Here's what I don't get ...

[jjc2009]

If Kelly felt he had to run more last year because he thought that Golson had deficiencies running the full offense (or so we were told by Kelly) then where is the similar effort to run the ball when Rees limitations with the offense are well known and well documented

 

[whywork2]

Four carries for Folston after he just had a great game. WTF was he thinking. Then the not playing to the whistle. I am getting so sick of watching Tommy Rees running the clock down with all his charades and parading around, it's so sickening to watch. I don't blame this loss on him entirely but I can't wait for his replacement to step in. He has held this team down for too long. Kelly deserves a lot of blame with this loss.

 

[awclayton]

Tommy had Niklas against a 5-9 safety at least a dozen times and didn't even look his way. Tommy being tommy last night. It wouldn't have been as bad except for the drunken Pitt teenagers behind us spewing ridiculous obscenities during the game. Love competitive banter with opposing fans, but some people are just idiots. I agree, where the hell was Folston last night, he didn't look like he was limping or hurt on the sidelines.....god awful game and possibly the worst 2 int by tommy this year.

 

[jjc2009]

Then the not playing to the whistle. I am getting so sick of watching Tommy Rees running the clock down with all his charades and parading around, it's so sickening to watch. ... Kelly deserves a lot of blame with this loss.

These are danger signs of bad coaching ie not paying enough attention to fundamentals. Knowing to dive on the ball whether you think it's an incomplete pass or not is the kind of unconscious competence Kelly preaches about but doesn't take the time to enhance by ignoring the details and spending too much time working on his finesse offense. Also I think institutionally the type of player we draw isn't what I would call "football smart" the kind of killer instinct that can't easily be taught. We just can't sell the program on its football greatness so all we have to sell is the degree. IMO not all 4* or 5* players are created equal. We get the physically gifted but not necessarily the ones with the innate killer instincts. It's the coaches job to create an environment that in stills that in them.

 

[jjc2009]

Slight caveat: as bad a game that was called last night who among us believes for a second that the replay booth would have confirmed it was a fumble? What was the likelihood they'd have said it was an incompletion?

 

[whywork2]

Brian Kelly's gameplan was simply horrible. I have generally been a supporter but he really screwed up last night. Tommy Rees has simply been over his head the bulk of his career. I said before he is the least athletic quarterback I can remember at Notre Dame in the last forty years and I stand by that statement. He's done some good things and I have always had some inherent respect for the kid but his lack of physical skills/ gifts is frightening. He plays like he has a bad knee or weighs 300 lbs. , he simply can't move. His lack of arm strength too is baffling, Notre Dame recruited a kid who can't run or doesn't have much of an arm. I realize his career was catipulted by an extremely odds set of circumstances but he is simply in way over his head for big time football. I honestly like the kid but can't believe we were left in this position.

 

[jjc2009]

To further add to the discussion Herbstreit made a comment that inside the 20 Diaco gets more aggressive on defense. Why the hell not start a drive aggressively on defense. Is the fear of failure so great that the risk of a big play means the defense has to stay on the field longer.

 

[purguy12]

I agree Kelly screwed up. Very bad game plan. First off we are 3 yards away from the end zone and its 1st down run the fucking ball.

 

[Microwahevo]

To further add to the discussion Herbstreit made a comment that inside the 20 Diaco gets more aggressive on defense. Why the hell not start a drive aggressively on defense. Is the fear of failure so great that the risk of a big play means the defense has to stay on the field longer.

I was thinkig the same thing when I heard him say that. So were supposed to just let a team dink and dunk down the field every possession? Man step up and play tougher D the entire game and maybe we'd have some better field position and/or turnovers.

 

[jjc2009]

I was thinkig the same thing when I heard him say that. So were supposed to just let a team dink and dunk down the field every possession? Man step up and play tougher D the entire game and maybe we'd have some better field position and/or turnovers.

Exactly. And because Kelly's offensive philosophy when running at 100% is deaigned to score quickly. That will wear the defense out. Exhibit our 1 play 80 yard drive defense had to go right back out and they were slow and didn't tackle.

 

[bbirish73]

I agree the game was all Kelly's fault. Take the ball out of Tommy's hands and run the ball.

 

[craigk217]

Tommy had Niklas against a 5-9 safety at least a dozen times and didn't even look his way. Tommy being tommy last night. It wouldn't have been as bad except for the drunken Pitt teenagers behind us spewing ridiculous obscenities during the game. Love competitive banter with opposing fans, but some people are just idiots. I agree, where the hell was Folston last night, he didn't look like he was limping or hurt on the sidelines.....god awful game and possibly the worst 2 int by tommy this year.

