Corwin Brown Sounds Off

Corwin Brown met with the media yesterday, and before answering their questions, the Irish defensive backs coach/co-defensive coordinator went off about Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo’s comments from earlier this week as well as the cut blocks that Navy used this year and last.

In case you missed Niumatalolo’s comments, he said:

I think the one thing that helped us, and I really hope this doesn’t come across wrong, but I think the thing that helped us this year was last year because we knew that they’d line up the same way. We didn’t execute very well last year, and coming into this year they did a great job against us last year defensively, so we had a pretty good clue that they were going to come back and do the same things as they did last year, and we had a few things. We were expecting that same defense that we saw last year.

And here’s video of what Brown had to say courtesy of Rivals/Yahoo.

The cut blocks portion of what Brown talks about is pretty accurate, but going off on Niumatalolo’s comments and claiming the Irish had a hell of a gameplan is going to draw a lot of criticism for Brown from the media and message boards. I agree 100% that the block on Blanton was a cheap play and felt the Navy defender should have been thrown out of the game for it – there’s no place in football for plays like that. That said, I think his message would have carried a lot more weight if it weren’t sandwiched in with his defense of the Notre Dame game plan.

It’s hard to rip a team for their game plan when they came in and ran for 348 yards – 158 of which came in the second half.  Be prepared for many in the national media to turn around and rip Brown for these comments.

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113 Comments

  1. I love the Irish, But we have played one of the weakest schedules in college football, We complete tons of passes because we play schools with no defence. Both top 25 teams we played we lost? and then barely beat teams that were not even in the top 50. If we should pay our way to a bowl game, I hope it is a team so week that our parents could beat them. We need to to get a win for our golden boys.

  2. Dear Walter,

    People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones! If you’re going to call people out about the quality of their posts you might want to read over and then edit yours first.

    As for the rest of your rant, it’s pure nonsense. One need not be an “All-American” (American is spelled with a capital A, dear Walter, you wordsmith) to have meaningful insights about a game most of us have played and watched all our lives. I don’t think anyone on this board, and I’ve had my run in with a few, claims to be an expert, however. Even when I’ve disagreed with someone’s logic or facts on this board, I’ve never stooped to accusing them of being illiterate.

    I’ve been raised to respect my elders, Walter. And I applaud your years of loyal support for ND football. But don’t disrespect people you don’t know simply because you don’t agree with them.

  3. I would like to direct my comments to all you experts, arm chair QB”s, that probably were all state football, and basketball players, and probably all american first team greats. Some of you talk like outstanding players and if your accomplishments were as good as your negative approach to Notre Dame football I would accept your criticism. I would venture to say that you drink a case of beer every saturday, and if Notre Dame wins, you beat your kids and then your wife. Notre Dame may never gain the heights that formerly belonged to them, but at least the players can read and write, get a degree, and spell correctly, which is more than some of you can do. Why don’t you experts watch some other channel on Saturday and find fault with other teams. I’m 83 years old and love N.D. even if they do not have a national champion every year. I love the graduation rate of the athletes, their love for the coach’s, the university and all that exemplifies the university. They may not be atop in the polls, but they are in achedemic circles. Compare yourself to the achievements that the players gain in life after football. Where do you stand? I personally hope that Coach Weis returns next year, win or loose. Instead of badgering everything about Notre Dame, why not look at the big picture.

    1. “I would venture to say that you drink a case of beer every saturday, and if Notre Dame wins, you beat your kids and then your wife.”

      Regardless of your age, you are a complete asshole. If you said that to my face I’d snap one of your brittle old arms like a twig, you crusty old fart.

    2. Walter,
      Thank you for posting the dumbest and most inane post in the history of UHND.

      I do however agree with the statement of yours about ND grads being able to spell correctly. I’m glad that proper spelling is important to you. That being said, you may want to proofread your post. Your penchant for spelling didn’t help you with this word:

      “achedemic”

      Also, your last sentence requires a “?”, not a “.”.

      Walter, in your eyes, always remember that the “N” in “ND” stands for “Nowledge”.

  4. ND was cut-blocking in this game too (as they should be). Check the 2:54 mark in this link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z82mcA0EOD0.

    Cut blocking is perfectly legal. Brown should have kept his mouth shut. And Charlie should have publicly apologized to the Navy coach! I’m STILL mad that he didn’t. I don’t mind moving on from the subject, but Brown’s attack was unwarranted and the Navy coach (if you listen to his ENTIRE postgame comments, he was very complimentary of the coaches, staff, school and students at ND) deserved to get a decent “I’m sorry” after getting thrown under the bus unnecessarily.

