tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58353070649188065212024-02-18T20:48:59.490-08:00The New Notre DameAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.comBlogger208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-44447078932352698412015-08-05T03:21:00.000-07:002015-08-05T03:21:19.704-07:00Defense Has Much to Prove in 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Heading into this season, Notre Dame is expected to be a playoff contender. That is in spite having a brand new quarterback. But honestly, Malik Zaire is not one of the question marks I have. There are two that make me a little nervous about calling this team a contender. The first area of question I have is the offensive line. Last year, Everett Golson was given a lot of flack for the turnovers. But honestly, the offensive line did not help him very much at all. About half of his turnovers were due to break down in blocking. Hopefully, seniors Ronnie Stanley and Nick Martin can set leadership by example. Although the line is a concern, it is not even close to my biggest question mark.<br />
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Last season the defense gave up the most big plays in all of college football. Yes, there were a lot of injuries (13 in fact). And yes, the 5 suspended players didn't help. But looking at last season, the defense really only had three good games (Michigan, Syracuse, and Stanford) and they came early in the year before coaches had a lot of film on Brian VanGorder's blitzing defense.<br />
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It seemed that once the other teams figured it out, they couldn't stop anybody. That included Northwestern and Navy. Certainly Notre Dame has players on the defensive side of the ball. Jaylon Smith and Sheldon Day are potential All-Americans. KeVare Russell returning from suspension does give the Irish a much needed shutdown corner.<br />
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We as fans hope they will be better but we can't just assume they will be. I honestly am not a fan at all of blitzing non-stop. Yes, it is exciting to watch when we get a huge sack. But it is also disappointing to give up all those big plays.<br />
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When I think about the struggles of last season, it reminds me of a comment Manti Te'o made right after his great 2012 season. He gave a lot of credit to Coach Diaco for putting him in position to make plays. But when you nonstop blitz, you are not always putting your players in position to make plays. In fact, you are actually taking them out of position many times.<br />
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I just have two fundamental issues with VanGorder's style. One, I see a blitz as an element of surprise. But when the offense knows it is coming every play, it is easier to prepare for it. More importantly, a school like Notre Dame that gets top talent yearly should not have to sell out on every play. I could understand if it was Navy, but Notre Dame should have good enough talent to where they don't have to blitz on almost every play.<br />
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The defense definitely has the talent. I just hope that they are put in more positions to make plays rather than getting taking out of them.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-48377097291290173892015-07-31T04:04:00.001-07:002015-07-31T04:04:07.987-07:00Should Notre Dame Join a Conference or Play 13 Games?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Coaches around the country seem to have an opinion these days about Notre Dame's independence and whether or not they should be included in the playoff consideration. Coaches from Missouri and Clemson among other places think Notre Dame should be in a conference or play 13 games to be considered.<br />
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We all know that if Notre Dame were to join one, it would be the ACC since it is already in in every other sport. The question is should they do it in spite of all the tradition of being an independent? The answer is not if they don't have to. But the problem is that we are not sure how big of an if that is. Certainly, Notre Dame plays a tough enough schedule to where they have a case. The only problem is that the idea of being a conference champion seems to really hold a lot of water with the committee. At least it did in the first year.<br />
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The Big 12 did not have a clear champ as TCU and Baylor split the honor in spite a Baylor head to head victory. That combined with the fact that Ohio State had one more victory due to a championship game gave them the nod over the two Big 12 teams.<br />
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That does lead to the other part is should Notre Dame play a 13 game schedule? Honestly, I have to say yes they should. The fact of the matter is that if you have two teams with a single loss, 12-1 is better than 11-1. The Irish could solve that problem by scheduling an extra game.<br />
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The problem is how are they practically going to do it? No team that has a conference championship game can schedule a game on Championship Saturday since they could have to play already. The only two conferences I can think of that do not have a championship game are the Big 12 and the Sun Belt. No disrespect to the Sun Belt but I just don't see how a late season game against a team like Troy does anything.<br />
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So that really only leaves the Big 12 as an option. Since the Big 12 gets screwed over by not having that title game too, it might be mutually beneficial to have Notre Dame play the Big 12 champ every year in AT & T Stadium in Dallas. That really seems to be the most practical option but what happens when the Big 12 adds two more teams and once again gets a title game?<br />
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I guess it is possible for Notre Dame to play BYU that weekend every year as long as BYU remains independent. But who knows how long before BYU does get back in a conference possibly the Big 12?<br />
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The only other option I see is play all 13 games before Championship Saturday. But that would mean going all year without a bye week and the very thought of that is just crazy.<br />
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In conclusion, Notre Dame should not give up their independence if they don't have to but should schedule a 13th game if there is a practical way to do it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-66072074407754571172015-07-22T01:36:00.001-07:002015-07-22T01:36:48.566-07:00Brian Kelly's Legacy at Notre Dame Will Be Defined by Malik Zaire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's almost here. It is just over a month away when Notre Dame opens against Texas. Coach Brian Kelly is heading into his sixth year as head coach. It is a year in which he has to produce a team that is a playoff contender. His first five years have really been a roller coaster. It has seen it's moments of hope and of great disappointment.<br />
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His first couple seasons saw the Irish earn great victories over historic rivals USC and Miami. But it also saw losses to teams like Tulsa and South Florida. Then came the magic season of 2012 only to get blown out to Alabama in the Title game. Then last season was really the story of what Kelly's whole career has been. They start off 6-0 and lose to the defending champs (Florida State) in a very controversial matter. Then they lose 4 straight including a loss to lowly Northwestern. Yet somehow they are able to beat LSU in the Music City Bowl. That's the definition of inconsistency.<br />
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Now came the offseason which saw Everett Golson leave for Florida State leaving Malik Zaire as the undisputed starter. In what limited playing time he has had, he has looked good but the reality is that he is still unproven. That makes the outcome of this huge in the legacy of Brian Kelly. If Zaire lives up to the hype than that it was the right decision and what Golson does in Tallahassee becomes irrelevant. However, if Zaire does not live up to expectations than it looks bad for Kelly. It will sting even harder if Golson leads the Seminoles to another playoff appearance.<br />
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Having said that, Kelly's best success at Notre Dame has come with a first year quarterback, a simplified playbook, and stout defense. That was the case in his first season when Tommy Rees replaced an injured Dayne Crist leading the Irish to 4 straight wins. That was also the case in year 3 when Golson was a redshirt freshman.<br />
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I am not sure how simplified the playbook will be here though because Zaire has been there 2 years already. I am also not sure how good the defense will be to help the young quarterback out. That's the next blog.<br />
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But one thing is for certain. Kelly's legacy in South Bend is directly tied to Zaire.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-54052291934787481732015-05-19T15:49:00.000-07:002015-05-19T15:49:53.532-07:00How Everett Golson's Decision Is Good For Notre Dame and Florida State<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's official. After deciding to leave Notre Dame following graduation, Everett Golson has decided to join the team in which he had arguably his best game against last season. That of course is the Florida State Seminoles. It is decision that really shapes up to be good for both programs.<br />
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Let's start with Notre Dame. Coach Kelly was set to faced with an incredibly difficult decision. Golson or Malik Zaire. It would have been a decision that could have defined his legacy at Notre Dame. It is also one that could have created a divided locker room. On one hand, you have the guy who has thrown for a ton of yards and even helped you go to the BCS Title Game as a Freshman. But he also had his issues with turnovers. Then you have the young upstart who will be there for the next three seasons. In spite of the fact that he has limited experience and is a little erratic throwing the ball at times, he just seems to make plays on the field.<br />
