so it kinda depends on the wifey. Id love to go but since we are going to 2 games this holiday im not sure i can drag her to go again, if i can, i would love to go
The crazy thing about Book was he even looked bad on a lot of completions or positive plays. Ball behind Claypool on one slant that was completed, ball behind Keys on another slant on another completion, the Finke completion should have been ~7-9 yards easy on 4th and 5 and he completed the pass but threw it to his feet. The ~40 yard run may have gotten to his head early and made him dance happy, because pass protection was decent despite all the times he fled the pocket (he got sacked on one blitz that was a perfect TE hot read dump off). He just looked ... bad. The scheme was fine, didn't seem like Kelly/Long asked him to do too much, he just had a very poor job of execution. And I'm not sure how you fix EVERYTHING in a couple weeks, he just seems like he's regressed.
He looked pretty much the same against Clemson where he heard footsteps but hopefully your right. There should be a minimum of 5 deep attempts the next game. I honestly felt like he ran into sacks and the second fumble because he has no pocket presence. It's weird because I don't remember him ever taking a big hit, but his splits from his first 7 or so games and the last 3 or 4 aren't good.
Even last night if you factor in the throwaways he was like 14/19 for 200 yds and a TD, far from the performance we need going forward but also far from the worst qb performance of all time that many are making it out to be
My point was pretty much refuting that - if you look at the three plays I mentioned (Claypool slant, Keys slant, Finke "completion) he was 3/3 for 30 yards or so, but essentially directly contributed to neutralizing two big plays (throwing behind his WRs leading them to get tackled immediately) and creating a turnover (4th down bad throw to Finke). On top of that, there was numerous times he was taking off for a ~2-4 yard run instead of sitting in the pocket and maybe delivering a big play deep. He essentially left a lotttt of yards and big plays on the table despite being 14/19 for 200 yds as you reference.
I like your optimism, but at least 4 or 5 of those completions were 5-10 yard passes that receivers had to make adjustments with to catch, and 35-40 of those yards were a catch and run. Other than Trembles TD, I cannot think of a throw that looked on time, thrown well and in rhythm. It was an awful performance all around for Book.
He also won’t survive the season if he keeps running like he did last night so we may be jurking it before we know it
Book being a net negative instead of a net positive is the one thing that truly surprised me last night. If he would've been a game changer even slightly in the positive direction, we all probably walk out relatively content despite the early defensive issues and troubles running on 3rd down (which are probably mitigated in some way if Book plays better). The defense played a very solid game after the first 10 minutes, considering how many inexperienced guys were on the field. It's probably safe to assume that the linebackers will get better, not worse, throughout the season considering that Lea is a known commodity as a LB coach and most of these guys were getting some of their first real snaps this week. ND probably played their C- game as a whole and came away with a pretty easy road win against a P5 opponent. The sky isn't falling. Book getting his head out of his ass is obviously the key to having a truly successful season though.
The Oline being as good as they looked last night and potentially having that entire group back for 2020
He’s been this way his last three outings. That’s a trend. Until he actually turns that around over the course of a few games, it’s tough to be confident that he’s not regressing.
So apparently there has been some chatter on the OSU sites about Urban’s interest in the USC job, but one of their insiders came out and said ND is the only job he sees Urban leaving Columbus for. I know he has said ND is his dream job before, but it’s interesting that the insider still believes ND is a job he would take.
Crawford was really fun to watch last night. Partially because he was missed. Partially because he’s still fucking good.
The way Kyle Hamilton flew down hill and attacked the ball carrier surprised the hell out of me. One play in the 4th qt I was shocked when I saw it was Hamilton and not Gilman. It was the type of play only Gilman makes
Hamilton was impressive in his first game as a true frosh. Once he puts on some good weight and gains a little more experience - look out. Difference maker in the secondary.