  5. Does anyone else find it ironic that one of our last chances against Pitt was thwarted by an illegal chop block thrown by us?

  6. LOOK AT THIS BOARD AND THEN TELL ME WEIS DOESN’T NEED TO GO??

    Coaches are making excuses for losing to an inferior opponent because they bullied us with illegal play on the field – IT’S THE SAME THING THEY RAN FOR 43 YEARS STRAIGHT AND BEAT THEM!!

    Die-hard ND fans are arguing about “Chop Blocks” and how bad our defense sucks or they were taken advantage of by cheating…

    This is what happens when you lose these types of games; the bottom is about to fall out!!

    Go Irish!! STOP CHARLIE!!

  7. Coach Brown sounds like a whining little school girl who didn’t get her way. You have got to be kidding me?!!!! Navy has been running the same gameplan since Staubach was there and the cut blocking has been a part of their scheme as long as I can remember.

    COACH BROWN PAY ATTENTION!

    We had not lost to Navy in 40+ years…we have now lost to them 2 times in the last 3…

    Before you start blasting away…take a look in the mirror at the epitome of underachieving….then go look at Navy….the epitome of over achieving.

    Get a clue…

  8. Interesting that no one has mentioned that this tool Corwin Brown unleashed his little whiny diatribe about Navy’s LEGAL blocking schemes on Veterans Day. Now THAT’s classy.

  9. Some random thoughts:

    Saw on College Football Live that Texas and TCU are giving up an average of 12 points/game. Wouldn’t that be nice if we had a defense like that.

    After seeing what those knuckleheads did at Tenn, I can understand why ND doesn’t want to lower their admission standards.

    If ND wins this week againt Pitt, will it count as the elusive “Signature” win, or will everyone say it doesn’t count because Pitt is in the Big East?

    If Jimmy has a great game and beats Pitt, is he back in the Heisman race?

    Do you think the defensive coaches are going into this game like their paycheck is on the line as well?

    Does anyone else miss Armando right now? I think he would have made a big difference against Pitt.

  10. Pitt is as Beatable of a Top 10 team as there is out there.
    This is a perfect opportunity for the Weis to get off the hot seat. I’m still pulling for CW as the offense has gone from the worst ever to one of the best ND has put out there in the course of 2 years.
    As for the defensive coaches – Ian Williams was right … they’ve been out-schemed all season. And who cares if the nose tackle said what ever ND fan paying attention has known all season.

    1. Was it really out schemed or a bunch of missed tackles. How many tackles were missed at the line and then a huge gain.

    2. Agreed. Pitt is overrated. I like us for the upset, but don’t think CW is off the hot seat. there are to many good coaches out there and the possibility that CW losses Clausen to the pros makes me think the will blow up this team and start over.

      If, and I mean If Urban Meyers wins another NC, that will be 3 in 5 years. He will have nothing left to prove there and nothing to lose at ND his dream school. If he can’t win at ND, who the hell can?

  11. A win over Pitt is not out of the question. ND is like a wounded animal right now and they’re going to take it out on Pitt. ND wins 38-27.

  12. Hey blocking whiners, provide any video where Navy did an illegal block where they were not penalized. You will not find one because Navy plays by the rules…Corwin Brown is a loser just like the rest of the ND coaching staff!

  13. Hey Shazamrock, Navy does not chop block nimrod…..they cut block which is completely legal in football. Go educate yourself….

  14. I hope ND can get a big W this weekend over Pitt. Frankie remember a few years ago when 20 comments would be alot? Go Irish!!!

  15. Hey Steelfan,
    I told you I wasn’t that PC! HAHAHA! Can you believe some of the comments by these cherries? Yikes!

    Hey, President Obama made fun of the Special Olympics on national T.V.! So I figure I’m ok right? I mean he’s basically infallible from what I can tell. (No, no, not starting a political debate.) Again, JOKING!

    But seriously, Corwin Brown is just a cog in this dysfunctional ND football wheel. The attitude he displayed seems to permeate the coaching staff. It’s NEVER THEIR fault afterall. What a group of spineless dorks (the coaches not the players). Please dismiss all of them (except for Powlus) if there is ANY pride left in South Bend.

  16. Notre Dame defending the Triple Option

    2 Deep safeties ????? WHAT? Oh, I quess we needed to give our corners safety help incase NAVY wideouts ran past us.

    Defense is terrible! Terrible!

    Think about the offensives we played.. 3-freshmen QB’s of comparable athletic teams and everyone else was just terrible… We should be undefeated right now anything else is a disappointment.

