I do that all the time.... Like every Colts backup QB for the last 15 years is Jim Sorgi. They're all Jim Sorgi.
I am floored at how wrong I was about Wimbush going into the season...The guy can't throw it...his preseason clips and even the BG game looked so much better...he's got no confidence right now. We need to go to a short game passing attack like BC did with their young QB...quick 5-10 yard type throws with minimal reads...let him build some confidence and chemistry with his WRs there's no way all the pre-season stuff wasn't legit...he's got it in him, the coaches need to help him build his confidence back up. I still remember the highlight clip for him being rushed, moving to his right and throwing a perfect pass to claypool 20 yards downfield over the outstretched arm of a LB for sideline completion - seriously, it was an NFL type throw
Also, Shaun Crawford is a very very special football player...please please please stay healthy and i'm not saying that as just a ND football fan, he's been through enough and he's seems like an amazing person
Tale of the Tape Spoiler WIMBUSH: THE WONDER, THE WORRY The two halves of Brandon Wimbush’s first road start at Boston College were not divided between the first 35 minutes and the final 25 minutes, as was the scoring. Strengths and shortcomings were mixed throughout in what ultimately became a dazzling yet inconsistent performance in Notre Dame’s 49-20 victory over the Eagles. As it relates to Wimbush, the college game, and Notre Dame as it heads into the second quarter of a four-quarter regular season, there’s a lot to be excited about. As it pertains to loftier goals for the team, there’s much work ahead. Wimbush was spectacular with his feet, rushing for a Notre Dame quarterback-record 207 yards with four rushing touchdowns as the Irish – mainly because of Wimbush – scored five touchdowns in the final 20 minutes of the game to turn a one-point lead into a 29-point hammering. The Eagles had no answer for Wimbush with a 46-yard run to set up a Tony Jones Jr. touchdown, a 65-yard touchdown run to give the Irish a 35-13 lead, and a 32-yarder that nearly resulted in a record-setting fifth touchdown. But as erratic as he was throwing the football in a one-point loss to a great Georgia defense, his accuracy against the Eagles was worse. He was particularly off-target while on the run, and it didn’t matter whether he was rolling to his right or his left, the latter of which looks particularly awkward. He’s uncertain with his touch, firing fastballs on short routes that are difficult for his receivers to handle. He’s “feeling” his way to the receiver with his throws, “steering” his throws, which always is a sign of a quarterback who has doubt in his mind. A confident throwing quarterback has a free-and-easy motion; Wimbush’s is slow, indicating a “hope” rather than a “belief” that he’s going to deliver the ball on target. There’s a tentativeness to his throws that likely won’t evolve until he has some extended success putting passes on the hands of his receivers. His corner route pass to Durham Smythe that led to the second of five second-half touchdowns was perfect. Brian Kelly revealed Sunday that Wimbush loves that route, and thus, it was one the few that he delivered with confidence, touch and accuracy. The game is not too fast for Wimbush when he takes off and is in the open field. In fact, against Boston College, that’s when the game became too fast for the Eagles. But when it comes to the passing game, things are happening too fast in the routes/coverages that are unfolding in front of him, which leads to indecision, inaccuracy and doubt about the velocity with which a particular pass should be thrown. It was telling to see offensive coordinator Chip Long’s angry reaction to a worm-burner thrown by Wimbush to a sliding Equanimeous St. Brown. “(Long) knows they run the ball really well, but they have not been able to throw the ball with any kind of consistency in this game, and they’re going to have to get better in that area,” said ESPN analyst Brian Griese. Let’s not overstate what this means to Notre Dame’s offense. This is the college game, and Wimbush’s ability to run the football – which Griese put in the category just below Louisville’s Lamar Jackson – has to be embraced as a weapon and an undeniable asset. It likely means that the 6-foot-1, 228-pounder is going to have to carry the football more than is ideal to keeping him healthy over the course of the season, which is why Kelly let Ian Book come out throwing during his fourth-quarter appearance. If you’re going to play to Wimbush’s strengths while trying to develop the shortcomings within the passing game, he’s going to take about 20 hits a game with that spin move, albeit a weapon, costing him a direct hit down the road. Kelly said after the game that they’ll have to play to Wimbush’s strengths, which means more contact. Yes, the receivers have to help him. Kelly and Long will have to come up with aspects of the passing game that will make it easier for Wimbush to have success through the air. That corner route to Smythe is one of them. Keeping Wimbush in straight five- and seven-step drops at least will allow him to set his feet, stay on-balance and make some throws that allow him to gain some stability. Whatever are the easiest throws to St. Brown that Wimbush can make have to be a staple because Notre Dame will struggle against better competition – as they did against Georgia – without St. Brown in the mix. Short passes don’t necessarily mean easy passes for Wimbush because that requires finesse that is absent from his game right now. Wimbush, particularly in the second half, “wrecked the edge” against the Eagles. But that edge wasn’t there against Georgia because of the speed of their linebackers. (Note: The best set of linebackers remaining on the schedule – in order of talent -- belong to Stanford (Nov. 25), Miami (Nov. 11) and N.C. State (Oct. 28), although Miami Ohio (Sept. 30) has a veteran group and USC’s (Oct. 21) will be that much more experienced when Game 7 rolls around.) It’s not an ideal situation with Wimbush right now, but he only has to improve enough this week in the passing game to defeat Michigan State, which will be a challenge that Kelly and Long must face with Wimbush and the receivers together in East Lansing. There are no shortcuts in Wimbush’s development as a passer. Enough progress to win at Michigan State is the goal. A finished product is too far down the line to expect this week. Craft a game plan, win, and work from there. WHICH WAY DO THEY GO? (Photo: Matt Cashore, 247Sports) We all have an idea as to some of the things that Notre Dame should emphasize with its offense. The ground game needs to be the staple as the Irish offensive line – over 60 minutes – ultimately gained the physical advantage over Boston College. That’s good because that’s the direction Chip Long wants to emphasize anyway. More multiple tight end sets are in order, which will help both the running and passing game. If you’re going to run the football more, that means more carries for Dexter Williams, not because he can break a 60-yard run at any time – that’s a bonus – but because the Irish need Josh Adams over the long haul. Right now, Adams is averaging about 18½ carries per game, which would be 220 carries-plus during the regular season. That’s a lot of carries for a tall back who doesn’t have the running base to absorb some of the blows to the body that a player built closer to the ground can absorb. Someone like C.J. Sanders (or Williams) might be an alternative on a jet sweep or two, a la D’Andre Swift for Georgia. Maybe use Brock Wright as a lead blocker at fullback for plays other than the “low red zone” (inside the 10). Wimbush is starting to develop some chemistry with Alize Mack, which is an improvement over the Temple and Georgia games. Kelly/Long will want to continue what was started with Smythe. Maybe Nic Weishar can be incorporated more, as he was against Temple. Maybe Cole Kmet, too. If the passing game