Initial Impressions – Notre Dame 14, Stanford 37

Notre Dame suffered a tough loss Saturday at the hands of Stanford.  The Irish were dominated on both lines of scrimmage and struggled to sustain much offense throughout the game.  Here are some initial thoughts on today’s game.

Offense

  • The offensive line had its roughest day of the season.  Stanford generated a pass rush all day long most ly rushing just 3 or 4 linemen.  The line is still missing assignments as evidenced by the failed fourth and 1 run when the game was still somewhat in doubt.  The line is going to be a work in progress it appears for most of the year.
  • Dayne Crist had a rough day too – his roughest as a collegiate player.  His overall stats don’t look too bad.  He was 25 of 44 for 304 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but the numbers don’t tell the whole story.  Crist was tentative and didn’t push the ball down the field until the game was over.  Hopefully this ends up being a learning experience for Crist and he bounces back next week, but it’s clear that he still needs some work.  He’s shown that he’s got all of the tools – just needs more experience.
  • Theo Riddick showed some more examples of why the coaching staff was so high on him this summer.  He ended up with 7 catches for 71 yards and a touchdown.  He had a second touchdown called back because of a holding penalty in the final minute too.  Riddick has looked great when he’s gotten the ball in space – he just hasn’t gotten enough opportunities.
  • It was nice to see John Goodman get involved in the offense today.  He recorded his first five catches of the season and ended up with 59 yards.
  • The running game was a disappointment today. Armando Allen continued to run hard and he did the most with the space he was given to run.  The problem was there wasn’t much room to run when the Irish decided to run.
  • Michael Floyd topped 100 yards for the first time this season and looked like he could have had a bigger day if his number would have been called more.   Floyd continues to show that he is going to win the battle for the ball most of the time if Crist just throws it up for him down-field.  He’s not getting enough chances on such plays though.
  • TJ Jones didn’t have a big impact on the game, but he could have.  Jones broke free down the sideline on the first drive of the game for an easy score but Crist missed him badly.   Kelly needs to find more ways to get Jones the ball in space.
  • Stanford did a hell of a job taking Kyle Rudolph out of the game.  They had Rudolph blanketed and forced Notre Dame to beat them without Rudolph.  Their strategy worked.  Rudolph had just 1 catch for 1 yard all game after tearing it up the last three weeks.
  • Stanford controlled the line of scrimmage and that is why Notre Dame struggled offensively as much as they did.

Defense

  • Third down defense was very, very rough today.  Stanford converted 11 of 16 3rd downs – anytime a team allows that many 3rd down conversions they are going to have a hard time winning the game.
  • The defense held tough in the first half, but wore down as the game continued.   Stanford only had 16 points at half time but it could have been worse with how much trouble the offense had moving the football.
  • Stanford piled it on late, but through through and a half quarters they had just 19 points.  Not a great effort, but certainly good enough for this to have been a game had the offense been able to score some points.
  • Manti Te’o was an absolute beast out there today.  His final tackle total ended up at 21.  He was all over the field and single handily almost kept the Irish in the game in the second half.  Simply put, Notre Dame needs more Manti Te’os to get to where we all want them to get.
  • Notre Dame recorded the first two interceptions of the season of Andrew Luck, but they could have had at least another two.  Darrin Walls dropped an easy interception in the end zone on a third down that would have saved three points in the first half.
  • The pass rush was almost non-existent today.  Luck avoided the little pressure Notre Dame got with ease.
  • Notre Dame linebackers had a rough day in coverage.  Stanford made a living attacking the middle of the field.   Te’o is getting better in coverage and was just out of position on a few key plays.  He’ll improve in this area over time, but for now the linebackers are vulnerable to attack through the air for Notre Dame.

Special Teams

  • The return games have been a disappointment the last few weeks.  Kelly mentioned that if Wood doesn’t improve in the return game he could lose his job and he didn’t do much today to secure his position as the top kick returner.
  • Notre Dame didn’t have much of an opportunity to return punts since Stanford only punted once the entire game.
  • David Ruffer connected on both field goals today and continues to be perfect on the season kicking field goals.
  • Ben Turk had an alright game outside the botched rugby style punt that netted only 18 yards.
  • Coverage units were solid again.

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233 Comments

  1. irisheye62,

    True Irish fans are unified in their desire to see their team excel. That means we’re not blind to the team’s fault and chose to not be critical for the sake of those like you who seem to have very thin skin. I tremble at your lack of insight and coherence.

    As for my pro team, unlike the Irish, they’ve overcome mediocrity and have won 2 titles in the last 5 years. Not too bad. When will we be able to brag about ND football winning 2 titles in 4 or 5 years? I don’t think The Stillers have to worry too much about what you think about them, irisheye. I for one am glad that losers don’t care for the Stillers. Keep your mediocrity and settling for less to yourself.

  2. Reports now claiming that Tony Alford spoke to Aaron Lynch yesterday and he is solid again and will not be taking any visits. Don’t get so uptight about RKG’s and not wanting recruits because of wavering thoughts etc etc. Remember we got TJ Floyd from Stanford and Louis Nix from Miami late in the process. These are 18 year old kids making big decisions with a lot of people trying to influence them. Aaron Lynch is a stud DE with a huge upside that would look great “on paper” next to Nix and Tuitt. I don’t care if he wavers till Feb but ends up signing with the Irish. I believe this coaching staff will work wonders with the ability to mold these kids from the start.

