Tag: Stanford

Once again, playing from behind and decimated by injuries ND fell to Stanford in a game that more or less played out as expected. Stanford’s massive OL was just too much for the depleted ND defense. Stanford was just the better team and you just can’t beat them if they can rush for 261 yards to ND’s 64.

Tyler Gaffney was virtually unstoppable – he had about 190 yards himself.

ND started out again having to kick FG’s rather than TD’s. So that just about sums up the entire game. This was a tough loss and Tommy Rees finished his career with 199 yds and 2 TD passes giving him 2nd place All Time with 61 TD passes. Once again, game was placed on his shoulders and he played heroically completing 16 of 34 passes. Like all heroes he had flaws – 2 picks that hurt but ND would have had 0 points without him. Oh – Kevin Hogan QB Stanford also had 2 picks. So Tommy, hats’ off to you kid – truly a great career.

As for Notre Dame’s Bowl aspirations – who knows – but I know one thing for certain, you don’t want to play in NY in December or January. That would be punishment not a reward and 15 extra practices, simply not worth it. Hell, the whole team is battered and playing on frozen ground in NY would be the last thing any sane person would inflict on this team. If that’s the only option – thanks but no thanks.

When trying to wrap your opinion of this game, it’s so damn difficult to do, since no one knows how really banged up this ND defense really is. Sure with Nix out it makes it all the more difficult but add in Kona Schwenke and maybe a still hobbled Sheldon Day it seems an almost impossible feat for ND to even stay in the game, let alone be around in the fourth quarter. Jarron Jones came up big against BYU and maybe he has arrived – but this is a massive OL and Stanford even puts in 2 extra tackles in place of TE’s – how the hell are we to stop their running game?

Kevin Hogan is a good QB and he is not afraid to run the ball. Stanford has good tough running backs and boy do they like to pound it and that of course sets up the play action. Hogan can throw and they just tuned up by laying 63 points on Cal.

As usual, we can expect 8 in the box with constant blitzes – best way to assure victory is to knock out Tommy Rees and Stanford has the linebackers to do just that. Trent Murphy 6’6″ 251 OLB and Shane Skov ILB can wreak havoc on the ND offense.

I really hope Kelly didn’t mean it when he said this will be a game of inches – that is not thinking big at all. And ND has to think big and let it all hang out and for Christ sake go up tempo and at least try not to be so predictable. Stanford is the best team we face this season and with even mediocre teams running for good chunks of yardage almost every game (think Pitt). I can’t see us stopping them enough times to win this game.

With all that said, Stanford is not invincible – 2 losses USC and Utah and they have lost their All America DE. But ND has to be innovative on offense and above all protect Tommy Rees. If they can protect Rees, he throws 4 TD’s. If ND can run the ball – and they must – to keep the Stanford offense off the field they can win this game.

On defense Tuitt hast to prove he’s a first round pick and someone, anyone has to intercept a pass – DB’s are allowed to do that.

Rees has a big game but not enough to hold off Stanford.

Stanford 31 Notre Dame 28

Continuous showing of last play by the sporting press still leaves them with ND stop after refs did not whistle play over for 3-5 seconds when ND was holding him up short of goal line–you lost so move on.

Many great plays by a lot of the defensive players–kudos to Mathias Farley, Dan Fox, Carlo Calabrese, Danny Spond and super hitter Zeke Motta–damn I wish he had another year.

3 players I would not like to be at this weeks practice #1 Troy Niklas #2 Mike Golic and #3 Everett Golson. Golson has a good excuse just say still out of it. Golson, if I have it right doesn’t keep his fingers on the laces of the football–first I ever heard of any QB not lacing and that could cause erratic passing as well as fumbling

Here’s a good video of wrap up by und.com:

Game played in pouring rain at times but ND scores 7 in OT for win. Rees to TJ Jones who made a great catch for the winning score. But, hold on, now it’s Stanford’s turn 1st. and 4 to even it. Stanford RB Taylor 4 straight runs and stopped all 4 times–just a tremendous goal line stand and with 4th and goal Carlo Calabrese stood Taylor up and bent him back and further smacked by Zeke Motta and a host of others.

Of course with Pac 10-12 refs a controversy ensued they just can’t find it in themselves to whistle a play dead. Progress was stopped for seconds–they apparently were hoping if they waited long enough Taylor would get free and score–didn’t happen and replay confirmed.

Why is it in our stadium we have to use Pac10-12 refs? With our new quasi affiliation with ACC maybe we get to use those refs in the future. Stanford thinks they scored–hey go tell it to USC!!

Everett Golson–man does he need a crash course in ball security–it’s like he’s a disaster waiting to happen and it usually does. Unfortunately, he’s no Denard Robinson who make all sorts of fuck ups but then runs 50, 60 or 70 yds to make up for them. I think he might be real good for us if he holds the ball and learns their are 2 sides to a field and gets some clock in his head before he is pummeled. I still think he should be situational ala Tebow until something clicks for him.