has to be tight end-based in the short term, so be it. At least it would be progress, coupled with Wimbush’s ability on the ground to simply wreck an opposing defense. For the time being, it looks as if Tony Jones Jr. will miss the Michigan State game, which is a blow because they’re going to need the body, the physicality and the depth. The slightly-built Deon McIntosh probably isn’t ready for the physicality of the Spartans, although he did a nice job of running through some arm tackles behind an aggressive No. 2 offensive line (RT-Robert Hainsey, RG-Tommy Kraemer, C-Trevor Ruhland, LG-Hunter Bivin and LT-Liam Eichenberg). It’s up to Kelly and Long to find some common ground between Wimbush and the wideouts, particularly St. Brown, which should benefit St. Brown’s overall game in the process. The return of Cam Smith (ankle) is important because he’s a veteran, he knows the Irish offense well, and he’s an underneath target that Wimbush had some chemistry with the first two weeks. Perhaps some shovel passes or quick wide pitches (again, to Williams) to help extend the run game. The Irish likely have to pull back a bit in their intermediate passing game, let alone the deep balls, so as to give Wimbush something by which he can experience success. You mix in a handful of deep balls to your speedier receivers to keep Michigan State honest and throw that corner route. (The Spartans’ secondary was decimated through the loss of eligibility and suspensions since last year.) This is all part of the give-and-take process when you’re breaking in a new quarterback and new receivers within an altered offense. The advantage Notre Dame will have over the Spartans is that they can introduce some aspects of their offense that weren’t accentuated as much in the first three games of the season. It might not be as many big chunk plays as you’d like, but possessing the football, moving the chains and leaning on the offensive line – even though that hasn’t been as powerfully consistent as you would like – is the way to progress. Third-down conversions (Notre Dame was 6-of-9 in the second half against Boston College) will be a very key stat for the Irish this week. Notre Dame has the best defense it’s had since Bob Diaco’s tenure at Notre Dame (2010-13). Spartan fans are bemoaning the fact that quarterback Brian Lewerke is leading the team in rushing, just as Irish fans are fretting over Wimbush’s passing. Let’s see how Lewerke deals with a few hits from Notre Dame’s linebacker corps and safeties. Coinciding with Notre Dame’s attack, the Irish need to evolve with all of their assets on the table. Mike Elko’s defense can play a role in the transitory nature of Notre Dame’s offense this week. Ultimately, you need to do what you need to do to beat Michigan State, and in the process, continue the development of Wimbush the passer, improve in your areas of weakness, and be prepared to play better against Miami (Ohio). They don’t need to be good enough to beat USC. You can’t skip steps in the process. Win a physical battle this week, see where you are at that point, and then take the next step. The USC game is light years away in the process of building a better football team. LOOKING FOR LANDRY (Photo: Matt Cashore, 247Sports) Boston College defensive end Harold Landry’s reputation preceded him about as much as any defensive player the Irish will face this season. He came into the game with 22 sacks, 41 tackles for loss and 10 forced fumbles in his 40-game collegiate career. He also had 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack through two games this year. Tack on another game and another tackle to his total, but that was it. He tackled Josh Adams on a four-yard run on Notre Dame’s first play from scrimmage in the second half. Officially, he was not credited with a quarterback hurry. Notre Dame had a plan and it worked quite well. Here was Notre Dame’s plan: “Any time (Landry) was to (Mike) McGlinchey’s side, we were going to fan, so that was going to get a double-team with both McGlinchey and Quenton (Nelson), so we weren’t too concerned about that,” explained Kelly Sunday. “And then we were going to get inside help with a tight end or back when (Landry) was away (to Tommy Kraemer/Robert Hainsey’s side) and let the tackles worry about speed rush. They did not have to worry about any counter move inside. They were going to get protected inside-out with a tight end or a back so they could just play his speed rush, which allowed them to sink fast, play only one move upfield, and they were protected inside. (The plan) helped us out.” There certainly were times when Kraemer and Hainsey were beaten to the punch by Landry’s wide alignment and speed. But Notre Dame had help, as detailed by Kelly, and the plan did indeed work. Josh Adams threw a nice mid-body block on Landry on Notre Dame’s 4th-and-5 in the second quarter, and Landry got up and got back into the play that was stopped short of the first down. Sideline reporter Todd McShay said it wasn’t a good match-up for Notre Dame, but you can’t block Landry on the move much better than that. Frankly, not only was Landry’s performance underwhelming, so too was his effort. When McGlinchey stood him up and the play was away from him, Landry was apathetic. Notre Dame took advantage of his up-the-field mindset on a quick pass to Adams for eight yards on 3rd-and-6. McGlinchey and Nelson combined for a kill on Landry as Wimbush scored his third touchdown for a 28-13 Irish lead. Without a lead blocker, Wimbush ran by Landry on the play that turned into a 65-yarder. Once, BC dropped Landry into pass coverage, he came across the field and began to force Wimbush into a throw. Much was made of Landry sitting out several series and not playing on run-downs. Perhaps that’s because head coach Steve Addazio and defensive coordinator Jim Reid don’t care for his lack of effort. Only when a play came in Landry’s direction did he really put forth a great effort. Sure, they were conserving his pass-rush energy over the long haul, but the rest of the Boston College front was playing the run. Landry was disinterested most of the time. “Nobody works harder than Harold Landry,” Griese said. Perhaps he means in preparation for games because against Notre Dame, that was not a strong performance, and his effort left a lot to be desired. ADAMS RUNS WILD (Photo: Josh Adams, 247Sports) By halftime, Josh Adams had nearly exceeded his career-high of 180 yards in last year’s regular-season finale against USC. After rushing for 167 yards on nine carries in the first half – an incredible 18.6 yards per carry – he added another nine carries for 62 yards (“only” 6.8 yards per carry) to finish with a dazzling 229 yards and a 12.7-yard average. It’s not often a guy rushes for 229 yards and averages 12.7 yards per carry on 18 attempts and doesn’t score a touchdown, but that was the case with Adams, who surrendered his scores to Wimbush, Jones Jr., and Dexter Williams. Credit to Alex Bars and Tommy Kraemer on Adams’ second long run – a 64-yarder – as they opened an alley for Adams to burst through. Credit to Adams for protecting the football as cornerback Isaac Yiadom tried to punch the football free from behind. Adams sprung a 36-yarder in the second half on a nice kick-out block by right tackle Robert Hainsey. The concern with Adams is strictly health. He’s running hard with good pad level, or as good as a taller running back can have. He’s protecting the football. (All four fumbles and three lost have been by Wimbush. Note: The Tony Jones Jr. fumble vs. Georgia was overturned.) He’s taking a lot of hits. Yes, all running backs take a lot of hits. But they take a toll. There’s a reason Adams wears a brace on his right knee. He was shown favoring it when he came to the sideline after one hit. This is where Dexter Williams fits in. He had six carries for 50 yards with a pair of rushing touchdowns, which warrants more action -- as much for Adams as Williams himself. CRAWFORD’S VALUE SHINES THROUGH (Photo: Matt Cashore, 247Sports) Credit to Pete