ND vs Rice Pregame Thread:

[KnuteRoc]

Agreed guys and thanks for the re-welcome! :P

I don't have the 'insiders' contacts some of you do so I look to most of you for the good recruiting info. I myself just got finished with a move from Iowa to Texas so I'm even a li'l further away than I used to be (fromS.B. that is). I've been following the recruiting threads this summer and got a pretty good sense of where our depth is looking good, iffy, etc.

I too, do so want to see us march right on down the field first possession. I get that "oh yeah our offense is marching lock-step with one another" feeling when that happens. I hate it when we sputter, that first possession can set a tone and a lot of times we fail to set that tone (offensively). My thinking is, we seem to often not have it all together in the first game and seem like we're not always on the same page, which leads to concern going into that big game #2 which is usually a much stronger opponent and often is Michigan. I'd like to see us get out of the gate strong!

I was kind of curious to see that at ESPN Golson is not even mentioned at all for the Heisman, is he not that caliber? I would've thought that the year off only would've served to help him from a football standpoint having worked with a 'pro'. Even so, I don't mind that so much as I'd prefer to see him in command of our offense and doing well than have him be winning a popularity contest, just thought it was kind of interesting that he didn't make the list at all.

We shouldn't really have a problem with Rice, but you know that South Florida team was supposed to be no-problem a few years ago (Skip Holtz?) but embarrassed us. No more of that!

 

[jjc2009]

Ugh, that S. Fla. game. Everything about it was wrong, including the wife dragging me to an outlet mall and missing most of the first half. I was getting updates on the phone, and, we were having a really good opening drive like the one we're all talking about, and then I see it was first and goal Irish, I hit refresh and it said USF 7 ND 0, I said WTF, maybe a little too loudly in the store. I didn't see the fumble and 99 yard return for a TD.

The thunderstorm delay did allow me to witness the rest of that crapfest though, and I'm sorry to this day, there are those that criticized Kelly's ranting on the sidelines in that game, he was right though, If TJ Jones turned around and located the ball instead of letting it pop off his shoulder pads for yet another turnover in that game, we might have pulled it off.

 

[Irish7478]

Does anyone have the S. Florida game on tape, if so, I have a question about the end of the game.

 

[jjc2009]

Does anyone have the S. Florida game on tape, if so, I have a question about the end of the game.

No, but what's the question?

 

[NDHoosier101]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but the four players being held out of practice are also out for the Rice game. I was hoping they be able to play during the investigation.

 

[purguy12]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but the four players being held out of practice are also out for the Rice game. I was hoping they be able to play during the investigation.

Cant take that chance in case they are found guilty we then have to forfeit the games

 

[Microwahevo]

there are those that criticized Kelly's ranting on the sidelines in that game

I'm one that doesn't care how he acts on the sidelines, in any game. Almost all coaches go crazy over blown calls, dumb ass mistakes, etc. I think he just gets more attention about it b/c people love to hate anything ND.

 

[NDHoosier101]

Cant take that chance in case they are found guilty we then have to forfeit the games

I don't get the forfeiting games. Unduly harsh self imposed sanction.

 

[Irish7478]

No, but what's the question?

After the second rain delay, we scored with about 20 seconds left in the game to cut their lead to 3 points. Everyone knew we were going to try an on side kick to get the ball back. Especially S. Florida.

I was at the game, and was sitting at about the 50 yard line (after the second delay, you could sit wherever you wanted) and I swear that all 11 S. Florida players were within 15 yards of the ball. It looked like there was absolutely no one covering deep. I was screaming for them to kick it deep, because it would have been a race to the ball, which I'm sure we would have won as their guys were all running forward at the time. Unfortunately, we did do an onside kick, and they recovered it, but I always wanted to know if I was hallucinating, or was there really no one deep on that kick. To this day I think had we kicked it deep we would have been able to walk it into the end zone, and would have won the game. That's what I wanted to recheck.

 

[craigk217]

I wasn't too concerned with the O since we're getting Golson back ... the loss of Daniels is troubling, even though we have others to step up. It's just shitty losing your leading receiver/go-to guy like that. I'm hoping Robinson has a breakout season ... that will certainly help.

The D is a big question mark for me. New DC and, again, the loss of three key players. DUMBASSES! We shall see.

Kelly has no more excuses .... this is totally his team now and he's got the QB he's wanted to run his system ... if he can avoid trouble/violations.

