2014 Commit #17 Isaiah McKenzie
McKenzie tweeted that he committed to ND. Small, fast slot receiver standing at 5’8″ 165 lbs from South Florida – that’s 3 receivers for this class.
Now we really need DT’s and ILB’s.
Check out his highlight video:
Notre Dame VS Southern Cal
This is an absolute must win game for ND and for Kelly. Another night game packed with 30 some recruits – many from California very similar to the 2011 game in which ND embarrassed themselves and lost out on a number of 4-5 stars. Important for Kelly since you are not considered a good coach unless you beat USC consistently.
USC will come into this game all jacked up and hoping to provide Interim Coach Ed Orgeron the push to finish the season with wins and get the Head Coach title. Sanctions had no effect at all on the players they get – they are all top notch even though, for the most part, thugs not students. they intimidated ND in 2011 and we barely beat them in 2012 when they had no QB.
I really hope the ND coaches and players studied the USC Arizona game. Two very different half’s. USC jumped all over the Wildcats, got them out of their running game and forced them to pass. 2nd half different with Arizona finally pressuring the USC Qb Kessler – who sort of panics under pressure.
Arizona was able to get back into this game due to the foregoing as well as the escape ability of the Arizona QB who was under heavy pressure. We don’t have that wit Rees. We don’t have anyone with the ability of the Arizona running back Carey.
So what do we know:
- USC can score points with a good passing and 4-5 excellent RB’s.
- ND must put heavy pressure on the QB the entire game.
- Coaching–Orgeron wants the Head job. Kelly will have no legacy if he flops here.
- Game will be won by ND if both the OL and DL can dominate.
- ND will lose if they come out flat, fall behind and can’t protect Rees.
- Winner–team that plays a full 60 minutes.
ND 24 USC 17
Getting Ready for USC 2013
Check out this great video on the ND vs USC rivalry:
Bye Weekend
With ND taking a week off there were plenty of games worth watching. So I checked out Pitt vs Virginia Tech for awhile – Pitt is not that bad, something to follow in the coming weeks.
Checked out the beat down Texas put on Oklahoma – and for you Tommy haters, Casey McCoy Texas QB threw 2, that’s right 2 pick 6’s for Oklahoma TD’s to linemen no less. The magician QB Johnny Football actually had a pick in the end zone when A&M were close to scoring – this guy really is good. Oh, all day Saturday I saw QB’s throwing picks, so it’s just not Tommy, it happens – a lot. Finally, Oregon – so effortless for them to score.
Now coming up we have a rejuvenated USC and ND better be prepared for a tough, tough game. These guys cut loose for interim coach Orgeron and to add to our problems Marquis Lee is expected to play.
The important thing I learned is the empty backfield that ND employs is ridiculous with an immobile QB and rarely was used by anyone I watched. I did not see any team have trouble getting the call in to the QB, nor did I see the comedy of changing, then re-changing plays. Play in and they go and go fast.
Why is it when I look at Kelly what comes to my mind is a visiting professor – he just looks like he’s just biding his time before he jumps ship. Only problem – he’s gotta WIN. ND is just giving away what they are going to do with the position sets they put in. It’s not only the opponent coaches that pick it up but the players themselves seem to know what’s coming. He’s had 2 weeks – lets see if any improvement – better be.
Coming Up USC
It was interesting watching the Arizona USC game for the obvious reason – how would the USC players respond to interim coach Ed Orgeron. They responded quite well, looked fired up and seemed to be glad Kiffin is gone. The final score 38-31 is somewhat misleading – USC led at the half 28-3.
STATS:
Total Yds USC 546 vs 508 Arizona
Rush Yds USC 249 vs Arizona 145
Pass Yds USC 297 vs Arizona 363
Arizona could have easily won this game if they did not fall so far behind so early. Arizona RB KaDeem Carey ran for 138 yards alone. This kid is an All American and Notre Dame has no RB anywhere near him in talent. Taken out of their run game early, they still continued to gain rush yards throughout the entire game. The Arizona QB BJ Denker looked like Johnny Football, continuously evading pressure – kid is fast and he kept them in the game. I do think they should have given Carey the ball more often for there were some big holes for him.