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We will never know who would have won that competition as it is now a moot point. But I think that Golson knew that regardless of who won, they would split time. Being that it is his Senior year, you can understand why he would want nothing to do with that. Now Notre Dame can go into camp with Zaire as the undisputed starter and will get all the reps in practice. That in itself is huge in the development of a quarterback.<br />
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For Florida State, the departure of Jameis Winston left a huge gap. Sean Maguire really didn't impress anybody in the spring and they don't want to rush De'Andre Johnson. So it is apparent that they needed a stop gap guy for one year. Technically, Golson and Maguire will compete for the job, but I think it is fair to say that Golson is the front runner by far.<br />
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On paper, this makes sense for Golson. His best games over his career has been against the ACC. Who can forget his great effort in a comeback against Pittsburgh, his lighting up Wake Forest on Senior Day, his 39 straight completions against Syracuse, and of course his great game against Florida State themselves. The only issue is can Golson learn the playbook fast enough. But being that they open with a couple of cream puffs in Texas State and South Florida, that might buy him a little extra time.<br />
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Notre Dame and Florida State are not scheduled to play next season but that can all change with the new playoff system. It would be fun to see.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-70267218476582610542015-05-07T15:25:00.002-07:002015-05-07T15:25:37.998-07:00Everett Golson Makes The Smartest Decision He Could Have<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As much as Notre Dame fans wanted to see Everett Golson come back to Notre Dame for his senior season, deep down very few felt that it would probably be in his best personal interests. With the emergence of Malik Zaire late last season, it was clear that Golson would have to fight to remain the starter after watching Zaire be the MVP of the Music City Bowl.<br />
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That's not to say that he would not have beaten Zaire in the competition. He very well might have. But that is a gamble that he knew he just could not take. Golson had a great spring and looked good in the Spring Game. But Zaire was just a little better as he was in last year's spring game as well as the bowl game. <br />
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But even if Golson were to have won back the starting job, there is little doubt that Zaire was still going to have an increased role. The question of whether a two quarterback system could work was debated up to now. But a better question would have been would either quarterback have wanted anything to do with that? The answer from both guys was clearly no.<br />
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That would have left Coach Brian Kelly with an incredibly tough decision. He would have had to choose from the more experienced and polished Golson or the young phenom that just seems to make plays.<br />
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But looking at it from a practical perspective, Kelly was probably ultimately going to go with Zaire. The fact that the two of them were so close almost seems like you have to go with the guy that will be there for the next three seasons. As great as Golson was at times for Notre Dame, he did have his mistakes too and you really would expect a senior to be well ahead of an underclassmen, but he wasn't. <br />
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That really left Golson with just one option if he wants a long term future playing football. He had to go somewhere else where he would have a guaranteed opportunity to start. There are plenty of schools that make sense. Miami of Ohio is coached by Chuck Martin and he could really dominate the MAC. He could dominate the Big Ten if he went to Michigan. How about Oregon or Florida State with their big name quarterbacks now in the NFL?<br />
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All those schools seem viable but it is looking like he is going to the SEC to play for either South Carolina or Georgia. There he will have a legendary coach in either Steve Spurrier or Mark Richt. I still think LSU is a possibility. But whatever Golson decides, I will root for that team as long as they are not playing Notre Dame.<br />
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Good Luck Everett Golson and thank you.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-4155459620564204652015-04-18T13:45:00.001-07:002015-04-18T13:45:12.672-07:00Absolutely Nothing Gets Settled In QB Duel at Blue-Gold Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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All the focus on the offseason for Notre Dame has been who would be the starter at quarterback for the 2015 season. We have Everett Golson who in spite of all the turnover problems has shown ability to make big throws with the game on the line. Then we have Malik Zaire who sat most of the year but started the Music City Bowl against LSU and was named MVP. However, Golson also played a big role in that game too. <br />
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So the idea of who would be the quarterback is really up in the air. In past years Coach Kelly has said that, but we all knew who it would be. This year we really don't know. And nobody expected to think we would know that after the annual spring game but that maybe we would have a better idea.<br />
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But that would not be the case at all as each quarterback really looked good in the first half. For what it is worth, Golson started. I am not even going to get into their stats because it is a practice game and being that both guys had big plays called back due to penalties, and that the only interception came on a gimmick fan called play "The Inebriated Irishman," the stats really give a skewed picture.<br />
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What you can say is that both QBs opened up with touchdown drives. Golson had one running and Zaire had a toss to Justin, I like to date porn stars, Brent. Kelly really had Golson work more on the option and Zaire on throwing. Zaire also had a great throw on a long bomb to Will Fuller. Golson had some really nice runs along with Tarean Folston and CJ Proiese.<br />
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Really nothing was close to being settled because both were good. I am thinking right now I can make a case for both. Of course, Golson could still use the transfer option and that makes it easy. <br />
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If I am making a case for Golson it is this. Yes he had a turnover problem but many were due to poor line play and he really seems to have corrected it and has had a great spring. The line also looks better. This is also a guy that led the Irish to an undefeated regular season in 2012 as a freshman. It is his Senior year and he is determined to leave his mark at Notre Dame.<br />
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But I can make an equally good case for Zaire. Yes, he is a little inconsistent throwing but that will improve with experience. Also, it doesn't really seem to matter if he makes a bad throw because he will get it back with a great run on the next play. Plus, he can be the QB for the next 3 seasons and that is huge as well. <br />
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Tough decision for Coach Kelly, I am glad I don't have to make it. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-27074137517657766362015-01-07T13:36:00.001-08:002015-01-07T13:40:17.761-08:00Everett Golson To LSU Would Certainly Be Interesting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And so the drama starts. Earlier this week there was a report that Everett Golson was interested in transferring to LSU. As it always goes, Golson and his people denied it. But there will be rumors like this all offseason. Golson along with Ohio State's Braxton Miller could be the missing piece for a team that is otherwise looking ready for a title run. LSU certainly fits that profile as they have arguably the best defense in the SEC and an outstanding young runner in Leonard Fournette. But they are weak at the quarterback position. It's no wonder that both Golson and Miller have been rumored to go there.<br />
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With all the schools out there, the odds of him ending up at LSU are probably slim. But let's just humor ourselves for a little bit. I can certainly see why LSU would be interested in Golson. He made some big passes in the Music City Bowl despite limited playing time. He is on the one who engineered the late drive that led to the game winning field goal. That was after taking a vicious hit that required a shot at halftime.<br />
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I can also certainly see why Golson would be interested in LSU. He will have a great line which will help with the turnover problem. He will have a great defense and an explosive back. The Tigers would immediately be set up to be a contender in the SEC and also for the playoff. The only problem is that they would be set up for one year as that is all Golson has left. That would require Golson to learn a new offense in a very short time. That is not easy.<br />
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It would also place a lot of attention on Notre Dame and Brian Kelly. Although Malik Zaire was very impressive in the Music City Bowl with the plays he made, he really was more of a running threat than he was passing. He had less than 100 yards passing and most of his throws were safe. Kelly would be letting a big name like Golson get away for a prospect who has a lot of potential. Zaire certainly has potential but potential means you have done nothing yet. That is definitely a risk.<br />
