The real issue to me is this: Do ND players improve over the years while they are at ND? I don't see it. Apart from game day decisions, game preparation and so on, this seems to be the number 1 fundamental problem with the Irish; players come in highly rated, and don't seem to get much better, as players from the time they enter to the time they leave. In fact, regression can often be seen, particularly at skill positions. Since I live in the PNW I have watched as Peterson at UW has built a real power. He has largely done it with players who started much further down the recruiting scale than ND, but each year those players have improved and developed into the kind of players he has wanted; to the point they are now much better than the ND players, who came in ranked much higher as players. That, to me, is coaching system; period.
The Real Issue
- Thread starter mmboys07
- Start date
You may be right but I'm not sure. I haven't researched it but isn't ND putting more players in the pros now than they did for several years prior to Kelly being there? That could be the result of better recruiting versus player development I guess. Under BK, my biggest concern is that the team doesn't seem to have an identity on either side of the ball. When I watch a ND game, I never know what I'm going to get.
57,
That is our problem. With Ara and Lou, we knew our lines, both O and D would be solid. We could emphasize Ballance or strickly Run the ball depending on the talent at hand. Those coaches came in with
a solid game plan and stuck with it, but also were cabable of making whatever adjustments were necessary
to exploit an opponent's weaknesses. The identity of those teams was Tough, sound , discipline, fundamentals starting with blocking and tackling.
Kelly's identity is almost like drawing plays in the sand ? He certainly comes up with some odd
play calling at critical points in just about every game, starting with his always acceptimg the ball first when we win the toss ? That's what we get, when our coach is "Smarter" than 98 % of the rest of college football
coaches !
After rooting for ND for over 70 years, My intensity of interest has been decreasing. I still watch
most games live, but if the games start late, I'll just put them on DVR, and watch them when I get around to it. Maybe, if God gives me the time, a new coach may rekindle some of the old fire ?
That is our problem. With Ara and Lou, we knew our lines, both O and D would be solid. We could emphasize Ballance or strickly Run the ball depending on the talent at hand. Those coaches came in with
a solid game plan and stuck with it, but also were cabable of making whatever adjustments were necessary
to exploit an opponent's weaknesses. The identity of those teams was Tough, sound , discipline, fundamentals starting with blocking and tackling.
Kelly's identity is almost like drawing plays in the sand ? He certainly comes up with some odd
play calling at critical points in just about every game, starting with his always acceptimg the ball first when we win the toss ? That's what we get, when our coach is "Smarter" than 98 % of the rest of college football
coaches !
After rooting for ND for over 70 years, My intensity of interest has been decreasing. I still watch
most games live, but if the games start late, I'll just put them on DVR, and watch them when I get around to it. Maybe, if God gives me the time, a new coach may rekindle some of the old fire ?
I think the pros are looking at innate ability; not what they are actually doing at ND. I think the point is exactly this: With so much pro talent coming through ND in recent years, shouldn't they be doing much better on the field during those years? The fact they are not demonstrates, to me anyway, Kelly and his coaching staff are not using the players properly and not preparing and developing them to perform at a level their innate talent would suggest.