Sampson for saying it during the Boston College game. This is precisely why we called Shaun Crawford one of the five most indispensable players on the 2016 roster -- before he was sidelined for the second season in a row with an Achilles injury following his torn ACL in the 2015 pre-season. Shaun Crawford is Notre Dame’s best and most dynamic defensive back. He is an outstanding nickel back because of his ability to defend in the middle of the field when a receiver has an “either or” choice as to which way he wants to break. (Note: A cornerback has the sideline as an ally; a nickel back does not.) Crawford intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble caused by Julian Okwara to record all three of the Notre Dame defense’s turnovers. By the way, the Irish now have six turnovers in three games. There are just 14 teams in the country with more than Notre Dame’s six turnovers. The Irish forced just 14 turnovers (eight interceptions, six fumbles recovered) in all of 2016. Crawford apparently got a little help from the sideline on his first sprawling interception in front of the Notre Dame bench. But Crawford wrestled the football away from Kobay White. His second interception was a bit of a gift as Anthony Brown misfired to Charlie Callinan with Nyles Morgan in coverage. But it was another example of Crawford’s great awareness and knack for being around the football. He was in zone coverage and in perfect position to put a stick on Callinan if he caught the football. The fumble recovery was another example of a well-positioned Crawford. There also was the huge hit on Callinan with Morgan in coverage again. “He’s always around the ball,” said Kelly Sunday. “He’s a guy that is in the center of it, and I think we’re going to see that continue as he really gets all the rust off from not playing the last two years. He’s starting to feel a lot more comfortable with his conditioning – his football conditioning – not conditioning from an athletic standpoint, but just playing the game. “One of the things that Shaun has always had over other players on our team is a football sense and instinct. He’s always been around the ball. He’s been a playmaker.” What we saw of Crawford is the Crawford we saw in pre-season practice, particularly in 2015. KEY FOURTH-DOWN HOLD (Photo: Matt Cashore, 247Sports) The offense gets the credit for scoring five touchdowns in six possessions to turn the Boston College game into a 29-point victory. But it was the Notre Dame defense’s 4th-and-1 hold at the Irish 30 in a 14-13 game midway through the third quarter that changed the momentum. Boston College head coach Steve Addazio – playing to his rough-and-tumble DNA – eschewed a 47-yard field-goal attempt by Colton Lichtenberg, who was a perfect 6-for-6 on the season following his 41-yarder on the Eagles’ previous possession to cut Notre Dame’s lead to one. The 4th-and-1 was set up by a Te’von Coney/Nick Watkins combined stop of A.J. Dillon for three yards on first down, a beautiful open-field tackle by Devin Studstill of Dillon on second down, and a Watkins tackle of a quick-out to Michael Walker on 3rd-and-6. On 4th-and-1, Drue Tranquill burst through from the left side as Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa made immediate penetration from the right side with Asmar Bilal taking on the lead blocker. Greer Martini, Morgan and Coney combined for the stop. (Coney – whose play continues to be impactful – finished with a game-high 13 tackles with Martini contributing 10 and Morgan nine.) After the big fourth-down stop, Crawford made his first interception on Boston College’s ensuing possession. The Eagles had one first down in their next drive, and then put together a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. But after that, Crawford made his second interception, Okwara forced the fumble that Crawford recovered, and the Eagles never threatened again. The Irish played sporadic football for the first 35 minutes. But over the final 25, it was the offense and defense working hand-in-hand on the ultimate blowout. This should be noted about the Irish defense. After the Boston College field goal 7:08 into the game, the Eagles needed 10:53 to score their first touchdown, another 12:34 before their second field goal, and an additional 15:23 before their final touchdown. If you can’t shut them down completely, at least spread their scores out. THE CALLINAN TOUCHDOWN We’ll never know exactly what happened on the Anthony Brown-to-Charlie Callinan 14-yard touchdown because we did not see the view via replay that side judge George Liotus had. Apparently, the replay crew didn’t see that angle either. Liotus was too nonchalant and assuming that Callinan made the catch by signaling touchdown before he had a full view of the play. At first, Griese said it should be a catch. Right before the replay decision, he said they’d call it incomplete. “By the letter of the law, you’ve got to control the ball to the ground,” said Griese, reversing his original instinct. Crawford immediately pointed to the football on the ground. Crawford had his hand inside Callinan’s arms/chest the whole way, which should have forced Liotus to follow the play all the way through. Crawford scraped at it late, ultimately forcing the football to the ground, but Crawford was pawing at it as soon as it arrived to Callinan. It’s a play, I’m told, that the ACC will be checking carefully this week, although the league may never make a public statement. You almost got the sense that the call was made in the midst of a Notre Dame offensive blitzkrieg to give Boston College a ray of sunshine down the stretch. But it was a very significant call because the Eagles were now within two scores. The point quickly became moot, but that’s not a play a side judge can give up on, regardless of the score. This should have been a 49-13 game, which would look and feel a whole lot differently. BOSTON COLLEGE PROPS Irish fans are tired of hearing about the great effort put forth by the opposition every time they play a game, particularly against upstart rivals like Boston College. (To be honest, that’s where the Point After was headed until Notre Dame dominated the final 20 minutes.) But is has to be said: Boston College played hard and physical, had a great up-tempo game plan for a young quarterback with talented running backs and receivers, and deserved to be right in the game midway through the third quarter. ESPN’s Steve Levy was correct when he said that it wasn’t because of Boston College’s makeshift offensive line that the Eagles lost so badly. True freshman center Ben Petrula – a tackle replacing veteran interior offensive lineman/center Jon Baker – did an outstanding job of neutralizing Notre Dame’s inside push. Credit to Jerry Tillery for a strong, full game of football. He had his hands full with Petrula, as did Jonathan Bonnerand Kurt Hinish (who holds the point of attack, but can’t get off a block to make a tackle at this point in his career). Tillery kept playing hard, once again showing his improved strength and conditioning to finish with seven tackles. Addazio protected his young quarterback in many instances, managing the game so as to avoid some of the inevitable mistakes that came after Notre Dame’s scoring barrage. It was the right approach for two-and-a-half quarters as senior Will linebacker Ty Schwab (10 tackles), junior defensive end Zach Allen (nine tackles, one TfL), junior strong safety Will Harris (eight tackles), and senior defensive tackle Noa Merritt (seven tackles, one TfL) led the fight. Ultimately, the Irish won the physical battle over 60 minutes, although Notre Dame’s athleticism/speed played a big part in the second-half blowout. TV CREW Along with some Irish fans that expressed their displeasure with the ESPN crew of Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Todd McShay, I wasn’t a big fan of the coverage. Griese was the most outspoken about the Brian Kelly incident following the Georgia game with Indianapolis Star reporter Laken Litman (although I used the