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What holds ND back from the top 3

Yea, I think Saban said that, as well. You're both wrong. So much depends on so much (as variables like QB ability, time to throw, running, blocking, catching etc.) but, defense will always keep you in a game - if they are good. If the offense struggles or has to press to make plays, TO's happen. Then momentum happens, as the game plays on and the O can't bust through a good defense? Frustration. Don't forget intimidation. How many times do you see the O intimidate the D? Hardly ever. The D players intimidate the O much more. Just think about a violent sack. Or a safety hitting a guy crossing the middle. Laying out a RB. Goal line stand. Meanwhile, a defense can score too.
While I'm certainly not saying defense means nothing I'm still holding my gut laughing how you just said you know better than the winningist college coach in history. I did not know we were in the presence of such greatness.
 
While I'm certainly not saying defense means nothing I'm still holding my gut laughing how you just said you know better than the winningist college coach in history. I did not know we were in the presence of such greatness.
Winningist?

Is Saban the Lord? Does everything he says happen? Has he NEVER made a mistake? No, no, and no.

In fact, he is sneaky enough to tell people that Offenses rule the day while he's snatching up most of the defensive studs every cycle, every year.
 
Winningist?

Is Saban the Lord? Does everything he says happen? Has he NEVER made a mistake? No, no, and no.

In fact, he is sneaky enough to tell people that Offenses rule the day while he's snatching up most of the defensive studs every cycle, every year.
Ahhh so hes just being sneaky. Got it! Well it seems to be working as most experts in college football agree with him. Nice to see we have our experts of experts in you that can see right through Saban the pied piper of deceit! Well done sir lol!

FYI, Saban has seven NCs and counting. More than any other college coach in history.
 
He is very slow for the position. ND couldn’t hide him vs Clemson and bama. It’s exactly the point of this thread. What’s holding us back vs the elites.
I really hope he proves me wrong despite all practice reports stating he’s getting beat consistently. If Lewis becomes a stud, oh my lord this D!
I don't think you can blame one guy for Notre Dame's post-season's woes last year against those powerhouses (Ala, and Clemson). Apparently Clark Lea made his choices, and one of them was the frosh, Lewis.

Now was I in favor of Lea still coaching ND while already signing as HC at Vandy? Hell no. That was just another Kelly flaw. And don't doubt that Dabo and Trevor Lawrence, along with Nick and Mack Jones weren't aware that the obvious game plan should be to expose a freshman CB as opposed to a 6 year CB that sometimes played safety and a UNC transfer CB that wasn't great, but maybe a bit better. It was a weak position group and Lea put a lot on the kid. Maybe it will pay off in the long run for Lewis, or maybe we brought in some elite talent at CB and Freeman will use them. Who really knows, but I like the present and future of NDs defense and the CB position.
 
Ahhh so hes just being sneaky. Got it! Well it seems to be working as most experts in college football agree with him. Nice to see we have our experts of experts in you that can see right through Saban the pied piper of deceit! Well done sir lol!

FYI, Saban has seven NCs and counting. More than any other college coach in history.
Yea, it is working. Who does better recruiting defensive players? Of course, you can now run to the fools gold along with 120 other team's scouts and recruiters going after the offensive players because NICK THE GOD of all that is CFB said that that's where the game is now!

And Saban will be in the living rooms of the A-list kids that can and want to play defense because Nick knows that defense still wins Championships. Sucker.
 
Remember the old days the rule of thumb; defense wins championship and offense puts you over the top. Well times have clearly changed, 2021 says offense wins championships and defense puts you over the top. We've all witnessed games where the score sores to ridiculous heights. There are games that it appears the defense stayed in the locker room. The thing I don't understand is ND not even showing up in huge games against Alabama, Clemson, USC, and Michigan. How do you not show up ready to fight for the national and ACC championship? How do you not show up ready to fight Michigan in the Big House and Los Angeles Coliseum? At least ND defense showed up against Alabama in the second half of last year's semi final and kept it respectable.
 
Remember the old days the rule of thumb; defense wins championship and offense puts you over the top. Well times have clearly changed, 2021 says offense wins championships and defense puts you over the top. We've all witnessed games where the score sores to ridiculous heights. There are games that it appears the defense stayed in the locker room. The thing I don't understand is ND not even showing up in huge games against Alabama, Clemson, USC, and Michigan. How do you not show up ready to fight for the national and ACC championship? How do you not show up ready to fight Michigan in the Big House and Los Angeles Coliseum? At least ND defense showed up against Alabama in the second half of last year's semi final and kept it respectable.
No offense but when Saban realized NDs offense could not score he let off the gas in that playoff game. They could have put a lot more points on the board. Saban was already pulling players and saving them for the NC game.
 
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I talked with my buddy down in Mobile about your theory and if it flew. After enduring about five minutes of laughter he said, if Alabama could run up the score then we would have won by 60 or more points. Saban decimated UK earlier in the season 63-3. Alabama takes no prisoners on the football field. He then said your DC figured some things out at half time that shut us down. He wasn't sure why ND fans would try and tear down the effort ND put forth in the second half. We had a few laughs and said good night. Think what you want just don't waste my time with your nonsense.
Don't take my word for it. Go watch the game. The only reason we scored the last minute TD was because of a 15 yard personal foul. And unless your friend is Saban it really doesn't matter. But hey if it helps you sleep at night then great. I do believe if we had and offense our defense could have hung with Alabama. Because according to you defenses still win championships.
 
