Few thoughts on BC game

ND Editor Football Tagged , , , , , ,
2

Wish BC #40 Kuechley played for us–he wanted to come to ND–can you imagine ILB’s Teo & Kuechley.

Losing Gray a big big hit, field position and flu had big impact. I thought team always got flu shots–at least they used to.

ND fans really need to back off on Rees–what’s he supposed to tell Kelly-“play some other guy”

ND spoiled by a once in every 25 yrs QB–Çlaussen and can’t get it thru there heads no QB on team now is anywhere near Jimmy.

Knock off Stanford in prime time and win Bowl game–turn the defense loose.

ND 16 BC 14

ND Editor Football Tagged , , , , ,
1

Escaped with a win to go 8-3.

BC had a good defensive game plan dropping 8–many times Rees had no play but threw it anyway–should have been 3 pics for BC.

Sure do miss Cave–chemistry just not there yet.

Jonas Gray–devastating loss with knee–looks like he’s done–last year it was hamstrings and this year acl’s.

Tuitt did not play but glad to see Niclas at DE position think that is where he will end up in 2012.

Toma continues to impress and he and Ruffer along with Gray MVP’s for this game.

I don’t get Diaco at all.

Aaron Lynch frustration showing he’s held almost every play yet no calls.

Give BC credit–good game plan.

Truly hope Kelly just holding back or we are in deep trouble next week especially without Gray.

If Gunner Kiel was at this game–just commit now–you’ll play early.

ND 45 MARYLAND 21

ND Editor Football Tagged , , , , ,
3

What’s not to like in a blowout game. Kudos to all the players in one of the best efforts of the year.

Jonas–where were you for past 3 years? wish you had a 5th.

Roby Toma–finally gets playing time and shines.

Lo Wood gets a pic 6–confidence booster going ahead.

Tommy Rees–great game just wish you could move–just a little bit and throw long.

MVP Offense—Toma

MVP Defense–Lo Wood–hey why not.

Oregon just showed ND how to beat Stanford.

Now let’s hang 50 on BC and shut them out.

ND 24 WAKE FOREST 17

ND Editor Football Tagged , , , , , ,
0

Lackluster game with 2 God awful announcers. Very unimaginative game plan for ND both offense and defense.

Lots of injuries–Cave, Teo Lynch and TJ Jones.

Rees 2 TD passes and 2 pics.
Jonas Gray & Cierre Wood ran for 180 combined yards. Mike Golic subbed for Cave–played extremely well and I hope he gets a 5th year.

Think ND just plays badly in Night Games but did comeback to win game down 17-10 at the half.

Watching this game–what went thru my head was–Andrew Luck!!!!!

Offense MVP’s–Golic, Gray & Wood.

Defense MVP’s–Tuitt & Lynch.

Next up :

Maryland 2W 7L–night game
Boston College 2W 7L

and then Stanford( currently undefeated) at Night.

So ND should be 8-3 when they play Stanford–let’s hope Standford has multiple injuries or a miracle happens to Rees’s arm.

ND 59 AIR FORCE 33

ND Editor Football Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,
1

This game basically over by halftime with ND 49 AF 16 due primarily to turnovers by AF and an unstoppable ND offensive performance.

ND totaled 560 yards total offense with Rees passing for 4 TD’S 260 yards and the rest by an explosive running game.

The following players scored:
Floyd, Eifert, Gray, Wood, Riddick, Atkinson and Roby Toma–his first as a ND player.

Andrew Hendrix leading rusher at 111 yards which included a 78 yard run–should have been a TD but Hendrix got his feet tangled and fell down at the 1 yard line.

Dominating offensive performance and MVP offense goes to Rees.

Defense was another matter altogether–they were gashed for 565 yards and clearly don’t have a clue how to stop a fast paced multiple style option offense. AF just couldn’t put points on the board when it mattered. Does not bode well for future opponent Navy which cut blocks a lot more than AF.

Jamoris Slaughter the defensive MVP.

Surprised that freshman DL Chase Hounshell, number 50 played although he looked pretty damn good–but burns a year of eligibility.

Overall a win against a good team. 4-2 going into bye week.

Check out highlight video from und.com below:

nd vs air force highlight video
Click For Video

N.D. 38 PURDUE 10

ND Editor Football Tagged , , , , , ,
0

Finally a relaxing game for ND fans as Purdue was stomped big time to the tune of 551 yds by the ND offense.

Great running game by Wood (191 yds) including a 55 yard burst for a TD. Jonas Gray finally got more touches which produced 94 rushing yds.

Tommy Rees–no turnovers hit for 3 TD passes and 250 yds passing. Floyd, TJ Jones and Eifert all scored.

Defense held Purdue to 276 total yds.

Special Teams need a lot of work–2 missed field goals and a blocked one could really cost going ahead,.

Somehow the snapper and holder have to get it together. Punt return–non existent.

Tuitt missed the bus for missing a class and that had a ripple effect–Lynch had to play more due to injury to Ethan Johnson(ankle) and what I didn’t know– ND wanted to red shirt Kona Schwenke this year. So a bad decision by Tuitt cost a teammate a year of eligibility.

Crist did mop up duty which surprised me. Kelly apparently asked him if he wanted to go in and he said yes. Real ND man–real high character.

Other than the above–very satisfying win.