Try being an ND fan in the Big House against Michigan with your 7 yr old son wondering why we are even there. Trust me ... it doesnt get any worse than that!!!!

 

[craigk217]

Four carries for Folston after he just had a great game. WTF was he thinking. Then the not playing to the whistle. I am getting so sick of watching Tommy Rees running the clock down with all his charades and parading around, it's so sickening to watch. I don't blame this loss on him entirely but I can't wait for his replacement to step in. He has held this team down for too long. Kelly deserves a lot of blame with this loss.

It was against Navy, dude.

 

[craigk217]

These are danger signs of bad coaching ie not paying enough attention to fundamentals. Knowing to dive on the ball whether you think it's an incomplete pass or not is the kind of unconscious competence Kelly preaches about but doesn't take the time to enhance by ignoring the details and spending too much time working on his finesse offense. Also I think institutionally the type of player we draw isn't what I would call "football smart" the kind of killer instinct that can't easily be taught. We just can't sell the program on its football greatness so all we have to sell is the degree. IMO not all 4* or 5* players are created equal. We get the physically gifted but not necessarily the ones with the innate killer instincts. It's the coaches job to create an environment that in stills that in them.

All you just said = character.

 

[craigk217]

Brian Kelly's gameplan was simply horrible. I have generally been a supporter but he really screwed up last night. Tommy Rees has simply been over his head the bulk of his career. I said before he is the least athletic quarterback I can remember at Notre Dame in the last forty years and I stand by that statement. He's done some good things and I have always had some inherent respect for the kid but his lack of physical skills/ gifts is frightening. He plays like he has a bad knee or weighs 300 lbs. , he simply can't move. His lack of arm strength too is baffling, Notre Dame recruited a kid who can't run or doesn't have much of an arm. I realize his career was catipulted by an extremely odds set of circumstances but he is simply in way over his head for big time football. I honestly like the kid but can't believe we were left in this position.

Tommy is a football coach's son. I will give him that he's pretty dang smart, pre snap. When the ball gets into play, though, his physical skills cannot match his mental skills ... there's a total disconnect there. I see it everytime he lobs a ball 30 yards and hopes his ball and receiver are in the right place. He's been lucky that he's had 'big' receivers to haul them lobs down. If memory serves me correctly, he was one of Weis' last recruits. He has won us some games that we might not have won and he has cost us games, too. He is who he is.

 

[idseer]

Tommy is a football coach's son. I will give him that he's pretty dang smart, pre snap. When the ball gets into play, though, his physical skills cannot match his mental skills ... there's a total disconnect there. I see it everytime he lobs a ball 30 yards and hopes his ball and receiver are in the right place. He's been lucky that he's had 'big' receivers to haul them lobs down. If memory serves me correctly, he was one of Weis' last recruits. He has won us some games that we might not have won and he has cost us games, too. He is who he is.

so maybe he was weis's payback for being let go.

 

[matthstl]

Tommy is Tommy we get what we get. I hope I was not the only one early on saying he is not right missed wide open recievers. I think Pitt saw the same thing then we saw 8 to 7 men in the box literally taking away the running game. For the most part big plays kept us in the game and huge mistakes gave Pitt the game.

Making this Pitt safety out to be this great player when two balls were thrown right in his hands. I have no idea when we are 3 yards out why we do not run the ball right down the middle. Kelly talks about north and south running and on first play he runs the sweep. To me run three plays down thier throats. If you do not score field goal. It is not just the Irish that do it so many other teams do not run the football when it is inside the 5 first down. I have seen so many pick offs down there with such condense field.

As we play the blame Tommy game lets not forget TJ Jones not protecting the ball on the 3 yard line or the constant miss tackles on DB and Safetys (have seen way to much of that this year).

Clearly to me the game ball goes to ref's. Yes I know a typical crying ND fan but the call on Tuit was a complete game changer. Defense that had already had multiple injuries and Nix who was limping all game taking Tuit out change everything. Pitt could not run the ball and early on there was pressure up the middle. Out comes Tuitt and Pitt scores. The PI call on 4th down for Pitt another horrible game changing call. That plus Piit player throwing down ND player after first play near the goal line just before Tommy threw his first pick and nothing was called? The intentional grounding call are you not allowed to throw the ball way if it goes beyond ten yards?

 

[awclayton]

Try being an ND fan in the Big House against Michigan with your 7 yr old son wondering why we are even there. Trust me ... it doesnt get any worse than that!!!!

I hear you, I took my nephews, 12 and 9, to their first ND game. Next one I take them to will be in South Bend.