So USC, they have a competent QB if given time to throw. When Arizona brought pressure he is not so good. USC has very good RB’s and their big gun is Silas Redd who went 19 carries for 80 yards. They also gave frosh Ty Isaac 6’3″ 225 and he looked good when he was in. I think he’s from Illinois and ND recruited him hard – big back we need. The other guy we really wanted WR Nelson Agholor had 7 pass es for 161 yards – he’s damn good and fast. Don’t know if we have anyone who can cover him let alone Marquis Lee if he’s healthy.
From watching this game it is obvious that SC has good players all around despite sanctions. If we have any hope of beating them we must get to the QB.
Bye Week
Couldn’t have come at a better time – a lot of these guys are banged up. Dan Fox has been dinged up all year and now we learn, from Kelly, Stephon Tuitt has myriad problems that have been slowing him down.
With the loss of Jarrett Grace the ILB situation needs attention and fast. So what do we have there – Kendall Moore, now a senior and not much going for him, Anthony Rabassa, junior, has almost disappeared. That leaves freshman Michael Deeb 6’2″ 245 just about the same size as Grace. Is he ready? if he looks good I would play him this year for both Fox and Calabrese will be gone next year. The only other option I can see is Ben Councell,junior, OLB that lost his job to Jaylon Smith. So you have 2 weeks to cross train him.
DD, Davaris Daniels WR needs a lot of work running the correct routes. We simply must find a position for Amir Carlisle – give him a few weeks in the slot. Now is also the time for Tarean Folston to get reps as 1st team running back. I love Cam but we really need a back that can run faster and can also catch passes. GAIII is a puzzle – blazing speed but has trouble following his blocks. We also need to get OL Hanratty and Hegarty some playing time.
Now the coaches. ND is the only team that has trouble getting plays in and then we have the comedy of switching plays which the defense just switches with them. This can’t be that hard – Holtz always had 2 plays ready following the play he just sent in. For a good conversation on play calling, check out Irish Sports Daily latest Power Hour.
GREAT ICON VIDEO
Check out this great video of the Shamrock Series game vs Arizona State:
Notre Dame 37 Arizona State 34
Wow – who the hell expected that. ND goes down to Texas and beats a red hot ASU TEAM. Tommy Rees out-duels a red hot QB Taylor Kelly with some picture perfect passing and great receiving especially by TJ Jones who had an All American game. Ben Koyack (TE) gets his first touchdown. ND even had a good kick return by Jones, Niklas TD and 5th year line backer gets a pick 6 to seal the game.
Kyle Brindza 3 FG’S including a 53 yarder. Looks like 6 sacks by ND for minus 45 yards as Shembo (3) and Tuitt came alive. Constant harassment of the ASU QB won this game for the Irish in the 2nd half. The Notre Dame “D” finally came alive to slow down a warp speed offense that I thought would have had them exhausted by the 4th quarter.
The ND defense got a lot of help from the offense which had long drives, ate the clock, scored and kept ASU off the field. ND’s OL really did a terrific job pass blocking for Rees who actually completed some roll out passes. Cam McDaniel led rushers going 15 attempts for 82 yards.
Game Ball to the OL and McDaniel, if I was giving them out. While McDaniel may not have the break away speed he does read the holes much better than GAIII at this stage. Some sad news – ILB Grace went down with a fractured lower leg, just when he was starting to be a force in the middle. Senior WR Daniel Smith fractured his ankle. Both are finished for the year.
Some strange coaching at the end of the game almost snatched defeat from victory. Very strange and ASU almost got the onside kick. Don’t understand why Calabrese in for coverage when all ASU was going to pass, needed to pass and they scored in like 50 seconds.