  17. Coach Brown if u lose to Navy then ur gameplan wasn’t good enough.. For now on tell the league that u can’t cut block ND>

    Embarrassing

  18. Two huge plays in this game:

    1. Fullback long touchdown run. No cut blocks. The guard ran around Ian Williams, sealed off Teo and the full back ran past the safeties that were out of position.
    2. Robert Blanton watching a receiver run past him, then crying to the sideline while a touchdown is being scored. No cut blocks!!

    Quit crying, and coach corwin!!

  19. These guys are all fighting for their jobs and none of them know
    anything about were they are and what Notre Dame Football is about.
    Weis is running this thing like an NFL team and he needs to go!!!
    Take Brown, Tenuta and all the rest with him and lets get a Lou Holtz
    type to get this thing right. To me its just a bad product on the field
    and the coaches have to be the blame.

  20. I would bet dollars to dimes that we were looking ahead to pittsburg and we thought our “talent” would just roll over a navy team that just lost to temple

  21. Navy’s coach is right, to some extent.

    We’re too predictable. We’re on television every week and schools can just pick up on what we do — all the time. That’s why it’s really important to have great athletes and to have great coaching. We have great athletes. It’s the coaching that concerns me.

  22. Wow, this is getting heated.

    My two cents: (that’s right you’re getting a 4-2 deal here. 4 points for 2 cents)

    1. I like seeing the passion from Corwin Brown. And he did have a shred of a point there. For all the yards Navy put up (404) those are not points. If that were the case, the score would have been 512-404. It wasn’t. It was 23-21. My point being, holding Navy to 21 points on offense/ST should have been enough. So for the Navy coach, who I had a great deal of respect for, to make those sort of comments is a bit of a slap in the face. Maybe accurate, but still not classy. I agreed with Brown’s statement: If you preface a statement with ‘don’t take this the wrong way’ you probably shouldn’t make that statement. (not exact verbage but I’m feeling too lazy to quote it). I like the passion. I don’t like whining. But, I’m ok with him responding and being pissed. It sends a message to the players.

    2. Cut blocks are legal. Cut blocks from behind are not. Cut blocks must start AT OR ABOVE the WAIST. That was a dirty block by any and every definition. That said, I don’t think Navy’s a dirty team. That was a dirty play though. And it was called as such. Get over it. (for the record the rulebook can be found here: http://www.ncaapublications.com/Uploads/PDF/Football_Rules_5_2204c0005d-845f-4813-8391-54f15136079d.pdf)

    3. Some of you guys need to calm down. There’s more to life than ND football (I can’t confirm that personally, but it’s what my priest keeps telling me). There’s more to ND football than this one most recent loss. there’s more to this most recent loss than one dirty play. I find it beyond reproach that you would use that one dirty play as an excuse to try and hate our servicemen. However, I do love the idea of “hating our opponents–EVERY opponent–for four quarters”. I love our servicemen, and I’m sure you do too (you Better). but for those 60 minutes, as far as I’m concerned, they’re not Navy. They’re ‘Them’ and we are ND. That should apply to every opponent.

    4. (and finally) That last part is important to me. A head coach can’t look at opponents and allow emotion to factor into the gameplan. I’ve come to realize that rivalries matter up until the game begins. They’re nice to get the team motivated, but that shouldn’t be on the coaching staff. The coaching staff should do things like post news clippings of trash talk from the other team, but it shouldn’t factor into the gameplan. I like a Head coach who doesn’t get emotional. I see it as a sign of focus. Fans should get emotional, assistant coaches can get emotional, players can use emotion. But the General, he’s gotta keep cool under pressure. He’s got to be the rock that keeps us grounded. He needs to be the guy that directs the emotions towards the goals. He can’t do that if the emotions are leading him around. I mean some emotion after the game’s over is fine. But remember, with highs come lows and I don’t want an emotional little nancy leading me into the frey.

    -Rawr-

    1. Ummm, Bill, Corwin Brown lied about what Ken Niumatalolo said. Brown totally misquoted him. (Note, I did not say “took him out of context,” I said “misquoted.”) Accordingly, I don’t think Brown is a classy guy, but that’s just my opinion.

  23. Whatever, Brown should quit his crying and motivate his team to actually play with intensity against Navy next year. Respect them before and after the game. During the game, destroy them because otherwise, they will destroy you. And that’s exactly what happened.

