose with your best not try not to lose with your worst. Indefensible. It's clear the ND program has reached its ceiling under Kelly . It will not advance . It's solid average overall. That's it. That shouldn't be good enough with the potential and resources ND has . But it is... As long as the money spigot continues unabated the university will continue to allow mediocrity. I for one am disgusted. It's beginning to look like a program based solely on PR hype and a bit of ruse .

honestly, we're the LSU of the midwest

 

[DublinND]

honestly, we're the LSU of the midwest

That would be generous

 

[nook91]

That would be generous

your right, too true

 

[ronron125]

I'm just saying it's not the QB situation alone it is deeper.

 

[Zorich 88]

I'm just saying it's not the QB situation alone it is deeper.

If DK played every down we would have won the game. Our biggest topic of discussion would be the defense.

 

[DublinND]

Deeper in going back to Umass game last yr. 27 points given up. 148 yards / 5+ yards per carry. It's a chronic condition we have here with this Defense regardless of quality of opponent

 

[HRC08]

The offense (under Kizer) looked really good. Great at times. Diaco's defense was good enough to go 12-0. Give Brian Kelly credit, guys. He's starting to see BVG is in over his head. First year doesn't count. It's the the first year. Last year was BVG's first real year, if you will. From the 1st quarter on last night, Brian Kelly was in BVG's ear. He's not going to sit back and do nothing. Trust that. He will be held to account. Kelly isn't going to be embarrassed on national tv without letting us all see that he's just as pissed as the rest of us. He was talking with the Dline coach several times lastnight. What's up with the run fits, coach?

I for one don't think BVG has it. I think he'll be gone after this season. I wanna believe that ND has the offense to win out but I also have to be realistic. The defense under BVG is just that bad!

 

[lyonhawk]

The defense was bad. But as several users have said already, if Kizer took every snap we score 50 in regulation and work on tightening up the D instead of wondering if there's anything left for this season.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

honestly, we're the LSU of the midwest

I would say Mississippi St.