tale of the tape offense Spoiler IAN BOOK AND HIS 2019 GOALS As ESPN’s Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit outlined what was to come in the Labor Day night clash at Louisville, an optimistic tone was struck as Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book made his 10th career start. Herbstreit said he expected Book to take the next step in his evolution as a quarterback. After spending the 2018 season predominately as the starter, he was able to work on the nuances of his game during the off-season. Herbstreit said at the top of the list of things to do was to improve his work in the pocket by staying patient and finding throwing lanes because of his size limitations. “I think you’ll see quick decisions tonight and a veteran quarterback with great poise,” Herbstreit said. “He’s become a complete team leader.” And yet by halftime of Notre Dame’s 35-17 victory over the Cardinals, Irish head coach Brian Kellyknew that Book had yet to achieve his goal of a better pocket presence and a more calm demeanor. “He’s just playing a little too tentative,” said a fairly animated Kelly of Book with the Irish leading at halftime, 21-14. “He’s just got to relax and be Ian Book. He’s thinking a little too much. Just trust his coaching, trust his teaching and just play. “It’s the first game and he’s got the weight of the world on him. Just relax and go play. He will. He’ll come back and play better in the second half.” Indeed, Book played better in the second half. Book was 7-of-12 for 63 yards with three sacks, no touchdowns and two fumbles (one lost) in the first half. Over the final 30 minutes, he was 7-of-11 for 130 yards, a touchdown and no sacks. OLD ISSUES The first sign of trouble, or at least concern, came in the second series with a tipped pass at the line of scrimmage and then the miscommunication with Chase Claypool for a 2nd-and-10. On 3rd-and-10, Book took off on a “thousand two” count against a three-man rush and gained just eight yards, prompting a punt. “There were some uncharacteristic kinds of flushing from the pocket that we hadn't seen from him,” said Kelly after the game. “A lot of it had to do with seeing a defense for the first time. He would have benefited from seeing it more. “This is the first time he saw the (Louisville) defense. They were in a lot more cover 2 than he was used to. They were in a stand-up defense, trying to get (the signal) from the sideline. We were playing fast and the (Louisville defense) wasn’t set. “I'm not trying to sit here and make excuses for him, but it wasn’t a first game where it was cookie-cutter for him. He'll be better for it in game two.” And therein lies the rub that still exists with Book. Louisville defensive coordinator Bryan Brown had Book thinking in his 10th career start, which in the grand scheme of things is not that many, not at a time in college football in which all that’s going on is more complex than it’s ever been. Should Book be past the nervousness that plagued him at times last year? Well, yes and no. Defenses have a multitude of ways to make life difficult on a quarterback and his offense. Each week, it’s a different approach and the quarterback has 60 minutes to adapt and win. The complexities of defensive adjustments make it difficult to fully utilize past experiences when the next experience is different than the previous ones. With the expectations the way they are for the Irish following a playoff run, winning clearly isn’t enough. Every unit on both sides of the football and special teams are expected to be razor sharp at all times. Book was not razor sharp. UNCHARACTERISTIC INACCURACY Even in the Clemson game in which Book completed just 50 percent of his passes, he wasn’t as off-target as he was at times against Louisville. He needed spectacular reach-back catches by Chase Claypool and Lawrence Keys to finish right at a 60 percent completion rate. His 4th-and-4 pass to Chris Finke on a crossing route – a pass Book generally throws accurately – was out in front of Finke, forcing Finke to dive for the ball and fall short of the first down. Book also went through a period where he got a bit lazy with the football as a runner. On the fumble recovered by Notre Dame’s Jahmir Smith, Book turned his shoulder with the football back into Louisville’s Khane Pass and the ball popped loose. Then he took off out of the pocket prematurely on a 3rd-and-8, bumped into tight end Brock Wright and fumbled again. When Louisville and Notre Dame exchanged three fumbles in as many plays, Kelly lit up Book to get the job done right before halftime, which he did by leading the Irish into the end zone for a 21-14 lead. (The 11-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-goal was a beautifully designed play in which Book faked throwing to his right to Tony Jones Jr. and then took off to his left for the score.) Adding to the frustration of observers is when Book starts to backpedal and fall away from the line of scrimmage. The process of throwing the football away is telegraphed and you know the play is going to be a wasted snap well in advance of the football sailing out of bounds. It’s demoralizing as an partisan observer when the play is over before it’s over. Fowler and Herbstreit talked about Book’s leadership improving this season as a more vocal presence. But at the end of the day, Book’s impact on his teammates is the greatest when he’s executing the fundamental details of his position. Achieving his goals of a better pocket presence and a calmer leader of the offense will have to wait until his 11th career start against New Mexico on Sept. 14. And yet when Book needed to be at his best, he orchestrated a 12-play, 75-yard drive by completing all four passes for 60 yards, including a 33-yarder to Claypool. Book is now 10-1 as starter, which of course encompasses a whole bunch of other factors. But there