so you know what the thing is with this season and why its secretly awesome. Weve reached a point where we are more or less comfortable assuming wins against teams ranked like 25-40 in the nation. Not saying that one of em cant beat a ND team every once in a while but ND barely every lays a real egg, and usually when they do they still scrape out a win as shown by the longest unbeaten streak vs unranked teams. The reason im saying this is I looked at NDs strength of schedule on Sagarin and it was ranked 6th in the nation, which felt weird to me. Certainly given that ND played just 2 top 30 teams whilst almost every highly ranked SoS team played 3 or 4. However, NDs other opponents were ranked, 2 in the 40s, 3 in the 60s, aka, no utter trash. That apparently equates to a tough schedule this year with this many teams trash.
Saw that I had a Facebook timeline reminder from 9 years ago. Figured it could only be one thing and I was right. This is when we took down #5wide
still think that if their all american center doesnt fuck up that snap on their first drive we lose that game, that shifted momentum so incredibly much that being said, that game was so awesome
5 wide was one of my favorite moments on this board. and that tailgate was fucking awesome, @47straight hooked me up with lots of liquor, does he still post here?
he actually answers the follow up as well, 6 rushes for 27 yards. If the sacks are included in that it means 3 rushes have gone quite far, if not thats just solid results
I assume the 3 sacks are included in that (given how sacks are counted in college) but that’s a good question
Loy on M'Pemba: Notre Dame is in the top group. They don’t have an indication yet as to where he’s headed. The Irish are hoping for good news and are working hard. My comments - normally ND doesn't really stand a chance when he posts something like that and there's been no real chatter ND's way in the last few weeks/months (as in no CB's) but then it seems reporters from all the main teams in this recruitment (Bama/ND/OleMIss) don't seem to know anything either. All we know is he visited ND for the Cincy game and ND is in his top 2 or 3 (Loy and Singer have said this I believe) and he's got Missouri connections to multiple members/recruits for ND. A very odd recruitment and no matter what, it's still a very long way to NSD for the 2023 class
Uh oh. We did not renew our basketball season tickets, but I was just sent the many emails with the link to download my tickets. I can’t imagine I’m an isolated incident, which means this could be a huge fuck up
I read he went to Africa this summer and only communicated with Bama’s coaches while he was there So in that case I’ll just say Bama
Apparently they sent exhibition tickets to everyone who previously had season tickets (even if you haven’t renewed). And even though I can see all the games listed in my account (including Kentucky, Carolina, etc), they haven’t yet distributed tickets. Thanks god they didn’t send out full season tickets on accident!
It’s the YouTube thing they put out inside the Irish. He goes through two td euns and basically says this was easy because usc was in a dumb defensive alignment.
Also probably trying to make that interim coach look bad after he spoke out of pocket when BK didn't make the score look worse than it had to at the end.
people keep trying to do this, not sure why. It must come from somewhere but it doesn’t make a lot of sense
That was a bad joke but i agree, he would be a good fit. His original pass happy/balanced offense would probably work well over there. He would clean that program up pretty quick. plus if he had success over there it might drive driskell off a bridge
Is USC an upgrade job over ND at this point? For someone like Brian, what good would that do? He's got a good set up at ND and seems like he would ride that to retirement or NFL opportunity
I don’t think he’d want to rebuild a program at this point. It’d probably be a quick turnaround, but still
Sampson already called it out on Twitter, but Kelly actually made comments this off-season about USC being unsuccessful partially due to disconnects between their school President and AD, and how that’s caused issues in their athletic department - namely football. So I’m not sure he’d want to walk into that right now anyway.
Have to guess his agent is having these guys float stuff to keep his name fresh. Makes sense to keep up appearances of being desired.
I think that's part of what makes him a good fit for USC, recognizing it might not make sense for Kelly. He could navigate that situation better than most other candidates out there.
oh no, i had no idea it was the date of Declan’s death. The timing is awful, not that it changes anything bc that joke was very insensitive anyway.
haha i laughed at your post and had no idea today was the 11th anniversary. i just happened to come across that on twitter and thought of your post
I don’t blame you at all, it just hits home a little bit more since I made the joke, I know we all understand that joke and we all hated what happened. It still made me feel a little cheap making it on this day.
Honestly, timing was impeccable, though. You shouldn’t feel bad at all at how perfectly accidental that was.