exchange as the lead to the Point After, so I guess I’m not in a position to be too critical of the ESPN crew for that). “When you lose, you can’t do that,” Griese said. “Nick Saban does that all the time. When you lose, you have to go to that press conference and bite your lip, (no matter) how frustrated you are. You can’t do that...Brian Kelly talks about being demanding and not demeaning to his players. He needs to do the same thing in every aspect of his job now…He gets paid a lot of money and you’re the leader of the team. It’s bad optics.” Levy confused Boston College’s Nolan Borgersen with Nic Weishar, but that can happen to play-by-play guys who have a dizzying number of players to keep straight from week-to-week. (He later corrected his mistake.) Levy exaggerated the number of Georgia fans in Notre Dame Stadium to 40,000. Okay. My biggest problem was the continued misinformation about Notre Dame’s play-calling under Kelly. “For the first time, Brian Kelly has given up play-calling duties,” Griese said. Wrong. Let’s state it again: Since 2012 – now six seasons – Kelly has called plays just one season – 2014. Chuck Martin in 2012-13, Mike Denbrock in 2015-16, and now Chip Long. I did like one comment by Levy regarding Wimbush’s quarterback rushing record. “You break a Notre Dame football record?” Levy said. “Man, you’ve done something.” AROUND THE GRIDIRON A big reason Notre Dame started at its own 14 or worse five of its first eight drives was the punting of Mike Knolland the thunderous kickoff leg of, and this is a mouthful, Max Schulze-Geisthovel. Seven of Knoll’s eight punts landed inside the 20 while all five of Schulze-Geisthovel’s kickoffs were in the end zone, a couple of which were way out of the end zone…Yes, Alize Mack caught five passes for a team-leading 43 yards after several drops the first two games. Now, he needs to get physical after the catch and use his 6-foot-4, 251-pound body. He made himself easy to tackle with no explosion after the catch. He also made a half-hearted block attempt on an early third-quarter run by Wimbush…Chris Finke has been ineffective returning punts so far. So have Notre Dame’s blockers…Not sure why Finke would be a lead blocker on a quick-out to Equanimeous St. Brown…On the fumbled punt by BC in the first quarter, Julian Love was held, but no call…Once again on the critical 4th-and-1 stop in the third quarter, we saw why Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa has so much potential as a three-technique. He’s long and quick off the snap…Khalid Kareem was impactful when he had opportunities to play in the first half, right through his second-team snaps in the fourth quarter… Momentum-changing read/tackle on a throwback screen by Drue Tranquill following the Wimbush fumble, holding the Eagles to a field goal to maintain Notre Dame’s lead by one point…Why is Tyler Newsome attempting a rugby-style punt with no rush? The low 38-yarder was returned 13 yards for a net of 25. I get it in a hurricane at N.C. State; not when he has time and can unleash a cannon shot… A Jerry Tillery’s sack was him pushing RG Chris Lindstrom, who tipped over and tripped up QB Anthony Brown. At least he’s getting push… It’s rather astonishing how chill Steve Addazio is these days. I knew him from his assistant coaching days at Notre Dame, and the man is not wired to be chill. I was told that ACC officials finally had enough with Addazio’s tirades in the 2015 game against Notre Dame in Fenway Park when he was penalized for his sideline demeanor. He’s under control on the outside now, but it’s killing him not to explode. I’m sure he makes up for it on the practice field…Surprised to see Jalen Elliott as the starter against BC. It didn’t last long. Devin Studstill continues to impress… Good for Kelly allowing Ian Book to come out passing in his relief stint. He has to be ready to run the offense if Wimbush is going to take 20 hits a game. Book overthrew Weishar and had communication problems with Miles Boykin (who took some instruction from Kelly and WR coach DelVaughn Alexander after his end-zone route)…You couldn’t see exactly what happened to Tony Jones’ right ankle injury, but you could hear him scream in the broadcast… This is media related, so skip it if you don’t want to read about a sportswriter’s plight. In the press box, every home team has an announcer who tells you who caught it, who carried it and the official yardage gained. Sometimes they list the tackler and any other info that is provided to him by his spotters. Few programs have a worse, more inaccurate press box announcer than Boston College. When he doesn’t know, he just doesn’t say anything. It’s his job – and his spotters – to know. As for the Boston College press box, it’s 2017, not 1987.
incredible turnaround from last year...and the year before that... Crawford intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble caused by Julian Okwara to record all three of the Notre Dame defense’s turnovers. By the way, the Irish now have six turnovers in three games. There are just 14 teams in the country with more than Notre Dame’s six turnovers. The Irish forced just 14 turnovers (eight interceptions, six fumbles recovered) in all of 2016.
I went to High School with Jim Sorgi, so if you happen to be looking for some Sorgi memorabilia - I'm your man.
Does anyone have any idea what to expect of msu this weekend? I haven't watched a single snap if theirs since our game last year and have no idea what to expect Saturday
And nothing he says is wrong, either. That was a monumental choke job and mismanagement by Johnelle and co.
I was a student at Msu at the time and camped out for that game, had almost the whole student section chanting asshole at me...then Nd came back and I pulled my pants down and helicopter'd my junk for everyone. One of my favorite Nd football experiences.
this is a long shot, but if anyone happens to have a Stadium lot pass for miami (oh), my boss is looking to trade for a joyce. she'd pay the difference as well. also, anyone coming in for that game, we'll be once again set up at pole 15. think i'm doing carnitas and cane asada tacos for that one, and anyone is welcome to stop by for some beer and some food.
Thomas Rees could throw it in the general direction of the defense to draw pass interference calls which is ND's greatest weapon against MSU. So far it does not appear Wimbush has that skill set so it should be a tough game.
MSU is the only place I have had something thrown at me in the stadium (2012, half a hot dog). And annoyed some dumb frat kids enough to have them try to fight me (1998, I was 14. I literally simply looked at them too long in my Bettis jersey). Fuck that place.
Worst fans I've ever come across. We had full beer cans hurled at us as we walked past them tailgating near their tennis courts. Luckily no one was hit.
My worst fan experience ever was in the nose bleed seats of a Pistons playoff game against the Pacers. I assume the folks I say near were MSU-caliber fans.
One of the least pleasurable fan experiences for me was against MSU on September 22, 2001. I think we are starting to see a trend of when MSU is involved it gets bad so pretty much 9/11 is Michigan State's fault.
i know from ND's perspective, MSU and BC are the worst visiting fans. In terms of the amount of trash left after the game, the number of drunk arrests/fights, etc. my worst and best fan experience all came in 2006. they were awful pre-game and during the first half. then they all left in the 2nd half, we moved down to the corner with the rest of the ND crowd and took over the stadium, and then walking out after the win was one of the sweeter walks i ever experienced.
combine little brother syndrome with little brother type of program and it gets rough...they think a lot of themselves
Article on Brey Notre Dame basketball might be the most underrated program in the country https://www.sbnation.com/2017/9/20/16337406/notre-dame-basketball-preview-bonzie-colson-mike-brey He will become ND's most winningest coach in history.
