Life of a ND fan

[purguy12]

Im not here for others to feel bad for us. i just wanted to get something off my chest. The last 5 years has been tough with players leaving, suspensions, and Injuries. Every year we get hit with big injuries. This was suppose to be the year and BOOM we lose JJ before the season, Folston week 1, and now MZ in week 2. Last year we lost 8 starters on D. It never ends with injuries for us. Im getting so sick of this crap.

I was so fired up for this season and now I know its pretty much over and we didn't even lose yet. I just know we won't be able to be great with Kizer as the QB. Yes he made 1 big , clutch throw but overall he looked bad throwing the ball. Defense looked like crap yesterday and Oline struggled.

Being a ND fan is Tiring. Every year its something big. I had this team at 11-1 and now I think we will be 8-4 or 9-3 at best.

Lets Go Irish

 

[KnuteRoc]

Im not here for others to feel bad for us. i just wanted to get something off my chest. The last 5 years has been tough with players leaving, suspensions, and Injuries. Every year we get hit with big injuries. This was suppose to be the year and BOOM we lose JJ before the season, Folston week 1, and now MZ in week 2. Last year we lost 8 starters on D. It never ends with injuries for us. Im getting so sick of this crap.

I was so fired up for this season and now I know its pretty much over and we didn't even lose yet. I just know we won't be able to be great with Kizer as the QB. Yes he made 1 big , clutch throw but overall he looked bad throwing the ball. Defense looked like crap yesterday and Oline struggled.

Being a ND fan is Tiring. Every year its something big. I had this team at 11-1 and now I think we will be 8-4 or 9-3 at best.

Lets Go Irish

I know man. Why do you think I still trot out the Ghost of Rockne!? I was 18 when we last won the NC. I may never see another one... well that WE win of course.

It makes you wonder sometimes. Holtz played option ball too but the one thing I can say for Lou is, after that first year with Powlus, he at least tried to give him a more Pro-Style offense to work from. Our D wasn't as strong when Powlus was there as it was a few years before but the fact that Lou changed is what impressed me. Good luck finding many coaches these days that scheme according to personnel. I get that after you've been at a program for a long time you've recruited the types of players you want, but with NDs limitations as a recruiting power, sometimes we need to take what we have and give that group the best chance to succeed.

Let's wait until the ass-beating before we hang our heads for the season ye?

 

[purguy12]

I know man. Why do you think I still trot out the Ghost of Rockne!? I was 18 when we last won the NC. I may never see another one... well that WE win of course.

It makes you wonder sometimes. Holtz played option ball too but the one thing I can say for Lou is, after that first year with Powlus, he at least tried to give him a more Pro-Style offense to work from. Our D wasn't as strong when Powlus was there as it was a few years before but the fact that Lou changed is what impressed me. Good luck finding many coaches these days that scheme according to personnel. I get that after you've been at a program for a long time you've recruited the types of players you want, but with NDs limitations as a recruiting power, sometimes we need to take what we have and give that group the best chance to succeed.

Let's wait until the ass-beating before we hang our heads for the season ye?

Yeah its just frustrating. I really believed in this team this year. This injury is too much to over come.

 

[Lillyliverd]

I think ND's problems are a mix of bad luck and coaching shortcomings.

 

[KnuteRoc]

Quite likely for this year. My only question is does Kelly ever consider this to be a product of his scheme?

I know injuries come with the territory, but I don't recall so many at our crucial skill positions with other coaches. going back as far as Lou. I mean, we had a couple QBs get season enders during Davie or Willingham's eras but funny enough, didn't Weis' QBs survive the season? Not that Claussen was a favorite of mine, but Brady was a good college QB.

 

[Lillyliverd]

This injury is too much to over come.

You may be right. You have to wonder why the coaches build an offense around the Read Option when they only have 1 QB suited to that offense and it has a high probability for injury.

Ohio State had 3 interchangeable QB's last year.

 

[KnuteRoc]

You may be right. You have to wonder why the coaches build an offense around the Read Option when they only have 1 QB suited to that offense and it has a high probability for injury.

Ohio State had 3 interchangeable QB's last year.

Wonder indeed... as I've said, keep the spread, just dial back the read-option shit, I think we can still be really successful with the spread, but it needs to lose some plays and some tweaks need to be made... or, he can start recruiting 5 QBs a cycle.

 

[purguy12]

to be fair the injury was kind of a fluke injury. its not like he was running outside and got smashed. He probably ran that play 100 times in his football career. He ran the same kind offense at his high school.

I really would start the Frosh. Kid from NJ Wimbush. He has a lot of potential. I

I think Kizer will struggle big time against GT D. Kizer arm strength looks weak. He struggled throwing it. Even on the TD pass it seemed like he gave it his all on that throw. It was only a 40 yard pass.

We will need to be successful in the Running game to have any chance of winning.

 

[jjc2009]

to be fair the injury was kind of a fluke injury. its not like he was running outside and got smashed. He probably ran that play 100 times in his football career. He ran the same kind offense at his high school.

I really would start the Frosh. Kid from NJ Wimbush. He has a lot of potential. I

I think Kizer will struggle big time against GT D. Kizer arm strength looks weak. He struggled throwing it. Even on the TD pass it seemed like he gave it his all on that throw. It was only a 40 yard pass.

We will need to be successful in the Running game to have any chance of winning.