  24. Well I know we wanna all get over the loss of Navy and move forward. Today I was watching ESPN and they were talking about defensive players that ND had that havent gone to the NFL. We have been lacking in that department since the Hotlz/Davie Era… I can seriously say we have only have 3 real good defensive players that are true playmakers. Te’o, Mccarthy, and in my eyes Darius Fleming he isn’t used properly. Sometimes I think we all were spoiled by the past, but its the 2000’s we can cherish are past but are present is bleak… I love ND with all of my heart the only way I feel we will compete again amongst the upper eschelon is having a true cerebal mind of both offense and defense as a head coach, a coach that has fire and is in your face when you mess up. I dont like seeing Charlie on the side line with no emotion. The problem,what quality good coach wants to have this job when expectations are way too high, and we can only get 3 and 4 star players because they are just smart enough to come here. When I was young enogh to play I would of sold soul to to the devil to play for Notre Dame I wasn’t smart enough to get in. What happen to the players like me that loved Notre Dame? Its a priveledge to step on that field and have the ghosts of history around you. There is no fire and it all starts with the top and trickles down. So either the players need to ask themselves what makes them tick or the coaching is just that bad???

    1. “I love ND with all of my heart the only way I feel we will compete again amongst the upper eschelon is having a true cerebal mind of both offense and defense as a head coach, a coach that has fire and is in your face when you mess up.”

      We do have “cerebral” (that’s the word you’re looking for) coaches on offense and defense. The only problem is that they have cerebral palsy. (For all the PC people out there who gasp, bite me. It’s a joke.)

      But I think we all can agree with you Erik regarding the need for an emotional coach. Not emotional like Dick Vitale who sobs and pisses himself everytime his players say hello to him, but emotional like Holtz.

      1. JDH, I am not a victim of Cerebral Palsy but for the many people I find your comment to be totally classless. If you truly believe in what Notre Dame stands for, you would never make a statement like you did. While I am commenting on your statement regarding CP, I also believe some of your other comments are inappropriate. Maybe they are OK for the bar, but not a blog like this.

      2. Great, then be offended and call it totally classless. Again, it was a JOKE. I know what ND used to stand for. Today I’m not always completely sure, but I’m giving Her the benefit of the doubt and that’s a different subject anyway. I’m laughing inside right now because, if you actually knew who I was, you wouldn’t be throwing your uber PC, spaghetti-armed rhetoric at me. I say that with the knowledge of the service I have rendered to the downtrodden, to our Veterans, to our nation, and yes, even to a child with Cerebral Palsy!
        So I have been affected by it personally stud! No, I am certainly no Mother Theresa, by a looong shot. But I do my part.

        Humor is a multi-faceted thing. Normally I am talking about ND football on this blog. Sometimes I joke around, such as the above post. Occasionally I call somewhat out who is not so welcome around here (IMO).

        I’m assuming your are either in academia and/or an attorney based upon your very delicate sensibilities.

        So, in short, take it as, a joke, or just #$%! off and the horse you road in on. And if that still doesn’t suit you, talk to SteelfanRob! He thinks that I’M PC!

  25. Just remember, it’s not Corwin’s defense anymore. I think that sucks. He made significant improvements from 07 to 08. Who knows what this D would have looked like this year if we hadn’t changed schemes AGAIN. I like Corwin. He is extremely passionate, something lacking in most people associated with the program at the moment.

    1. This may be and who knows what this year’s defense would be like under him (although he still has alot of say in what’s going on) but you still don’t come out in public and cry about their defense getting embarrassed “legally!”

  26. Players are pretty much only ejected for fighting. Personal foul calls (even malicious ones) do not usually result in anything but a penalty and perhaps a warning. That is the ONLY example in the whole game I found of a blatant personal foul.

    Navy has been cut-blocking ND for 10 of the last 13 year years and this is the first time I have heard a complaint from the coaching staff. To basically call Navy “cheaters” was classless.

    Ironically, Hughes’ attempted cut block on a Navy linebacker (all RBs cut block when picking up a blitz… how else can they beat the defender who outweighs them by 100 pounds), resulted in the 4th down sack that sent the 2007 game to overtime and an eventual Navy win. I would challenge anyone to look at game footage of any game that ND or any other football team plays and NOT find at least one cut block. Shall we disallow sacks, tackling below the waist, etc next? It’s freaking football. Man up.

    1. Are you hot? Because any girl who follows/loves ND football that much and uses phrases like “man up” deserves a look!
      : )

      P.S. I’m just jokin’. I’m a very happily married lad w/ little ones.

      1. JDH,

        I’m glad you said it first bc I was thinking the same thing. I would LOVE for my wife to be as enthralled with Notre Dame football as much as I am.

