ND vs Navy Pre Game Thread:

[purguy12]

We need to win this game and win it by a good amount. Its time to start blowing some teams out. We also need Stanford , USC and ASU to win. Especially ASU. It would be nice if ASU is in the Top 10 when we play them. If we beat them they need to win out.

This is a tough challenge always for ND as of late. Its a different kind of offense and we better be ready for them after 2 weeks. I remember coming off a bye against them and we got smoked at Metlife stadium.

Team better be prepared.

Lets Go Irish;

Prediction: ND 38 Navy 13

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Obviously, I'm hoping we can win this game big.

Unfortunately, we don't win too many games easily, so I'm expecting a much tougher game than expected.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

I'm just ready for this game.

Bye weeks are always dreadfully long.

 

[Lillyliverd]

I am assuming Navy is still heavy on option plays. It is nice to have a bye week before Navy because it takes some practice for a team to be ready for it. We killed Navy when it was the 1st game of the year in 2012. Having the prep time and the athletes we have on D, I think we will win this one easily. Thinking 40-10 and Navy gets their points in garbage time.

 

[NDHoosier101]

Holy sheeeet:

"In the seven games Notre Dame and Navy have played since coach Ken Niumatalolo took over Navy before the 2007 season, the Irish have a 4-3 record against the Midshipmen, including a current three-game winning streak. In the seven games played immediately following their contests with Navy, the Irish are just 2-5. Those two wins: a seven-point victory at Wake Forest in 2011 and a three-point home win over Purdue in 2012."

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Holy sheeeet:

"In the seven games Notre Dame and Navy have played since coach Ken Niumatalolo took over Navy before the 2007 season, the Irish have a 4-3 record against the Midshipmen, including a current three-game winning streak. In the seven games played immediately following their contests with Navy, the Irish are just 2-5. Those two wins: a seven-point victory at Wake Forest in 2011 and a three-point home win over Purdue in 2012."

And this time we go to ASU after Navy. I'm worried about that one

 

[Lillyliverd]

Holy sheeeet:

"In the seven games Notre Dame and Navy have played since coach Ken Niumatalolo took over Navy before the 2007 season, the Irish have a 4-3 record against the Midshipmen, including a current three-game winning streak. In the seven games played immediately following their contests with Navy, the Irish are just 2-5. Those two wins: a seven-point victory at Wake Forest in 2011 and a three-point home win over Purdue in 2012."

What is important to me is we have won the last 3 and lost just one game immediately following our last three wins.

 

[Microwahevo]

Holy sheeeet:

"In the seven games Notre Dame and Navy have played since coach Ken Niumatalolo took over Navy before the 2007 season, the Irish have a 4-3 record against the Midshipmen, including a current three-game winning streak. In the seven games played immediately following their contests with Navy, the Irish are just 2-5. Those two wins: a seven-point victory at Wake Forest in 2011 and a three-point home win over Purdue in 2012."

It's proly bc we're so beat up from all the low blocks they use.

 

[NDHoosier101]

And this time we go to ASU after Navy. I'm worried about that one

Exactly

What is important to me is we have won the last 3 and lost just one game immediately following our last three wins.

I agree, but still hella surprising.

It's proly bc we're so beat up from all the low blocks they use.

What are they called, cut blocks? Need to be illegal.

 

[bbirish73]

I hate cut blocks but it is the only way for an option attack to be successful for Navy. The game plan to me is simple. Run the damn ball at will against Navy so their offense doesn't have many possessions. Defensively, get Navy to 3rd and long and they have no chance. Our defensive backs need to bring the wood.

 

[matthstl]

The issue I always have with this game is potentail of injury with cut blocks. It is going to take a star player to be knock out before they will do something.

 

[purguy12]

JUST WIN

that should be the saying for this year. Just win screw the committee.

 

[poewelch84]

I'm a West Virgina and Arizona State fan (except for when they play Notre Dame) from here on out because Notre Dame needs West Virgina to knock off Kansas State and or TCU and Arizona State to win the PAC12.

 

[jjc2009]

Between the Tallahassee screw job and the committee ranking bullshit, if this team doesn't come out and rip off the Middies' heads and shit down their necks in the first half, then nothing will motivate this team.

