*Notre Dame* - On Vacation

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Thoros of Beer, Feb 3, 2016.

  1. Killy Me Please

    Killy Me Please I lift things up and put people down.
    Donor

    refs have officially taken over
     
  2. Killy Me Please

    Killy Me Please I lift things up and put people down.
    Donor

    It's a quarter to 10. Why is this game on this late.
     
  3. Killy Me Please

    Killy Me Please I lift things up and put people down.
    Donor

    ND up 28-7. Cam shot of the geezer ND fans they look like they're waiting to be seated at Cracker Barrel.
     
  4. Killy Me Please

    Killy Me Please I lift things up and put people down.
    Donor

    Offsides again. Receiver knocked down.
     
  5. Killy Me Please

    Killy Me Please I lift things up and put people down.
    Donor

    The offense is baffling. We have speedy guys. Where's the jet sweeps. Where's the slants.

    I don't understand what our philosophy is. Really don't. People don't want to go after long but Book can't make precision passes. He's horrendous throwing fades and out routes.
     
    40wwttamgib and chase538 like this.
  6. NDfanPSUgrad

    NDfanPSUgrad Well-Known Member
    Penn State Nittany LionsNotre Dame Fighting Irish

    BK not taking it easy on Polian tonight. How was polian ever a HC?
     
    40wwttamgib and Killy Me Please like this.
  7. Wicket

    Wicket Fan: ND, PSV, Pool FC, Cricket, Urquel, Dog Crew
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSan Francisco GiantsNew Orleans SaintsChicago Cubs

    dont think ive felt asleep during a ND game in a few years, it shows how little i care in comparison to usually
     
  8. Lucky24Seven

    Lucky24Seven Ain't nothing slick to a can of oil
    Donor
    Indiana HoosiersNotre Dame Fighting IrishChicago CubsChicago BullsChicago BearsChicago Blackhawks

    BUT! We can still be 10-2! Hooray Brian Kelly!
     
  9. Wicket

    Wicket Fan: ND, PSV, Pool FC, Cricket, Urquel, Dog Crew
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSan Francisco GiantsNew Orleans SaintsChicago Cubs

    lol screen play
     
  10. Killy Me Please

    Killy Me Please I lift things up and put people down.
    Donor

    Every fucking throw is just a half second late. It's almost impossible to be that consistent.
     
  11. Red Rover

    Red Rover Neck water faucet, mockingbirds mocking
    Donor TMB OG
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishPhoenix Suns

    Ian Book on the run has got to be ~30% completion rate. Can’t believe we even call it
     
    DetroitIrish3 likes this.
  12. Robdog_5

    Robdog_5 Well-Known Member

    Duke is not good. Our offense is not good
     
    40wwttamgib and SD_Irish like this.
  13. Robdog_5

    Robdog_5 Well-Known Member

    McKinley cant be starting next year
     
  14. Robdog_5

    Robdog_5 Well-Known Member

    With Young gone, Lenzy not able to play we really dont have much speed
     
  15. Killy Me Please

    Killy Me Please I lift things up and put people down.
    Donor

    Keys? Jafar hasn't been playing well since coming back. But move him around.
     
  16. Lots of enthusiasm in here after that program defining win
     
  17. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
    Donor
    San Diego State AztecsSan Diego Padres

    its basketball season and we just beat duke. thoughtwe would be more excited
     
  18. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
    Donor
    San Diego State AztecsSan Diego Padres

  19. SD_Irish

    SD_Irish El Mas Chingon
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishUSA RugbyUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamSan Diego Padres

    Nooooooo
     
  20. theregionsitter

    theregionsitter Well-Known Member
    TMB OG
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishChicago White SoxIndianapolis ColtsColumbus Blue JacketsColumbus Crew

    Sampson going all in on the program is fine because ND beat Duke
     
    Red Rover, Thoros of Beer and beist like this.
  21. theregionsitter

    theregionsitter Well-Known Member
    TMB OG
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishChicago White SoxIndianapolis ColtsColumbus Blue JacketsColumbus Crew

  22. beist

    beist Hyperbolist
    Donor

    Yeah he’s doing his thing where he tripples down on an obviously wrong point because reversing his poison would mean calling out a coach.

    Joe Schmidt is actually good
    The 2016 defense had MAC level talent
    The NDNation fire kelly ad is irrelevant because they didn’t put their name on it
    This season/Ian Book
     
    chase538 and Thoros of Beer like this.
  23. Thoros of Beer

    Thoros of Beer Academy Award-Winning Actor, Tim Allen
    Donor

    Pete is a virgin and looks like a thumb
     
    DetroitIrish3 likes this.
  24. AHebrewToo

    AHebrewToo Albino Hebrew Extraordinaire
    Donor
    Indiana HoosiersNotre Dame Fighting IrishWashington NationalsIndiana PacersIndianapolis Colts

    You generally have to include one lie when you're playing two truths and a lie.

    Where is the lie?
     
    Thoros of Beer likes this.
  25. chase538

    chase538 Well-Known Member
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishBarcelonaAtlanta United

    I’m disappointed in Jafar Armstrong. I was under the impression he was good. But he can’t make anyone miss and never breaks a tackle. Just give Jahmir Smith the ball more. If Chris Tyree doesn’t go straight to the top of the depth chart then I give up.
     
    a1ND, 40wwttamgib, AHebrewToo and 5 others like this.
  26. Beeds07

    Beeds07 Bitch, it's Saturday
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSt. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Blues

    He can't be 100%. He looked so much better last year.
     
    SD_Irish likes this.
  27. nexus

    nexus TMB’s TSO
    Donor TMB OG
    Indiana HoosiersNotre Dame Fighting IrishChicago CubsPittsburgh PenguinsReal MadridTool

    Okwara broke his leg and is out the rest of the year
     
  28. IHHH

    IHHH Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishCleveland BrownsMontreal Canadiens

    That sucks, but he was not having a great year. Who will take his place?