    2. Melinda gets it, except that it was Armando Allen, not Hughes, who attempted to cut block Vela. (Interestingly, though, Vela is probably among the few 1A linebackers who does not outweigh Allen.) It WAS an attempted cut block–perfectly legal, too.

  27. wow, i watched the replay a couple times and still cant believe what i am seeing. i guess this exemplifies the heralded navy ‘effort’ right?

    1. Oh, Please. Should Clausen have been thrown out of the game for his poke at the Navy Defender after Vella’s INT at the goal line?

      1. Clausen’s “shove” could hardly cause a career ending injury. Remember it was precipitated by a much harder effort at a late block by the Navy player. In fact, it was Navy who actually drew the penalty (despite the inane commentary to the contrary.)

      2. Seriously? There are varying degrees of personal fouls. You are somehow thinking that they are all equal, no matter what the circumstance. And you couldn’t be more off base.

        How many times have you seen a defensive player thrown out of a game for a late hit on a qb? Almost never right? They get the 15 yard penalty.

        C’mon. You’re trying to show a doublestandard where there is none.

  28. Corwin Brown always has excuses for things when they go wrong. He also says too much when he needs to shut up – remember B.C. last year? Weis tells it like it is – we screwed up, yup, we did. Tenuta probably would do the same thing but, will wait until after Brown is let go, after Satruday night when our Irish get embarrassed on Heinz Field.

  29. “I agree 100% that the block on Blanton was a cheap play and felt the Navy defender should have been thrown out of the game for it – there’s no place in football for plays like that.”

    The Official was right there and made the call – Navy was penalized for the hit. Are you trying to say he should have been kicked out of the game for that hit? What about the ND player who drew the “roughing the passer” penalty on Dobbs – should he also have been thrown out of the game too?

    1. The two plays are not even close. The cut block on Blanton takes place 20 yards away from the play, after the play was over, and after Blanton stopped running. Yes, he should have been kicked out of the game for giving a cheap shot to someone’s knees 20 yards away from a play that was already over.

      1. Yeah, certainly the hit to the QB well after he throws the ball is not a “cheap shot” – eh? They are the same, and they were dealt with in the same way.

      2. I wouldn’t classify the roughing the passer as a cheap shot. Dumb penalty? Yes. There’s a difference between hitting someone late while they are looking at you and going after someone’s knees after a play is over. I have no problem with the cut blocks in general – just the one individual block that occurred after the play was over.

      3. Absolutely right. Blanton had stopped running and wasn’t even looking at the oncoming defender. Look at the way his body snaps. He could have been seriously injured on that play.

      4. zvirish,

        Maybe we can compromise with Gibson. What if we call it a “Cheap Cut Block”
        That way it was cheap, but it was legal too….. and very late.
        Wait, that would make it “A way late cheap cut block”

      5. Understand, I am not trying to defend Henderson’s hit on Blanton – the Refs saw it and dealt with it. However, to say he should have been kicked out of the game is as silly as me arguing that Clausen should have been given similar treatment for taking a poke at the Navy LB after throwing an INT or the ND DL that roughed Dobbs.

    2. You sir are a Hypocrite. Here you agree 100% that the cut block on Blanton was a cheap shot and that there is no place in football for that.
      Your words.
      But you defend their use when blogging with me.
      So when you defend the use of cut blocks, what you are saying is that they are cheap and uncalled for, as long as you don’t get caught. Nice.
      You have nailed your own coffin shut. You are full of crap and no longer worthy of my time.

  30. The loss sucked. Corwin Brown shouldn’t have publicly aired his dirty laundry. But as I said last week, Navy plays dirty.

    The one good thing to come out of all this is the bloom being taken off the rose. This mutual respect thing with Navy makes me want to throw up. Can we just go back to hating our opponents–EVERY opponent–for four quarters? Forget all the kumbayah moments. Get after it. Punch some people in the chops. And if a guy is going to try to maliciously injure you, afford him the same courtesy.

    1. McSweeny,

      You are passionet about your team and that’s cool. I share your hate for many of our opponents, Mich, USC, BC, ECT.. But for the young men and woman who dodge bombs and bulletts day after day in some far off country,risking life and limb so I can sit in the safty and comfort of my own home and watch by beloved Irish is certainly worth some level of my respect. Somethings are more important than a football game. But that’s just me.

      1. Sorry but Navy football players haven’t dodge a bullet yet, and many never will so get over the sympathy for them while there on the field they are normal football players.