Best column of the week Spoiler 1 — Those opening bars “Shipping Up to Boston” get both sidelines going, you love to see it. And I’ll reiterate: the road USC uniforms mixed with Notre Dame’s home under the lights in South Bend is a beautiful sight. 2 — Defensive tackle Rylie Mills out there on kickoff return with both No. 4 TE Mitchell Evans (half) and No. 5 TE Cane Berrong (season) out of the mix. And they replaced No. 3 TE Kevin Bauman who won the job in camp. Also, freshman Kahuna Kia—who replaced walk-on Adam Shibley (out for the season)—is called for holding. And now you see why they need more than about 100 players. 3 — Good read and placement by Coan on third down. Mayer had soft bracket coverage and Coan never hesitated, firing it in to move the chains. That’s a risky pass if your target isn’t reliable. 4 — First Jet Sweep to Lenzy that I can recall this season. (Avery Davis had at least one.) I assume the Irish don’t block this well in practice, because it was a staple of Tommy Rees’ offense last fall. Lugg might’ve used a savvy brief hold to free Lenzy for the half-second he needed. 5 — Pretty sure Williams fell over Isaac Taylor-Stuart on the way out of bounds (after his patented stiff-arm) on purpose just so he could talk some early trash. 6 — Styles had a touchdown (or at least inside the 5) on the left-side go but Coan under threw it. That would’ve been fun… Three tight ends including Michael Carmody wearing #45 but this 3rd-and-1 is all Williams. Hit in the backfield, spins, and bails out Avery Davis who missed his block. 7 — Coan-to-Styles with an all-hands catch at full speed. Dare I say that looked like a certain freshman from 2016? I don’t want to jinx anything—that looked just like my man No. 29. 8 — Let’s hope that’s the only way in which Styles and #29 are alike… 9 — A couple check-downs to Williams gain little and the Irish are faced with third and 4 at the 18-yard line. Kevin Austin drops a first down crossing left to right. Nice ball by Coan and Doerer has to kick from 36 yards out. 10 — Kickers are a fickle bunch, eh? And My goodness that was an awful drop by Austin. 11 plays, a new approach, a true freshman’s involvement, and nothing to show for it. 11 — Jayson Ademilola opens with the sack of Slovis from boundary end in a 3-Down front. Interesting alignment of JD Bertrand here at the third level. 12 — I understand what Brian Kelly meant Monday, and I get why Marcus Freeman Iikes Isaiah Foskey’s length in zone coverage (Clark Lea liked Jack Lamb because of length in zone coverage)…but I still think Foskey is much better off attacking the pocket. Little too cute, right? Either way, Irish DL is all over Slovis these first three plays to force a punt. MTA and Justin Ademilola finish it off on third down. 13 — Blatant late hit and (in this era) probably targeting on USC’s Ralen Goforth (#10) who dives helmet first into Mayer on the ground. I mean…what are we doing here with this rule? It’s at least spearing. A really weak spear, but there’s a reason you’re not allowed to do it. 14 — Two-back alongside Tyler Bucher and, after faking it to Logan Diggs, the freshman dumps it to Williams on the equivalent of an RPO. Williams and Diggs scissored in the back field and it was Austin blocking for Williams this time for an easy 9 yards. 15 — Buchner to Mayer for 15 yards on the left-to-right cross and that is the single-most important play of the game for Buchner (and will be each week). Gotta keep ‘em honest and eventually he’ll make the defense pay. 16 — BK talking to Buchner after that completion (Coan is back in). Watch the pass to Mayer: I think top left go route paired with the #2 receiver running a post inside him were matched with one safety, and BK was letting Buchner know that he instead had a touchdown to Styles on that 15-yard completion to Mayer. (BK clearly says the word “hash” while talking to Buchner). 17 — Kristofic had a chance to spring Williams on a throwback screen but hey, USC has scholarship players too. Limited to 9 yards… 18 — Williams churning yards behind an offensive line getting an honest push, just as God intended. I feel like I’m watching real football again! Touchdown Avery Davis on an impossible bunch left flood to defend. My goodness that is diabolical design by the offensive coordinator (or head coach). Check this out at 4:25 1st Q on the game film. Doesn’t hurt that USC’s zone defenders completely ignore their keys but I digress… 7-0 ND but it feels like it should already be more 19 — All Aboard the Drake London Screen Train. Enjoy you’re evening, Clarence… 20 — This time its London down the left side for 29 yards and Kyle Hamilton lands awkwardly, his left leg sliding out and right knee trapped underneath him… 21 — Getupetupgetupgetupgetupgetupgetup Damn… Things are about to get harder this season, defensively. 