    He was seen as a first or second round pick, now he will probably be drafted but not before the 4th round
     
  29. Red Rover

    Red Rover Neck water faucet, mockingbirds mocking
    Donor TMB OG
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishPhoenix Suns

    He looks like he’s gained too much weight and lost his wiggle. He looked like that before the injury too
     
    Voodoo and chase538 like this.
  30. SD_Irish

    SD_Irish El Mas Chingon
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishUSA RugbyUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamSan Diego Padres

    If that happens then he will be a steal.
     
    40wwttamgib, Rise and IHHH like this.
  31. Robdog_5

    Robdog_5 Well-Known Member

    I honestly feel like all of our good returning players stepped backwards outside Claypool. Kareem, Okwara, Book, Armstrong even Gilman look like a lesser version of themselves this year
     
  32. Rise

    Rise Well-Known Member
    Donor

    I think we really underestimated the effect Boykin/tillery/tranquil/dexter had as players and team leadership
     
  33. SD_Irish

    SD_Irish El Mas Chingon
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishUSA RugbyUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamSan Diego Padres

    This x100. The leadership this year is clearly lacking. Additionally, the whole 7 Captains thing is ineffective in my opinion. When you have so many Chiefs, you essentially have none.
     
    Voodoo, Rise and Beeds07 like this.
  34. Beeds07

    Beeds07 Bitch, it's Saturday
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSt. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Blues

    I've seen Kelly recently say that they've tried to put more on Books plate and maybe he just wasn't ready for it. I'm starting to wonder if the offensive philosophies and calls have too much thinking in the way defense used to be? That's why QBs don't get better and why guys don't develop.

    Book does play action seams and slants fairly well but literally nothing else. It could also explain why Kelly's QBs start well but tend to regress. Simplify it the way the defense did.
     
    IrishLAX2 likes this.
  35. Robdog_5

    Robdog_5 Well-Known Member


    He's short and seems like getting him out of the pocket would be ideal but he is brutally bad on the move
     
    Red Rover and Voodoo like this.
  36. Wicket

    Wicket Fan: ND, PSV, Pool FC, Cricket, Urquel, Dog Crew
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSan Francisco GiantsNew Orleans SaintsChicago Cubs

  37. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
    Donor

    ToT Offense

    THE IAN BOOK WE EXPECTED

    • ACCN analyst Tim Hasselbeck – who is really good at his job by the way – quoted Brian Kelly from their meetings with the Irish head coach Friday. “The quarterback needs to play better in order for us to win,” Kelly said.


    • If Book’s performance is a reflection of what’s to come for the balance of the regular season and perhaps beyond in a Notre Dame uniform, the Irish finally might be on to something that is sustainable. Book’s 18-of-32 for 181 yards and four touchdowns (and two interceptions) isn’t a great percentage. But it was as good and assured as Book has looked since, well, the last two series of the Virginia Tech game, which may qualify as a trend, albeit a short-range one.


    • The 12 carries for 139 yards with runs of 53 and 45 yards isn’t sustainable. That’s a recipe for an injury over the long haul. But you do what you have to do to win a game on the road. With the Irish running backs providing sporadic production behind an offensive line with two new starters, Book’s decisiveness as a runner was the perfect balance to a sharp effort in the passing game. (Note: Three drawn interference penalties also are part of the passing game.)


    • It seems like a crazy notion that Notre Dame is “trying to get him back to where he was last year,” to use play-by-play guy Dave O’Brien’s words, but that’s the case with Book, who hit the ground running last year and then began the leveling-off process as team’s assessed his strengths and weaknesses and Book succumbed to the pressure.


    • Sideline reporter Katie George talked about how the stress for Book has been overwhelming. This is atypical of what we normally hear about a quarterback. I can’t recall the last time we talked about a quarterback’s stress factor. But it’s been a factor for Book, which is why I followed up with a question to him Saturday night about the noise.


    • Where is the noise coming from? From social media? That’s the noise that’s impacting his play? It was acknowledged that Book has now disconnected from social media. That should have happened a long time ago.


    • Advice to Book from offensive coordinator Chip Long: “Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from.” A very interesting comment. “Once you do that, all the noise will become quieter. Your outlook will change and your focus will stay on the task at hand.”


    • Book does not have to be a four-star talent to play like one. He simply needs to make the plays he’s capable of making and be a four-star evaluator of the game. Fifty-yard throws don’t have to be a part of his game. There is a vast array of 25-to-35-yard throws he’s completely capable of making, particularly with an incredible weapon like Chase Claypool and, to a lesser extent, Cole Kmet. Book doesn’t have that many weapons in the passing game at his fingertips. The Irish managed to make Chris Finke one of those weapons against Duke.


    • Truth be told, I hated Book’s start to the game. The first snap, he looked and looked and looked at a crossing Cole Kmet and then threw him the ball. He waited until by the time Kmet caught it, safety Marquis Waters was there for immediate contact and a four-yard gain for what would have been an eight-yard gain or maybe more if he had just thrown the damn ball when Kmet was open.


    • Think about it: Do you want Kmet catching the ball as Marquis Waters is making contact with him, or is it better to get the ball into Kmet’s hands with a running-start cushion on Waters?


    • Two plays later on 3rd-and-3, Book again waited too long to throw to Finke and cornerback Josh Blackwell made the pass breakup. Actually, because Book waited so long, Blackwell could have made the interception. So I’m thinking…and saying to O’Malley, “It’s going to be like this again?”


    • But after that, Book’s performance and decision-making improved dramatically. On the first throw of the second drive, he fired a dart to Finke on 3rd-and-4. It was a tough throw on a stack release with Kmet and a long turnout route to Finke. A precise throw was necessary and Book was on it.


    • He then lofted a 30-yarder to Claypool against cornerback Leonard Johnson, who would become Notre Dame’s frequent focus in the passing game. After overthrowing Jafar Armstrong, he rifled a pass to Finke for 13 on 3rd-and-10. With the benefit of an offside penalty on 3rd-and-13, he then drilled Finke for the 18-yard touchdown.