Rees–talk about being put into the pressure cooker–comes in cold and wins now what is his 3rd game for us. Their is a lot he can’t do but this is offset by calm coolness–use him to get us up by 14 then insert Golson for a few series etc etc.

Defense-what can you say–just outstanding and boy does Motta hit guys. Finally, Carlo Calabrese has his day stuffing guy at goal line. Fox flying around–we need both these guys to get 5th year.

Still cannot understand no up tempo, fast 2 minute drill offense. Arizona ran plays so uptempo Stanford could not get subs in and had no time to jump all around and show different looks.

All in all it’s still a “W” and were 6 – 0. No more rain please.

I’m going to say at the outset that ND is going to roll all over Stanford this Saturday and just might go over 40 points. Why do I feel so confident–I saw them play an undersized Arizona team that put 48 points on them and Stanford needed to go into OT to win. They simply wore Arizona down.

Stanford looked very uncomfortable playing Rich Rod’s fast paced spread offense and gave up big chunks of yardage. If ND can up the tempo they can roll.

I also refreshed myself on last year’s game played at Stanford. Bad Bad game for Tommy Rees and in the first half he threw a pick and fumbled and Stanford led at halftime 21-0 on 3 Andrew Luck passes.

Hendrix started 2nd half and TD pass to Floyd. 21-7. 4th. quarter ND going for a score when Hendrix pass tipped for an interception. With 5 minutes to go in 4th Luck throws his 4th TD. Final 28-7.

Ok this is 2012 and Stanford doesn’t have Luck or the 2 All American offensive linemen and current QB Nunes while not bad is nowhere the QB Luck was.

Stanford only beat San Diego State 20-17, beat USC 21-14 and lost to Washington 17-13 before the shootout with Arizona.

I base my optimistic outlook dependent on no ND turnovers. If no fumbles or picks ND wins easily. They should be able to run and pass against this Stanford “D” hell Arizona bedazzled them.

On defense Notre Dame has to go full out pressure from the first snap and just harass Stanford’s QB the whole game. While he can move around he is basically a pocket passer–so let the dogs feed on him. They haven’t played a team as talented as this ND defense– but all bets are off if Diaco out thinks himself and goes prevent anytime during this game.

I see Cam McDaniel getting his 2nd TD of the season doing cleanup in the 4th.

Prediction:

Notre Dame 45 Stanford 21

Well Notre Dame must have arrived since ESPN Game Day will be on hand to cheer Stanford on.

So lets take a look at Stanford minus Andrew Luck–not the same team and very beatable. Now in 2nd year without Jim Harbaugh and their vigor without him has dropped a notch–again ND can beat this team if they can get to the QB junior Josh Nunes.

Let’s look at what Stanford has done this year–they are 4-1 and ranked #18:

• San Jose State W 20-17
• Duke W 50-13
• USC W 21-14
• Washington L 17-13
• Arizona W 54-48 OT

After the Washington game their QB Josh Nunes caught a lot of flack and at least the sportswriters were calling for a replacement. The Arizona game put that to rest. Arizona had the game won and Nunes led Stanford back with an OT win. This was a turning point for Nunes who had been wobbly in his other starts. Great confidence booster for him–just what ND needed, would have preferred the wobbly Nunes.

Stanford, as mentioned is not the old Jim Harbaugh gritty Stanford, they don’t have a Toby Gerhart at running back and Nunes certainly isn’t Andrew Luck. Watching their game with Arizona I was impressed how the undersized Arizona defense played them. For all intents they shut down their featured RB Stepfan Taylor and held him to 132 yds. What killed them was Nunes ability to run when flushed out of the pocket.

Stanford relies heavily on their 2 very large TE’s Zack Ertz 6’6″ 253 and Levine Toilolo 6’8″ 268–he really looks like a basketball player playing football. Notre Dame will have a difficult time covering them so the best strategy is to put a fierce rush on Nunes–get to him early and often and he will turn the ball over with interceptions. If he has the time-watch out.

This did not appear to me to be the old Stanford OL & DL and I think we can overpower them in the trenches. We should be able to run the ball after we get them out of the box so Golson must come through in the passing game.

One thing I noticed about Golson is the way he holds the ball when running–one handed, wrong side to the defense. He is just waiting to get stripped but I’m sure the ND coaches will drill him on that.

Finally a day game, less time for Golson to get the jitters so he could come out on fire. ND is much better than Arizona and this game could be a real signature win for Golson.

Final comments, Carlo Calabrese doesn’t get much press-sorta under the radar but he is playing very well and this could be a big game for him. Also Mike Golic seems to be improving with each game–keep it up Mike.