Maybe I'm a complete homer, but I think we're going to be pretty damn good this year. I'm not sure I'd take any returning player in the country over Bonzie. Then we have a very strong backcourt in Farrell (probably All ACC second team?), Rex, and Gibbs - our base case it essentially a solid starting five with some bench depth. If either a.) Rex, Gibbs, or Geben make a similar leap Farrell did last year or b.) Harvey comes in as advertised and is immediately very good, this team has super high potential. I probably would have expected us to start #10-15, but seems like we always get underrated in opening b-ball polls. (And also, what do I know)
for those who care, Mcshay's top 32 for 2018 draft Spoiler The 2018 NFL draft will be here sooner than you think. With at least two games under most teams' belts, it's a good time to update my prospects ranking. EDITOR'S PICKS Kiper's 2018 Big Board: Welcome, Lamar Jackson The reigning Heisman winner debuts in Mel Kiper's ranking of the best NFL prospects for the 2018 draft. And a couple of defenders chasing Lamar Jackson in Saturday night's Clemson-Louisville game make the list, too. As Mel Kiper Jr. pointed out in his updated Big Board, these rankings will be more static throughout the season and we won't know the true heights and weights of players until the NFL combine -- which can certainly affect their draft stock. Here are my top 32 NFL draft prospects right now: Note: Underclassmen are marked with an asterisk. 1. Sam Darnold, QB, USC* Grade: 95 | Preseason rank: 1 Darnold has made some questionable decisions throwing the football this season (two interceptions in each game so far), but it hasn't changed my evaluation of him. He has made some big-time throws in the clutch, helping keep USC undefeated. His delivery still needs to be cleaned up, but his accuracy is phenomenal. He is the most complete quarterback in college football and a potential franchise signal-caller. 2. Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming* Grade: 94 | Preseason rank: 2 Outside of scouting circles, Allen was a relative unknown coming into the season. He didn't even have a Division I scholarship out of high school. His two appearances in the national spotlight this month (at Iowa, versus Oregon) haven't gone well, but it's not all on his shoulders. He has an elite arm and frame (listed at 6-foot-5, 233 pounds) and can make every throw. Darnold has been better this season, but the USC quarterback also has much more talent surrounding him. 3. Arden Key, DE, LSU* Grade: 93 | Preseason rank: 3 The more I watch Key play, the more he reminds me of Miami Dolphins great Jason Taylor. Key missed spring practice for personal reasons and made his first appearance in 2017 this past week (shoulder surgery) against Mississippi State, notching half a sack. I look for his production to increase as he gets healthier. 4. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State* Grade: 94 | Preseason rank: 5 Barkley hasn't played against terrific competition, but he has continued to look like the best running back in the nation this season. With good balance and terrific lateral agility, he can run away from the defense when he gets to the second level. And his 85-yard catch and run for a touchdown against Georgia State shows what he can do as a receiver. He's a complete player. Derwin James recorded six tackles in the season opener against Alabama. Scott Cunningham/Getty Images 5. Derwin James, S, Florida State* Grade: 93 | Preseason rank: 6 James has had only one opportunity to display his skills this season (in the opener against Alabama), but I was impressed with what I saw. He's one of the most versatile players we've ever evaluated. A third-year sophomore, James tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee in the second game of 2016 and received a medical redshirt. 6. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama* Grade: 93 | Preseason rank: 8 Fitzpatrick played 14 of 15 games as a true freshman in 2015, started all 15 in 2016 (collecting a team-high six interceptions) and has started all three in 2017. He has an intriguing skill set and I need to see more of him against good competition. A strong 2017 season could land him in Round 1. 7. Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA* Grade: 92 | Preseason rank: 7 Rosen had a terrific 2015 season, becoming the first player to start at UCLA as a true freshman and throwing for 3,668 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. A shoulder injury cut his season short in 2016, and he has been solid through three games this season, throwing at least four TDs in every game (13 total). Rosen still needs to improve his decision-making under pressure, but he has shown tremendous poise with so much of the offense reliant on him. 8. Harold Landry, OLB, Boston College Grade: 92 | Preseason rank: 4 Landry led the nation with 16.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles last season. I still have concerns about his size (listed at 6-3, 250), but he should be an every-down player in the NFL and teams will value his versatility. He has only one sack through three games in 2017. 9. Connor Williams, OT, Texas* Grade: 92 | Preseason rank: 12 A true junior who started all 23 games in which he appeared coming into this season, Williams is a scheme-versatile blocker. Unfortunately, he suffered a sprained MCL and PCL in his left knee, along with a meniscus tear, against USC on Saturday. There is no timetable for his return. 10. Mo Hurst, DT, Michigan Grade: 91 | Preseason rank: 9 Hurst is a quick and powerful one-gap penetrator who is highly disruptive against the run. He has a powerful upper body and disengages quickly. His production hasn't been there yet this season, but he is still causing issues for opposing defenses. 11. Derrius Guice, RB, LSU* Grade: 91 | Preseason rank: 10 Guice has topped 100 yards rushing in two of LSU's three games and is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He isn't Leonard Fournette, but he has great quickness and the ability to stick his foot in the ground and get upfield. He has four rushing TDs through three games in 2017. 12. Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama Grade: 91 | Preseason rank: 11 Ridley doesn't get a chance to showcase his full potential in Alabama's run-heavy offense, but he has averaged 14.6 yards per catch this season. He also has scored two TDs. A player with outstanding foot quickness and a nightmare in the open field, Ridley also has good acceleration. Christian Wilkins notched 1.5 of his 2.5 season sacks against Auburn on Sept. 9. Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports 13. Christian Wilkins, DE, Clemson* Grade: 90 | Preseason rank: 32 A disruptive run defender with the foot speed and quick hands to slip blocks rapidly, Wilkins is a high-motor guy who does a great job of getting his hands up in passing windows. He had 140 tackles (17.5 for losses) and 5.5 sacks over the past two seasons, and he already has 2.5 sacks in 2017. That's why he's my biggest riser. 14. Bo Scarbrough, RB, Alabama* Grade: 90 | Preseason rank: 13 A big-time high school recruit, Scarbrough came on strong the final three games of 2016 before suffering a broken leg in the title game against Clemson. He runs behind his pads, and his body control and balance are outstanding. With only 33 carries so far in 2017, Alabama is easing him back into action as he comes back from injury. 15. Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State* Grade: 89 | Preseason rank: 16 A former safety and linebacker who switched to end before the 2015 season, Hubbard has a quick first step with the speed to threaten the edge. He is a disruptive presence and his versatility and work ethic are why he is a potential first-round pick. He already has 2.0 sacks in 2017. 16. Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Grade: 89 | Preseason rank: 17 In 2016, McGlinchey moved from right tackle to the left side vacated by Baltimore's first-round pick Ronnie Stanley. An above-average zone blocker, McGlinchey plays angles well and gives good effort. He has first-round potential, but I need to see it on a more consistent basis this season. 17. Derrick Nnadi, DT, Florida State Grade: 88 | Preseason rank: 18 A two-year starter, Nnadi is coming off his most productive season (49 tackles, 10.5 TFL, six sacks). He is an outstanding run defender and consistently displays a low center of gravity to occupy multiple blockers. 18. Vita Vea, DT, Washington* Grade: 88 | Preseason rank: 19 Listed at 6-4, 346 pounds, the former high school running back is a space-eater in the middle of Washington's defense. I'll be curious to see how many snaps the Huskies give him as the season progresses. No Power 5 receiver had more all-purpose yards than Texas A&M's Christian Kirk coming into this season. Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire 19. Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M* Grade: 88 | Preseason rank: 14 Kirk hasn't been running an NFL route tree at Texas A&M, but he's a solid all-around player and dangerous punt returner. He already has two TDs this season, though A&M hasn't faced the toughest of competition. 20. Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame* Grade: 88 | Preseason rank: 20 Nelson is a road grader with the size (listed at 6-5, 325 pounds), strength, polish and toughness to start immediately in the NFL. 21. Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State Grade: 87 | Preseason rank: 25 McFadden still needs to fill out his frame a bit (listed at 6-2, 198 pounds), but he's at his best in press coverage. He has the length to disrupt receivers and the top-end speed to run with most of them. 22. Malik Jefferson, OLB, Texas Grade: 87 | Preseason rank: 21 Jefferson is an athletically gifted player with a high ceiling who had 8.0 sacks and 15.5 TFL in his first two seasons. Listed at 6-3, 240, he's not a true edge rusher, which makes his sack numbers more impressive. I'd like to see more physicality from him this season, however. 23. Josh Sweat, DE, Florida State* Grade: 86 | Preseason rank: 23 Sweat amassed 82 tackles (16 TFL) and nine sacks while starting in 19 of the 25 games he appeared in coming into this season. He was disruptive in Florida State's only game this season, notching a sack. 24. Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama* Grade: 86 | Preseason rank: 24 Harrison is player who really grew on me during film study. He has some tightness when playing man-to-man and his ball skills need to improve, but he has the potential to be a starting free safety in the NFL. He already has been productive this season, with 2.0 TFL, a sack and an interception. 25. M.J. Stewart, CB, North Carolina* Grade: 85 | Preseason rank: 22 An instinctive cover corner, Stewart has average size (listed at 5-10, 195 pounds) but plays fast and has good recovery speed. The sample size is limited, but Trevon Young's production so far has been impressive. Andy Lyons/Getty Images 26. Trevon Young, DE, Louisville Grade: 85 | Preseason rank: 26 Young is still a bit of a mystery after redshirting in 2016 as a result of a fractured hip. He is just OK as a run defender, but he has outstanding speed and athleticism as a pass-rusher. He has 1.5 sacks in three games and has should continue to produce as he gets healthier. 27. Billy Price, OG, Ohio State Grade: 85 | Preseason rank: 27 An experienced three-year starter at guard heading into his senior year, he's a plug-and-play NFL starter who should be steady in the league. He's playing center for the Buckeyes in 2017. 28. Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma* Grade: 85 | Preseason rank: 28 The son of the late Orlando "Zeus" Brown, the younger Brown is a better fit at right tackle in the pros, though he has played exclusively at left tackle in a run-heavy Oklahoma scheme. He is part of an offensive line that was extremely impressive in Week 2 against Ohio State's stout defensive front. 29. Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State Grade: 84 | Preseason rank: 29 A two-year starter and 2016 team captain, Chubb ended the '16 season ranked fourth in the nation with 22 tackles for loss. He isn't an elite pass-rusher, but he has a good first step and bends well for his size. He's another player who has been very productive, with 5.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks already. 30. Tremaine Edmunds, OLB, Virginia Tech* Grade: 84 | Preseason rank: NR I've been impressed with Edmunds so far this season. He has been flying around the field, with 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in three games. Edmunds had 18.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2016. 31. Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU* Grade: 84 | Preseason rank: NR My fifth-ranked wide receiver coming into the season, Sutton is a smooth route runner who has the ability to make the first defender miss. His production has dipped a bit this season, with only 11 catches for 185 yards through three games, and TCU shut him down in his last game. 32. Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State Grade: 84 | Preseason rank: 30 There's a lot of buzz surrounding Rankin, who is a juco transfer and has only one year of SEC experience. He has the length to handle speed off the edge and the athletic ability to mirror inside pass-rushing moves. I want to see how he does against SEC competition throughout the season, including two big games coming up (at Georgia, at Auburn), but he has performed well so far.
if you have 15 min, O'Malley's 80 things to say is a great read Spoiler 1 – Jamir Jones took a SHOT on the opening kickoff. Man Boston College came to hit…for 2.5 quarters. 2 – Remember Dante’s Inferno? I think I’m in the heretofore-unexamined 10th circle of hell right now: Steve Levy and Brian Griese are echoing on my Internet game film copy. My goodness I have to listen to every comment twice… 3 – 3rd-and-9 and BC’s receiver runs a 7-yard hook, stepping out of bounds after 8 yards. This isn’t exactly Air Coryell, is it? 4 – First ND possession begins on the 14-yard line. Get used to it. Notre Dame’s average field position 5 – Griese announces that Notre Dame has to be better at “running the football.” I wish Charles Woodson didn’t give him a championship. 6 – Wimbush rolls left on 3rd-and-6 and lobs a corner route to Durham Smythe with two defenders in the area. And that sums up Notre Dame’s passing game Saturday in Chestnut Hill. 7 – According to Levy, a guy on BC was targeted 24 times last week and made one catch. I guess maybe I’ll take a few minutes before complaining about Notre Dame’s wide receivers, eh? 8 – Julian Okwara was all over that boundary side Jet Sweep. He not only made an athletic, aggressive play to finish, but read the play immediately. 9 – What a start to the season by Te’von Coney. The recognition and he comes with a purpose, this time causing a fumble (recovered BC) with a helmet on the tucked football. Coney and Morgan are a physical duo inside. 10 – Wimbush under center on 1st and 10 (you had me at ‘Hello’), toss pitch to Adams (!!) with Bars and Nelson pulling (!!!!) GAIN OF SIX YARDS. Just do that! Why not do that? Have I told you how much I detest the slow-developing read-option approach? 11 – I just agreed with Griese. Damn. (By carrying more, Dexter Williams can help Josh Adams.) 