    • I find it interesting that part of the advice play-by-play man Dave O’Brien said the coaching staff fed to Book last week was “you can go ahead and throw five interceptions; just let it rip!” But that goes back to being late throwing the ball. If he’s open, let it rip. Throw it. Get rid of it. Put the football in the hands of your playmakers and let them do what they’re on scholarship to do.


    • Loved his 17-yard read-option run in which he confidently “strided out,” almost strutting out of bounds the way he did when he scored the game-winning touchdown against Virginia Tech.


    • A great example of where Book doesn’t need to be a four-star talent to succeed was his second touchdown pass – a quick sight-adjustment read to Claypool on a Duke blitz. That’s easy pitch-and-catch recognition. Book just needs to make the plays he’s capable of making, and that is a longer menu than what we’ve seen most of the season.


    • Another great sign of his confidence growing in this game came when he overthrew Javon McKinley on a 3rd-and-5 sideline stop route. Book was upset with himself. Before he left the field, he sought out McKinley to hand-slap with him as if to say, “That’s on me. I won’t let that happen again.”


    • Getting back to how much Book can and should run, teams that like to man-up with their corners a majority of the time are vulnerable to his quick, decisive runs. Additionally, it should be noted that Book ran well because Notre Dame’s offensive line won the game in the trenches.


    • Book clearly landed on his right shoulder upon the completion of his 45-yard run. He winced and did the ol’ circular motion with a grimace both on the field and along the sideline when he was talking with his teammates. Hasselbeck, the former Boston College quarterback, made the interesting observation of how those kind of ailments hurt more the next day than they do during the game. So Book obviously will need treatment for it this week and likely will ease into the week’s work.


    • Another key for Book is that when he does step up into the pocket – which he did a much better job of against Duke – he kept the pass alive. When he makes himself a true RPO threat, Notre Dame’s offense is a greater threat. If he keeps the pass alive when he steps up, he adds another dimension to the offense. He didn’t yield ground like he normally does, although Duke didn’t do a good job of forcing him to yield ground.


    • It all needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Duke was not good defensively and Notre Dame’s offense out-played an undermanned Blue Devil defense. But it was long-awaited progress from Book that really began in the two series/35 plays down the stretch against Virginia Tech.


    RUNNING BACKS

    • Jahmir Smith: It’s a rare day in the 2019 season that the Irish have a running back snapping off a 40-yard run like the one by Smith. With Dexter Williams, one or two were expected on a weekly basis.


    • What’s maddening about a young running back like Smith is that on his next carry following the 40-yard run, he had a clear path to the end zone for a 10-yard score…and he fell down. It’s as if Smith gets too excited about what he sees ahead and allows his upper body to get ahead of his lower body and loses his balance. He loses control of his center of gravity and his running back form goes all to hell.


    • And yet you have to love the way Smith approaches the game. He’s physical, his pads are down and he’s seeking contact. Sometimes you have to step back and realize that Smith has a long way to go. He has eligibility through the 2022 season.


    • Jafar Armstrong: Armstrong has shown no burst in his first two games fully back from abdominal surgery. He’s trying to play physically – especially against Virginia Tech – but there’s no extra gear when he’s running laterally and a hole materializes. It’s in times like these that he looks like a wide receiver playing running back.


    • He’s not breaking tackles. He’s generally going down on first contact. He’s still in the process of refining his game and becoming a running back without the benefit of the experience because of his injures. The Irish need him to be a power back when the situation dictates, but he also has to have enough wiggle to gain yards when only a sliver of room is available.


    • C’Bo Flemister: Whenever Flemister gets an opportunity and shows flashes, it accentuates why he’s so important to the Irish rushing attack. They don’t have a runner like him, other than perhaps Avery Davis, but Davis is a converted quarterback who doesn’t have Flemister’s running back instincts.


    • Flemister’s sprint-draw run for 11 yards seems – and is – one of the most basic running back runs. But the Irish don’t have anyone right now other than Flemister who can make the simple look so basic. It’s up to Flemister to convince running backs coach Lance Taylor to put him on the field in the last three regular-season games of the year. If he were showing his ability in practice like he did on that 11-yard run, he would be playing more.


    WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

    • Chris Finke: It was interesting to hear the announcers talk about Finke “finally being healthy.” It’s not something that’s been discussed much, although Irish Illustrated did allude to it back in the Georgia game when an apparent shoulder injury hampered him on Ian Book’s first interception of the season.


    • Wearing a right knee wrap against Duke, Finke exploded for five (official) catches for 49 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He had a 78-yard catch-and-run called back due to holding. He had a 46-yard punt return. Finke easily could have had a night totaling nearly 200 yards in receptions/returns. He also drew a downfield interference penalty.


    • Loved how he finally realized he wasn’t going to out-run everyone on the nullified 78-yarder and just took on the tackler to the six-yard line. In typical Finke fashion, he downplayed his disappointment after the game about the nullified play. But it was a much-needed performance by a veteran player who, by the way, had the most votes in the captain nominations. We also learned he has some Macarena moves along the sideline.


    • Chase Claypool: There just aren’t enough platitudes for the senior Irish wideout who, much like defensive end Khalid Kareem, absolutely refuses to be/remain injured. Claypool strained his right shoulder on a “spectacular incompletion” along the sideline. He makes any leaping/toe-tapping play feasible.


    • Claypool finished with five catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. He now has 42 receptions for 651 yards and five scores. He needs 349 yards over his final four games – an average of 87.2 yards per game – to reach 1,000 yards on the season. He’s currently averaging 72.3 yards through the first nine games.


    • George Takacs: Takacs was inconsistent in the practices the media was allowed to observe in the spring and August. He started slowly in the spring and then came on very strong as it came to a conclusion. He didn’t make a dent in August.