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Can you imagine if LSU makes the Playoff with Golson and Notre Dame is in another Music City or Pinstripe Bowl? Kelly would certainly have a lot to answer for there. At the same time, if Golson were to struggle at LSU and Notre Dame made the Playoff or even New Year's Six with Zaire, Kelly would look like a genius.<br />
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Golson to LSU probably will not become a reality, but it certainly would create drama if it did.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-44104908504802331182015-01-04T03:26:00.000-08:002015-01-04T03:26:16.198-08:00Everett Golson Will Explore His Options<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the most interesting stories for the offseason not only for Notre Dame but all of college football will be the decision of Everett Golson. After the Music City Bowl, he stated that his immediate plans are to return to Notre Dame for the spring semester in which he will graduate in May. After that he is unsure. He basically has three options. He can remain at Notre Dame, transfer, or enter the NFL Draft. It will not be an easy choice for him as each one has risk and reward. Let's look at those choices.<br />
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<strong>Option #1-Stay at Notre Dame</strong><br />
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As a Notre Dame fan, I hope he picks this one. After watching that Music City Bowl, it appears to many that Coach Brian Kelly has decided to give the ball to Malik Zaire as the regular quarterback. However, Kelly can never be predicted and I am not sure that it is as set in stone as it would appear. Zaire did get most of the snaps in the Music City Bowl, but I am not sure that would have been the case if Golson hadn't taken that vicious hit in the second quarter. He had to take a halftime shot for that. <br />
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Also, Zaire had less than 100 yards throwing and most of his passes were short and safe. It was Golson who hit most of the deep passes and especially on that critical last drive. So I am not convinced at all that Kelly has it set in his mind that Zaire is the main guy going forward.<br />
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I do think that Kelly wants to use more of a two quarterback system with the two. While the old adage is that if you have two you have none, there are exceptions and this is one of them. Golson is the veteran but only has a year left. Zaire has a lot of skill but is still raw. Each is different. When Golson is in, it seems like he is trying to do everything himself where as when Zaire is in, it appears like you have 11 guys working together. <br />
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Golson does need to learn that being a leader doesn't mean doing everything himself. Kelly said that two years ago he was riding the bus but driving it this year. Well, he looked like a good driver at times, other times he looked afraid to get behind the wheel, and other times he looked like he was driving drunk. Consistency is an issue but that gets back to using your teammates. <br />
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Maybe with a two quarterback system he will be more relaxed. <br />
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<strong>Option #2-NFL Draft</strong><br />
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I still haven't heard his draft grade, but I only advise quarterbacks to come out early if they are a likely first day pick. With Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston out there, I am not seeing it. I really think the turnovers would rub the NFL teams the wrong way. They want to see him clean that up first.<br />
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<strong>Option #3-Transfer</strong><br />
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Earlier I said as a Notre Dame fan, I hope he stays. But if I were advising him, I am not sure if that is in his best interests. I have no doubt that the two quarterback system can work. I am not questioning that at all. What I am questioning is whether Golson should want anything to do with it. Transferring in his last season did wonders for Russell Wilson. NFL teams will scratch their heads though on a guy who split time his senior year. So being that he is graduating and will not have to sit, it might be smart to look at this. <br />
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He will have to learn a new system quick so it might be advisable to pick a school that he has some familiar faces. One school that immediately stands out is Miami of Ohio. He is familiar with Chuck Martin. Although the team was not good, Andrew Hendirx had a good year throwing for them. There is no reason to believe that Golson can't do really well there. Another choice that makes since is Connecticut. He knows Bob Diaco and I am sure the OC is someone he is familiar with. Another choice might be Northwestern as Tommy Rees who was a good mentor to Golson is there now.<br />
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Those are his options and it will be interesting to see what he decides.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-47763400527497251082015-01-02T03:49:00.001-08:002015-01-02T03:50:18.421-08:00Notre Dame's Big Win Over LSU Was Just The Beginning of Huge SEC West Downfall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When Notre Dame made the decision to play LSU in the Music City Bowl, I am sure that starting a streak of losses for the SEC West was the last thing they were worried about. After a season that began so strong but ended in a big collapse, ending on a positive note was the only thing the Fighting Irish was worried about. <br />
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Nonetheless, Notre Dame and their fans have had to deal with what all other college football teams and their fans have to deal with. That is constantly listening to ESPN talk about how great the SEC is. Nobody can deny the impressive run they have had. However, I find it especially irritating that they schedule lots of FCS team and are never held accountable for it. That is especially true for the SEC West. The SEC East at least has end of season rivals with the ACC. <br />
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For years the conference has gotten away with that and we still hear how their schedules are so tough. This season was a little different as there was the perception that the SEC West had actually separated itself from the SEC East and was dominant in all of college football. The Playoff committee clearly showed SEC West bias in the early polls before they ultimately did get it right.<br />
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Notre Dame and all college football fans grew tired of hearing about the "mighty SEC West." Ironically when the bowl season began it looked like the entire SEC would just dominate once again. South Carolina from the East defeated Miami in the Independence Bowl. Texas A & M from the West defeated West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl. That same day Arkansas from the West destroyed Texas in the Texas Bowl. <br />
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Next game Notre Dame's great win over LSU. That did not look like a streak would be created though because that same day Georgia from the East crushed Louisville in the Belk Bowl. At that point, the conference as a whole was looking good as they were 4-1. The East was 2-0 and the mighty West was 2-1.<br />
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Ironically since then the East picked up another victory via Missouri over Minnesota in the Citrus Bowl. The SEC East is 3-0 so far with a chance for their division to go unbeaten. Tennessee will be favored over Iowa in the Taxslayer Bowl and Florida can end on a positive note against ECU in the Birmingham Bowl. But for the supposed superior West, the Notre Dame win created a streak that let's just say has made it a bad three days for the "best division in all of college football."<br />
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TCU crushed Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.<br />
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Georgia Tech kept in going against Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl.<br />
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Wisconsin shocked Auburn in the Outback Bowl.<br />
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But the biggest blow of all was Ohio State over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl/Playoff Semifinal.<br />
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So although they didn't plan it that way, Notre Dame began something big. The SEC West had a belief that they were just better than the rest of college football, but the rest of college football would have none of it. It kind of reminded me when Hitler had this belief that Germans were the master race but Jessie Owens came in and won all those Gold medals and blew his theory out the door. What these wins showed is that the SEC West is simply not superior to anybody in college football. They lost to the Big 10, ACC, Big 12, and the Independent that started it all. Maybe next year the committee won't show such bias in the early polls.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-72265152955718983522014-12-30T18:15:00.001-08:002014-12-30T18:15:56.807-08:00Notre Dame Proves Me Wrong and Shocks LSU<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am not sure where to start on this one. I have never been more happy to be wrong. Going into this, I really was not excited to watch. I thought that it was a mistake to accept this match up. I thought that it would be ugly and look bad for Notre Dame. Well as it turns out, this just might be the biggest win in Coach Kelly's tenure. <br />
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One of my biggest concerns was the defense. With the injuries and Brian VanGorder's tendency to non-stop blitz, I thought the Tigers would run all over them. It was a good surprise to see that the Irish got back to a simple front with good tackling and not allowing the big play. Only twice did they allow a big play. Both were touchdowns, but for them to only give up three scores to an SEC team is pretty impressive. I was very impressed with the fact that the defense gave up nothing in the 4th quarter. Bend but don't break defense may not be as fun or as exciting, but it is better fundamental defense. I hope VanGorder learned something.<br />