22 — Four-man front and Foskey—with his left arm—bullies the left tackle into the pocket but then uses his right to smack the ball out of Slovis’ hand. Can we all agree this snap needs to disappear from the internet through late-January? Please come back, Isaiah. It’s warm here… 23 — Slovis looks to London in the flat, but fear not, Irish fans, because Houston Griffith is there!! London reels in the pass with his back to the tackler four yards behind the line of scrimmage and the crowd roars!!! Gain of 11… 24 — Sideline shot of the head coach and his senior safety and I’ve concluded that Brian Kelly is indeed a nice man. 25 — On to the second quarter and my man MTA with the hit on Slovis, the fluttering pigskin pick off by Bo Bauer who weaves his way for 79 yards down to the Trojans 4-yard line. Would love to see Bauer come back but some NFL money beckons and that paycheck isn’t changing. It’s special teams based and, in good health, will last a long time. — Underrated: Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa and Justin Ademilola — Properly Rated: Jayson Ademilola and Isaiah Foskey — NC-17: Houston Griffith 26 — Irish settle for a field goal, and it’s not because of play-calling, it’s because of execution. It’s also because this is the weirdest place on the field to give it to Diggs rather than Kyren Williams. 1st-and-Goal at the 4: I want my man getting the ball! 10-0 and the dangerous second touchdown reality lingers… 27 — Easy one London on the short out. Whiff Lewis. Runs by Henderson. Bumps Brown. Griffith is blocked the whole play. Henderson dives back for the ankle tackle. It’s as if the varsity captain London is playing against the JV’s defensive backfield…only the rest of London’s squad is the freshmen team… 28 — I know why they threw that flag on JD Bertrand for burying Slovis and so do you…but it doesn’t mean our sport the way we grew to love it isn’t dead. 29 — London on the screen barks at Bracy….London on the screen barks at Brown…Pick on someone your own size! Bet you wouldn’t dare say that to Griffith!! 30 — London for 15 on the 3rd-and-7 dig route inside of Lewis and Brown doesn’t wrap up. They’re lucky London spun to the ground. On the re-watch, I can better understand the fans’ anger at home watching this Boys vs. Man pitch-and-catch, even though we warned you Monday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoon that this was clearly going to happen. (But I still would’ve tried Cam Hart.) 31 — 3rd Down and 11 and Justin Ademilola with the QB Hurry. Why they didn’t target London on a simple screen and see if he could’ve picked up the yardage I’ll never know. I mean…it’s an auto seven yards with off man coverage on 3rd-and-11, right? Field Goal cuts Notre Dame’s lead to 10-3 midway through the 2nd Quarter 32 — Notre Dame’s turn for a look screen (RPO look, actually) and Styles takes this one 29 yards behind Mayer (great block) and Davis to the USC 46- yard line. That is Kevin Stepherson real world football speed. There, I said it. He needs 25 snaps this week, not 15. 33 — Styles for 10 yards. Make that 30 snaps. Thank goodness for in-season transfer portals. 34 — Get that ball up, Jack, he’s a 6’5” tight end with bear claw hands that can elevate. 35 — Speaking of which, Mayer for 16 yards on 3rd-and-9. Coan delivers the fade stop just a half-yard shy of the sticks and Mayer does the rest down to the 6-yard line. 36 — Kyren Williams for the score. The junior has six touchdowns and 500 rushing yards behind a line that couldn’t block a fourth-grader for 5.5 games. His next five outings are going to be a highlight reel. Credit Lugg and Mayer, plus Madden and Patterson for space and Williams did the rest, propelling himself into the end zone. Tempo is killing the USC defense. 17-3 Irish and the second touchdown is massive in this one 37 — USC has 4:07…and this is where the Irish defense ceded yards (and points) to both Cincinnati and Virginia Tech. 38 — Patient drive: 5 yards by Ingram…6 to London…8 yards on the roll to Malcom Epps…Ingram for 5 yards…4th-and-2 and Ingram rambles for 8 yards. 