      2. Forgive them father, for they know not what they speak…

        http://www.navysports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111209aaa.html

        No less than three former Navy Football players have died in the Middle East since 9-11, and several more have been awarded up to this Nations Second Highest Award for their actions in these conflicts. Notre Dame has had the honor of having every one of them grace your stadium over the last decade at least once.

      1. Actually, we get just about everyone dirtiest effort, Navy included.(Which is pretty minimal compare to USC,Mich,BC,Mich.St,Purdue)
        We are ND.
        Ether you love us, or you hate us!

      2. Actually, I neither Love nor Hate the ND program – I Respect its place in the college football world. High academics and athletics makes it one of the unique programs in D-1A.

        I can not say whether Henderson’s hit on Blanton was something worthy of having him thrown out of the game – do you all really think the intent to injure was there any more than what Clausen did to the Navy LB or what Dobbs took from the ND DLineman? All three were personal fouls, all three were called by the officials, and at least two of the three had the potential to injure.

        However, I will say that Brown’s rant sounds a tad whiney by a guy who just got schooled by a “unimaginative” offense that utilizes the legal cut block technique.

      3. I don’t give a shit if Navy was playing with Kbar knives in one hand. There is still no excuse on earth for losing to them. (I’m not implying that you’re saying that Shazam) I’m just making a point…

      4. Agreed. We play them every year. We know whats coming. You are not going to stop the option completly. But 350 yards? Come on. They can do better than that.

  31. What’s wrong with a cut block? It’s part of football. Unless the guy being cut is engaged with another blocker then there is nothing wrong with Navy going for the legs.

      1. “From the side or behind”…which is also illegal. It’s called “clipping” and any ND fan knows that word from the ’91 Orange Bowl…still a bogus call.

  32. I don’t think it’s about giving him five seasons. What they gave him was a 10 year contract, one the University should honor. Rome wasn’t built in a day. If he is fired, the program will be back where it was before he arrived. Short on scholarships and an incoming recruiting class that will deflate fast. They came (recruits and current players) to Notre Dame to play for Charlie Weis. In my opinion, Clausen and Tate can be used as a bargaining tool. I think if Weis stays , Clausen and Tate will stay for him. That will only make the program better. The alternative is Brian Kelly? He’s not ready for Notre Dame. He plays with Mark Dantonio’s recruits i.e. Tony Pike. Not to mention playing a Big East schedule. The only caveat, I think, is ND has to finish 9-3 for Weis to keep his job. If they lose to Pitt, UConn or Stanford, I think he’s gone. But, ND will be back to square one. 2004 revisited. Not to mention all of the 2010 recruits that will jump ship. If you read anything from Rivals, Scout, or Tom Lemming (ESPN), you know Weis has filled the talent void over the years. So, they got upset by Navy. Let him finish the season before we crucify him. If they win this weekend, it might not change much for his harshest critics, but something will change with the people who make the decisions i.e. Board of Directors.

    1. “The alternative is Brian Kelly? He’s not ready for Notre Dame. He plays with Mark Dantonio’s recruits i.e. Tony Pike. Not to mention playing a Big East schedule.”

      I don’t know if Brian Kelly is the answer or not, but let’s not make too much fun of the guy and his “Big East Schedule”. NDs has not been much tougher and they have been a trainwreck for 3 years. With our current coaches, I have no confidence our record would be any better even if we were members of the Big East or Conf. USA. At a minimum, I do like Kelly’s emotion…

      Just sayin’…

      1. Brian Kelly is a damn fine coach. He has proven himself at every level he has done it with far less talent that teams he has played. I wouldnt mind giving him a shot.

  33. WOW are you serious Coach Brown?!?! I’m not real sure that Charlie is the only guy on the coaching staff that needs to go after comments like this! I know we just added new coaches like hart and verducci, who I think have done very respectable jobs so far, but apparantly when Charlie gets fired we better clean out the cupboard! This is totally unacceptable for a ND coach and he did nothing but make the coaching staff, the ND program, and the Navy loss look even worse than it already is!!! Thanks Corwin for drawing even more attention to this already ridiculously sad loss and time for ND fans and faithful!!!

  34. No way am I going to make an excuse for losing to Navy, but I am glad to see Corwin Brown take a stand on something. For far too long has he and Tenuta stood in the shadows. Navy’s ill concived logic is that because they are smaller and less athletic than ND that it is OK to cut our players. They have been doing it for years and getting away with it. They did it to Brian Smith last year and injured his knee. He missed the last 2 games of the year. He was lucky that it didn’t end his career.
    And Navy isn’t even the worst offender. Air Force under Fisher Deberry used that tactic for years. They ended more careers than old age.
    I have the utmost respect for all our fighting men and woman from all our armed forces, and I congradulate Navy on their win, but this is one facet of their game that is lacking of sportsmenship and that tarnishes their own image.

