Question for you recruiting folks....

[88ND]

How is Notre Dame doing recruiting potential front four personnel?

The biggest improvement in our defense over the last 15 years has been an offensive head coach knowing his success relies on the defensive side of the ball. Particularly the front.
Even more paramount now using a 4-3. If you can get pressure rushing only 4, even our porous secondary can make some plays.

It all really starts there.

How is the recruiting of the front four guys going. ?

 

[FLballcoach1]

I'm not a recruiting "folk". But your comments about ND's "porous" secondary is inaccurate.

ND ranks 15th in the Nation in 3rd Down defense. (Alabama is 14th). The only statistics the great Buddy Ryan cared about were sacks and 3rd Down defense.

The ND secondary does get with some big plays and had a communication issue during garbage time in Pitt. But they are among the top 15 teams in getting off the field on 3rd down and are doing so without an elite pass rusher. Speaks well of the secondary and BVG pressures. The ND secondary is not "porous".

 

[coolirish9]

well our irish a onth or s ago got a verbal from a 4 star and top 15 rated DE from Michigan ada couple of weeks ago our irish got a HUGE verbal from 2017 5 star GA DE Robet Beal who espn has rated as the number one DE for the 2017 class

 

[88ND]

I'm not a recruiting "folk". But your comments about ND's "porous" secondary is inaccurate.

ND ranks 15th in the Nation in 3rd Down defense. (Alabama is 14th). The only statistics the great Buddy Ryan cared about were sacks and 3rd Down defense.

The ND secondary does get with some big plays and had a communication issue during garbage time in Pitt. But they are among the top 15 teams in getting off the field on 3rd down and are doing so without an elite pass rusher. Speaks well of the secondary and BVG pressures. The ND secondary is not "porous".

Ok. I asked how the recruiting was going for the front four. More specifically I clearly said it's a huge luxury to only rush four and get pressure....I.e. No gimmicks , blitzes straight up or zone....to get pressure.

Buddy Ryan and his riding his one year famed defense has NOTHING to do with this.

The Irish secondary has faced two legit drop back passers this year. Both of whom shredded the secondary. And possibly a third who also had nice numbers. But I guess they aren't porous, they are just bad then against typical pocket passing.

 

[FLballcoach1]

That's your opinion and the statistics do not support your opinion. Buddy Ryan had a 30 year career and is widely regarded as one of the great defensive minds of all time.

And lastly if you are referring to the UMass QB and USC QB, the ND defense shut down both players in the 2nd half. Great Adjustments. Okwara has had 8 sacks in the last 5 games and Day has been pressuring the passers-all year.

 

[88ND]

That's your opinion and the statistics do not support your opinion. Buddy Ryan had a 30 year career and is widely regarded as one of the great defensive minds of all time.

And lastly if you are referring to the UMass QB and USC QB, the ND defense shut down both players in the 2nd half. Great Adjustments. Okwara has had 8 sacks in the last 5 games and Day has been pressuring the passers-all year.

Wow ...Okwara and Day are not in the secondary.

 

[FLballcoach1]

Correct , and they are part of the 4 man pass rush.

How is it possible to have a poor 4 man rush AND a "porous" secondary and be in the top 15 in getting off the field on 3rd down? While playing one of the nation's toughest schedules?

Short answer is you cannot. The kids in the back 4 and front 4 are getting the job done. That's why ND is 9-1 and a National Title contender.

 

[FightingIrish44]

Correct , and they are part of the 4 man pass rush.

How is it possible to have a poor 4 man rush AND a "porous" secondary and be in the top 15 in getting off the field on 3rd down? While playing one of the nation's toughest schedules?

Short answer is you cannot. The kids in the back 4 and front 4 are getting the job done. That's why ND is 9-1 and a National Title contender.

You can cherry pick stats to make any argument you want. The secondary is very average and maybe even a little below average. They are very undisciplined.

 

[Telx1]

FightingIrish, that's the most frustrating characteristic of this secondary...the lack of position discipline. We have a lot of talent and speed starting in our secondary, and I had very high expectations that our "lock down" corners would allow Van Gorder to play his aggressive disruptive style of defense. Instead, we have Russell who repeatedly has good coverage and for lack of turning to locate the ball, has become a target of weakness by other teams. Redfeld makes more than his share of tackles, but deep into the backfield and he has been burned more than anyone for lack of discipline. Joe takes on OL blockers and gets crushed, and the secondary is slow to move up and initiate contact with the exposed runner. And of course, all have been vulnerable to trick plays. Again, we have athletic talent and strength and speed in our secondary, but lack of discipline and fundamentals have produced a less than average product thus far.

 

[kellys heroes 35]

FightingIrish, that's the most frustrating characteristic of this secondary...the lack of position discipline. We have a lot of talent and speed starting in our secondary, and I had very high expectations that our "lock down" corners would allow Van Gorder to play his aggressive disruptive style of defense. Instead, we have Russell who repeatedly has good coverage and for lack of turning to locate the ball, has become a target of weakness by other teams. Redfeld makes more than his share of tackles, but deep into the backfield and he has been burned more than anyone for lack of discipline. Joe takes on OL blockers and gets crushed, and the secondary is slow to move up and initiate contact with the exposed runner. And of course, all have been vulnerable to trick plays. Again, we have athletic talent and strength and speed in our secondary, but lack of discipline and fundamentals have produced a less than average product thus far.

Tex --- someday a book will be written on why cornerbacks in the new millennium watch the receiver with their back completely turned away from the ball ---beats the living shit out of me how they think they can make a play on something they can't see .

 

[FLballcoach1]

And people without sufficient information can express opinions on a message board. ND is 9-1, contending for a title and among the best 3rd down defenses in the country. And since most 3rd down plays are passes the kids in the back 4 are doing something right.

 

[Telx1]

Flballcoach... Not one to get too invested in a specific stat line as there are so many variables. Personally, I think the best measure of a teams secondary pass defense, is the overall passing efficiency rating of opponents QBs. This takes into account completion percentage and yardage and interceptions and tds, etc... ND ranks 33rd in overall pass efficient defense. Not bad, but not stellar for sure. The one stat line I do pay a lot of attention to is the team record, and as you say, 9-1 and in position to make the playoffs is the only measure of team success that really matters. That said, I'd feel a hell of a lot better about our chances to make the playoffs and to win if our defense was at least in the to fifteen in this category; or just pass the eye test with a dominant performance in the remaining two regular season games.

 

[D_Master]

good lord, how did a question about front 4 recruiting turn into a discussion on how average the secondary is? Thats an ND board for ya, 9-1 and we suck. How many teams are great in every phase of the game? 1 or 2?

As for the question, front 4 recruiting is going ok. We have a commit that had been committed to Bama, I think he's top 10 or so in the nation as a DE. The others that are committed are 3* "projects" I'd say. My guess is we'll make a push for another "stud" but i dont think we "lead" for any of them.

 

[88ND]

And people without sufficient information can express opinions on a message board. ND is 9-1, contending for a title and among the best 3rd down defenses in the country. And since most 3rd down plays are passes the kids in the back 4 are doing something right.

Because of a third down stat line? Funny. We can make any stat look favorable in any direction we want.
The secondary is the defensive units weakest part. The best being the D line....which in turn helps out our secondary. Neither are so very good that we only blitz once in a while. No. BVG comes off the bus blitzing. I guarantee you anyone would much rather have rushing four and dropping seven......than always having to blitz. No matter the secondary quality, 7 in coverage outnumbers 5.

Thx