I did have the opportunity of watching Air Force vs Navy which made me anxious–both excellent option teams–play fast and intense for 4 quarters yet they don’t seem to tire out at all. ND will have to put up big big numbers to make them one dimensional—red flag games.

USC also seems much improved–damn it!

ND 15 PITT 12

ND Editor Football Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
2

Your lying eyes are not deceiving you. This game was bloody awful.

It was obvious right from the outset and throughout the game that ND was completely out coached, out played and outhit.

It seemed that the Pitt defensive coordinator was wired into Brian Kelly’s headset. It was also obvious that Bob Diaco was hopelessly confused as were the players.

Rees tossed a pick and fumbled as usual. He had absolutely zero pass protection. I have wondered why previous opponents didn’t just blitz all the time.

I have nothing good to say about the Offensive Line–each would get an F if I was evaluating them.

Defensive Line played well especially Aaron Lynch–that guy could make one of the All American squads by years end. Stephon Tuitt was very good also.

What genius had Louis Nix playing off the line–he also seemed to wear down as game went along. Was not impressed by the play of the OLB’S.

I don’t know what the deal is with Teo–he is not the dominant ILB that was projected by all.

Pitt took Michael Floyd completely out of the game

Offense:

Jonas Gray had a real nice 78yd touchdown run. MVP Offense

Tyler Eifert came through in the clutch.

Tommy Rees while befuddled managed to lead ND for the win.

DEFENSE:

Not impressed except for mentions above.

Carlo Calabrese MVP Defense for game saving pass knock away.

Pitt had like 4th and 38yds to go and Carlo ended up one on one and saved the game. The question I have–where was everyone else in this prevent defense–if that pass completed could have gone all the way.

Field Goal attempt–what the hell was a center doing placing the ball??? I admit I did not pay close attention to the holder until now but it makes no sense to me–at the very least, you want a holder who can move and possibly pass on a bobbled snap.

Pitt should have won this game–better team today.

4 games into the season and now standing at 2W 2L but this team is not improving–sort of treading water–both players and coaches.

Expected much much more but give the Pitt coaches and players credit–they wanted this game much much more and played like it.

What’s ahead–who the hell knows!!!!!!!!!

What Now

ND Editor Football Tagged , , , , , , ,
1

Let’s treat 1st 2 games as exhibition games with next 10 our regular season.

Really have to get all the DB’s heads screwed on right. Gray, in particular–but after re-playing the game–no real pressure on the QB in passing situations and that makes it very difficult to maintain coverage. 2 games and I can’t recall 1 sack or good pressure on either QB.

The strength of this team was supposed to be the front 7 which in turn would help the DB’s with pics–isn’t happening.

So what do you do–well last 30 seconds, knowing they have to pass why not get the best line athlete on field with one job only–get the QB. Aaron Lynch should have been the guy.

He is every bit as good as Teo was as a freshman–get him on the field starting right now.

Get Tuitt much more involved. Niklas and Williams need more playing time also.

All of these guys would be starting elsewhere.

Run defense was very good but changes have to be made in obvious passing downs.

Somehow we need to get Teo freed up. Too often he is shielded out of the play.

Speaking of LB’s Calabrese was really hammering anyone he came in contact with while Fox showed good speed and range.

Nix again was a force but Johnson and Moore really have to step it up.

Next up more conventional teams–we simply have to play guys that can rush the passer. OLB’s real disappointment at this stage.

We can run the table if we just play the right guys on D.

If anything, you can bet that the D as a whole will be fully re-evaluated this week.

Let’s hope so.

MICHIGAN 35 ND 31

ND Editor Football Tagged , , , , ,
0

How the hell does a team go 80 yds in 30 seconds with a mediocre passer-(-we are not talking Joe Montana to Jerry Rice) by just lobbing the ball up and short? Interceps just for the taking.

This is an experienced defensive team and Gray, Blanton & H. Smith have multi year experience–Gray’s play was shocking.

Does ND have a men’s Rugby team? If so get some guy from there–must be someone who can punt more than 25 yds. Christ, massive DT Kevin Hardy used to punt and he could barely get his leg off the ground.

This defense was to be the backbone of the team but they just imploded in this game–where is all this 4th quarter energy we hear about.

So we are 0-2 against teams that are not all that talented and we have a slew of good passers coming up–looking grim.

Rees will be ok with more experience.

Nothing else to say except kudos to Hoke for going for the win vs. the tying field goal; with 2 secs to go.

ND 28 UTAH 3

ND Editor Football Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

Robert Blanton ignited the entire ND team with a punt block for a touchdown. Prior to that it looked on offense as same old story. The defense played hard the entire game.

After the punt block ND seemed an entirely different team in all aspects of the game.

Brian Smith played his best game as did Kamara with 2 TD’s. Floyd was just Floyd. Wood and Jonas Gray ran well and the OL finally started hitting hard and opening holes. Pleased to see LG Chris Watt got significant playing time–looked good as he preps for 2011.

2 freshman Kona Schwenke and Prince Shembo played very well when in.

Rees was workmanlike–did well for his first start.

Coaching–best so far from entire staff. Team looked and played like a semi-decent team. Hats off to Kelly. Finally had a chance to enjoy a game. Just hope they bring same intensity for remaining 2 games.

Next up Army and the option. Hope the defense just attacks rather than trying to re-act.

Good win–trust Kelly keeps pressure on during this weeks practices.