I am optomistic about this game because unlike Diaco, Van Gorder will attack the option, and the only way to really beat the option is to attack it. Diaco's bend but don't break style is what keeps Navy in games. Diaco was very nearly 2-2 against them. We are lucky to be 3-1. A vastly superior offense and a heads up play on defense to avoid the last second heroics last year was a difference between the win and loss. The two years we blew Navy out, we were attacking up front. Anybody who doesn't think Van Gorder isn't going to have them do that is crazy. As long as our offense does its job and put up points, we'll be fine.

The big concern is getting out of this healthy, and then switching back to a defense that can handle a tempo offense.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Between the Tallahassee screw job and the committee ranking bullshit, if this team doesn't come out and rip off the Middies' heads and shit down their necks in the first half, then nothing will motivate this team.

I am optomistic about this game because unlike Diaco, Van Gorder will attack the option, and the only way to really beat the option is to attack it. Diaco's bend but don't break style is what keeps Navy in games. Diaco was very nearly 2-2 against them. We are lucky to be 3-1. A vastly superior offense and a heads up play on defense to avoid the last second heroics last year was a difference between the win and loss. The two years we blew Navy out, we were attacking up front. Anybody who doesn't think Van Gorder isn't going to have them do that is crazy. As long as our offense does its job and put up points, we'll be fine.

The big concern is getting out of this healthy, and then switching back to a defense that can handle a tempo offense.

The screw jobs will either motivate this team, or crush this team's spirits. It could work either way.

As for the up tempo offense, that's what worries me. Yeah, we'll beat Navy but then we'll be in for a long night against ASU. When UNC went up tempo that really gave us a lot of problems.

 

[jjc2009]

The screw jobs will either motivate this team, or crush this team's spirits. It could work either way.

As for the up tempo offense, that's what worries me. Yeah, we'll beat Navy but then we'll be in for a long night against ASU. When UNC went up tempo that really gave us a lot of problems.

True, but its not as bad as people think. Our biggest problem against UNC was the fact that our offense gave them a short field for much of the day, and outright gave them 7 points on a pick six. There were easily 21 points pretty much gift wrapped for UNC by the mistakes on offense. That's not to say UNC didn't drive the field on us. They did so a few times. But we had better success when we were winning the field position war, and it wasn't that we weren't containing Williams, its that we weren't tackling. When the first guy and sometimes second guy missed, they managed large chunk plays.

This team has a problem when its blitzes are neutralized, and a team that will get the ball out quickly and run tempo to keep our package substitutions down is a problem (note second half of FSU game). Its the added difficulty of going from a very specific defense to stop a triple option offense to adjusting to a tempo offense like ASU thats a problem. The fortunate thing is, ASU's defense is pure garbage. I expect another shoot out, but we should have enough talent to outlast them (provided no injuries at the hands of Navy, but if they attack, that shouldn't be a concern). If we utilize the running game to keep their offense off the field and our defense rested, we can manage it well. I like the earlier start time as well.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

True, but its not as bad as people think. Our biggest problem against UNC was the fact that our offense gave them a short field for much of the day, and outright gave them 7 points on a pick six. There were easily 21 points pretty much gift wrapped for UNC by the mistakes on offense. That's not to say UNC didn't drive the field on us. They did so a few times. But we had better success when we were winning the field position war, and it wasn't that we weren't containing Williams, its that we weren't tackling. When the first guy and sometimes second guy missed, they managed large chunk plays.

This team has a problem when its blitzes are neutralized, and a team that will get the ball out quickly and run tempo to keep our package substitutions down is a problem (note second half of FSU game). Its the added difficulty of going from a very specific defense to stop a triple option offense to adjusting to a tempo offense like ASU thats a problem. The fortunate thing is, ASU's defense is pure garbage. I expect another shoot out, but we should have enough talent to outlast them (provided no injuries at the hands of Navy, but if they attack, that shouldn't be a concern). If we utilize the running game to keep their offense off the field and our defense rested, we can manage it well. I like the earlier start time as well.

One thing I'm feeling optimistic about is our offense. I feel like the last couple of weeks we've seen our offense really start to click. Especially the run game, which has opened up much of the passing. Also, Robinson seems to be coming into his own. So with that said, I'm thinking this team is going to start putting up some big points the rest of the season.

My only worry with ASU is the up tempo, and all the pressure we bring that leaves our corners on an island. In the 2nd half vs FSU, that was our only issue. Winston's quick releases (like you pointed out), really kept our pressure at bay, and killed our man coverages. I think ASU is going to do much of the same.

 

[bbirish73]

only thing stopping our offense from being a well oiled machine is turnovers.