    • On his two-yard touchdown reception to cap Notre Dame’s five-touchdown performance – the first reception of his career – he actually was slow out of his stance. He made a great leaping, falling-backward grab just inside the back line.


    • It’s pretty cool to see the players’ reaction when a teammate does something great for the first time. His teammates mobbed him. It says something when a fifth-year senior Finke is excited. Among the most excited on the sideline was offensive line coach Jeff Quinn. All of that is a good stuff for a young player with three years of eligibility beyond this season.


    OFFENSIVE LINE

    • One of the most thorough and dominant performances of the year by Notre Dame’s offensive line and certainly its most thorough effort against a Power 5 conference team this season with 288 yards rushing and a 6.9-yard average.


    • That’s tempered a bit, of course, by the fact that the 139 yards rushing by Ian Book generally isn’t the line-up-and-run-the-football rushing attack. And yet when you add up the production by Tony Jones Jr., Jafar Armstrong, Jahmir Smith, and C’Bo Flemister, it comes out to 23 carries for 110 yards (4.78-yard average).


    • Much of that yardage – 40 to be exact – came on one carry by Smith, which means that the other 22 carries averaged just 3.1 yards. But there’s no doubt that Notre Dame’s offensive line of Josh Lugg, Trevor Ruhland, Jarrett Patterson, Aaron Banks and Liam Eichenberg dominated the line of scrimmage against the Blue Devils, which hasn’t been a given this year.


    • I thought it was one of Patterson’s better games as he led the charge on Smith’s 40-yard run with Lugg and Ruhland sealing the alley. (Note: wide receiver Javon McKinley also did an excellent job impeding a Duke defender on the run.) Patterson also led the way on the run from the 10-yard line by Smith that should have been a walk-in touchdown.


    • It was Eichenberg, Ruhland and McKinley again who sprung Ian Book on his 53-yard run. Also good to see true freshman tackle Andrew Kristofic battling aggressively late in the game.


    SPECIAL TEAMS

    • Now it looks like Lawrence Keys III is gun-shy, particularly on the kick return with less than three minutes remaining in the first half after Duke had just made it a 21-7 game. The Irish need him to make that kick return because of the situation.


    • When you’ve just given up a touchdown and it’s 21-7 and there is 2:55 left in the first half, you take that kickoff at the five and return it aggressively, especially if you have Keys’ breakaway speed.


    • I didn’t see Brian Kelly get mad at special teams coordinator Brian Polian during the game. But it’s a given that under those circumstances, Keys needs to be instructed to return that kickoff. Does Polian need Kelly to remind him to remind Keys that the situation dictates giving it a shot?


    • Duke is a team that gave up a 95-yard kick return for a touchdown this year. With under three minutes to go in the half, a couple of yards lost by not calling for a fair catch do not matter.


    • I’m sure Kelly isn’t a real popular figure in the Polian clan today, but damn, man, if you’re not going to coach up Keys in that situation, then what are we doing here? Kelly was in a foul mood because he felt like I did sitting in the press box, that Notre Dame might squander a 21-0 lead, which looked even more possible when Chris Rumph pressured Book into an interception.


    AROUND THE GRIDIRON (OFFENSE)

    Duke’s football facilities are very strange, which I’m sure all TV viewers got a glimpse of when the Notre Dame team exited its locker room about 150 yards from the actual field they were playing on…It’s a cool little stadium though. The playing surface looked pristine pre-game…I liked the TV crew of Dave O’Brien, Tim Hasselbeck and Katie George. Hasselbeck was incredibly insightful. O’Brien kept the narrative rolling. I saw George on the field late in the game and she was still working hard in fairly cold conditions. I found her work to be very professional…That’s a pretty slick double-click of the heels by Finke and Jones Jr. after a touchdown…Duke MLB-Koby Quansah is a good, tough football player…One coaching cliché I’ve never believed in is the “go out there and have fun” stuff. I’m not saying you shouldn’t enjoy the moment. Of course. But it’s not about having fun; it’s about competing with enthusiasm and the sheer joy of athletic competition. I just don’t think “fun” is quite the right word in a gladiator sport where there’s so much at stake…



    Interesting observation by Hasselbeck on cornerback Leonard Johnson with Cover 0 behind him. Johnson gave Claypool an inside release when the nearside linebacker blitzed. You can’t do that. It’s too easy of a pitch-and-catch. Hasselbeck rightly said that you need to at least make Book throw a more difficult corner-of-the-end zone throw…Johnson is a hitter. I saw that on film. But he’s very beatable and the Irish beat him like a drum…Kelly disputed the five-men-in-the-backfield penalty, but the receiver up top – couldn’t tell if it was Claypool or McKinley – was off the line of scrimmage. Kelly argued, according to Hasselbeck, that the Irish were unbalanced and had a seventh man on the line of scrimmage, but I don’t think so…Imagine David Cutcliffe coaching Brady Quinn, which he would have had he not suffered a heart ailment. Not that Quinn could have been much better than he was for the Irish in 2005-06. But imagine how it may have helped him have a better chance for success on the next level…Cutcliffe to his wife after recovering from his heart ailment at the age of 52: “I will die if I don’t coach.”



    It was good to get Jonathan Doerer a field goal attempt from 34 yards. He was back to his calm, measured, simple boot of the ball…I was on the field when backup wide receiver Micah Jones was called for a personal foul. I thought at the time, “You never get to play and you just got a personal foul penalty?” But then I saw the TV coverage. Duke linebacker Rocky Shelton had just pushed Irish guard Dillan Gibbons, so Jones pushed Shelton, who just fell to the ground. Can’t really blame Jones…Brian Kelly: “This game hasn’t changed much. You’ve got to control the line of scrimmage. We controlled the line of scrimmage. We eliminated any big play opportunities they had. They had the one and other than that we did a nice job tonight.”
     
    lomcevak, IHHH, chase538 and 2 others like this.
  38. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
    Donor

    defense

    A WINNING DEFENSIVE FORMULA

    • The key to any kind of success by Duke’s sporadic offense was to be able to create and convert short third-down attempts. Through nine games, Duke is now 96th in the country on third-down conversions at 36.3 percent after Notre Dame held the Blue Devils to 3-of-16 in its 38-7 victory Saturday night in Durham, N.C.