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Now getting to the story of the game. Kelly made a bold and risky decision to start Malik Zaire over Everett Golson. Make no mistake about it, Zaire looked really good. He threw a touchdown on his first drive and also ran another one in. He showed his mobility by adding 96 yards running. The ESPN commentators made sound as if the team is moving on from Golson. <br />
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But I am not so sure about that and here is why. Zaire only had 96 passing yards and most of his throws were very safe. The play calling in the second half was very conservative. When the team needed to throw downfield, Golson was brought in. With the game one the line and the team needing a long drive to get the field goal, it was Golson who was brought in to complete those big passes. In very limited duty Golson did a very nice job and had 90 big yards passing. It was clear that in spite of all the turnovers, Kelly still had more confidence in Golson with the game on the line. <br />
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Even in his post game interview, Kelly said that Zaire did a nice job of what they asked him to do. That means that who will be the quarterback next season is not as clear cut as ESPN was making it sound. It will be an interesting spring and this year's Blue-Gold game might be the biggest one ever. <br />
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One thing I really liked about Zaire is that he didn't try to do everything himself. He realized he has 10 other guys out there. The line played better with him in there and the offense as a unit looked more like a unit rather than just one guy trying to do everything. Maybe that could be a learning point for Golson that he doesn't have to do everything. <br />
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It will also be interesting to see what Golson decides to do. He clearly will not have the same role with the team next year. At the very least, he will have to split time. Can a two quarterback system work? Absolutely! It worked in the bowl game and Kelly made it work at Cincinnati. The better question is will Golson want any part of that?<br />
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Sharing time will affect his numbers and that cannot help his NFL prospects. He might want to transfer. Miami of Ohio could be an attractive place. Chuck Martin is there and Andrew Hendrix had a great year there even though the team did not. The next few weeks will be interesting.<br />
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Regardless of who is playing quarterback next season, I definitely feel a lot better now. All the injured and suspended players will return. That can only make the defense more deep. I can't wait for next season.<br />
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In closing, I just want to congratulate Tommy Rees on getting a job at Northwestern. I know he will be a great coach there.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-85571109536457646512014-12-29T16:22:00.000-08:002014-12-29T16:22:32.677-08:00Music City Bowl is Hard to Predict Because Notre Dame and LSU Are Hard to Predict<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Predicting a bowl game is never easy. The regular season has been over for a month and it is hard to see how a team will respond after the layoff. It is especially true when you have two teams who play in a game that was much lower than expectations at the beginning of the season. So how Notre Dame and LSU come out in this game will be interesting to see. For Notre Dame, it will be especially interesting to see who all is even healthy on the defensive side of the side after a season that saw 14 injuries.<br />
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The media is saying that both teams had roller coaster seasons. For Notre Dame the only ride I can think of that would fit would be the Demon Drop at Cedar Point. It is one where a cart goes all the way up to the top and then just like that it is a free fall. That is clearly what the Irish season was. They were sitting at 7-1 with their only loss to Florida State in a very controversial fashion. Then came the disaster in the desert, an embarrassment to Northwestern, and ugly games to Louisville and USC. <br />
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For LSU, it was more of a traditional roller coaster as they began the year with a dramatic win against Wisconsin. Then they blew out two cupcakes because well the SEC schedules cupcakes. Then they had a set back against Mississippi State before blowing out another cupcake. Next they got blown out by Auburn and then barely beat an underwhelming Florida team. The Tigers appeared to have righted the ship after impressive wins over Kentucky and Ole Miss. They took Alabama to overtime. But then like Notre Dame, they folded down the stretch by losing to Arkansas and barely beating Texas A & M. <br />
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The thing that is similar is that both teams had a loss to a playoff team that could have gone the other way. That means that there is ability on both teams. We all know what Everett Golson can do when he is on with all the receiving weapons he has. Golson will have to split time in the game with Malik Zaire. But who is playing quarterback is inconsequential if the defense doesn't do better than how they ended. Again, how healthy they are will be huge. The Tigers have a tough runner in Freshman Leonard Fournette who gained 891 yards with 8 touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings had just 10 touchdown passes with 7 interceptions. Their best receiver is sophomore Travin Dural who only had 37 catches for 758 yards and just 7 touchdowns. Compare that to Will Fuller who had 71 catches for 1037 yards and 14 touchdowns. It is clear that stopping the run will be key. <br />
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This bowl is between two big name programs who underachieved. It will be interesting to see how each team comes out.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-40093211743648912262014-12-20T02:12:00.002-08:002014-12-20T02:12:43.263-08:00Jimmy Clausen Was a Disappointment At Notre Dame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Earlier this week, some Notre Dame fans but not me got excited to hear that Jimmy Clausen will get a second chance as a starter in the NFL. When he was at Notre Dame, there were only two occasions when he got me excited. The first was the Hawaii Bowl in which he had his best college game and I was there. I was so excited that I was convinced the Irish would contend for the BCS the next season. But after another disappointing 6-6 season he excited me for the second time when he announced he was leaving. I knew the team would be better once he left. <br />
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I already know I am going to have so many try to convince me how great he was. That of course is based on nothing but his stats his junior year. That alone is a silly way to judge a quarterback. The stats are a big factor but that is not how quarterbacks are ultimately graded. They are looked at by how far they take a team. He had a career record of 16-19 and that Hawaii Bowl was the farthest they went.<br />
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When you company that with the fact that Clausen made his announcement at the Hall of Fame and then showed up on campus in a hummer holding up 4 fingers, that is the definition of a disappointment. That is a disappointment in capital letters. If you needed a picture for the word disappointment, you can use Clausen.<br />
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I know. I know. I know. Spare me the nonsense about his stats and how bad the defense was. Yes the defense was slightly better than this years defense, but look at the game film of the 6 losses that year and pay close attention to Clausen with the ball in his hands with the game on the line. He choked regularly. <br />
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If you want to know how he had such great stats, a good place to look is at the other sideline this Sunday and you will see Golden Tate who consistently bailed him out on balls that were thrown into traffic.<br />
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Although Notre Dame fans may not see this but NFL teams did as he was not taken on the first day. Carolina gave up on him after one season. Make no mistake of it. He is not starting now because he earned it but because Jay Cutler lost it. Expect the Detroit Lions to make an example of him and show just how overrated he really was. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-40628451725504931182014-12-09T19:07:00.000-08:002014-12-09T19:07:13.594-08:00Another Inevitable Decision. The Navy Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We all know the history of Notre Dame and Navy. We know how World War II put Notre Dame in a huge financial strain. One that the school would not have survived if not for the actions of the Naval Academy. We hear that story every year when Notre Dame and Navy play each other. This has traditionally been one of my personal favorite games.<br />
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That is until recently. Lately, it seems that every year when the Irish and Midshipmen play each other, Notre Dame suffers more injuries than it needs and has suffered embarrassing losses the following week to teams like Tulsa and Pittsburgh. Even in the 12-0 year, the team barely beat a physically inferior Purdue team the week after Navy. This year, that game hit Notre Dame harder than ever. That was when the injury problems really started. The worst loss that game was Joe Schmidt.<br />
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After the Navy game, Notre Dame was 7-1 and very much alive in the discussion for the playoff. But the injury problems on defense continued and 4 straight losses followed.<br />