remains no doubt that when the game is on the line, Book is a winner. There are no other legitimate alternatives at the quarterback position at the present time. CHASE CLAYPOOL Speaking of leadership, the senior wideout’s lead-by-example play shined through against the Cardinals with a team-leading five catches for 94 yards, including a true sideline-to-sideline after the catch run that set up Notre Dame’s final touchdown of the night. Claypool played like a warrior. He had that difficult reach-back grab of an inaccurate toss. He had the big 31-yarder on a short crossing route that literally required three main tacklers and a total of five Louisville defenders to totally secure him to the ground. If Claypool just lets his natural ability and competiveness take over while continuing to use his immense physical skills, he easily will surpass the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 2019. He is the foundation upon which the 2019 passing game will be built. TONY JONES JR. Clearly Jones is the best version of himself in his four years with the Irish. He ran through some arm tackles and showed a more consistent burst, although not the burst, of course, of a Dexter Williams that was so critical to Notre Dame’s 12 victories last season. Jones carried 15 times for 112 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter that tied the game at 14-14 and started Notre Dame’s 28-3 scoring rally. While some – including Fowler and Herbstreit -- wondered why the Irish didn’t just keep running the football and eschew the passing game, three things must be remembered. Chip Long is coordinating an offense to win all of Notre Dame’s games, not just the Louisville game. With Georgia looming, Notre Dame is not going to defeat the Bulldogs by spending a 60-minute game against Louisville just running the football. That’s not going to develop Book into a better quarterback. Secondly, Jones is not considered a high-volume running back. He’s had trouble staying healthy. He’s not a guy that Notre Dame views as a 20-carry back. Third, Jafar Armstrong was out of the game with an injury. With Jones not a high-volume back, Long didn’t want to completely rely on inexperienced running backs Jahmir Smith, Kyren Williams and C’Bo Flemister with the game potentially on the line in the second half, although Smith did score his first two touchdowns on eight carries for 24 yards. TOMMY TREMBLE The poise of the red-shirt freshman tight end shined through in his first action in a Notre Dame uniform. Even with the four-game rule that allows a player to red-shirt, Tremble did not see game action in 2018. He was ready for the Cardinals. After failing to hold a block on an early third quarter 3rd-and-1 run by Jones, Tremble began to shine. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Tremble’s debut performance – three catches for 49 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown that gave the Irish their first double-digit lead midway through the third quarter – was the nonchalance, grace, athleticism and power with which he played. The Irish showed they could still attack the seam with a tight end not named Cole Kmet. The touchdown grab, the first of his career, was hauled in with such ease and confidence. Tremble caught a pass in three straight series. The second was a 13-yarder on 2nd-and-10 and the third was a 10-yarder on 3rd-and-4. In other words, Tremble caught three passes, each of which accounted for a first down, including the touchdown grab. Even when Kmet returns, Tremble should be involved. In fact, it would make for an interesting tandem on the field. Tremble played most of the second half in place of Brock Wright, who continues to have difficulty getting open. JAFAR ARMSTRONG The red-shirt sophomore running back just can’t seem to stay healthy. On his second touch of the game -- an undefended crossing route – Armstrong took a blow to the mid-section from Louisville’s strong safety Russ Yeast. When Armstrong is running straight up the field, he’s learned how to break down, widen his base, and run like a running back. But when Armstrong runs wide, he’s still a very upright runner, which exposes him to greater contact. Someone commented that Armstrong keeps getting injured because he’s soft. He’s not soft. He’s a tremendous competitor. He wants to play. He doesn’t shy away from contact. He’s perfectly content trying to run over a defender if the situation dictates. He just has gotten banged up. That doesn’t make him soft. Armstrong tried to tough it out against Louisville. After the injury – you see him reaching below his waist after the hit – he remained in the game for the next play. He carried the football and ran hard, but immediately began jogging to the sideline after the play. That was the last we saw of Armstrong other than his encouragement of offensive teammates back by the bench. Armstrong has what Kelly called a soft-tissue injury to the groin/abdominal area. An MRI was scheduled for either Tuesday or Wednesday. Kelly said Armstrong had a sports hernia injury that was repaired in high school, so they didn’t feel like there was structural damage. But an abdominal injury can involve a slow healing process. OFFENSIVE LINE With scrutiny on offensive line coach Jeff Quinn, the unit responded well to its first game, particularly Robert Hainsey and Tommy Kraemer, who were featured pulling from right to left and getting out in space. Kraemer is the best version of himself in his four years at Notre Dame. Notre Dame rushed for 232 yards on 42 carries for a 5.5-yard average. Four rushing touchdowns is a great way to start the season. What I love about Jarrett Patterson’s game is the leverage advantage he gains over his opponent. It’s almost like he opens the door for a defensive linemen to come in, only to entice him into the exact position Patterson wants him to be before sealing