Anyhow a good win and now they have 2 weeks off to forget everything they’ve learned so far this season. Here are the game highlights:
Notre Dame vs Arizona State
Two bad things could happen this weekend. #1 ND loses, #2 USC hires Todd Graham. The Irish football team will get their first look at a real uptempo offense as well as their first look at a big time college QB. This kid Kelly can gun it and run it. Why, with a name of Kelly, isn’t this kid playing for Notre Dame? Well guess he slipped under the radar somehow or Coach Graham coached him up, while ND barely has 1 quarterback. How does that happen in a storied program that used to get the very best QB’s. I think ND has had more All American QB’s than any other college program.
With that out of the way, what about the game.
- First Flag – a night game – ND doesn’t seem to know how to win these games.
- Second Flag – Todd Graham.
- Third Flag – the ASU offense which will exhaust the ND defense prior to the 4th quarter.
If ND sits back and lets the ASU QB just dink and dunk 7 yard passes all night this game will get ugly early. Those 7 yd comps will turn into 25 yard gains, followed by the long ball which will open up their running game.
ND has to find a way, somehow, to get to this QB. Unless he’s pressured and harassed every play, he is going to light it up. Hell put in 6 DB’s and blitz the crap out of this guy – you gotta do something, anything different for ASU will rack up points and they won’t be field goals. So far our “D” looks bad at every position – and a lot of these guys have played a lot. It’s as if their football instincts have been drained out of them. Like the offense they all play too tight and it certainly doesn’t look like they are having fun out there. coaching. So much for the defense.
Offense – so predictable, that the opposition players have said they knew what play was coming. Whatever confidence Tommy Rees may have had is gone now. This coaching staff has put him in bad situations with the play calling and he is not talented enough to carry this team. Now he even has trouble with short passes – looks like he’s aiming the ball rather than passing it. Sounds like we will be seeing more of Andrew Hendricks Saturday night – he sure as hell better be able to pass the ball.
From Brian Kelly’s press meet of 10/3 freshman RB Greg Bryant is out for the year with tendonitis of the knee. Will be redshirted. Rumored that he blames the real grass field for this injury. Keep your fingers crossed that he doesn’t head south when the first snow flakes hit campus.
Wish it wasn’t true but :
ASU 38 ND 27
Identity Crisis
Bryan Kelly rode into the ND head coaching job based on the prolific offenses that he had at every prior stop. So he screams his head off that Dayne Crist couldn’t run his offense regardless of the fact that Weiss recruited players for a Pro Style offense especially Crist–so he absolutely broke that kids’ confidence.
Now he’s decided he wants an Alabama offense that he’s never run – Pro Style and he recruited for the Spread. Always talking about the players still seeking an identity while it’s him that has an identity crisis. He can’t recruit a Pro Style QB that can actually pass and some of them can even run. So his offense is stuck in confusion. How is it possible that PreMed QB Hendricks can’t understand the playbook after 4 years.
I think we can say that Stanford and ND are very similar academically and that ND usually prevails in landing the higher rated recruit. Now look at how each team actually plays the game – say for the last 4 years. Stanford became a Super Power, for the most part due to the tenacity and toughness of former coach Jim Harbaugh. His teams took on his personality and usually beat the hell out of ND.
Even last year, it took almost a super human effort for ND to stop them on the goal line. This year has yet to play out but Stanford is currently number 4 while ND is stumbling thru the season still looking for any type of offensive identity while barely beating very marginal teams and now are 3-2. I never thought I would say that Stanford has tougher players than The Irish but the games certainly bear that out – remember Toby Gearhart running all over ND including Te’o. These Cardinals play hard for 4 quarters and they play with fervor and tenacity.
Defense – what a mess with 8 returning starters – look completely confused and lethargic, almost like they just wish the game was over. What about Diaco – you know, you don’t have to wait for half time to make a few adjustments and why are you in the booth and not down on the sideline. Seems you have a fiery personality so be right there with the players and jack them up. Diagram defenses for them during the game and fire these guys up.
So we go to Texas in this state to play a Todd Graham ASU team that will be sky high after laying 61 on USC. The question is – we even be competitive?