I talked with my buddy down in Mobile about your theory and if it flew. After enduring about five minutes of laughter he said, if Alabama could run up the score then we would have won by 60 or more points. Saban decimated UK earlier in the season 63-3. Alabama takes no prisoners on the football field. He then said your DC figured some things out at half time that shut us down. He wasn't sure why ND fans would try and tear down the effort ND put forth in the second half. We had a few laughs and said good night. Think what you want just don't waste my time with your nonsense.
Is your friend in Mobile named Nick Saban? Why should we take note of what your friend says? Because he's an Alabama fan?

I'd hope there was some adjustments at halftime.

And when Ala. was running up the score against Ky, it was the regular season and rankings still mattered. In the CFP, all he had to do was win that game, come away injury free, and then go play for the championship game. He definitely let up.
 
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No we had 2 really good ones. Pride and Love. Thats good enough to win a title. There's been title teams without good number 3 corners. Bracy didnt even play that game. It was Vaughn and he was playing injured
That's sorta the point of elite DEPTH. the best option was a supposed injured Vaughn.

A freaking ncsu cast off walked in and was the best cornerback walking in the door.

When your most experienced guy goes down and the best option is a true freshman like last year.. come on man.

Book was a very good college back.

Our 4 deep at cb over the last ten years wouldn't rank top 50.
 
That's sorta the point of elite DEPTH. the best option was a supposed injured Vaughn.

A freaking ncsu cast off walked in and was the best cornerback walking in the door.

When your most experienced guy goes down and the best option is a true freshman like last year.. come on man.

Book was a very good college back.

Our 4 deep at cb over the last ten years wouldn't rank top 50.
I disagree. We were closer at CB with Love Pride and a healthy Vaughn than Book was as a NC QB. That 3 man corner group was top 10. Book was never.

We had other years with Russell and Luke and a couple other years. QB is so much more important as well. You could win with solid corners. You need a stud at QB, especially us. We don't have Bama talent
 
More expected, idiotic drivel from the BBC when the subject of book is brought up. They all come running foaming at the mouth.

If every ND player played as well as book did compared to the rest of the country at their respective positions, we would’ve won a title. He didn’t hold us back, he led our offense that was the highest scoring ND offense ever during his starting stretch. Keep on hatin’, though. Maybe you’ll be right about him for once. Praying for a former ND player to get cut. Shameful, sad bunch.
 
You’re 100% right, ara, and responding to all the nonsense on the subject would be a lengthy exercise, but the thing is, these book haters have been wrong every single step of the way, but they still want us to consider their analysis. Why would any of us do that? Stfu already if you’ve already been proven wrong 100 times is my point.
 
The Ian Book crusaders. Warlords of mediocracy. Kelly's Hero's.

Notre Dame fans had to endure mediocracy in chunks. We knew we weren't going to win championships when Kelly first anointed Tommy Rees to play for 3.5 years and then Book for 3.5 years. That's a big chunk of Kelly's ND career. What has he learned? Bring in Rees to be the QB coach for Book...hah, perfect. Then promote him to OC!! That's GENIUS Jerry!!! They will break all time Notre Dame records!!

Except that Notre Dame in it's history was never about being pass happy, so of course when Kelly made that his Offense, ANYONE! A N Y O N E given 3 1/2 - 4 years to throw in that offense would and SHOULD put up ND record numbers, most likely BETTER put up ND record numbers! Break all those very reachable records.

BUT!! they say, LOOK AT THEIR RESPECTIVE WINS TOTALS!!

Most of Kelly's career we were saying, WHO DID WE BEAT? So in his 11 years we beat an Oklahoma team, we beat a Mich team, maybe include an LSU bowl (where LSU seemed ashamed to settle for playing. They looked as uninspired as NDs CC and CFP showings of just last year). And LSU again in the Citrus Bowl. Kelly's first big bowl win...the Citrus Bowl...we remember that, right? When Kelly dumped an undefeated Wimbush for that gunslinger... one Ian Book. And lastly, Clemson at home, w/out the Heisman QB, Lawrence. AND significant D injuries.

Eleven years, 134 games and by my count, and being generous in counting those LSU (Motor City and Citrus bowls) I'll give Kelly 5 significant wins or 4% of his wins, I guess, had meaning.

So that gunslinger, one Ian Book, in approx. 42 games (when including post season) he has (and I do this generously) 2 significant wins because I include UNC. (Since when is UNC considered significant in football?).

So Clemson and UNC in 2020. No significant wins in the rest of his career! I mean, Iowa State in 2019? Sorry, it's Iowa State and that's a given we should win 9.9 of 10 times we play them.

2018 significant wins? Well if Northwestern or Syracuse or Pitt rocks your world...not mine. Zero significance.

In his career Book was 1-4 verses Top 10.

And for the record, only idiots would think Notre Dame fans want Book to fail in the NFL.

But, crusade on...
 
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I don’t need to “crusade on”, book’s play did that for me. And how can I take your analysis seriously when you compare rees w/ book as players? Lol.
 
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