him off. Check out Patterson’s block on Jones’ 12-yard touchdown run. The kid leverages defensive linemen based upon where the play is designed to go. He is a technician more than he is a power player in the middle. Many times, Patterson steers defenders off the ball more than he actually blocks them. Left guard Aaron Banks just does what he does. He leans his 6-foot-5¾, 325-pound body on people and generally roots them off the spot. Left tackle Liam Eichenberg was whistled for a false start. Is he as aggressive as he needs to be to take advantage of his immense talent? Not yet. But he’s getting there. Third-and-shorts continue to haunt the Irish, although there may have been one or two in which Book could have taken advantage of a numbers mismatch on the edge and changed the play. AROUND THE GRIDIRON (OFFENSE) “This team should look mature and disciplined,” said Brian Kelly pre-game with ESPN’s Maria Taylor. Sometimes yes, sometimes no…On Scott Satterfield: “It’s hard not to be impressed with him,” Fowler said. Fowler and Herbstreit pointed out that Satterfield was not Louisville’s first choice to replace Bobby Petrino. Former Louisville quarterback and current Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm was the Cardinals’ first choice. But in Satterfield, they have a guy who believes in developing a strong rushing attack. Not only did he win 41 games his last four seasons at Appalachian State, but his teams averaged 240 yards rushing in 2018, 224 in 2017, and 251, 271, and 242 in the previous three seasons before that while never averaging less than 5.4 yards per carry. The year before he arrived, Appalachian State averaged 138 yards rushing per game and 3.9 yards per carry. In his first year, it was 242 yards rushing per game and 5.4 per carry. Satterfield was the best choice for Louisville…and someone Notre Dame absolutely should keep an eye on. Credit to Jahmir Smith on his first touchdown as he powered his way into the end zone. Smith showed great determination to keep his lower body off the ground so he could stretch across the goal line with his upper body…A bit surprised that Kyren Williams dropped the pass thrown to him. He was a guy who didn’t seem like one who would succumb to the moment. He will respond…Don’t be swayed by Jack Kiser getting blown up on the kick return by Kyren Williams. He’s been better than that in practice. He should be a mainstay on Notre Dame’s special teams. 5COMMENTS Herbstreit was wrong on the Rodjay Burns sack. He said Book looked left to Claypool and should have been able to see Brock Wright to his right. But by the time Book came back to Wright, which was pretty decisively, Burns was in Book’s grill…Loved the Tony Jones Jr. 35-yard run on 3rd-and-13. If he gets stopped short of the first down, Chip Longis an idiot to many. But when he runs for 35 yards, no one remembers the ballsy play call on 3rd-and-13. Had he come up short of the first down, observers would have screamed about not throwing the ball as the announcers were begging them to run it. That’s why second-guessing play-calling is like shooting fish in a barrel. Anyone can sound right, but usually, all the details are not taken into consideration…Great observation by Herbstreit that by Louisville dropping eight, Notre Dame’s offensive linemen were looking for somebody to block and no one was there... Javon McKinley made his first reception – an 11-yarder that he finished physically -- since 2015 for Centennial High School in Corona, Calif… Indeed, there are a lot of moving parts. But for ESPN not to say anything about the absence of Jafar Armstrong after the first drive of the game is pretty astonishing…Pretty sobering to hear Fowler say that Notre Dame’s big games against Alabama (2012), Ohio State (2015) and Clemson (2018) resulted in a combined 116-to-45 point differential…Jonathan Doerer began the season just like you would have wanted him too. It would have helped to have a field goal or two to get a feel for the pressure. But he handled all five extra points calmly and with poise. He also had a great pooch kickoff after Notre Dame took a 21-14 lead…Did you see the Samsung commercial with the Notre Dame No. 20 running around the edge, out of the TV, into the stage setting of a children’s show, through a closed door, through a game show set, through an operating room in a hospital, and back into the TV for the score? Wildly creative…Jay Bramblett’s shanked punt rolled 41 yards for a net of 41 yards. Bramblett’s six punts averaged 39.3 yards. His net also was 39.3, which is the most important stat.
defense Spoiler MISSED OPPORTUNITIES Had Notre Dame’s defense taken advantage of the opportunities it had against Louisville’s offense in the first quarter, the anxiety produced by a 14-7 deficit could have been avoided. But therein lies the problems that arise when you have to replace a standout defensive tackle, an anchor at nose tackle, two of the most productive inside linebackers in the Notre Dame modern era, and an All-American cornerback. To be fair, adjusting to Scott Satterfield’s offensive attack is difficult. You try to simulate the speed of the very deceptive offensive attack, but it took some live game action before the Irish could slow down the process. Louisville scored two touchdowns within a 3:19 span on drives that covered 88 and 75 yards. Just 10:52 into the game, the Cardinals had 14 points. Over the final 49:08, they scored just three more points, which is a testament to Clark Lea’s adjustments. “Jawon Pass is going to run the ball, so let’s make sure that we are fundamentally inside-out on speed option and just be technically better,” explained Brian Kelly of the adjustments made after a slow start. “We were a little bit out of sorts, overrunning plays, not in good cutback lanes… “We had penalties that kept drives alive. We had missed tackles. We’re going to have to be on-body and coverage a little bit better. Listen, there are a litany of things that we can get better at. We still won the game and we have some good things to take away.” There were numerous missed opportunities during those first two scoring drives. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah missed a sack on 2nd-and-12 in the opening drive. On 3rd-and-12, Julian Okwara jumped offside. On 3rd-and-7, Satterfield made a great call with the Irish in dime. Pass kept the football on a read-option play for 13 yards and the first down. Four plays later, the Cardinals were in the end zone. In the second scoring drive, right after Khalid Kareem jumped offside on 3rd-and-10 in a 7-7 game, Javian Hawkins snapped off a 44-yard run. Ironically, it was veteran Alohi Gilman who missed his run fit when he broke on the football, tried to slam on the breaks, and slipped to the ground. Three plays later, Louisville had its first (and last) lead of the night. Notre Dame’s defense even caught a break when TuTu Atwell bobbled an easy touchdown catch that was ruled out of bounds. (Had it been ruled a touchdown initially, it likely would have stood because it was so close, neither call would have been overturned.) On the next play, a 3rd-and-1 from the Irish 17, Pass read-optioned his way right past Owusu-Koramoah, who defended the pitch that never came. Notre Dame’s missed opportunities were opportunities seized by Louisville, and thus, we had ourselves a ball game in the first half. LINEBACKER PLAY To be shocked by the inefficiency of Notre Dame’s play on the second level in the 2019 season-opener would be foolish when you consider all the warning signs. No Te’von Coney and Drue Tranquill. No Jerry Tillery in the middle of the defensive line to divert running backs and a running quarterback. Likewise, it would have been shortsighted to be surprised by the mostly effective play of Drew Whiteat Mike linebacker and the inconsistency of Asmar Bilal at Buck linebacker. White is a heady, instinctual football player. We first got a glimpse of that in the Navy game last year when he filled in not just admirably but played well in the absence of the injured Tranquill. He has size limitations and is mostly a box linebacker, although I would argue that’s more a result of his less than 6-foot-1 frame than it is a huge shortage of foot speed. But the kid can play. He was one of a few stat sheet stuffers for Notre Dame’s defense with five tackles (he may have had more after Notre Dame did its tabulation), two tackles for loss and a pass broken up. White’s role frequently will be that of a battering ram. Crease the gap at the snap of the football to clog up a hole and allow those around you to make the play. He’s small but physical. He is, along with Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame’s most physical linebacker, other than Bo Bauer who can’t seem to get on the field beyond his stellar special teams contributions. White was at his best on a shovel pass to TuTu Atwell in the second half. White dumped him for a six-yard loss. He diagnosed what he had seen earlier on a quick shovel pass to the speedy Atwell. The play immediately brought to mind Joe Schmidt, who often made plays based upon film study during the week and then a direct application of the information gathered. (Note: The difference, at least by the time Schmidt was starting for the Irish, is that Schmidt would have diagnosed it the first time Louisville ran it.) White missed a very difficult tackle on Marshon Ford’s 37-yard reception, which is an example of why Lea prefers to play him in the box. But he is, without a doubt, Notre Dame’s best inside linebacker, which we suspected once he ascended to the starting role during August. It’s considerably more problematic with the 6-foot-2, 227-pound fifth-year senior Bilal. The football/linebacker instincts that White possesses are lost on Bilal. He gets caught up in the “weeds” too frequently. He puts himself in a position to be sealed off. It’s not so much the missed tackles but the ones he’s not close to from the Buck linebacker position. The Buck linebacker should theoretically be in the best position to make tackles. Bilal ran himself out of a play that resulted in an 11-yard gain by Juwan Pass as he chased the potential flat throw. He flowed to the ball, got blocked and stayed blocked on a 15-ayrd run by Javian Hawkins. He was late to the flow of the play on Pass’ first rushing touchdown. Bilal’s best tackles generally are five yards down the field and coming from the side. Rarely is he in a position to square somebody up with a hit. He’s constantly yielding ground, which is as lethal as a shortstop backing up on a bouncing grounder. On one of the Louisville fumbles that the Cardinals recovered, Bilal looked stiff in his attempt to recover it. A Buck linebacker has to make plays. A lot of them. Up to this point, Bilal just does not positively impact enough plays. LINEACKER SUPPLEMENTS Although the stats didn’t show it, I thought Shayne Simon at least brought some stabilization to the run defense when he was in the game, playing both Mike and Buck linebacker. He showed some pass rush ability – he was held on his quarterback hurry that wasn’t called – which is a potential asset from the second level. Jack Lamb is a guy that seemingly has to be given more opportunities beyond third-down insertions. Like White, Lamb has some very natural football instincts. He was inserted on passing downs and managed to make a tackle and recover a fumble. Jordan Genmark Heath, for all of his athletic skills, just does not show up around the football, nor provide a physical presence up to this point in his career. When you see Bo Bauer make the plays he does on kick coverage, you wonder why he can’t be more effective in shorter space as a Mike linebacker. His only real action last year at linebacker