Tag: Navy

No doubt in my mind that Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo is living in Bob Diaco’s head rent free. The Notre Dame defense looked hopelessly inept against the Navy option attack. What really surprised me is how easily Navy gashed the middle of the ND defense with their fullback.

I knew the edges would be a problem but the ease running inside shocked me. Hey no doubt about it the Navy offense was a picture of how to perfectly execute an option attack – that QB is good and we see him for 2 more years. What continues to infuriate me are the cut blocks and we lost 3 more “D” players with leg injuries – Ben Councell, Sheldon Day and Kona Schwenke. I don’t know how many others are banged up, but I saw Carlo Calabrese go feet to the sky twice from cut blocks. No one else in college football uses the cut block except option teams – just GT and the Academies as far as I can tell.

We are seriously running low on the defense with 3 tough games to go… I don’t care about our Navy history of 70 years ago, we’ve got kids that hope to have a future in the Pros or at least leave the game without serious knee and ankle problems, so I say outlaw the cut block which causes as much injury as helmet to helmet. Another thought – why did we not play 8 in the box against an obvious running team, sorta like how Michigan State played us. I would love to see MSU defense against Navy. MSU just battered Michigan yesterday 29-6. I’d like to see DC Narducci coach for us – let Diaco go coach Iowa.

Onto the game. We scored at will and had 506 total yards vs. 419 for Navy. Navy rushed for 331 yards and threw about 3 passes – one for a wide open TD. Tommy Rees 2 TD passes and 2 picks (putting him in 3rd place – 56 behind only Brady Quinn 95 td’s and Jimmy Clausen 60). TJ Jones another TD catch as well as TE Ben Koyack – great to see him finally emerge. GAIII had a 40 yard burst for a td, Cam got one and Folston got his first. Folston looked super rushing for 140 yards and before the season ends will be the number one back.

Troy Niklas was absolutely mauling and pancaking Navy defenders – got a bogus holding block on one play. He even gave some 6 Navy guys a ride on a pass catch.

Kona Schwenke had an outstanding game until a leg injury on Navy’s last drive – game ball anyone?

Turning points: Stopping Navy on first series of the second half and Jaylon Smith take down on a Navy reverse on 4th and 4. Looked like a TD to me – completely fooled our “D”. Speed kills and kudos also to Eilar Hardy for just enough to enable Smith to make the tackle and end the game. 7-2 I’ll take it – next up Pitt, they are another tough team annually for ND.

Here are the Game highlights:

Navy – our annual pain in the ass game highlighted by chop blocks, cut blocks and cheap shots. As opposed to Army and Air Force, Navy, in my opinion, plays dirty and always has. The ND players should advise the Middies that for every injury we will take out 2 of yours starting with your QB. Hope Diaco has reminded the defense that when the QB starts to run, he in essence is just another running back and can be hammered. Actually an Option QB should be hammered every play – that’s why it never went over in the Pros.

So with Navy we have a QB that can run well and actually is one of the best passers Navy has had in a long time. Their Fullback is quite a load at 240 lbs so our ILB’s Calabrese and Fox will have to get in the holes fast. This will be a test for the also in the passing game as the fake and pitch could neutralize their run aggressiveness. I have confidence we can control the perimeter as long as we first blast the QB whether he pitches or not. Hit him often enough and he won’t be able to throw.

Navy sitting at 4-2 with a recent win over Pitt but they did lose to Air Force 28-10. ND defense comes together by the 2nd period and shuts the middies down.

ND Offense – it is now evident that GAIII and Carlisle simply cannot adjust to the zone blocking scheme so – do some straight ahead old fashioned block technique if you play them. Actually we should do this the whole game – why go east/west when we outweigh them 75 lbs per man. Put 8 in the box we’re coming anyway. There used to be a time that QB’s hid the ball quite well and no one quite knew who had the ball (TV Cameras often followed wrong back) and I remember the QB’s practiced this – a lot. The quick hitter at the goal line used as well as the 2-3 back set. Quite effective for Lou Holtz. The stretch hand-off to a back 6yds behind the QB drives me nuts and the no back set was designed to get your QB killed.

I really like how we use our Tight Ends but I also really like a big Fullback if just to protect the QB – speaking of which why not put ILB Kendall Moore 6’1″ 244 in there, kid hits like a truck and why waste him riding the rails–make him the lead blocker inside the 5. Hell he might prove to be a good runner.

With all that said Kelly seems terrified to put Rees under center – don’t get that at all.

Onto the game. Navy will get its rushing yards about 260 a game and I think scores first. Worry about the pass – if that opens up watch out. Navy coach every bit as good as Kelly. Lets hope Diaco doesn’t go into a mystic trance. Other than that ND should roll.

Notre Dame 45 Navy 27