    • “Duke would love it if they could live with these 3rdand-2s because it takes Notre Dame out of some of the creative stuff they like to do on third down,” said ACC Network analyst Tim Hasselbeck. “If you’re in 3rd-and-2, everything is on the board in terms of what they can do.”


    • That narrative for the Blue Devils faded very quickly. On Duke’s first 3rd-and-2, Mike linebacker Drew White stood up Deon Jackson for no gain. On Duke’s second short-yardage scenario – a 3rd-and-2 midway through the first quarter -- Jackson was stopped for a one-yard gain by Jayson Ademilola.


    • After that, Duke’s third-down opportunities became increasingly more difficult to convert. A 3rd-and-11 pass to Scott Bracey was defended by cornerback TaRiq Bracy. On 3rd-and-14, Quenton Harris hit Bracey underneath, but Irish safety Alohi Gilman aggressively attacked from the third level and stopped Bracey six yards short of the first down. On 3rd-and-9, defensive end Julian Okwara pressured Harris and defensive back Shaun Crawford deftly defended.


    • By the time Duke got to its next third-down opportunity, Notre Dame led, 21-0. In fact, the Blue Devil fans broke into a somewhat derisive applause when a Harris-to-Darrell Harding Jr. pass on 3rd-and-1 notched Duke’s second first down of the half…at the midway point of the second quarter.


    THE KEY SUDDEN CHANGE

    • Brian Kelly’s demeanor on the sideline with special teams coordinator Brian Polian likely reflected the trepidation the Irish head coach was feeling late in the first half after the Irish had dominated the first 26 minutes of the first half, only to see it looking as if the Irish might allow a 21-0 lead turn into a 21-14 or 21-10 game at the intermission.


    • The Irish had a chance to make it 28-0 when Chris Finke zig-zagged his way through the Duke secondary for 78 yards to the Duke six-yard line. But it was nullified by a holding penalty on right guard Trevor Ruhland. On the previous play, Tommy Tremble’s bobble along the sideline erased what would have been a 31-yard gain.


    • Punting from inside the Irish five-yard line, Jay Bramblett felt the pressure of the Duke rush and booted a 22-yarder that went out of bounds at the Irish 39-yard line. Two plays later, the Blue Devils were in the end zone for a 21-7 score.


    • When the Irish picked up an interference call, they were in business at their own 45 with 2:30 left in the first half. A pass to Jafar Armstrong – he came back to the football aggressively – would have put Notre Dame in Duke territory with plenty of time to make it a 28-7 game. But Armstrong was called for an illegal touch for stepping out of bounds before making the grab.


    • On 2nd-and-10 from the Irish 45, Ian Book was pressured by Duke defensive end Chris Rumph. Book’s throw was altered and linebacker Shaka Heyward made the interception. Now the Irish defense was faced with its second sudden-change situation after failing on the previous one.


    • Duke converted a 2nd-and-7 and a 3rd-and-2 to get to the Irish 28-yard line. One play would make it a 21-14 game, which would be the second week in a row that the end of the half had a tragic conclusion for the Irish. (Think Virginia Tech’s Divine Deablo.)


    • Clark Lea’s defense “bowed its back.” After Khalid Kareem was tackled from behind, garnering a holding penalty, Duke was fortunate a Quenton Harris pass batted into the air was not intercepted. On 2nd-and-19 from the Irish 37, Harris threw incomplete, but Kareem was whistled offside. (Note: This was the play Julian Okwara suffered the fractured fibula.)


    • With 29 seconds remaining, Asmar Bilal came up and made a nice tackle on a quarterback draw for a gain of six on 2nd-and-14. Duke had to call a timeout with two seconds left on third down. David Cutcliffe had no choice but to send out kicker A.J. Reed to attempt a 44-yard field goal.


    • It was better than 21-14, but 21-10 still would have been pretty demoralizing for the Irish defense for the second week in a row. Reed – who came into the game 9-of-9 on field goals – had his timing thrown off when holder Jackson Hubbard couldn’t come up cleanly with Ben Wyatt’s snap. Reed pushed it wide right and the Irish – up two touchdowns – had weathered the storm, despite the disappointment of not being up three or four touchdowns.


    LOSING OKWARA

    • For all the grief thrown toward Julian Okwara for not living up to expectations this season, it was better than the alternative, which Notre Dame is now facing. Okwara suffered a fractured left fibula on the fourth-to-last snap of the first half and is lost for the season. For the record, Okwara’s Notre Dame career ends with 14½ sacks, including just four in 2019.


    • The Irish are now without Okwara and Daelin Hayes at defensive end. That leaves senior Khalid Kareem, red-shirt junior Ade Ogundeji and senior Jamir Jones as the top three. That’s pretty darn good considering the talent lost with Okwara and Hayes.


    • The remaining candidates are: red-shirt freshman Ovie Oghoufo, freshman Isaiah Foskey and freshman NaNa Osafo-Mensah. Oghoufo had an aggressive three tackles against Duke and clearly moves up behind Jones at Shark end with Kareem and Ogundeji handling the big end position.


    • Foskey has played three games, which gives the Irish the chance to pick which one of the remaining games he can play while still preserving a year of eligibility. I suspect they’ll do everything they can to preserve Foskey’s year.


    • The wildcard is red-shirt freshman Justin Ademilola, who also was active against the Blue Devils with two stops. Ademilola came in as a Shark end but has cross-trained at big end. Big end is in good hands with Kareem and Ogundeji. Look for a three-man crew at Shark end of Jones, Oghoufo and Justin Ademilola.


    • This all becomes a bit more problematic this week against the Naval Academy’s triple-option attack. Not having veterans like Okwara and Hayes really hurts. As effective as Oghoufo and Justin Ademilola were in spot duty last week, getting up to game speed for Navy’s triple-option attack generally is very difficult for a young defensive end.