came against Wake Forest when he missed numerous run fits. That may be what the Irish coaching staff sees on a daily basis, but it sure would be nice to be able to harness some of that ability at the Mike. INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE What a pleasant surprise to see Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa play his best game by far in a Notre Dame uniform. He wasn’t listed with any defensive statistics on the scattershot effort by Louisville’s sports information department. But we saw him lower the boom on Javian Hawkins while also showing some mobility and ground-covering athleticism. He even flashed some pass rush on a 3rd-and-7 in a 14-14 games. Every pass rush MTA provides is bonus. I really liked what Jayson Ademilola showed when he was inserted on Louisville’s second offensive series. The Cardinals ultimately would score on that drive, but Ademilola refused to allow a Louisville blocker to cross his face on a play that Juwan Pass threw incomplete. Then he assisted Khalid Kareem on a tackle the very next play. Still waiting for Jacob Lacey to make a great individual play against the run, which I may have missed since he was credited with a stop, although he did have a pass broken up late in the game. Kurt Hinish ultimately was credited with a four-yard sack, although I thought he had real difficulty getting off blocks and getting around the football most of the time. I’ve said on a couple of occasions that backup tackles Ademilola and Lacey have more upside than starters Tagovailoa-Amosa and Hinish. I may have to back off that a bit with the activity that Tagovailoa-Amosa showed, although Hinish remains a perfect No. 2 nose tackle and a bit of a stretch as a full-time player. But you know Hinish’s heart is in the right place and that he’ll give it up for his teammates on every snap. ADE OGUNDEJI Truth be told, I almost listed Ade Ogundeji ahead of Daelin Hayes in last week’s story on Notre Dame’s top backups. That wouldn’t have been fair to Hayes based upon comparative production through the 2018 season, but Ogundeji’s upside is probably greater than Hayes’ over the long haul. Ogundeji provided instant energy for the defense as a substitute for Khalid Kareem. In fact, Ogundeji probably was more effective and disruptive than Kareem against Louisville, which makes for a great tandem moving forward. Ogundeji did a great job of working to get outside to keep containment, and then made a great play stripping the ball out of the hand of Pass on an open-field fly-by that Hayes recovered. Few teams are blessed with a backup tandem as good as Hayes and Ogundeji. Hayes probably out-played Okwara in this game, too, which is all-good for the Irish defense. JEREMIAH OWUSU-KORAMOAH Kirk Herbstreit went so far as to say that red-shirt sophomore Rover Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is going to be a superstar for Notre Dame. Since Herbstreit hasn’t seen Owusu-Koramoah on the practice field the way we have, the coaching staff obviously talked him up in their pre-game meetings with ESPN. Is superstar too strong of a declaration during his first start? Perhaps, but calling him a future “star” would not be an exaggeration. Wu had nine tackles, including two for loss, in his first start. He couldn’t get off a block on Pass’s first touchdown run. He missed badly on a potential tackle of running back Hassan Hall on a 16-yard run that was more of a two-hand tap than a tackle attempt. There were times when Owusu-Koramoah tried to do too much, as if he were trying to play his position and that of others. But that’s an understandable reaction by an aggressive-by-nature player in his first career start. Owusu-Koramoah was and will continue to be a difference-maker for the Irish. SHAUN CRAWFORD The scoffing you heard when it was suggested that Notre Dame shouldn’t even consider bringing back defensive back Shaun Crawford for a fifth year was coming from the staff at Irish Illustrated. Don’t bring back a player as effective as Crawford when he’s healthy? Preposterous. What seemed like a bit of a longshot when camp opened in August came to fruition within a few days in Culver. Crawford had to be Notre Dame’s starter opposite Troy Pride Jr. because he is Notre Dame’s second-best cornerback…and perhaps even tied for first. A great lower-body tackler. A playmaker. A disrupter. Smart. Alohi Gilman recently spoke about how high Crawford’s football acumen is. He’s a regular member of Notre Dame’s kickoff coverage unit. He came flying off the edge on Blanton Creque’s field goal and nearly got a hand on it. The key is trying to find opportunities to get Crawford off the field so as to preserve his health for the entire season. That’s going to be difficult after his strong return performance against Louisville. Makes me think about how nice it would be for him to get a sixth year, which he rightly deserves. KYLE HAMILTON The hype is absolutely legit. Freshman safety Kyle Hamilton made a sideswiping tackle of Juwan Pass on a 3rd-and-7 run in Notre Dame’s dime defense during Louisville’s opening series. That announced his arrival and he would continue to speak volumes with his performance. Hamilton finished with four tackles and two of Notre Dame’s five passes broken up. His ability to diagnose, break on the football and then use his length/reach to break passes up without interfering is uncanny. On both of his PBUs, he was able to use his length to reach around the receiver and make the pass breakup without interfering. We first saw that at Culver and you wondered, ‘Did he interfere?’ But he doesn’t interfere because of his great length. He can virtually wrap his arms around a receiver without making contact. That sounds a little far-fetched…but only a little. You’ll continue to see more and more of Hamilton because he subbed for both Alohi Gilman and Jalen Elliott. That will give him ample opportunities in his first year with the Irish, as will nickel and dime situations. What a great debut for Hamilton. Now that’s a true superstar in the making. AROUND THE GRIDIRON (DEFENSE) I don’t understand Louisville’s confusion on whether or not to return a couple of their kickoffs. I know Scott Satterfield has a better plan and more organization than that…If Bo Bauer never plays a meaningful down at Mike linebacker – which would be a shame because that’s a lot of collision potential – he will remain an incredibly valuable tool on Notre Dame’s kick coverage team…I love Alohi Gilman’s game so much, and then he makes it enjoyable to talk about what transpired in the game in post-game interviews…Julian Okwara felt like somebody on the Louisville offensive line flinched when he jumped offside in the Cardinals’ opening series…Interesting to see how they use Jack Lamb. He lined up in a two-point off the right shoulder of Julian Okwara. It’s that pass-rush ability that made me think the first time I saw him on high school film that perhaps they would convert him into a pass-rushing defensive end. This role gives Notre Dame the best of both worlds with Lamb’s skillset…Love that little touch shovel pass from Jawon Pass to TuTu Atwell. The speed of the development of the play, plus the speed of the 5-foot-9, 153-pound Atwell, is difficult to contain… Will anyone take notice that Brian Kelly calmly reacted to Louisville taking a 14-7 lead, or will we still go with the eight-year-old stereotype of Kelly’s purple-faced rant on TJ Jones? Kelly was the picture of calm throughout most of the game. In fact, there was one shot of Kelly and Chip Long talking on the sideline. Kelly put up a hand and said, “Relax.”...What an open-field tackle by Shaun Crawford on Pass on the last play of the first quarter…Lamb forced an incompletion on 3rd-and-8 to start the second quarter by beating right tackle Tyler Haycraft to the spot. On Lamb’s recovered fumble, the ball was kicked around and then spinning on its side when he pounced on it…Interesting to hear that Kelly said they are going to play more press coverage than ever before because the pass rush forces teams to get rid of the ball quickly. He doesn’t want to give up “free access throws” for five or six yards…Alohi Gilman’s fumble forced and recovered. Not the first time that’s happened...Kelly shows frustration at halftime with the information head trainer Rob Hunt disseminated to him…Drew White was tackled on a block by right guard Robbie Bell…Two of the five Louisville fumbles (three lost) came directly from the snap of the football…Photographer Matt Cashore makes an ESPN appearance early in the fourth quarter, ladies and gentlemen… I disagree with Herbstreit that Louisville is a six-victory team. I really think Scott Satterfield will make them great again. They are significantly improved. But it may be too much to ask for a break-even season and a bowl bid…Interesting to hear that Louisville’s defense had just three three-and-outs in its last four games of the 2018 season. They had four against Notre Dame, plus a four-and-out and a turnover on the first play of a drive…Kurt Hinish was very fortunate to avoid an injury on a cheap-shot chop block by left guard Caleb Chandler…The following was listed on the broadcast crawl: “Undefeated season in the cards? Fighting Irish have 2.8 percent chance to win out, per ESPN’s FPI.” I don’t believe that Notre Dame is going undefeated this season. But a 2.8 percent chance? They just went 12-0 in the regular season. It’s a different team, to be sure, but they just went 12-0 in the regular season. They were 12-0 under Kelly six years prior to that. A 2.8 percent chance? That’s a little silly now, isn’t it?
247 recruiting scoop Spoiler The 2019 football season is underway and Notre Dame currently has a Top10 class according to the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings. So, whats the latest regarding the Fighting Irish and the 2020 and 2021 classes? As always, Irish Illustrated and 247Sports have you covered. — Things have been awfully interesting surrounding the recruitment of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star center / guard Greg Crippen. The 6-4, 285-pounder committed to Notre Dame back on March 27, 2019 following a spring visit to campus. He chose the Irish over offers from Alabama, Michigan, Duke, Boston College and many others. He returned to campus over the summer and worked out for the staff at camp. However, this past weekend, Crippen showed up on campus in Ann Arbor to watch Michigan in action. When asked about those travel plans and where things stand with his commitment, Crippen offered up no comment to clear up any confusion. That usually doesn’t bode well for the current team he’s committed to. My gut feeling on this situation is that Crippen doesn’t end up in Notre Dame’s 2021 class and I feel like it may be the best move for both parties. — On that same front, I’m told Notre Dame has had some recent dialogue with Fort Worth (Texas) All Saints Episcopal four-star center James Brockermeyer, another class of 2021 recruit. Most know his brother, Tommy Brockermeyer, a 6-6, 285-pound five-star offensive tackle from the class of 2021. However, James is no slouch on the football field by any stretch. Turn on the tape and you’ll see why Auburn, LSU, Texas, Michigan, Oklahoma and others have already offered. Could Notre Dame be next? What I’m told is that the Fighting Irish are targeting him and watching him closely. The current plan is to see how James plays early this fall and then the staff will decided whether or not to offer. Although they say that they could end up playing at different schools, the feeling is that both James and Tommy will end up at the same school. I don’t see any way Notre Dame can land Tommy without offering James, so offering