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Looking ahead to next season, I cringe at the idea of this game being right before USC. I also notice that Georgia Tech is on the schedule just a couple games earlier. They have Navy's old coach so it is almost like a double whammy sort of speak. The potential fallout could be devastating once again.<br />
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That has led many Notre Dame fans to wonder if keeping this game is in the school's best interests. There are those who say Notre Dame gains nothing by playing this game. A win over Navy will not boost their ranking. It is a no win especially with all the injuries that occur.<br />
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There are also those who say that the Irish owe to Navy to keep them on the schedule. My response to that is this. Suppose you own a home in Hawaii but you are going through financial difficulty and are in risk of losing it. A rich man decides to help you out and you save your home. In return you allow him to stay there anytime he wants to go to Hawaii. It goes on for years and all is well. You both pass away, but your kid honors the deal with his kid. His kid is a bit of a slob and throws crazy parties. He leaves the place trashed. There is no way you would continue to honor that agreement.<br />
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World War II ended in 1945 and it is now 2014. That is 69 years. Whatever debt Notre Dame owed to Navy is paid for and then some. Notre Dame is basically doing the Naval Academy a favor at this point. The fact is that every year we see that Navy players diving right toward the knees. I saw the same thing the other night when Georgia Tech played Florida State. Anybody who has coached football at any level knows that that is "Bush League." If Notre Dame would have done that to Alabama two years ago, it would have been all over ESPN. But Navy gets away with it because they are the ones who risk their lives every day/ Criticizing a service academy kind of looks bad, so they will not call a spade a spade.<br />
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Notre Dame cannot just ignore this. They can start by sending a letter to Navy and tell them clearly that this game will be removed from the schedule if that cut-blocking stuff doesn't stop.<br />
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If they still want to honor the World War II memories, the schools can make a new arrangement and play in basketball.<br />
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Another option would be to make a new agreement with the service academies that Notre Dame will only play one each year. That game will be either at home or the Shamrock Series. Also, make it on Championship Saturday so Notre Dame is playing that day even though it is not in a conference championship. Air Force would have to keep that weekend open though because they might have to play in the Mountain West Championship. So on their year, Notre Dame would have to play them earlier. The advantage to this is that the team would not have a game for a few weeks which should be enough time to heal.<br />
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If not that weekend, maybe they could open the season with the service academy game and have a bye immediately following. That would be early enough to where the team can heal without having too much of a negative impact. Also, having an early bye would enable Notre Dame to schedule a game that Championship Saturday possibly with BYU.<br />
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The Navy game is not a game I want to see go away, but at some point Notre Dame has to be practical.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-83636931480234006522014-12-08T22:37:00.000-08:002014-12-08T22:37:07.398-08:00The Inevitable Choice Notre Dame Will Have To Make<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Notre Dame is already in the ACC in every sport except football. They chose to remain independent with the agreement that they would play 5 ACC teams a year. The Irish subsequently had to end it's rivalry with Michigan in order to keep rivalries with USC, Stanford, and Navy. Notre Dame also has plans to renew it's rivalry with Michigan State after a two year gap in 2016.<br />
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That all looked good as Notre Dame could add tough ACC teams without losing it's traditional rivals. But now there is the reality of the playoff selection committee. Over the weekend, they clearly showed how much value they place in conference championship games. The Final Four consists of Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, and Ohio State. All four won their conference championship. Meanwhile, Big 12 co-champs Baylor and TCU where left out. Not having that game hurt them. 12-1 is better than 11-1. That is just simple math.<br />
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What that means is that even if Notre Dame didn't fall apart after the Navy game, they probably would not have gotten in at 11-1. What that means in the future is that as long as Notre Dame keeps it's independence, it will likely have to go undefeated to get in.<br />
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So that leads to the inevitable question of what does Notre Dame do? Do they join the ACC for football as well? That would certainly give them the opportunity to play in that title game. It would also give them some easy conference games. A perspective I heard this weekend was that Notre Dame's schedule year after year is tougher than what it would be if they were a regular ACC member.<br />
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But at the same time, there would be drawbacks as well. Notre Dame doesn't share any revenue from bowl games, NBC contract, etc. with anybody. That would change if they were in the ACC. Also even more rivals would go away. In State rival Purdue would be out for good. Sparty would be gone as well. What would happen to Navy and Stanford would be up in the air. I would think that the USC game would still go on.<br />
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I hate the thought of not playing those games. But I also hate the fact of being penalized for not having a game that will keep Notre Dame out of the playoff more often than not. Notre Dame will inevitably have to face this reality. They will have to decide whether it is more important to keep their traditions or being able to consistently get into the playoff. This is not an easy decision at all. I am glad I am not making it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-76195235360621220902014-12-08T02:44:00.000-08:002014-12-08T02:44:10.301-08:00Right Decision Or Not, Notre Dame Accepts Bid To Face LSU In Music City Bowl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has been debated for the past week by Notre Dame fans. Would they or wouldn't they not accept a bowl bid? Should they or shouldn't they accept the bowl bid. Every Notre Dame fan wants to see the Irish play in the Bowl game. That was never the question. The question was whether or not it was the right thing to do. There were many including me wondering not only if it would send the right message to allow a team who lost 4 straight to go to a bowl and whether or not the team would even be healthy enough to play.<br />
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Well, the decision has been made and as Notre Dame fans we need to support the team whether we agree with the decision or not. So it is time to start getting ready for LSU. Although the Tigers had a bit of a down year, they are still a premier school in the tough SEC West. Alabama needed overtime to beat them. So it definitely won't be easy for Notre Dame.<br />
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The good news for Notre Dame is that the game is not until the day before New Years Eve. That gives them not only more time to prepare but also more time for some of the wounded to get healthy. It will be interesting to see how the quarterback situation plays out. Will Brian Kelly go back with Everett Golson or will he start Malik Zaire? It seems that against an SEC defense, you would have to go with the veteran. But then again, I gave up trying to figure out Kelly since his days at my alma mater Central Michigan.<br />
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Notre Dame and LSU have only crossed paths 10 times and the record is an even 5 a piece. The last time they met was the 2007 Sugar Bowl where Jamarcus Russell's Tigers wazed Brady Quinn's Irish 41-14. An Irish win in the Music City Bowl would not only avenge that loss, but also make the late season collapse a little more forgivable going forward.<br />
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It will be tough, but Go Irish beat LSU!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-13008307988764962302014-12-05T03:31:00.002-08:002014-12-05T03:31:24.946-08:00Five Changes Coach Kelly and Notre Dame Need to Make<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/001/360/275/brian-kelly-scremaing-2_original_original_original_original_display_image.jpg?1317265640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/001/360/275/brian-kelly-scremaing-2_original_original_original_original_display_image.jpg?1317265640" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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As I have stated repeatedly, I am not on the Fire Brian Kelly bandwagon yet, but I am beginning to lose my patience. I think you give him next year but the team better be in the playoff. Having said that, I do see five key things that need to change and should help. No, I am not going to say start Malik Zaire. Everett Golson has done too many good things and has way too much skill to just abandon. I think Kelly should give an a number of turnovers, say 6 that he is allowed to make. After that he is coming out if he goes over 6. Kelly should stick with Golson but there are areas that need change.<br />
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<b>Brian VanGorder Must Go</b><br />