39 — Clock running with 28 seconds from the Irish 37-yard line…Ingram for 6…hmm… 40 — Instead of clocking it, Slovis drops back, apparently decides this might be the one time NOT to look at the wide open Drake London streaking down the left side for an easy touchdown, and keeps it instead…tick-tick-tick…first down…4 seconds…three…Shotgun? You don’t spike from the shotgun! The Bob Davie School of Clock Management returns to South Bend!! 41 — I say we end this coaching search in Los Angeles and just stay in house! Halftime, Notre Dame 17 USC 3 42 — Four straight Ingram rushes yields 18 yards which leads to a Slovis-to-Epps 30-yarder at Bertrand’s expense. First down USC at the Irish 25-yard line. JD won’t have to deal with such things as much as the Mike ‘backer next season… 43 — Justin Ademilola with the PD over right tackle…Drew White corrals London thanks to TaRiq Bracy physically taking on the block to flush London back inside and it’s 3rd-and-10… 44 — Slovis down the post to Epps but Bauer runs inside him stride-for-stride to breakup the pass. Brown is called for targeting and yeah…that looks like targeting live… 45 — Has Notre Dame ever had a targeting call overturned? This is incredible! Overturned! Is this a first? There is finally a benefit for a safety that doesn’t employ ‘Forcible contact’ when he hits!! USC has to settle for a field goal 46 — Shank City Unreal. Irish still lead 17-3 and it’s time to lay down the hammer 47 — C’Bo’s in the game! Three-and-out, but still! 48 — Tirico notes of C’Bo: “Not available for the first third of the season, Coach’s Decision…” A ‘words have no meaning’ example. 49 — Cam Hart with a whiff and that’s 21 yards instead of 6. He’s having a heckuva ‘rookie’ season out there but that’s two in two weeks. Gotta clean it up. 50 — Drew White talks A LOT. But I asked Foskey yesterday who talks the most trash defensively and he prefaced it by saying, “You’d be surprised by my answer.” Any guesses? 51 — Irish ball on 3rd and 8 and that’s Deion Colzie going to get it low to move the chains. Not how I envisioned his first crucial catch but it’s perhaps a better sign for his development that it wasn’t just an athletic jump ball. 52 — Williams for 38 yards his longest since Purdue. And I have to offer a mea culpa: I noted recently that ND’s running game also lacks last year’s blocking presence(s) on the perimeter. But these guys (Lenzy in this case who hustled to pick up a downfield block) really try. They’re just not as physically imposing and effective. Anyway, 38 yards were available because Cain Madden, Jarrett Patterson (yikes) and Andrew Kristofic all won up front while Alt easily sealed to the outside. Madden with key execution of a double team. 53 — Thought Just occurred to me: the choice for most indispensable player was always Hamilton, and we’re all in love with Williams the current Team MVP, but because of the circumstances and domino effect, the player Notre Dame can least afford to lose right now is Jarrett Patterson. 54 — Jack Coan rolling right: He’s like a modern-day Randall Cunningham out there on the edge… 55 — 3rd-and-8 and Coan misses wide of Mayer but Xavion Alford is called for pass interference (incidental trip in this case, but incidental is still a penalty) and it’s a first down. Could that have been caught? 56 — You know…Coan looked a little more comfortable on this second QB sneak. There wasn’t even an initial hole. 57 — Penalty USC…Personal foul USC (cheap shot by #47 on Patterson…surprised the official saw that actually!)…Touchdown Kyren Williams who benefitted greatly by Audric Estime’s block from a left wing position. Wow. Give me more of that! 24-3 Irish and these Damn Trojans are ruining the over!! 58 — Going against USC on draftkings.com each week (until UCLA) would probably pay dividends, don’t you think? They’re a rudderless ship albeit one with some high-priced cargo in tow. 59 — Whoops, they play Arizona. Maybe not. Man that league stinks 60 — Keontay Ingram for 22 yards…Keontay Ingram for 15 yards… If not for Kyren Williams, I’d be pretty jealous that USC has Ingram! (And that they’re wasting his last season of college football. He runs hard!!) 61 — 3rd-and-Goal and Igram scores untouched over left tackle. Odd run fit by either Foskey or (maybe Bertrand?) here 24-10 Irish at the outset of the fourth quarter 62 — There we go, Diggs! Jump cut. Holding call brings it back but that’s besides the point. (Oh man takacs held but did not need to at all) 63 — 3rd-and-13 and Rees dials up the circle route to Williams who simply pinballs his way through three defenders for 17 yards and a first down. It’s simple for him, I mean. To quote Howard Cosell: “What a Foot-Ball Player” 64 — Trying to think of a comparison for Williams because Barry Sanders was superhuman but I suppose if that name comes to mind, even in gross hyperbole, then I really don’t need to find another way to compliment Williams, right?!? Maurice Jones-Drew but not as fast? Dion Lewis? I’m going with a more realistic Lewis. Only much angrier, I assume. 