    1. Cut blocking is legal in college football, EVER (and do mean ever) program does this! Just watch any game and you will see lineman from EVER team use this tactic, just not on every play like the academy teams do.

      1. BigJoe,

        I’m talking mainly about Defensive linemen who get stood up by one blocker while another blocker cuts his legs out from under him. I can’t speak for Army, but I have seen it in person with Navy and Air Force over the years.
        You insist this is legal. Maybe so. But try justifing that to some 20 year old college player who just had his career stolen from him, by what I consider a “cheap shot”

      2. I understand what you are saying, I didn’t see that on the defensive side but wasn’t really watching the dline either. Also I am not saying that I agree with this being the best tactic to use offensively, but it is legal and for Corwin to argue about his DEFENSIVE players getting cut is absurd! I could understand him defending the players if they did something illegal, but when he is complaining about legal plays that just beat and embarrassed his defense then I got a problem with this. Just shows the low point that this program has hit and it kills me as a fan!

      3. “I’m talking mainly about Defensive linemen who get stood up by one blocker while another blocker cuts his legs out from under him.”

        That is called a “Chop Block”, and is illegal. I hope you don’t infer that that is the blocking scheme taught at Navy. Typically if/when that occurs, it is the result of a missed blocking assingment, not an intent to injur an opposing player. Cut Block are a legal blocking style that is employed effectively by Navy as a means to help “level the playing field” with respect to playing all the “bigger/faster” athletes Navy goes against every week. The proof of its effectiveness is shown in just how competetive Navy has been with ND over the last 3/4 decade or so. Prior to that, after Staubach, we just could no longer compete straight up while giving up 50+ LB on both sides of the ball – Last Saturday, we owned the trenches.

      4. Shazam: The problem is that so few fans and even fewer bloggers know the difference between a cut block (legal) and a chop block (illegal). Thankfully, the officials at Saturday’s game understood.
        ND get beat by small guys who know how to cut block. Corwin should figure out the rules and put a sock in his mouth.
        Beat Pitt

      5. Gibson,

        Justify it anyway you want.
        I don’t like punching, eye goughing, leg whipping, horse collar tackling, late hits pilling on, blocking at someone’s knee’s or anything else that takes away from what college football is meant to stand for.
        If it’s a ND player, by all means pentilize him and/or toss him.
        Suspend him. Kick him off the team if need be.
        Team spirit, dedication, hard work, Fair play, and Respect. Theses are reasons we have college football in the first place, to teach our young men and woman these values so they may go forward in life as decent human beings.
        If you watch or read the news
        you may notice a degredation in society where violence, crime, hate, and injustice rule the headlines. Perhaps a return to our core values should be re-evaluated

      6. “Justify it anyway you want.
        I don’t like punching, eye goughing, leg whipping, horse collar tackling, late hits pilling on…”

        Funny, all those things you list are illegal, Cut Blocks are not…

      7. “Cut blocks are not” Maybe they should be.
        They cause unnecessary, career ending injuries.
        When it comes to a young man having his knee blown out and his career ended, just rest easy knowing that it was a legal cut block. And it’s no one fault.
        And nobody does it better than Navy…
        Except maybe Air Force!

      8. “They cause unnecessary, career ending injuries.”

        One of the great falacies of the college football world….

        If what you posted was true…

        … why is it not already illegal to cut block – it is a technique that has been used since the inception of the sport…
        … where are all the bodies that have been maimed by Navy, AF and GT this season?
        … how can Navy even field a Defense when they see the TO with the cut block every day in practice – the ambulances would be lined up next to the practice field to cart away the injured…

        The evidence does not support your conclusion.

      9. Brian Smith. One of our best linebackers. Carted off the field fom injuries sustained from a cut block to the side of his knee in last years game agianst Navy. He missed the final two games of his sophmore season.
        When I played football it wasn’t called a cut block.
        It was a dive block or submarine block. It was strieght forward man on man.
        You blocked above the knee in the thigh or below the knee at the shins. This has always been a staple of blocking, as you say, “since the inception of the sport”, mainly used in goalline or short yardage situations when both sides of the line of scrimage are stacked. It’s a strieght forward block.
        Now a days it is used almost continuiously by option running teams.The defensive tackle gets cut from angles,(The gaurd on one side and the tackle/tight end on the other) particularlly when he is in a gap posisition. It should be clipping, a 15 yard penilty. But then, when was the last time you saw a clipping call? You block that many times below the waist you would think that there would be at least one.
        If you’re not looking for evidence, you’re not going to find any.