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I know he has only had one season, but this style of defense will never be successful in South Bend. It is an injury prone style. Think about it, are you more likely to get in a car accident if you are driving recklessly or if you are obeying the laws? This style of defense is reckless and probably contributed to all the injuries. On top of that, in order for this defense to work, you need lock down corners to cover the best receiver for the other team. What is more frustrating is that we saw this style defense get torched under John Tenuta a few years ago. Bob Diaco just emphasized good tackling. No fancy schemes. They gave up yards but ultimately kept them out of the endzone. Why the team went back to this kind of defense is beyond me.<br />
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<b>Hire Jeff Quinn As Offensive Coordinator</b><br />
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The reason is real simple. This guy was with Kelly pretty much everywhere he went. The only exception was Notre Dame because Quinn took the head coaching job at Buffalo. Well now he is gone from there which makes him available to rejoin Kelly.<br />
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<b>Bring Back Tommy Rees In Some Capacity</b><br />
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<b> </b>The best year Tommy Rees had at Notre Dame was his year backing up Golson. He was called in at times and did well. But his most important role was mentoring Golson. Rees wasn't the most talented quarterback ever in South Bend, but he was very knowledgeable. Unlike Golson, Rees made mistakes due to lack of talent and not too many just bonehead plays. Bringing Rees back to help with not just Golson but all the young quarterbacks as well.<br />
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<b>Hire a Really Good Special Teams coach</b><br />
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This has been a struggle since Kelly has been at Notre Dame. Notre Dame scares nobody with their return men. This year fans had to hold their breath on extra points. That is not good. I am not sure who is out there but they need somebody.<br />
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<b>Be Smart With Scheduling Navy</b><br />
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This is a long standing tradition that honestly does nothing for Notre Dame. It is a big game for Navy though. Every year Notre Dame seems to get more injuries during this game. This year the defense took major hits in that game and most notably was Joe Schmidt. The Irish defense was clearly different after that game. Since taking them off the schedule seems unlikely, Notre Dame should play them on Championship Saturday since neither team has a game that day. That way the team has a little time to recover before the post season. At the very least, make sure a bye follows them.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-71338418817488430182014-12-03T01:15:00.000-08:002014-12-03T01:15:32.114-08:00Brian Kelly Hasn't Had a Good Road Record Vs PAC 12<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a frustrating season, I am still not quite yet on the bandwagon to part ways with Coach Brian Kelly. He does deserve another season, but the seat should definitely be hot. I mentioned before that there are things that are of legit concern such as his lack of accountability, poor special teams, playing down to competition, etc.<br />
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But there is one concern I haven't mentioned. As we know, each year Notre Dame ends it's season with a November road trip to face a PAC 12 opponent which is either USC or Stanford. This season they actually had two such trips as Arizona State was on the schedule. I am not sure what it is about those games but they have been some of Coach Kelly's worst games at Notre Dame. Both trips to Stanford have been a disaster. Notre Dame's two worst games this year were USC and Arizona State.<br />
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I know it is not because these programs are superior in talent because the Irish beat both of them last year and they both had relatively the same team. One was at home and the other was the Shamrock Series. Watching these PAC 12 road games, it always seems that the team is just not ready to play. Notre Dame seems fine going to other places, but the PAC 12 stadiums have not been kind.<br />
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Even the two USC games that he did win weren't exactly signature wins. They were in a way because it was against the main rival. But talking in terms of looking great as a football team, not so much. In six total PAC 12 road games, Kelly is 2-4. Maybe that is just coincidence, but more likely there is something to the preparation for these long road trips. It just seems to happen too frequently to be circumstantial.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-119860064436740912014-12-02T00:35:00.002-08:002014-12-02T00:35:59.602-08:00There Is a Bigger Problem With Everett Golson Than The Turnovers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Looking at the most frustrating end to a season that I can possibly remember, it is never just one thing that causes a team to just collapse the way Notre Dame did. But the aspect that got the most attention was the play of Everett Golson. The focus on it was his 22 turnovers. That is certainly a huge concern that he didn't anywhere near that two years agree as a freshman.<br />
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That is something that he has to clean up but honestly the quarterback position is the most turnover position in all of sports. Looking at Golson's season as a whole, I think there is an even bigger problem with him than the turnovers. Coach Kelly was asked early in the season about the difference between him before and now. Kelly said that two years ago Golson was riding the bus and now he is driving it.<br />
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Well I think Golson was definitely given the keys to the bus, but I am not sure if he ever took the wheel. He looked amazing at times with all the plays he could make. He made throws that Tommy Rees couldn't even think about. But Rees was in control of his offense.<br />
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Looking at last year's team, even though Rees was limited in skill and also turned it over a lot, you never had a doubt watching who the leader was. Two years ago, Golson wasn't asked to be a leader and you could easily tell that Manti Te'o was the leader.<br />
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This year though, I never saw much in terms of leadership from Golson. He is a natural athlete but you can tell he is not much for pumping up his team. In the Past, Rees and Te'o would show leadership on the field and even on the sideline when the other units were out there. I don't remember seeing Golson once on the sideline pumping up the defense or anybody on the team.<br />
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Now I am not in the camp of benching him. Malik Zaire was decent in relief but it was in a situation where the game was well out of reach early. He had the starting unit and was against the Trojans backups. With all the sanctions, some of them might not even have been on scholarship. So I think the kid was ok, but I am not going to bust out the anointing oil just yet.<br />
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Kelly said that he is unsure who the starter will be going forward. Looking at next year's schedule, it gets no easier at the start. They open with an upstart Texas followed by two tough ACC teams in Virginia and Georgia Tech. It almost seems logical to go with Golson for those three games and see where he is at that point. After that it gets a little easier with UMass. That may be the time to make the change if deemed appropriate.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-62598813079379892792014-12-01T03:15:00.001-08:002014-12-01T03:15:34.101-08:00Should This Team Go To a Bowl Game?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the question that has been argued all over social media the past two days after the USC debacle. Now initially you think, "Of course we want to go to a bowl game." As a fan, of course I want to see another game. Heck, I hope they come back out here to the Hawaii Bowl. I loved it when they came here before. I think every Notre Dame fan wants to be in a bowl game.<br />
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But the question is not whether Notre Dame wants to play in a bowl. It is whether or not they should. I am personally amazed at how personally insulting fans have gotten toward each other on this topic. We may agree or disagree as fans as to what is the right thing to do is, but we all want what is best for the Irish.<br />
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The arguments I hear are, "We owe it to the seniors," "We need those 15 practices," "It helps recruiting," and "We will give up a lot of money if we don't go."<br />
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Let me start with the first one and say no we don't. These guys will leave with a degree from Notre Dame and some of them will make lots of money in the NFL. They will be just fine. I do appreciate all they did for the program but the fact remains that the team did not live up to expectations their senior year.<br />
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Second, I coached at both the high school and Pop Warner level. So of course I know the value of practice. However, it is not about the number of practices it is about the quality of practice. With all these players injured, I am not sure how quality these practices will be. If you remember correctly Auburn was not in a bowl game two years ago and last year they made it all the way to the BCS Title Game. So it is not like the kids will completely forget how to play football without those two weeks of practice.<br />
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Third, the recruiting aspect is a legit point but understand that it can also have a reverse effect. What if the Irish lose to a team like Northern Illinois or Gunner Kiel makes them look foolish if they get matched up with Cincinnati. What will that do for recruiting?<br />