12 – A slow-developing read-option goes for 65 yards. So sometimes it’s okay I guess… 13 – Easy touchdown Brandon Wimbush. This is why I wrote in January they’d break the all-time scoring record (37.6 per) at the program – the running game. A running game = quality red zone offense. Now I just need another 49 points vs. Miami in two weeks… 14 – Cole Kmet is covering kickoffs? He’s like 6’6” 15 – Greer Martini with a tackle for loss to open the series. Kind of wish he had a fifth year for 2018 but he was a good special teams guy and played well vs. Navy in a starting role as a freshman in 2014. And hey, they played in the Music City Bowl; you can’t put a price on that. 16 – Todd McShay is talking… 17 – 3rd-and-19 and Notre Dame gains 1-yard on a draw play. It’s hard to fathom at this point that Notre Dame gains more than 600 yards in the contest. 18 – Camera shows BC fans to open the second quarter. I’ve hated them with an all-consuming burning passion for the last 225 months… 19 – Look at freshman Kurt Hinish battling inside. He didn’t have many snaps to my recollection but the freshman just took on a double team on 2nd-and-9 and now the Eagles face 3rd-and-8… Of course, BC scores a 22-yard touchdown on the next snap – Julian Love beaten to the post for a score, #3 in as many games allowed by Love. 20 – It’s possible Notre Dame only practices running plays… 21 – This time double-team moves Hinish from the hole, allowing Jon Hilliman a cutback lane and 12-yard gain. 22 – Shaun Crawford right there on a third-down deep shot. He was targeted five times on third/fourth down and only allowed one reception, catching a pass of his own. Of course the reception allowed was a touchdown (examined later). 23 – The Irish go at speed rusher Harold Landry on 3rd-and-6 inside their own 20, hitting Josh Adams on a boundary swing pass for first down yardage. Adams needed a stiff-arm and those long strides to move the chains. Accurate throw by Wimbush with an unblocked Landry in his face. I had Adams for 8 of Notre Dame’s first 15 first downs/touchdowns Saturday against the Eagles. He sat the rest of the contest. 24 – Wimbush high and wide of freshman Michael Young. Rolling left away from Landry, obviously, but that’s a tough throw. 26 – Can’t believe I’m saying this, but Notre Dame could use Charlie Callinan at wide receiver. 27 – Shaun Crawford is better than the BC receivers. Anxious to see how this plays out against the better passing attacks – though there aren’t many – on the Irish schedule. 28 – BC has a great punter. PUNT U 29 – Adams running over defenders to the left boundary. Nelson and Alex Bars win on their pull blocks in space, though neither finished. Nelson pops up to keep a mouthy Eagles defender off Adams (who took a pop on the way out of bounds). 30 – Wimbush misses wide of an open St. Brown on a field-side corner route. That’s a relatively easy throw that has to be made. (Too high/far) 31 – Adams rips off another 64 yards as Alex Bars pancakes his defender in the hole. Bad LB fit at the second level affords Adams a free run through the heart of the Eagles defense. You know…had Adams sprinted left (away from) instead of right (toward) defenders in the open field he’d have scored and ended the third quarter with 243 yards (rather than 228) – nine short of the program rushing record held by Julius Jones…and I think they’d have given him a shot to break it. 32 – False start by Bars inside the 10-yard line. Wimbush has all day on the next snap but misses an open St. Brown crossing right to left. 33 – QB power for Wimbush on 3rd-and-goal from the 11 takes the ball to the shadow of the goal line (after review). Wimbush scores one snap later on fourth. 34 – Notre Dame’s offensive front has simply owned Temple and Boston College this season. It’s frustrating they didn’t fight Georgia to a draw, because they could be 3-0 and in the Top 12. 35 – Bust by the Irish defense but Anthony Brown can’t make the easy throw down the pipes for what would have been 20-22 yard gain. Looked like Morgan ignored the attached tight end allowing him to run free. (No way Devin Studstill is expected to cover that much ground, so it had to be Morgan failing to drop at the snap.) Jonathan Bonner applied pressure to Brown hurrying the throw. 36 – Dropped pass, in stride, by the Eagles on 3rd-and-6 and here comes another punt. I like ND’s defense, they really compete…but BC’s offense stinks. 37 – They just showed David Gordon from 1993. I hate everybody. 38 – ND has a minute and about 60 yards to go to get into field goal range at the end of this half. Here are a few notes: -- Nice block by Alizé Mack in space on QB power to the boundary -- Wimbush buys time and hits Mack on a scramble play as time ticks down to 0:39. Gain of 15 but ND is forced to use its second timeout in as many downs -- Wimbush underneath on a short cross to Claypool who runs through an arm tackle to get out of bounds +6 -- Two snaps later on 3rd and 4: Wimbush is picked off after throwing high and wide of St. Brown. You have to be able to hit an open dig route that BC’s defense was basically allowing you to have. HALFTIME, because Boston College runs out the clock after one incomplete pass. YOU’RE AT MIDFIELD THROW A HAIL MARY AT MINIMUM!! 39 – Slow-developing, tippy-toe read option gains four yards to open the half. Yawn… 40 – The first level bootlegs to Mack aren’t really what I envisioned for him in the off-season, but it’s getting him involved with a QB struggling on mid-range passes. 41 – Slow-developing read-option is fumbled by Wimbush who tried to pull it away from Adams WAY too late. Though Adams would have been smashed in the backfield. I have an idea: toss sweep. 42 – I believe this is the exact juncture in the contest that Twitter and the Four Horsemen Lounge fired both Kelly and Chip Long and asked to switch to Ian Book, right? 43 – 1st and 10 for BC at the ND 20 after a Hilliman run and it’s time for Mike Elko’s defense to rise to the occasion: - Stuff by Nyles Morgan who immediately reads an off-tackle run and makes the stop for a loss - BC with its SIXTH False Start through 32 game minutes. That’s worse than anything Notre Dame’s offensive line considered in the pre-snap penalty riddled season of 201. - Julian Love cleans up a swing pass for no gain after Morgan just misses an ankle tackle - 3rd-and-16 and a throwback screen is blown up by Joe Schmidt, err, Drue Tranquill… Irish D holds and it’s 14-13 after the field goal. Twitter remains in an epic meltdown of Wimbush/Kelly/Long fueled fury. 44 – BC’s Kicker hits the cameraman 5 yards past the end zone. Holy Moses these guys can kick and punt. Also good at hockey… 45 – Excuse me swing pass (telegraphed) to Adams gains nothing as no one blocks and no one is fooled. 46 – Adams loses five yards as Noah Merritt murders Mustipher over his right shoulder. I can’t believe this offense scores 35 more points today!! 47 – Good open field tackle by Durham Smythe on a punt return he limited to 13 yards rather than at least 25 48 – Devin Studstill with a nice pop in run support as BC nears the Irish 30-yard line. Watkins with good coverage on 3rd-and-6 to limit to 5 yards. This game is about to take a major turn. 49 – 4th-and-1: Notre Dame’s defensive line looks confused pre-snap, good thing freshman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa was not – he bulldozes into a double-team, taking both defenders (and then a third!) two yards into the offensive backfield. That penetration allows Greer Martini and Te’von Coney to combine on the tackle for loss. What a play by TongueVailoamosa! 50 – After Adams gains 6 on a 3rd-and-1 read option (yawn), Wimbush misses Chris Finke deep (safety was coming over to put on a hit anyway) and then Finke drops a quick slant that hit him in the breadbox. 