USC WEEK

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Notre Dame vs USC

The defining moment(s) arrive for this Notre Dame team in the next 2 games.

First up– USC (5-1). First real test for the ND secondary with Matt Barkley at QB. This guy can throw and everyone knows if he played last year USC would have won that game. This is not the powerhouse teams of the Pete Carroll era but they are good enough to beat this ND team. They have a great receiver in Woods, they will try to match him up against Gary Gray as well as the ILB’S.

Barkley is basically a pocket passer–so ND’s pass rush is critical–Aaron Lynch must have a super game.

A lot is riding on this game–ND’s season as well as recruiting–ton of prospects will attend. Atmosphere will be electric and don’t be surprised if the Green Jersey is worn.

Week 2–Navy and the option game. I am not buying that “we planned to give up yards but not points” ND has not solved the option at all–this will be a tough game

The key to both games is ND’s OL play and QB Rees.
Hope the bye week doesn’t put Rees back to game 1–USF.

ND 59 AIR FORCE 33

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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

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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!

N.D. VS. PURDUE

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8 P.M. GAME ON ESPN

So let’s take a look:

Purdue just finished an arduous 3 game schedule and just recuperated with a bye week prior to playing ND.

In game 1- they edged Middle Tennessee 27-24.
In game 2–they lost to Rice 24-22.
In game 3–they trounced S.E. Missouri State 59-0.

Outside of Rice are the other 2 really colleges?

Purdue has been averaging about 250 yds rushing and their main man is Ralph Bolden–they also have a 255lb fullback. with a good sized offensive line–so again ND’s main job will be to stop the run.

They utilize 2 Qb’s-Caleb TerBush and the Mitch Mustain clone QB Robert Marve–Marve, once a highly recruited talent who originally went to Fla or Miami–really don’t remember.

Big defensive line with a couple 300 lb defensive tackles–one of which Bruce Gaston(Chicago) highly recruited by ND.

I expect that Purdue will try to duplicate the Pitt defense and while they don’t have a very good secondary, neither did Pitt.

So it all comes down to whether or not ND comes to play or just tries to get by easiest way they can with as little effort as possible.

If ND plays fired up ball, this game is over by half time–could easily put up 30 in first half and then coast to a 44-14 win.

Game will mark T. Rees 9th start–hopefully he finally plays a error free game. Really is time for him to improve dramatically.

ND desperately needs a blow out game, not only to rest the starters but to get the reserves some real time game experience.

Roby Toma has best game of his career.

Prediction:

ND 44 PURDUE 14

Offense Musings

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When Brian Kelly opened his first Spring Practices to reporters–they were blown away by the uptempo speed with which the offense was working. And Kelly quipped –you ain’t seen nothing yet–wait until we finish Fall Practice.

He also opined on the Spread Offense with warp speed running plays which happens so fast, it keeps the defense from substituting as well as changing up the defense before ball snapped.

Sure enough,they ran a blazing fast offense but Christ was unable to keep the tempo up to Kelly’s satisfaction, which started the screaming at the QB tirades every time Christ came to the sidelines. No one can tell me that this did not sap Crist’s confidence which led him to being scared of making the smallest mistake.

Crist is a Pro-set QB and always will be–tutored by Charlie Weis.

Ok let’s forward to the 2011 season. Now we have a slow tempo offense–might as well huddle, which re-acts to what the defense is doing-so Rees can go thru his progressions. The ND offense is not setting the tempo–their opponents are.

Seems very strange to me that Kelly ran a helter skelter uptempo offense at first, which has now slowed to a crawl since Rees is only a very green QB at this time. It has slowed so much that they can barely get the play off.

Was all this Crist’s fault–hardly. He did not get a fair shake. Rees, on the other hand can barely move and just locks onto on receiver and became almost unhinged when Pitt took Floyd out of the game.

It looks like there is utter confusion on the ND sideline.
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I’ve posted this before but to re-iterate–doubt if Crist ever plays again nor will Hendrix and both gone elsewhere by end of season. Golson will be next in and soon.

Pitt Aftermath

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I have already expounded on my take of the Pitt game–lucky win, but so were the losses lucky for our opponents.

Read Kelly’s comments on this game (I’m in control) and Rees is MY QB–okay so what if he is planted in the sod of ND stadium–what is plan B–really no answer except maybe more Frosh will play.

So what do we take from that. My gut instinct–Crist out, Hendrix out and Golson is next in , even if preferable to redshirt him.

I further read this that the Charlie Weis recruits out, namely Crist and Hendrix. Crist and Hendrix are both Pro-set QB’s–so they are out

If I were either, I’d tell Kelly to stuff it–Crist, maybe has 1 yr. eligibility left–Anyone need a strong arm Qb that plays Pro set–same for Hendrix–Charlie Weis wanted this kid real bad and if anything CW knows Qbs–so off to Fla goes Hendrix. Crist one year left goes anywhere he can start.

So that brings us back to the present. We just saw a defense with Pitt that worried about vertical long strike hold ND to 15 pts–every team ND faces will play short knowing Rees can’t throw the long ball.

So mix in the OL woeful pass block ability ND has a real problem–an absolutely piss poor Pitt Db’s took Floyd out of game.

Looking ahead USC and Stanford(with much Better athletes) blanket Floyd and blitz the shit out of Rees resulting in regular picks and fumbles.

The only thing Kelly has going for him is the Defensive side of the ball although Diaco has movie star looks, can recruit, doesn’t have the cojones yet to be outstanding defensive coordinator–hey you have the players–let them loose the entire game.

ND’s future rests on the defensive side of the ball.. Kelly has to get the offensive moving–see how fast we run the offensive–I don’t see it happening against USC or STANFORD.

ND 15 PITT 12

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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!!!!!!!!!

ND VS PITT

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Which team shows up for this away game at Pittsburgh?

After stumbling around searching for a Head Coach they landed the high octane offense of the Tulsa head coach Todd Graham–we all remember Tulsa from last year but now he has better players.

I briefly watched Pitt vs Iowa and was shocked that Iowa came back to win the game. Prior to that I was impressed by Pitt QB Sunseri.

Nevertheless ND should roll Pitt even though it’s an away game and starts at 12 noon on ABC. Of course, penchant for sloppy play and turnovers could sink my prediction. Somehow or other Rees just has to be able to throw long or defenses will just dare him to and play only short passes–can Rees do it? don’t know but it is hurting this offense. It is also wasting Mike Floyd on just short dumps. This has worked so far but it leaves Floyd open to major hits–we want him in space and not anywhere around hits by Linebackers.

Once again victory rests on the offensive and defensive lines. I’m not worried about the DL but not sold on the OL or Rees.

Aaron Lynch has another monster game and ND rolls.

Prediction:

ND 48 PITT 30

MICHIGAN 35 ND 31

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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.