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Finally, I definitely understand how much revenue comes into the school from a bowl game. But seriously c'mon. This isn't Texas-El Paso. This is Notre Dame which is one of the biggest brands in all of sports. So I seriously don't see the school filing Chapter 11 if they don't get that money from a bowl game.<br />
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Beyond all that, I have two major concerns about sending this team to a bowl game. First, will the team even be healthy enough to play? There were hardly any players left on defense for the USC game. Who will be available for the bowl game? Some of the injured players might try and come back for it even though it is not advisable putting them at increased risk to get hurt even worse. That is definitely something for the coaches and athletic department to consider.<br />
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Second, 7-5 is not good enough for Notre Dame. Many on social media claim that you are not a true fan if you feel they shouldn't go to a bowl game. I say that you are not a true fan if you believe 7-5 is good enough. It was fine in Kelly's first season when the team started 1-3 and finished 7-5. That is clearly much different from a 7-5 team that started 6-0. It is not like this would be something unprecedented. Lou Holtz refused to go after a team lost 3 games. He said that was below Notre Dame standards. Then just a few years ago a 6-6 team which also dropped 4 in a row refused.<br />
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Call me old school, but I look at a bowl game as a REWARD for a GREAT season. This is not a season that needs to be rewarded. My high school coach would take teams out for steak dinner if they won league. Both of my years we won and got to go. But other teams that didn't win league had to miss it. He said that it would send the wrong message to let them go anyway.<br />
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Now each coach and team have their own expectations and the beginning of the season. While I am not sure what Kelly's expectations were, I am sure they were better than 7-5. I am afraid that if we let this team go to a bowl game, that this becomes the new standard and I don't like that at all.<br />
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Now I am not saying that Notre Dame should just say no to the bowl game. There are a couple of very good reasons to go to a Bowl game. First, after what happened between Everett Golson and Malik Zaire in the USC game it would be beneficial to open up a competition and see who wins. How Golson responds or how Zaire does in a potential starting role will be a good sign of who the team should proceed with.<br />
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Second, although this team doesn't need to be rewarded, it would still be a big momentum boost going into next season if the Irish can go out there and get an impressive victory. Next season the schedule gets no easier. The opener with an upstart Texas team will not be easy. They also have six ACC opponents featuring heavyweights Clemson and Georgia Tech. Of course traditional rivals in USC, Stanford, and Navy will all be tough as well. So this program definitely could use momentum going into the offseason.<br />
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The thing with momentum though is that is a another aspect that can backfire if the Irish lose the bowl. So considering all those factors, Notre Dame needs to first determine if this team will realistically even be able to field a legit team. Then they need to find a match up that gives them a strong chance of winning. If both of those factors hold up, I say go. If not, then maybe it might be best to just shut it down for this season.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-12230227228947277202014-11-30T03:18:00.000-08:002014-11-30T03:18:01.466-08:00USC Flat Out Embarrasses Notre Dame. It Was Ugly.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Not a lot needs to be said about this one. I am not going to say I told you so because I have never wanted to be wrong more than for this one. Everett Golson is officially in Brian Kelly's dog house. He was so ineffective against USC that he was pulled in the late 2nd quarter. Would he have been pulled if the game wasn't already out of reach? Only Kelly knows. Kelly said after the game that he is not sure if Golson will be the starting quarterback going forward. That can mean a couple of things. He could be pulling the plug on Golson or he could be trying to light a fire under him.<br />
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Kelly should do what Lou Holtz did with Steve Beurlein. Beurlein threw a lot of interceptions his junior year. Holtz sat down with him and simply said, "I guarantee that you won't throw 7 next season." Beurlein said, "Okay." Holtz said, "That's because as soon as you throw 6, I am taking you out." Beurlein responded with a great senior season.<br />
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Malik Zaire did look alright in relief. He led a couple touchdown drives. He was 9 of 20 for 170 yards. Those stats would have been a little better if the receivers didn't have some drops. Zaire also didn't turn the ball over. But let's not get too excited just yet. He game in with the game already way out of reach and much of his action was against back ups. I would guess that because of the sanctions many of them were not even on scholarship.<br />
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Defensively, this depleted unit seems to every week break a Notre Dame record, but not the ones you want to break. It was no different this game as Cody Kessler became the first quarterback ever to throw 6 touchdowns against Notre Dame.<br />
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After dominating this rivalry for nearly a decade, the Trojans had slipped and lost 3 of 4 and two straight at home. But they took back the bragging rights in this rivalry. What is really frustrating for Notre Dame is that the sanctions for USC are now done and they get all their scholarships back. On top of that, next year this game is the week after Navy. We all know how that works.<br />
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Notre Dame has some decisions to make in the coming days on whether to go to a bowl game or not. That is not an easy decision and tomorrows blog will cover that.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-50165064141939703042014-11-28T04:21:00.001-08:002014-11-28T04:21:31.880-08:00I Hope I am Wrong, But I See No Way Notre Dame Beats USC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have never wanted to be wrong more than I do now. I despise USC more than any other school in the nation. A win over them would definitely make those other late season losses more forgivable. The Trojans do lack depth on defense because they still have the scholarship reductions. So by running the ball a lot, the Irish can wear them out. USC is also coming off a really bad loss to their other big rival UCLA. So they may have a bit of a "hangover." With both of those factors in mind, I still see no way Notre Dame can go into the Coliseum and get a victory.<br />
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For starters that loss to UCLA could and probably will be a motivator to USC. They will not want to lose to rivals in back to back weeks. Another motivating factor is that Notre Dame has won 3 of the last 4 and two straight in LA. There is no doubt they will want to take their house back.<br />
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I mentioned earlier that Notre Dame can commit to the run and wear this thin defense out. But I am not sure if Brian Kelly can help himself. Even with all the turnovers, Everett Golson is one of the most exciting players to watch in college football. The fast paced game is what is natural to Kelly instead of keeping that defense on the field and wearing them down.<br />
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But the most important factor why I don't see Notre Dame winning is because of USC's offense. Probably the most underrated quarterback in the country is Cody Kessler. His numbers are just sick. He is completing almost 70% of his passes. He has thrown for 3133 yards with 30 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. With those numbers he should be in the Heisman talk and why he isn't is beyond me.<br />
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Nelson Agholor is Kessler's favorite target. He has 85 catches for 1103 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Trojans also run the ball well behind a really good offensive line. Javorius Allen is the leading runner with 1244 yards and 9 touchdowns.<br />
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Just being real with all the injuries Notre Dame has had on defense and all these freshman forced into duty, how can we realistically expect them to stop this Trojan offense when they couldn't even stop Northwestern. Even before all the injuries, this defense has not had a good game since Stanford.<br />
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I feel that for Notre Dame to win this game, they almost have to score on every possession and have no turnovers. How realistic is that?<br />
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I would be happy to be eating crow Saturday night.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-79027554514490283052014-11-26T01:18:00.000-08:002014-11-26T01:18:10.519-08:00A Rivalry That Just Doesn't Feel The Same This Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Notre Dame and USC is among the greatest rivalries in all of college football. It is right up there with Michigan-Ohio State, Army-Navy, Alabama-Auburn, etc. But this year, it just doesn't feel the same. In years past it has been a rivalry where the winner could possibly be playing for a National Championship.<br />
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Notre Dame has lost 3 straight and are already locked in to a non-championship bowl. But it would be nice if USC still had the chance to make the playoff so Notre Dame could at least spoil it for them. Michigan will have that chance against Ohio State and Florida can do the same to Florida State. But Notre Dame and USC are both 7-4 and headed to a bowl game that has no relevance to the playoff committee.<br />