      10. I guess if I was a Navy fan I would support cut blocking as well. Without it, they would lose almost every game, every year.

      11. Yes, as a Navy fan I do support the use of the Cut Block as a legitimate equalizer that levels the playing field for the undersized athletes we can recruit. I am sure you would prefer to continue to turn football into a game of 350lb fatass ticklepush for O-line blocking that it has become in this new era of FlagFB passing offenses – right?

      1. I’m serious about some unpaid, unprofessional, 20 year old college student, who plays football and ends up losing his career because some half pint blocker who has no chance in hell of ever playing on Sunday is allowed to dive at his knees 50 times a game.
        I don’t know how old you are but think if you had a son who played for ND and he had a promising future in the NFL.
        And in one play some unrecruited, zero star lineman, pulls a bush league stunt because it’s”legal” and blows your kids knee out. NFL career, big dollar contract, gone.
        Would you take that serious?

      2. So, you do prefer to continue to turn football into a game of 350lb fatass ticklepush for O-line blocking that it has become in this new era of FlagFB passing offenses – why not just put on the flags?

        Just remember, an entire team of zero-star Rudys just kicked the crap out of your 5-star recruit team for the second time in 3 games. To bad we didn’t play the TO in the span between Staubach at PJ, the streak would never have been 43.

    2. Navy uses this technique to their advantage. I am a huge ND fan, but I am disappointed in the excuses made by our coaches (Weiss, Brown-surprised, and Tenuta). This week has seen ND move to an all-time low. Too many distractions to beat Pitt. After the Pitt loss even the staunchest Weiss supporters will jump ship.

    3. You say a cut block is legit.
      And it is when used within the rules. Which Navy bends.
      Hey, fireworks are legal in many states. You can light off M-80’s in your back yard no problem. But some people put them in their neighbor’s mailbox at 1:00am and blast the hell out of it?? Yeah, they’re legal, and you didn’t get caught. But we all know that it still isn’t right.
      (except maybe a numbskull)
      Calling a cheap shot to a player’s knee’s “technique” is a lame excuse for a group of men who hold “Honor” as their highest atribute. If they had to stand and block like the other 99% of the Division 1A teams, they couldn’t do it.
      Face it. Without the cut block Navy would be reduced to playing 1AA schools. Probably where they belong anyway.
      But you go ahead with your mindless drivell. It only succeeds in tarnishing their image, and reducing the impact of their successes.

      1. Speaking of mindless drivel….

        “…If they had to stand and block like the other 99% of the Division 1A teams, they couldn’t do it…”

        Well, thank you Mr. Obvious!

      2. Hey Shazamscrotum– cant you just shut up and accept that you got beat by Navy , Pitt and now UCONN. all the other ND fans here seem to have a clue except you.. grow up. football is a tough sport. If there was a call to be made you would heve gotten it like you always do at your home field.. you are a real PUSS.. Fair winds and following seas shipmate. haha

  35. “Even if the hits were illegal, you send the tape to the conference officials that oversaw the game and you move on.”

    Definitely have to agree here, I like Brown’s passion but
    he seems to have been way off based. As was said above,
    criticizing the Navy coach’s offense after they whooped us…
    granted the D alone didn’t lose this game and they played
    well enough for us to win in the 2nd half… smacks of
    desperation and frustration. Let it go, you’re only chance
    of coming back next year is to win out.

    Go Irish, Beat Pitt!

    1. What hurts the most is this Navy Game was my first game at ND stadium (as i live in Phoenix). It was a great trip enjoying all the traditions we read/hear about, but the game made for a long plane flight home.

  36. Brown also said how unimaginative there offense is? Well that offense beat you, rolled up a ton of rushing yards. So how unimaginative it is, it beat you. You couldnt stop it such an unimagative offense? Sounds like you are not a very good defensive coach.

  37. Its a joke to come out and defend your “game plan” when you got destroyed by an undersized and slower team. Corwin Brown needs to shut up and take the medicine that navy just gave them.

    Even if the hits were illegal, you send the tape to the conference officials that oversaw the game and you move on.

  38. is it wrong for a coach to say that? CW always talks about an opponents defense when he knows what they are going to do. SOunds like a baby crying that he got beat. Not navy fault that he didnt make adjustments. Charlie rubbing off on these coaches. Never there fault. Get rid of them all and bring in agroup that can coach and take criticism

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