both could push the Irish into a better position to add both. Right now it looks like Texas is in the best spot, as they both have an offer, and their father played for the Longhorns. Don’t write this off has no chance for Notre Dame quite yet though, as the family has already been to South Bend this offseason and loved their time on campus. — Irish Illustrated recently reported that Pickerington (Ohio) Central four-star wide receiver Lorenzo Styles Jr., a top of the board target for Notre Dame in the 2021 class, had locked in his next trip to South Bend. He'll be on campus for the USC game on Oct. 12 later this fall. I want to make my stance very clear on where I believe things stand. Despite the 247Sports Crystal Ball sitting heavily in favor of the in-state Ohio State Buckeyes and the fact that his father is a former Buckeye, I genuinely feel great about Notre Dame's chances. I believe the Irish lead as of today and to be honest, I don't see that changing. I have had my 247Sports Crystal Ball in for Notre Dame since Aug. 2018 when I was told the Fighting Irish were the team to beat and I haven't wavered once on that front. Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long and wide receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander have done a tremendous job of separating themselves from the pack so far and now it's time to get this one and get him in the class. — Regarding class of 2020 recruiting, I’m told there are three uncommitted targets still on the board for Notre Dame. The staff really likes the potential and upside of Bakersfield (Calif.) Liberty three-star defensive back Ramon Henderson. This looks like a four-team battle between Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Cal and UCLA. The 6-2, 183-pounder just took an official visit to Oklahoma and as of today, Notre Dame is up next. The staff will host him on Sept. 28 for that trip. If all goes well, some believe he could leave committed. No other trips are set at this time. Another name to know is Argyle (Texas) Liberty Christian three-star defensive back Collin Gamble. Notre Dame sees the 5-10, 185-pounder has a player with terrific speed and a tremendous fit in the locker room and at the university. When asked about Gamble, the first thing one source said was that he is a “Notre Dame type of guy all the way.” This kid plays with a ton of confidence and swagger, and genuinely believes he’s the best player on the field every time he laces up his cleats. Notre Dame needs young men like that. He has already taken an official visit to Cal and he has an official visit locked in for Notre Dame on Sept. 28. It’ll be interesting to see how things go with both Gamble and Henderson on campus at the same time this month. The third name to know, and one that should excite Notre Dame fans, is Highland Springs (Va.) high school four-star defensive back Malcolm Greene, who likely projects as a safety at the next level. The 5-10, 180-pounder is one of the more polished defensive backs in the country and there is a reason that Clemson, Duke, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and many others are all over him. Things are still very early on the recruiting front for Greene. He took a couple of unofficial visits in the offseason, but was unable to get to all of the schools he really wanted to see including Notre Dame. That said, things are moving in a positive direction and dialogue between Greene and the Fighting Irish coaching staff has been strong. Safeties coach Terry Joseph is doing a great job with this one. Look for things to move quickly in the near future and for Greene to get things locked in regarding his first trip to South Bend. In fact, a source tells Irish Illustrated Wednesday morning that Greene will likely be on campus for the USC game on Oct. 12. Notre Dame is much more of a player here than most realize.
the whole Crippen thing is quite odd - it just seems like the staff took his commitment too early and they soured on him ND did not contact him on 9/1 when they were allowed to contact juniors so i think that says all you need to know
I liked what I saw from jahmir Smith at least...he did a great job of falling forward through contact and always picked up 2-3 more yards than I thought the play would go for
Probably will have a better idea on the timeline of Kmet and Young next week. I think it's probably a safe bet that we have a healthy Kmet for the Georgia game and a toss up with Young? Obviously this is all irrelevant for NM.
kmet could be back as early as tomorrow, so it seems very likely we'd have him ready to go for the georgia game. young is, like you said, a tossup. losing jafar is not good though
running he seemed good. pass blocking? i'm actually surprised they left him in the game given their history of not playing guys who aren't comfortable pass blocking
Was I drunk or did they mention that Kmet was the one ripping into the offense on the sideline? Need him back
Sucks that he's hurt but if he has to miss time I'd prefer it to be now so that he's possibly back for SC/Michigan/Stanford
"5 weeks is the optimistic timeline" SC is 6 weeks away, Michigan 8. Wouldn't be surprised if he was available for or missed both.
How many games do we really need a base defense with 3 linebackers and not just live mostly in nickel? For sure Georgia Michigan BC Anyone else play much pro stlye? The NFL is all about playing an extra safety up in the box in lieu of a linebacker. Why isn't that workable in college that is even more spread?
Problem being that Georgia is our toughest opponent, but point taken. We'd be just fine if we played in the Big 12. Play the 3 safeties 70%+ of the snaps.
so i know crippen isnt the biggest issue but has the staff just stopped recruiting as a whole. There has been nothing positive happening in recruiting in either the 2020 or 2021 class for like months