    • Jones, known for his heady play, is much more likely to get the bulk of the snaps at Shark end than perhaps in the Boston College and Stanford games when Oghoufo and Justin Ademilola can play in a more conventional defense.


    DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

    • Khalid Kareem: The defensive warrior (along with Alohi Gilman) that Chase Claypool is to the offensive side of the ball. Kareem was shaken up, too, when Okwara went down. But he pealed himself off the ground and continued to battle. He later left the field favoring his left shoulder. He still came back to play and finished with three stops and half-a-tackle for loss.


    • Kareem should have had a pass broken up, but it shot into the air and was caught by Duke for a one-yard gain. Love how Kareem ran with the football to the end zone on a play in which there was some doubt as to whether it was an incomplete pass or a backward lateral. No reason not to stride out and run to the end zone just in case. That’s just how conscientious Kareem is.


    • Jayson Ademilola: The Irish sophomore, just as he was last year, remains incredibly productive. In limited duty last year behind Jerry Tillery, he had 19 tackles to finish 14th on the squad. In backup duty again this year behind Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, he’s 10th on the team in tackles with 21 to go along with three tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and a pass broken up. Great sideline reaction by Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston after Ademilola’s 3rd-and-2 stop in the first quarter.


    LINEBACKERS

    • Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: A truly dominant football game by the red-shirt junior with six tackles, one-and-a-half tackles for loss and two passes broken up. Owusu-Koramoah was an impactful figure against the run, against the pass and on special teams.


    • Owusu-Koramoah squared up Duke running back Mataeo Durant on a swing pass and drilled him in the chest for a four-yard loss. On the very next play, he smacked tight end Noah Gray on a swing pass in which he had to run Gray down. He very nearly had an interception as well on a tough, hard-thrown ball in his direction.


    • Asmar Bilal: It’s head-shaking incredible how far the fifth-year senior has come in his game. He now leads the team in tackles with 56 to go with seven tackles for loss (a three-way tie for second on the team). He added his first quarterback hurry of the season against Duke.


    • Bilal lit up quarterback Quenton Harris for a one-yard loss. He made his hit on Harris one play after having to chase running back Mataeo Harris up the sideline. He’s playing with such maturity and a loose, free-and-easy way that never was expected until he started to come around after the opener against Louisville.


    • Drew White: The third man in the trio of linebackers who did an outstanding job of finding run fits and delivering blows. White had a team-leading seven tackles against the Blue Devils. Collectively, the trio made 18 tackles, a sack (White), three tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry. It was a full – and productive night – for Notre Dame’s vastly underrated linebacker corps.


    DEFENSVIE BACKS

    • Alohi Gilman: Another brilliant performance by the safety that people were saying was having a bad year for the Irish. That’s utter nonsense. The only time Duke wide receiver Scott Bracey looked like he might break something on a 3rd-and-14, Gilman was there to make the play. He came slicing through to make a stop on a Deon Jackson running play that looked like it aggravated a left shoulder ailment.


    • What kind of teammate is Gilman? When seldom-used backup Houston Griffith made a play on the ball for a pass breakup, Gilman came bounding off the sideline with joy to congratulate his teammate.


    • TaRiq Bracy: Bracy’s performance against the Blue Devils once again makes you wonder why this guy doesn’t see the field more consistently. A lack of strength, to be sure. But the kid can play the ball. He was not credited with a pass breakup and just two tackles, but his performance was much more impactful than the numbers indicate.


    • Bracy closed on Scott Bracey to force an incompletion on 3rd-and-11 with 2:39 left in the first quarter. Don’t know why he wasn’t credited with a pass breakup on Duke wide receiver Darrell Harding Jr. He closed on a long out-pattern to Jalon Calhoun to limit him to a two-yard gain.


    • I thought Bracy aggressively and quickly attacked receivers all night. He even came up with a resourceful fumble recovery on a ball that kept squirting out of a pile of bodies.


    • Kyle Hamilton: A beautiful tackle for a one-yard gain by Durant. Just disarmed him by taking out his legs.


    • Shaun Crawford: What a great pass-defensed on Duke freshman Eli Pancol for an incomplete pass. He didn’t get a hand on it and Pancol probably would say he should have caught it, but Crawford made it difficult for him.


    • Donte Vaughn: The frustration with Vaughn remains his technique, which is something they work on every…single…day. Were it not for his size (and Bracy’s lack of overall strength), he would not be taking reps away from the Irish sophomore.


    • It was Vaughn who gave up the 29-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Young for Duke’s only score of the night. Great athletes compromise cornerbacks. At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Young is a tough matchup. But you can’t lunge with your upper body and expect to be able to turn and run with a quality athlete of that size. Vaughn reached, whiffed, and then came out of it very slowly as Young zipped past him.


    • Quote from Herm Edwards relayed by Hasselbeck. “If you play bump-and-run coverage, you’ve got to bump the guy.”


    • To Vaughn’s credit, he made a significant play on a 4th-and-3 late in the third quarter with a pass broken up as Ade Ogundeji applied the pressure to Harris. It truly was the last last-ditch effort by the Blue Devils trailing 28-7.


    SPECIAL TEAMS

    • The fake punt failure – a holding penalty on Temitope Agoro that kept the football in Duke’s hands early in the third quarter – should not happen. There should have been no doubt in the mind of every member of the punt return team that Austin Parker could fake it. He did against Virginia after ad-libbing on a botched snap for a first down on the previous punt snap against the Wahoos. What’s frustrating is that Agoro – a cornerback – “caught” the guy running by him as if he’s never employed a cornerback technique in his life.