No quarrel with being down. We all are, and its just fucking unlucky. It is what it is. I can't abide with the argument to suddenly throw Wimbush in, however. Kizer knows the offense better, and I don't care how freakishly good Wimbush is, there's no way he can manage the full playbook. At lease Kizer can do that. ND has tied one arm behind its back trotting out QBs that can't run the whole playbook. Rees and Golson in particular. This fed into our predicability.

Wimbush may ultimately surpass Kizer on the depth chart, but I think throwing him out there now would be like throwing Clausen out there in '07. He'll spend the whole season running for his life. 8-4 sucks, especially given the expectations going into this year. But I'd rather have that than a 6-6 or even an '07 like season any day.

If Kelly has half a brain, he'll do what he did in '12 with Golson. This, of course will involve Van Gorder seriously getting his shit together and fielding a defense that can stop the scoring. And an honest to goodness commitment to power running and utilziing TEs better.

 

[purguy12]

No quarrel with being down. We all are, and its just fucking unlucky. It is what it is. I can't abide with the argument to suddenly throw Wimbush in, however. Kizer knows the offense better, and I don't care how freakishly good Wimbush is, there's no way he can manage the full playbook. At lease Kizer can do that. ND has tied one arm behind its back trotting out QBs that can't run the whole playbook. Rees and Golson in particular. This fed into our predicability.

Wimbush may ultimately surpass Kizer on the depth chart, but I think throwing him out there now would be like throwing Clausen out there in '07. He'll spend the whole season running for his life. 8-4 sucks, especially given the expectations going into this year. But I'd rather have that than a 6-6 or even an '07 like season any day.

If Kelly has half a brain, he'll do what he did in '12 with Golson. This, of course will involve Van Gorder seriously getting his shit together and fielding a defense that can stop the scoring. And an honest to goodness commitment to power running and utilziing TEs better.

Im ok with giving Kizer a chance here but if he looks bad have to put Wimbush in. I agree with you VG needs this D to play lights out now. Run the ball and D is whats going to get us a win.

 

[Irish7478]

In any event, Wimbush needs to get some reps. Just like Zaire went down, Kizer could be next. The idea of red shirting Wimbush is gone. They both need to start getting reps, and if Wimbush looks better, there is no reason not to move him up.

 

[jeffro151]

Trust me, it could be worse. The 2010-2014 seasons:

UVa
Overall: 21-38
Conference: 11-29
vs BCS opponents: 13-34
vs non BCS opponents: 10-4
Bowl appearances: 1 (0-1)

ND
Overall: 45-20
vs BCS opponents: 32-17
vs non BCS opponents: 13-3
Bowl appearances: 5 (3-2)

 

[Irish7478]

Trust me, it could be worse. The 2010-2014 seasons:

UVa
Overall: 21-38
Conference: 11-29
vs BCS opponents: 13-34
vs non BCS opponents: 10-4
Bowl appearances: 1 (0-1)

ND
Overall: 45-20
vs BCS opponents: 32-17
vs non BCS opponents: 13-3
Bowl appearances: 5 (3-2)

Yes, it could be worse. But things are still looking better than they did a few years ago. There are teams that win these types of games and teams that lose them. ND historically was great in the last second miracle games. Remember when the "luck of the Irish" was a good thing. Then during the Willingham/Weis years, the "luck of the Irish" meant last second disasters.

This game should not have been close, but we pulled it out when it looked like a sure fire loss. Look at Auburn over the last few years. Miracle versus Georgia, kick six versus Alabama, miracle win versus Jacksonvile State. They should have lost all three, but they didn't. It doesn't mean the Auburn program is a disaster. Let's see how we respond to Zaire going down.

 

[purguy12]

Im interested in how Kizer will play. I will have my full judgement/opinion on the rest of this season after this week. Kizer is a Big dude and if he can manage the game and not hurt us with turnovers we might be ok. I just don't know if this D is strong enough to protect this offense. When we had Reese and Golson as our game manager our D was one of the better D's in the country.

 

[poewelch84]

Honestly this defense has more talent than the team that went to the National Title game but Van Gorder has to make adjustments when Virginia are basically using two guys to beat you something needs to change either put Russell or Luke on the guy no matter where he lines up or something.

 

[purguy12]

Honestly this defense has more talent than the team that went to the National Title game but Van Gorder has to make adjustments when Virginia are basically using two guys to beat you something needs to change either put Russell or Luke on the guy no matter where he lines up or something.

I agree we have more talent but I don't think we have a better DC. This does fall on VG. He needs to learn to make adjustments. If he can come up with better game plans we should be ok unless Kizer is really bad on offense.

 

[poewelch84]

I agree we have more talent but I don't think we have a better DC. This does fall on VG. He needs to learn to make adjustments. If he can come up with better game plans we should be ok unless Kizer is really bad on offense.

I don't think Kizer will be really bad, I'm more concerned about Van Gorder not making adjustments when Virginia are moving their top WR around the field to create mismatches you have to do something about that.

 

[poewelch84]

I'm no expert but even I know that.

 

[purguy12]

I don't think Kizer will be really bad, I'm more concerned about Van Gorder not making adjustments when Virginia are moving their top WR around the field to create mismatches you have to do something about that.

I agree, I was high on VG but he is letting me down a little. I hope he learned from last week. Kelly has to be talking to him and saying a 2 man show cant beat us. Need to make adjustments.

 

[poewelch84]

I agree, I was high on VG but he is letting me down a little. I hope he learned from last week. Kelly has to be talking to him and saying a 2 man show cant beat us. Need to make adjustments.

The problem is Kelly shouldn't have to talk to him about that the guy should already know it.