GO IRISH!!!

 

[purguy12]

I wasn't too concerned with the O since we're getting Golson back ... the loss of Daniels is troubling, even though we have others to step up. It's just shitty losing your leading receiver/go-to guy like that. I'm hoping Robinson has a breakout season ... that will certainly help.

The D is a big question mark for me. New DC and, again, the loss of three key players. DUMBASSES! We shall see.

Kelly has no more excuses .... this is totally his team now and he's got the QB he's wanted to run his system ... if he can avoid trouble/violations.

GO IRISH!!!

I haven't heard anything about Tuitt or nix. They should of stayed 1 more year. Same for GA3(now he is a dumbas).

 

[craigk217]

^ I was referring to the three D players currently 'off the team' and not playing against Rice ... Russell ... Williams ... Moore.

 

[purguy12]

^ I was referring to the three D players currently 'off the team' and not playing against Rice ... Russell ... Williams ... Moore.

Gotcha

 

[jjc2009]

After the second rain delay, we scored with about 20 seconds left in the game to cut their lead to 3 points. Everyone knew we were going to try an on side kick to get the ball back. Especially S. Florida.

I was at the game, and was sitting at about the 50 yard line (after the second delay, you could sit wherever you wanted) and I swear that all 11 S. Florida players were within 15 yards of the ball. It looked like there was absolutely no one covering deep. I was screaming for them to kick it deep, because it would have been a race to the ball, which I'm sure we would have won as their guys were all running forward at the time. Unfortunately, we did do an onside kick, and they recovered it, but I always wanted to know if I was hallucinating, or was there really no one deep on that kick. To this day I think had we kicked it deep we would have been able to walk it into the end zone, and would have won the game. That's what I wanted to recheck.

Oh, I can see why you wanted to know about the video. I have no specific recollection if anyone was deep or not. I would be utterly shocked if they didn't have at least one safety player back. That's pretty much SOP. The only time you might not have anyone back is if you're bringing the house to block a punt and you don't care where it gets blown dead if you miss. On live balls, it would be suicide not to have at least one person back. If USF was dumb enough to have all 11 on the line, then shame on ND for not audibling and kicking it deep. With a running start, they'd have not only a clear advantage, but they might have been able to pick it up and run in for the win.

 

[NDHoosier101]

I haven't heard anything about Tuitt or nix. They should of stayed 1 more year. Same for GA3(now he is a dumbas).

So far Tuitt is doing well. Tuitt Making Progress In Pittsburgh

Watching the Cardinals play last week though they said Troy Nichols has been struggling with a broken hand. He should have stayed.

 

[Microwahevo]

Here's a screen shot from the onside kick. All 11 are up, but there's one kiiiiinda hangin back a bit. He would've been the first one there if it was kicked deep IMO.

 

[awclayton]

I haven't heard anything about Tuitt or nix. They should of stayed 1 more year. Same for GA3(now he is a dumbas).

I've been watching tuitt (I unfortunately live in steelers country) and he seems a little lost but looks fast and not overmatched. I think he will fit in nice in Pittsburgh. They have him playing both inside and out, but I think he will likely end up as an end during the regular season.

 

[craigk217]

Here's a screen shot from the onside kick. All 11 are up, but there's one kiiiiinda hangin back a bit. He would've been the first one there if it was kicked deep IMO.

Great shot, Micro. He had me really wondering myself ...

 

[KnuteRoc]

Here's a screen shot from the onside kick. All 11 are up, but there's one kiiiiinda hangin back a bit. He would've been the first one there if it was kicked deep IMO.

Yeah, 21yds off the ball, it's probably unlikely we could've pulled the Hail-Kick-Mary trick but it would've been interesting!

I feel like I should apologize for reopening that old wound!

Perhaps we should discuss some of our brighter Season Opener moments?!

 

[KnuteRoc]

How about the greatest margin of victory for an opener?

So far I have: ND VS. Northwestern 1973: 44-0

UND.COM - University of Notre Dame Official Athletic Site - Football

Or, 2012: ND VS. Navy in Dublin: 50-10

UND.COM - University of Notre Dame Official Athletic Site - Football

Or, we could go by significance of the opening game victory... might have to do a bit of digging for that... but we could start with...

1988 - ND VS. Michigan: 19-17

UND.COM - University of Notre Dame Official Athletic Site - Football