2-0

[ChicagoIrish]

Maybe the most subdued 2-0 I have seen yet.

Not so sure there's any positives in this game, outside of winning. But even with Zaire in the game, it was ugly.

The secondary was absolutely awful, I mean are you kidding me? The coverage was totally oblivious to a number of the weak balls just blindly thrown to a target.

Right before Zaire went down, I swear I was telling myself, (man we sure are running Malik a lot, hope he doesn't get hurt).

Well, maybe Kizer can carry some confidence into GT next week, and our defense can suck it up and play balls to the wall, but to be honest, if GT doesn't beat us, someone else will.

 

[jjc2009]

It seemed every throw was a wounded duck and they came up with every one. We can't keep up with UVA's receivers, just wait for Ju Ju Smith and Adoree Jackson.

 

[podsox]

It seemed every throw was a wounded duck and they came up with every one. We can't keep up with UVA's receivers, just wait for Ju Ju Smith and Adoree Jackson.

I just wish they would make an adjustment. play up on the receivers and see if that qb could go over the top on them. they were so predictable

 

[ChicagoIrish]

I'm sick of Kelly. I said it last season, I'm saying it now. I'm just fed up with his gameday bullshit

 

[bksballer89]

Maybe the most subdued 2-0 I have seen yet.

Not so sure there's any positives in this game, outside of winning. But even with Zaire in the game, it was ugly.

The secondary was absolutely awful, I mean are you kidding me? The coverage was totally oblivious to a number of the weak balls just blindly thrown to a target.

Right before Zaire went down, I swear I was telling myself, (man we sure are running Malik a lot, hope he doesn't get hurt).

Well, maybe Kizer can carry some confidence into GT next week, and our defense can suck it up and play balls to the wall, but to be honest, if GT doesn't beat us, someone else will.

I think we go 9-3/10-2 this year. I actually think we win next week but I have us losing to Clemson, USC, and Stanford

 

[jjc2009]

I think we go 9-3/10-2 this year. I actually think we win next week but I have us losing to Clemson, USC, and Stanford

Stanford? Really? They looked awful in week one. I don't see much improvement. Unless we are decimated by even more injuries.

Then again this team, like most ND teams of the past two plus decades are capable of losing to anyone.

 

[bksballer89]

Stanford? Really? They looked awful in week one. I don't see much improvement. Unless we are decimated by even more injuries.

Then again this team, like most ND teams of the past two plus decades are capable of losing to anyone.

As proven by today we're a shitty road team. We'll somehow find a way to lose to Stanford or Pitt

 

[jjc2009]

As proven by today we're a shitty road team. We'll somehow find a way to lose to Stanford or Pitt

Oh I think we'll be Pitt's and BC's super bowl.

 

[purguy12]

who cares about 2-0 now. season is some what over. life of a ND fan.

 

[Judge Fudge]

2-0 is better than being 0-2. But some here are acting like we are 0-2.

I admit we didn't win the prettiest girl but it is still a girl.

Do I blame the game day philosophy? Somewhat

But we are 2-0 not 0-2

As for positives: Another QB that has balls of steel when needed

 

[KnuteRoc]

I'll give Kizer a heapin helpin spoonful of kudos, he made a great throw.

I'll also give Kelly a heapin spoonful of shit, because he deserves it, Van Gorder as well.

No excuse whatsoever to let Serevin and Mizzell beat you over and over and over when you're game plan should've accounted for 'em, you know, even schemed some for 'em. When B&G Illustrated guys can put out a 5+ paragraph Keys to the Game article every week, you know damn well the coaches have access to this information and MORE. Virginia is a dink and dunk team, only Mizzell had the speed to get behind our secondary. They've averaged 238 yards passing and 90-ish yards rushing for over a year. Yep, their coaches want to be more of a power running team, but they're not there yet.

I'll tell ya straight up the difference I see between Brian Kelly and coaches like Lou Holtz. Lou never had a problem saying 'they beat us', or, they whipped us in this area or that area, if they did. He would say that because as a coach, he felt that if the opposing team whipped us, it was likely because he hadn't prepared them well enough. Sure, occasionally you run up against a team that simply outmatches you physically or maybe with talent, but you should still match effort and fundamentals. When I see Kelly shirk blame and put it back on the players I don't think it does he or them a good service.

If I was Van Gorder I'd be admitting left and right that "I" hadn't STRESSED the importance of not blowing a coverage, or selling out too soon and allowing players to get behind your secondary because you should be THAT well versed on HOW they typically do things.

Someone needs to introduce Kelly to Joe Gibbs, he needs to learn something about the counter-tre and running the ball in general. Our bread and butter run is a read-option that isn't really a read-option, it's just an up-the-gut run counting on the RB to make a cut (if there even is one).