65 — Coan to Austin who takes a shot. That’s two catches for Austin on this drive. If he can harness his best these last five games they’ll score 35 per game. Easily. 66 — Coan back to Austin, this time down the deep right side and it’s picked off (theoretically) by Chris Steele. A.) That was “clearly” an interception, live B.) That was clearly not an interception upon further review, but instead a catch by Austin C.) Nothing about that play impressed me from Austin. Go get it man!! 67 — London on the double move for 44 yards and this is what angered Kelly most. The edict was clearly to allow London everything underneath but nothing deep. USC ball at the Irish 42-yard line and this was quite the turn of events, in retrospect… 68 — Pass interference on Ramon Henderson and I want to let you know ahead of time he’s going to be called for this on Saturday night against North Carolina, too… 69 —Barlow with the touchdown this time and a confused Henderson is late to his run fit. (Griffith properly took the outside lane away). 24-16 after the extra point is missed. Rough day for kickers. Rough season for kickers I this Stadium, actually. That’s two PAT and five missed FGs off the top of my head for ND and its opponents in South Bend over four games. 70 — Still a one-score game, but nothing stifles momentum like a missed PAT down 8. (Doerer against Cincinnati was down 4 and that felt seismic.) 71 — Williams gains 9 yards, eluding three defenders in the process though Michael Mayer really sealed the edge. 72 — Just looked it up and Williams had 106 yards after contact Saturday night.That doesn’t include when he makes the first tackler flat-out whiff… 73 — With 7:24 remaining, Drew Brees makes a point on behalf of all football and basketball fans of my lifetime: don’t start bleeding clock. PLAY BALL! And in this case, he’s referring to an up-tempo offense that forged this lead. 74 — Is there a worse case of ‘Playing Clock’ than Digger in the Sweet 16 against BYU and Danny Ainge? And if there is, I bet it didn’t also make me cry. I’m still mad at that. So is Kelly Tripucka, by the way. 75 — Bit of a digression there as Austin draws another pass interference. I believe that’s three in the last two weeks drawn by Austin. 76 — Lugg, Madden, Mayer, Davis — Kyren Williams isn’t touched for the first four yards and he of course runs through contact for a total of 11. Another first down. Veteran right side having a strong day for the Irish OL… (Is that not popular to say? That the grad students once left-for-dead are doing well?) 77 — Unsportsmanlike conduct on USC after stuffing Williams on the edge. USC is a dumb football team. 78 — Buchner is in and Williams rambles for 10 yards over the caved-in right side. Great blocking by Lugg and Madden. (Shhhh…i know, I know…the 23 and 25-year olds are supposed to cede their roes to 18-year-olds you’ve never seen before). 1st-and-Goal Irish 79 — Buchner on QB Power behind Williams, Lugg (shhh), Madden (Shhhhhhhh!!!) and Mayer for a 31-16 lead. 80 — USC really likes these draw running plays with four minutes to go in halves, eh? Ingram for 10 yards as the continue to establish the run, hoping to wear down the Irish for Stanford. Hey, another draw. Bo Bauer with the run stuff and some words. White, Bertrand, and Bauer are talkative fellows… 82 — Illegal forward pass by Slovis who looked much better two years ago. This one’s all over but the crying with a 4th-and-22 83 — Alright…I’m getting a little sick of Foskey adding to his highlight reel. Strip-sack on 4th down to effectively end the contest. Stop making people fumble, man! Let someone else make a play, man. You got plenty of time to do special things in South Bend. There’s no rush. Actually, Bracy was right there too. I’m calling that strip-sack and fumble recovery by Bracy. Irish ball. 84 — Please delete all Foskey references. They didn’t happen
Just watched Sneed’s 2021 mid season highlights and I’m pumped to see what really athletic LBs do in Freeman’s scheme. I guess we’ll get that next year when Marist returns and Kollie develops, but this LB class brings so much athleticism to the table