    AROUND THE GRIDIRON (DEFENSE)c

    A big hit by Bo Bauer on kick coverage. Huh, who would have thought?...Not sure how many saw it, but Bauer got a series early in the second quarter before coming in when the game was secured…Not sure how many saw it, but red-shirt freshman D.J. Brown was actually in the game with Kyle Hamilton in second quarter…A derisive cheer from the Duke fans with 7:00 to go in the first half as the Blue Devils picked up their second first down and first since their first snap of the game …I ask it every year because there’s an Okwara on the Notre Dame team every year (until 2020). Why do announcers call him Ogwara? Is it more fun to say Ogwara than Okwara?...I’ve never understood why Kelly says “they played well” when speaking about his team. Why wouldn’t he say “we played well”? I just don’t get that…



    For the record, did you notice what Virginia Tech did this past weekend? The Hokies handed Wake Forest its second loss of the season and did it decisively (by 19 points). Hendon Hooker returned at quarterback for the Holies. The Irish caught a break when Hooker was still one week removed from being healthy enough to play against the Irish.
     
  39. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
    Donor

    gold standard

    2021 Notre Dame Running Back Recruiting Nuggets
    *** Notre Dame has four offers out in the 2021 class at running back, and we'll run through what I'm hearing on each of them. Let's start with West Bloomfield's (Mich.)

    Donovan Edwards
    , the nation's No. 4 running back and No. 89 overall prospect. This is a recruit who has over 30 offers and seems to be leaning towards Michigan and Ohio State at the moment. On the outside looking in, it doesn't feel like the Irish have a great shot in this recruitment, but what I've gathered from sources is actually positive. Edwards doesn't say a lot about Notre Dame publicly, but the vibe is that Notre Dame is in better shape than most people think.


    *** Notre Dame offensive line commit

    Blake Fisher
    talks consistently with Edwards, and the communication there is encouraging. Edwards is saying that the has high interest in the Irish. I'm wondering if he's just telling people what they want to hear, but I've also been told that Edwards' high school coach believes his star running back would be a great fit for Notre Dame. Edwards hasn't visited since earlier this year for a junior day, so it's important for the Irish to get him back on campus in the near future. Notre Dame running backs coach Lance Taylor keeps in regular contact with Edwards, and cornerbacks coach Todd Lyght visited his high school during the bye week.


    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    89
    NATIONAL
    3
    STATE
    4
    POSITION
    DONOVAN
    EDWARDS


    RANK
    5.9
    5'11" | 193 LBS | RB
    WEST BLOOMFIELD
    WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI
    CLASS OF 2021
    UNDECIDED
    *** Garland (Texas) Centennial Lakeview five-star

    Camar Wheaton
    , the nation's top running back and No. 7 prospect, doesn't say much publicly, and he's a long shot to pick the Irish. It'd be a mild surprise if he leaves the state of Texas, as many pundits believe he'll pick Texas or Texas A&M. Coach Taylor talks with Wheaton about once a week, and I'm told those conversations are actually pretty good. Wheaton is a quiet kid, but he really connects with Taylor. If Wheaton makes another trip up to Notre Dame, then there will be reason to believe that he could be a real option for the Irish.


    *** I'm still feeling really good about where Notre Dame sits with Matthews (N.C.) Weddington running back

    Will Shipley
    , the nation's top all-purpose back and No. 53 overall prospect. There's indication that the Irish are his top school as I've heard he's told some people close to the program as much. Shipley plans to narrow down his list in the offseason (likely December or January) and then make a decision after some more visits in the spring and/or summer. He wants to get things done with before he starts his senior season, but the way things are trending, I actually think Shipley will make a decision much sooner than he anticipates. If this is the case, I have to believe it'll be good news for Notre Dame as again, the Irish are the leader based on what I'm told. But it would also be important, in my opinion, for Shipley to return to Notre Dame for another visit (would be his second) before committing.


    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    53
    NATIONAL
    0" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 10px; width: 7px; background: url("https://cdn.rivals.com/production/a...bfb264f545034d3f8a342e9632778ca65a3af8278.svg") left center no-repeat; margin-bottom: 3px;"> 2
    STATE
    1
    POSITION
    WILL
    SHIPLEY


    RANK
    5.9
    5'11" | 200 LBS | APB
    WEDDINGTON
    MATTHEWS, NC
    CLASS OF 2021
    UNDECIDED
    *** Some quick notes: The fourth running back offer of the class is Cincinnati Roger Bacon's

    Corey Kiner
    , who the Irish offered a few weeks ago. Not too much to report on him; he's still in the early stages with Notre Dame in his recruitment ... How many running backs will Notre Dame take in the 2021 class? It's a fluid situation and one that the Irish staff hasn't made a decision on. Part of this depends on who the first back in the class is ... I've been reporting since May that Notre Dame has a lot of interest in Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview running back
    Cody Brown
    , but the Irish still haven't offered him yet. Taylor watched Brown practice during the Irish's bye week. I still believe Notre Dame will offer Brown at some point.


    Can Notre Dame Get A Commitment In Florida?
    *** When I write up my 2021 hot board for Notre Dame front seven targets next week, I will likely have Jacksonville (Fla.) Sandalwood inside linebacker

    Branden Jennings
    in the "warmer" category, meaning that he has high interest in Notre Dame and is nearing a commitment watch. I don't think he will make a decision any time soon, but it's clear that Notre Dame is very high on his list. If Jennings does end up picking the Irish, he would be the first signee from the state since
    Joe Wilkins
    /
    George Takacks
    in the 2018 class.


    *** I asked a source close to Jennings about if the 6-foot-3, 225-pounder wanted to stay close to home for college, and the source said that Jennings is more likely to end up out of state. "Of all the places he visited, he loved Notre Dame," the source said. "They're at the top of his list if I had to guess." This person called Jennings a "sideline to sideline" linebacker who is "long and overly aggressive."

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    49
    NATIONAL
    8
    STATE
    2
    POSITION
    BRANDEN
    JENNINGS


    RANK
    5.9
    6'3" | 225 LBS | ILB
    SANDALWOOD
    JACKSONSVILLE, FL
    CLASS OF 2021
    UNDECIDED
    *** Jennings, the nation's No. 49 prospect and No. 2 inside linebacker, had this to say about his Notre Dame visit for the USC game Oct. 12: "Everything was great. It's a great school, great program. I liked everything everything about it. I can't even put it into words. It was different than other schools I've visited before. It was nice."