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Heck, even Illinois and Northwestern have more on the line. They are both 5-6 and the winner is bowl eligible and the loser is home for the holidays. It would be nice if there was something on the line here but there really isn't.<br />
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But it is still Notre Dame and USC. Notre Dame has won 3 of the last 4 and the last two at the Coliseum. The Trojans will definitely want to change that. They are also coming off a bad loss to crosstown rival UCLA. Losing to two big rivals in back to back weeks is a hard way to go into a bowl game. The Irish will not want to go into a bowl game on a 4 game losing streak. That is really all that is on the line.<br />
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But with all that, bragging rights for this rivalry are always nice. But it is a whole lot nicer when you can go on to contend for a championship or be able to say you cost your rival that opportunity.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-89665630514380633652014-11-25T02:36:00.001-08:002014-11-25T02:36:39.141-08:00Kelly's 5th Year Looking Very Similar To Weis's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I remember Charlie Weis's last season like it was yesterday. Here is the guy who came in and did a lot of great things early. He totally transformed the direction of Brady Quinn's Notre Dame career. He also found a diamond in the rough in Jeff Samardzija. That was good enough to lead the Irish to BCS Bowls in his first two seasons, only to get beaten soundly in both of them. After that the trouble began for Weis. He now had to coach the players he recruited. Jimmy Clausen was the new quarterback and their first year together was a struggle. They won just 3 games that year. The next season was a little better and ended in a Hawaii Bowl triumph.<br />
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The momentum from that win carried over to the next season. Early on the Irish looked great. They were sitting at 6-2 and looked primed for another BCS run. Then in came Navy and shocked the Irish. That loss stung and Notre Dame ended with a 4 game slide. Notre Dame elected not to go to a bowl game that season although they were eligible and Weis was gone.<br />
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Brian Kelly was hired about a week later. Now here we are 5 years later and just like in his predecessors 5th year, the team is sliding late in the season. It is amazing that this team was once at 7-1 and looked primed for a spot in the first playoff. But once again, a tough game with Navy has resulted in a losing streak. Although Notre Dame did defeat the Midshipmen this time, the game took a lot out of the defense and a 3 game losing streak has followed.<br />
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These two teams have a couple of similarities. That is an offense that can score against anybody and a defense that can't stop a junior college team.<br />
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Looking at the 5 year stretches for both coaches, you have to wonder if the team is better under Kelly than it was under Weis. Weis actually led Notre Dame to more BCS Bowls than Kelly did. Although Kelly didn't lead them to a BCS Bowl but to THE BCS Title game. But neither coach fared very well in those games. Both coaches had many key contributors on those BCS teams who were recruited by his predecessor.<br />
Special teams were never really good under Weis and may have even regressed under Kelly. Based on those factors, it doesn't look on paper like the team is better under Kelly than it was under Weis.<br />
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But even with all that, Kelly will probably survive the late season slide even if they lose to USC and the Bowl game. One reason why is because there really isn't a proven winner who will be available. But the main reason is that Kelly has a better win-loss record than Weis had. In five years, Kelly is so far 44-19 while Weis was 35-27.<br />
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That record combined with the fact that Notre Dame has a really young team will be what saves Kelly and gets him his 6th year. I can see how that is fair, but next season is the season that will define Kelly. If he manages only another 7-8 win season, the school has a decision to make. But there is one thing that I do have to question. I keep hearing all the talk about how many freshman are playing. Why is that happening in year 5? That is an excuse for the 1st or even the 2nd year. You would think that in year 5 he would have had enough of his own recruits who are upperclassmen.<br />
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Just something to think about.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-54352671895723055202014-11-23T02:37:00.000-08:002014-11-23T02:37:17.339-08:00Louisville Runs All Over Depleted Irish Defense<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With a freshman Reggie Bonafon starting at quarterback, Notre Dame was totally focused on stopping the running game of Louisville. That makes the fact that the Cardinals were able to pretty much run at will hurt even more. The team gained over 200 yards rushing against the Irish defense. Brandon Radcliff gained 136 yards with a touchdown. Former Auburn runner Mike Dyer also pitched in 61 yards. Bonafon also gained 35 yards and 2 touchdowns.<br />
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To be fair, the Irish defense has been depleted with injuries. Losing Joe Schmidt seemed to have hurt the worse. Sheldon Day is also a huge loss. Against Louisville, Cody Riggs and Jaron Jones also were added to the list of injuries. Notre Dame at times had 9 freshman out there playing.<br />
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Having said all that, this unit has given up 30+ points in 6 straight games. Over that stretch, they have given up 242 points. That is awful. This unit started the year so strong too. Against Michigan and Stanford, fans believed that this defense was among the best in the nation. But now, I am not sure there is an offense in the country that this defense can stop.<br />
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Say what you want about Everett Golson and all his turnovers. The offensive line has also been a problem. Heck, Notre Dame cannot even get a guy to hold kicks. But even with all those factors, Notre Dame's lowest offensive output over that same 6 game stretch was 27 points. That was against Florida State in that controversial game. Their average scoring over that stretch is 37.5. If I were a head coach and had an offense that scored that many points, I would expect to win. I certainly would think that 40 would be enough to blow Northwestern out.<br />
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I do understand how young this defense is and all the injuries. But c'mon, these guys are good enough to get a scholarship at Notre Dame. I expect that they should be able to give up less than 37 points. These woes are due to more than just injury and youth. Brian VanGorder must go. He is a reincarnation of John Tenuta. Sure the blitzing is exciting and has potential to make a big play for a loss or force a turnover, but it also has potential to give up big plays because you leave something open.<br />
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Another problem is that it does not teach good fundamental defense. Whenever a player runs through with reckless abandon, he can run right through and miss the tackle. Coach Diaco had nothing fancy, he just emphasized good tackling. His defenses did give up yards but because they tackled well, they could keep them out of the endzone.<br />
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You also have to wonder if this style of reckless play might be a contributing factor to all the injuries. What really irritates me about this style of nonstop blitzing is that it defeats the purpose of what a blitz is. It is supposed to be an element of surprise to catch an offense off guard. But when you blitz this frequently, they are ready for it. It is basically the same thing as an offense running a trick play every 2 or 3 plays.<br />
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I am not ready to part ways with Coach Kelly yet, but please as soon as the gun sounds against USC buy Mr. VanGorder a one way ticket to wherever he wants to go.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5835307064918806521.post-12337226285576450392014-11-20T17:45:00.001-08:002014-11-20T17:45:28.653-08:00Louisville Is Going To Be Tough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The good news is that Notre Dame is undefeated under Brian Kelly on Senior Day. So whatever Coach has done to get them ready for the senior's last trip through the tunnel has worked. In fact, some of the teams best performances have been on Senior Day. Who can forget Robert Blanton's blocked punt against Utah or just throttling Wake Forest?</div>
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The bad news is that this Louisville team is really good. They had a 21-0 lead on Florida State and like Notre Dame came close to beating them. But unlike Notre Dame, they seem to be peeking at the end of the season. </div>
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Louisville is without their starting quarterback Will Gardner, but back up Reggie Bonnafon has seen the field plenty. He has 662 yards passing with 4 touchdowns and just one interception. The good thing for him is that he has a trio of backs in Brandon Radcliff, Michael Dyer, and Dominique Brown who all are near the 400 yard mark for the season. That running game could create problems for the Irish who have given up a lot up the middle lately. With Sheldon Day now out, that could create even more problems.</div>
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Their defense has been up and down all year. But with the health of Everett Golson a major question mark, they could create serious trouble for Notre Dame's offense. </div>
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I am hopeful that the streak on Senior Day continues and the Irish get back on track, but I will not lie. It won't be easy.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264732902217463585noreply@blogger.com0