51 – 3rd-and-10 and Wimbush begins his journey from outhouse to penthouse: a 46-yard escape over the right boundary. Wimbush undresses Boston College boundary corner Isaac Yiadum in space en route to the Eagles 9-yard line. Wait; was that the Lee Becton dead-leg move Wimbush used to get free? 52 – After another boot throw to Mack is stopped just short of the goal, Tony Jones dives into the pile for the score and a 21-13 lead. 53 – Julian Love with the pass defended on first down…the Irish defensive front limits to three yards on second, and Shaun Crawford makes a competitive, never-give-up interception while landing on his back. Crawford just took it from intended receiver Kobe White. 54 – Notre Dame’s bench is called for unsportsmanlike conduct after the pick, I believe because Crawford’s teammates (from the sidelines) ran out to celebrate with him before the official had signaled possession. (You can see an exasperated Kelly plead to the ref, ‘Oh come on, the play is over.’) That’s the most ridiculous penalty flag I’ve ever seen. What the hell? 55 – Read-option handoff to the right boundary yields 36 yards for Adams as he follows Smythe in motion (seal outside), Tommy Kraemer blocking down (seal inside) and Quenton Nelson pulling left to right (dominance in space) plus Alex Bars 10 yards downfield (first player he had to block). Adams cut back at the second level earned an extra 28 yards. An absolute blocking/running clinic on this snap. See, like I’ve always said, this read-option stuff is outstanding… 56 – Adams’ run sets up the best pass play of the day, a 33-yard corner to Smythe from his detached position to the left boundary side. Smythe set up his move to the corner with a hard step (left) then up field slightly right before exploding back left after he had “climbed the ladder” on his defender. (The phrasing is an old Jeremy Shockey term for beating linebackers downfield – if you visualize climbing a ladder, it makes sense.) 57 – What a route by Smythe! 58 – Levy at the 2:44 mark of the third quarter, ND ahead 21-13: “Adams and Wimbush have carried the ball 31 of Notre Dame’s 33 running plays.” I don’t know how Notre Dame can work Dexter Williams in more…but I still feel they should. Even with Adams running wild. 59 – Play-action pass from the 6-yard line two snaps later and Wimbush takes a reverse pivot roll out right in for the score. He had a three-target flood coming with him but they were all well covered. Nice read by the Irish triggerman as he had planned to throw. On the backside, McGlinchey and Nelson pancake Harold Landry. Nelson gives him a little extra shove (legal) as he Landry tries to get up – just to let him know he’s still in charge… 60 – Notre Dame’s kickoff coverage isn’t as good as I thought it would be through three games. 61 – Khalid Kareem with a QB pressure on 2nd-and-6. Kareem closed the gap quickly in the rolling (left) pocket. Now if Kareem continues to improve all season, the Irish are really onto something (because they lose Trumbetti at season’s end). 62 – Speaking of which, Daelin Hayes’ upfield rush forces Brown up in the pocket and Trumbetti ends the drive with a tackle for minimal gain. 63 – Dexter Williams (hey!) opens the fourth quarter with a direct handoff from the Pistol, gaining 14 yards as Mustipher and McGlinchey seal, Bars wins with a cut block (and Nelson actually misses). Williams comes out of the game, naturally, and Wimbush keeps for three yards over the left side. 64 – Wimbush misses a wide-open Equanimeous St. Brown crossing about 15 yards downfield. I can’t tell if it was high, wide, both, or just bad… 65 – 3rd-and-7 and after BC diagnoses a tight end shuffle to the right, Wimbush tucks and runs – for a 65-yard touchdown. Great downfield block by St. Brown and the game is officially over, 35-13 ND with 13:41 remaining. 66 – It’s quite boring watching this methodical Boston College touchdown drive for a second time. I’ll discuss the Shaun Crawford play when it’s time… 67 – non sequitur: Looking forward to the progress of Julian Okwara as a Nickel pass-rusher over the next two months. 68 – BC’s offense stinks. Man. They just don’t have any threatening pieces outside of Callinan (who could help ND this year). 69 – That’s a touchdown vs. Crawford on 4th Down. But nice try by Crawford with the late strip. 35-20 ND but the Irish have about 100 more rushing yards in them… 70 – Wimbush throws low and short of EQ on a roll right. At least it wasn’t high and wide… 71 – Great punt by Tyler Newsome (57 yards) and fittingly, Dexter Williams dives on it. He wants the ball!! 72 – Shaun Crawford brutalizes Tommy Sweeney, drilling him in the back to jar the ball loose. Nyles Morgan popped him in the chest just prior… 73 – Julian Okwara hustles downfield to strip the runner from behind and Crawford is there for the easy recovery. Okwara’s shaped like a bullet when he bends to run… 74 – Wimbush keeps, dead-legs (Lee Becton!) a defender in space, spins around another would-be tackler, then just misses touchdown #5 diving for the pylon. Dexter Williams scores one snap later. Wimbush looks very confident all of a sudden running in space. I felt he was holding back prior to the second half of this contest. 75 – Up 42-20, Irish D still playing with vigor – a major change from season’s past. Julian Love with the hit and PD on an attempted leak out pass from the backfield. Perfect read and reaction by Love. 76 – Crawford picks off another pass. This one appeared intended for his knees. If that ball is 4-5 inches higher Crawford scores a touchdown rather than going to his knees to secure the pick. How did this QB start out 11-for-11? 77 – Ian Book misses Nic Weishar deep down the left seam (pretty well-covered). Every Irish receiver ran vertically and all four were covered. 78 – Williams – this time behind the backup O-Line – for 14 yards over the left side. Good block by Hunter Bivin pulling into space. (Hey, I’ve never typed that sentence before.) 79 – Williams again, untouched for a 14-yard score as Bivin and Trevor Ruhland dominate, Kraemer gets in a pop on the pull right to left, and Robert Hainsey had no one to block in space. Kelly’s right, they “broke” BC’s will late. 49-20. 80 – I’m positive after Saturday that Boston College isn’t “good at football,” But I have realistic hopes that Notre Dame is.
Re: his Landry comment - what was up with BC's use of him on Saturday? The guy would play like one snap every three downs. It was baffling that they had someone so dominant that was supposedly extremely fit, and gave him so much rest.
i really dont have a clue, it was shocking to pretty much everyone and you could tell he wasnt liking it at all either. maybe they consider him a bit of a liability in the run game and they feared we would spend all day running straight at him and wearing him out for the next few weeks. i really dont know
Apparently their plan was to rest him until the 4th quarter so he could wreak havoc against a tiring offensive front. The problem was he was largely marginalized early on, and then by the fourth quarter, ND was rolling and BC was fading. He also didn't seem too interested in working very hard on the reps he did get. If the play didn't come his way or he was met with resistance, he appeared to give up. Agree it was a weird strategy.
I'm pumped for this year. Depth is always a concern, but we've managed that obviously over Breys tenure. Excited to see Bonzie, geben looked good playing overseas this summer. Farrell and rex and Gibbs, etc should make for a good frontcourt. and of course e still have Brey
Q being ranked behind McGlinchey is criminal, regardless of the positions they play. Also, wouldn't McGlinchey project to RT in the pros? I feel like every time he's faced top level pass rush, he's had somewhat mixed performances. If that's the case, I don't see someone using a draft pick that high on a RT.