    *** The four-star recruit landed an offer from the Irish Oct. 30: "I talked to the running backs coach [Lance Taylor] because he's my area recruiter, and then I talked to Coach Lea again. They were saying that they were really excited about me and they'll be talking more with me."

    Nuggets From The Road: 2021 TE Commit Cane Berrong
    *** On Friday night, I went out to see a pivotal matchup for Hartwell (Ga.) Hart County, the home of Notre Dame class of 2021 tight end commit

    Cane Berrong
    . A win by more than nine points would give them the No. 2 seed (tiebreaker rules were based on score differential) in their playoff bracket, and with a 39-14 win, they accomplished that. Berrong was targeted just once in the victory and he caught the pass for six yards. His quarterback has a bad throwing shoulder and hasn't thrown much downfield this season, which really limits what Hart County can do in the passing game.


    *** Last year was Cane's year to shine as a receiver, and as one of his coaches told me Friday night, this is the Irish commit's year to show what he's got as a blocker. Even though Berrong was thrown to just once, it's clear that he really takes pride in his blocking and doesn't mind not getting the ball. He's making a big impact for his team as a lead blocker. Every college in America knows how talented of a pass catcher he is, but there were questions about his blocking. After this season, I don't think those questions remain.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    178
    NATIONAL
    0" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 10px; width: 7px; background: url("https://cdn.rivals.com/production/a...bfb264f545034d3f8a342e9632778ca65a3af8278.svg") left center no-repeat; margin-bottom: 3px;"> 16
    STATE
    7
    POSITION
    CANE
    BERRONG


    RANK
    5.8
    6'4" | 225 LBS | TE
    HART COUNTY
    HARTWELL, GA
    CLASS OF 2021
    [​IMG]
    VERBAL COMMIT
    6/21/2019
    NOTRE DAME
    *** Berrong committed to Notre Dame over the summer and is very firm in his pledge to the Irish. Because of his excellent talent, a handful of schools are still keeping in touch with Berrong and sending him lots of mail. But unless some drastic change happens on the Notre Dame coaching staff, he will be very solid with his pledge. Even if there was a shake up, I still think he'd end up signing with Notre Dame. Berrong and his family really get what Notre Dame is about on and off the field.

    *** Here is what Berrong's teammate, North Carolina class of 2020 commit

    Kaimon Rucker
    , had to say about him: "He's a cool guy, very hard-worker. A lot of people see him mainly as a receiving tight end, but that's not the case. He's really developed his blocking. He's a good person and good football player overall. I'm excited to see his future for next season and going to Notre Dame.


    "He's a strong dude. He's not one of those guys who can bench 345 pounds, but Cane knows how to use his hands and body well. His 4.5 [40 yard dash] speed speaks for itself. He's just as good blocking as he is receiving."

    *** Rucker on Berrong's work ethic: "His offseason work, his after practice work, and his pre-practice work. His work ethic is crazy. I admire that of him. He's a very hard worker. He has a great head on his shoulders. I say it a lot, but I can't to see what he does in the future, not only in high school but in college too. It's really going to be exciting.

    *** Added 2021 cornerback

    Montae Maxwell
    , another teammate of Berrong's: "Cane makes plays. That's why he's the guy he is today. He's going to be great. It's always intense to guard Cane in practice, and we make each other better. He's a great teammate and leader. He's a stand up guy."
     
  40. Beeds07

    Beeds07 Bitch, it's Saturday
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSt. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Blues

  41. Juke Coolengody

    Juke Coolengody One name. Two men?
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishIndiana PacersIndianapolis Colts

    I wonder if Book will be able to score a TD in the 2-minute offense portion
     
    Beeds07 likes this.
  42. theregionsitter

    theregionsitter Well-Known Member
    TMB OG
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishChicago White SoxIndianapolis ColtsColumbus Blue JacketsColumbus Crew

    Lol

    Valpo gonna win
     
  43. Lucky24Seven

    Lucky24Seven Ain't nothing slick to a can of oil
    Donor
    Indiana HoosiersNotre Dame Fighting IrishChicago CubsChicago BullsChicago BearsChicago Blackhawks

    Mishawaka would steam roll the Irish
     
  44. Red Rover

    Red Rover Neck water faucet, mockingbirds mocking
    Donor TMB OG
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishPhoenix Suns

    Prister said the rumor on Lenzy’s “fatigue” issue is that he is having severe headaches

    If true, walk away young man
     
    beist likes this.
  45. Robdog_5

    Robdog_5 Well-Known Member

    Yikes that's not good
     
  46. Wicket

    Wicket Fan: ND, PSV, Pool FC, Cricket, Urquel, Dog Crew
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSan Francisco GiantsNew Orleans SaintsChicago Cubs

    so that means we have 0 receivers, 0 qbs and 0 defense next year right?
     
  47. beist

    beist Hyperbolist
    Donor

    Kevin Austin will save everything.
     
  48. Wicket

    Wicket Fan: ND, PSV, Pool FC, Cricket, Urquel, Dog Crew
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSan Francisco GiantsNew Orleans SaintsChicago Cubs

    until he decided to drunkenly teabag the cop he buys his weed from after stealing sweatpants from the bookstore cuz he got cold from streaking
     
    Voodoo, repoocs, chase538 and 4 others like this.
  49. theregionsitter

    theregionsitter Well-Known Member
    TMB OG
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishChicago White SoxIndianapolis ColtsColumbus Blue JacketsColumbus Crew

    ND gonna lose to Navy right?
     
  50. Wicket

    Wicket Fan: ND, PSV, Pool FC, Cricket, Urquel, Dog Crew
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSan Francisco GiantsNew Orleans SaintsChicago Cubs

    you know it