We barely run any 2 TE sets in which we announce our determination to run the ball and challenge the opposing D to stop it. That doesn't even get into the wrinkles that can be run off that set, just like the wrinkles we do run off the spread set. To me, the whole benefit of the Spread set is in forcing a defense to run a nickel or a hybrid to account for the third receiver. If they're running their standard 4-3, 3-4, 4-6, or 5-2 set and you're trying to run in the middle, you're putting yourself against the odds.

Where was Jones? I guess because he dropped a ball he doesn't get in the gameplan? So, how does that account for Brown? Where was Hunter? Where was Robinson? That kid is a jump-ball wizard... Where were Jones and Smythe in tandem? I mean I'm thrilled Fuller is such a stud, but our offense cannot consist of bombs-away to Fuller and Prosise up the middle. That IS nearly the extent of our offense and I'm sorry gents, fellow Domers, that's just not going to cut it, especially when you go about "getting them open" in the way that they do.

For all of the positives that Kelly brings, the one most glaring and the one that most disgusts me to the point where I almost lose all caring if the team succeeds or not is the play-calling. I ABSOLUTELY hate to say it, I really do but you don't see Jimbo Fisher trying to get Golson to run every 3rd play or every new set of downs.

While I won't say that there isn't an advantage you can leverage with the option attack, I've never really cared for it and there's a reason that crap isn't run in the NFL much if at all. The read-option is flirted with and has seemingly become the rage, but it was no surprise to me that Harbaugh wanted Kaepernick to stop running it so much, and I suspect Wilson will need to as well. I'm seriously only waiting to see how long it is before Bradford gets creamed in Chip's offense with the Eagles if they run that with any regularity.

A mobile QB is about all you can ask for, and even then it's not necessary. Many QBs have made a living not being the guy who has to 'take it on his shoulders' to get those chains moved, especially when you're asking them to do it with their legs instead of their arms. Sure, run a pitch every now and then or fake that pitch and get your 4-5, but this same crap play in and play out is ridiculous.

Ok, enough of my soap box. It's getting harder and harder to watch this though. If I can feel this disgusted as a fan, I can only wonder what some of those players are thinking.

Enjoy 2-0, because it's likely to be 2-1 after next week. I can't wait to see what Van Gorder schemes for this option attack.

 

[purguy12]

i hate this shit. always happens to us

 

[craigk217]

It seemed every throw was a wounded duck and they came up with every one. We can't keep up with UVA's receivers, just wait for Ju Ju Smith and Adoree Jackson.

LOL ... if you were in the Game Day thread, this is prolly the 'aspect' I bitched about the most. It was incredible the lame ducks UVA's QB just kept heaving up there and magically finding their receivers' hands ... EVERY single time. It was beyond maddening watching that crap.

 

[jjc2009]

LOL ... if you were in the Game Day thread, this is prolly the 'aspect' I bitched about the most. It was incredible the lame ducks UVA's QB just kept heaving up there and magically finding their receivers' hands ... EVERY single time. It was beyond maddening watching that crap.

Other than the tipped ball, it just exposed how out of position they were. UVA's QB said after the game that our coverage was good, he did that just to give his receivers a shot. I think that's a fine excuse for his weak arm, but ain't buying it. Even the tipped one should have been picked off of our safeties were paying attention. In the gameday thread I said they should have at least flattened the receiver once it was touched. There should be an onfield call to let everyone know that ball has been tipped so they know to do that too.

 

[poewelch84]

I don't recall who was getting beat on many of Virginia's one WR's many big plays but I feel like the defense just kept letting someone other than our top CB cover the guy, they pretty much kept putting him on a mismatch and the defense did nothing to adjust to it.

 

[purguy12]

I don't recall who was getting beat on many of Virginia's one WR's many big plays but I feel like the defense just kept letting someone other than our top CB cover the guy, they pretty much kept putting him on a mismatch and the defense did nothing to adjust to it.

This is what pissed me off the most. Why on multiple times we have an OLB on this WR kid. After the 1st or 2nd time getting burnt u need to make sure this guy gets his mismatches. No reason that Okaware should be on him that much. Also safetys needs to be aware of that be like oh crap we have an OLB on their best WR let me help him out.

 

[purguy12]

I don't recall who was getting beat on many of Virginia's one WR's many big plays but I feel like the defense just kept letting someone other than our top CB cover the guy, they pretty much kept putting him on a mismatch and the defense did nothing to adjust to it.

Butler was getting burnt a lot to.

 

[poewelch84]

Butler was getting burnt a lot to.

Once again not the top CB on the team.

 

[purguy12]

it doesnt end. we just lost our starting TE. 3 weeks in a row. i never saw something like this. oh yeah i did on defense last year.

 

[Irish7478]

it doesnt end. we just lost our starting TE. 3 weeks in a row. i never saw something like this. oh yeah i did on defense last year.

Didn't see you posted this.