Red Zone: Sorry, but this one is on you, coach!

[stu4don]

His ND teams have had a pitiful record in the (85th!) red zone. Why? Blame the QBs? The RBs? Hunter's fumble? Ints? No, this one is on you coach. I'm a big fan of you and you need to man up and say, "You know, I have done a poor job with our red zone offense. I haven't put my guys in the proper position to score points down there. I am going to go back to the drawing board, look at offenses that are successful in the red zone and talk to my offensive coordinator Mike Sanford and come up with a new approach. Our figures are dismal and it is inexcusable. We will get better!"

I'm a Kelly fan. He is the man for this job -- he does so many things well but this is an area where his teams have really underperformed! How many games has it cost us. Should we blame it on the constant turnstile of young, inexperienced QBs? No, I think it is scheme. He needs to rethink.



Were the season to end today, the ranking of 85th nationally would actually be the third best rate of the Brian Kelly era, behind only 2011 (28th) and 2014 (45th), and ahead of 2010 (87th), 2013 (100th) and 2012 (112th).

BGI/Andrew Ivins

Notre Dame ranks 85th in the nation in red zone touchdown percentage.
Red zone woes can certainly be overcome — Notre Dame's worst performance near the end zone came during the 12-1 season in 2012 — but it leaves little margin for error for a team eyeing a College Football Playoff berth.

"It's certainly a number that we're aware of, that we have to really clean up the turnovers, converting field goals into touchdowns," Kelly said Tuesday. "Our offense is what it is. We just have to be more efficient down there and spend extra time in practice in making sure that when we get into those areas, we convert them into touchdowns. - See more at: https://notredame.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1821288#sthash.iNdG6cNi.dpuf

 

[Irish Grandeur]

1. The article is available on the home page for everyone to read.
2. BK states he is aware of the issue.
3. He admits they need to get better at it.
4. BK is the head coach and is fully aware he is responsible for the entire team.

Do you really feel the need to start another "Red Zone" thread rather than posting on the other one a few spots down from this one? Are you on some personal crusade to announce what everyone is already aware of? Thank you Captain Obvious for telling the world that BK is responsible for all facets of the ND football team!

In a similar article it stated:
Kelly said his staff will take some extra time this week to review its play-calling to see if they can put players in better position to score.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/kelly-believes-no-8-notre-dame-mettle-contenders-223514651--ncaaf.html

 

[Maplerock]

Look at the number of fades to the corner of the endzone. That's his go to play and everyone knows it.

Maybe on short yardage we should find a fullback an put Kizer under center.

Kelly is too predictable in the red zone.

 

[88ND]

Look at the number of fades to the corner of the endzone. That's his go to play and everyone knows it.

Maybe on short yardage we should find a fullback an put Kizer under center.

Kelly is too predictable in the red zone.

Fullback? Kelly would say what on earth is a fullback

 

[perseverare]

wasn't Tyler Lautua was a lead blocker on the 1st TD vs Temple - where was he lining up?
who cares what they call him; he was blocking

 

[captstabbin]

The mark of a true leader and learner is one that identifies his weaknesses and makes them strengths. CBK needs to do this. I 100% agree with everything the OP says.

 

[FightingIrish44]

wasn't Tyler Lautua was a lead blocker on the 1st TD vs Temple - where was he lining up?
who cares what they call him; he was blocking

Thank you. I'm so tired of this talk about Fullbacks and "power" football. ND runs very similar concepts to what you see from Pro-Style offenses. They just run it from different formations and looks.

 

[Maplerock]

Thank you. I'm so tired of this talk about Fullbacks and "power" football. ND runs very similar concepts to what you see from Pro-Style offenses. They just run it from different formations and looks.

Ok... but it takes our short yardage runners too long to hit the hole, starting with the QB and backs 7 yards deep.

 

[stu4don]

Grandeur, yeah I worked late last night and the other post was down the list and didn't see it until after I posted. Usually I just add to the discussion so sorry for that. My point: Kelly needs to address this. We won't win out if we have Saturdays like we did vs. Temple. Stanford actually has an offense (Temple does not.)

You are touchy Grandeur -- I thought this was a sports blog about ND football? I've always been a big Kelly fan -- best coach since Holtz and if he stays long enough he might surpass him -- but BK is sometimes stubborn and evasive about his failings. Even George Washington admitted in his farewell speech that the made some errors.

I'm sure he's on it but I wanted underscore the point -- I didn't really hear that in his comments.

 

[Irish Grandeur]

Stu4don: yes, I was a little testy and curt in my reply - I apologize.

He'll have to clear that problem up if he wants his team to make a championship run. I'll admit that I sometimes hold my breath when a ND receiver is being tackled inside the opponent's five yard line - freaky turnovers that leave points on the field. I'm not saying the Irish would have won the CU game had the turnovers not happened because CU's strategy would have been different but it would have significantly given them a better shot.

I saw this in another thread and like the idea of bringing in extra linemen that report as eligible. With ND's o-line, there should be no way they cannot force their will on opponents for a yard or two.

 

[FightingIrish44]

Ok... but it takes our short yardage runners too long to hit the hole, starting with the QB and backs 7 yards deep.

They don't align that deep and that's how deep a RB in the I formation lines up. It looks slow developing, but they're hitting about as fast as those I formation teams. The footwork just looks different.

 

[NDCap]

I would run a Double TE form with Jones as the TE on the same side as Fuller ( in a Flanker position This would give ND a dual pass threat on the same side. DEfenses might double Fuller . The closest formation to the "I" is their pistol set . Go Pistol and offset Latua make him lead block for CJ. CJ never has a lead blocker. also play action to him into the right flat . In this formation fuller can go in motion across , Drawing the corner to run with him across the formation if in man. This would now isolate Jones to back corner of the end zone and off the fake to CK get latua wide open for the play action pass. Thats' just one option. I have like 5.

 

[BGI User 348]

Alot of payroll $$$ in the ND offensive coaches room. Let's see if they figure this out.

BEAT da burg!!!

 

[perseverare]

the more experience Kizer gets, the more he will see what works and does not work. He'll figure it out.
Kizer, Sanford and Kelly will 'be an effective team'.