  3. One of the nation’s top high school football players is wavering on his commitment to Notre Dame and said he will visit Iowa.

    Aaron Lynch, a 6-foot-6, 245-pound defensive end from Cape Coral, Fla., told NoleInsider.com that he intends to visit Iowa and Florida State. Lynch is ranked by Rivals.com as a four-star prospect and the No. 95 overall player in the class of 2011.

    Lynch committed to Notre Dame in July, but now apparently wants to explore his options. His lengthy list of scholarship offers includes Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami and Ohio State.

    “I was thinking about Iowa’s defense and how they run the 4-3 and people think I’d fit great in their defense, so I’m going to look more into them,” Lynch told NoleInsider.com.

    1. ND has recieved verbals from three other DE’s as well. All good prospects. Perhaps Lynch is feeling a bit squeezed.
      I prefer the player who isn’t afraid of a little competition and goes out and earns the job over some of these four and five star guys right out of high school that think that they are entitled to a starting job as soon as they sign their LOI.
      Don’t get me wrong, I think he would be a great addition to our defense and I hope we still get him. But I also hope that if he does stay that he turns out to be the right kind of player.

      1. I agree, it is funny though if you go to the irisheyes site they recently had a big two part interview (I did not read it) with his mom about his decision. The idea that this is the wrong D for him is non-sense the best defenses in the NFL are 3 – 4, he needs to take a look at another Aaron, Aaron Smith of the Steelers as an example.

      2. 2 things,

        1. If he’s concerned right now with playing in a Defense that the NFL teams play in, I find that suspect. I’m not sure I want a kid who’s ego is so big right now what types of Defense is popular in the NFL factors into his decision.

        2. He should be worried about what school fits him. And to be honest, if he’s a 4-3 player, he’s a 4-3 player. Anyone remember what happens when we ask 3-4 personnel to play in a 4-3? I like to call that debacle the 2009 defense. I like to call asking 4-3 personnel to play in a 3-4 the 08 defense. see a trend? If he fits, he fits, if not he should do what’s best for him.

        But I still don’t think what’s best for him is deciding which NFL Defense he fits best in. Not right now.

      3. The young man did NOT think of this when he was being recruited months ago. Is he this ignorant? I say let him go. All that time to talk it over with his family and friends and NOW he’s not sure if this is the right defense for him. In my opinion he might be a great talent but not RKG.

      4. FXM,

        Watch out now. irisheye62 says that there can be no pro-football references on this site. He’s apparently this website’s new administrator. How dare you invoke the name of Aaron Smith, FXM? After all, it’s not like you’re trying to make a point of comparison. Something that seems to be beyond the grasp of irisheye62.

      5. SteelFanRob–
        I’m trembling
        I’m trembling so much that you missed the point by far-
        True Irish Fans are unified

        As for TRUE commentary, I repsect TEO -this was NOT a tough loss to Stanford–it was a LOSS-teo has insight-

        Steel fan rob–hope your CORPORATE team can beat the ravens in the future-have a nice day—

    1. Guess he pulled the trigger a bit early hunh? Seems he’s being told he’s better suited for a 43 defense.

      I’m not sure that I would agree with that being that he has the potential to add massive amounts of lean beef to his enormous 6’6″ frame.

      Even if he decides to leave we still have a solid d-end recruiting class. I would really like to see this kid stick around and compete for a starting job here at ND though. These types of athletes make everyone better around them too.

  4. Here’s one for ya fellas!

    Before all the boyz in the hood approach to being a sports fan when you could actually like your opponent, people actually rooted for their opponents in later games.

    For example in 1988, many of us ND students actually rooted for Michigan against the Cocaines. I saw guys almost in tears when Miami pulled that one out.

    So who do you root for in the Michigan / Michigan St. game, if you care?
    I’m rooting for the Spartans. My wife went there. They aren’t burning couches anymore, ( at least it seems that way ), and after living in Michigan for 18 years, I’ve learned to not like the Maize and Blue.

    So anyone want to comment or to ask about other Irish opponents?

    1. I happend to be looking over the Bleacher report the other day and stopped to read a story about USC and their loss to Washington.
      A lot of their fans seem to be in a twist about the loss, and the poor job their defense has done. Then they go on to speculate about how the team will finish, what their final record could be, and the “sure thing” wins that remain on the schedule.
      The overwhelming concencus among their fans is that ND is a sure “W” in the win column.
      I hope it stays that way, and I hope our guys are made well aware of this fact.

    2. C-Dog,

      How about a little food for thought today?
      The more I read into it, the more likely there seems to be a good chance that there will be no NFL football next year. Whether it’s a players strike or a owner lockout, both sides are making contingency plans for just such an occurance.
      That would leave the NCAA as the main source of competitive football in America next year.
      Ever hear the terms “strike while the iron is hot” or “one man’s loss is another man’s gain”?
      What better time for ND to break-out and have a great
      season?
      Maybe even a championship season.
      With our wide open schedule and national fan base, it would be a golden oppertunity at restoring glory.
      With no NFL on TV , or ESPN, no NFL for the media to write or talk about, a winning ND football program would take on added importance, and center stage.
      Positive headlines, and added exsposure could propel the program for years to follow.
      Think about it.
      Would there ever be a better time to get it done?

    3. While I’m a die hard Irish fan I still have a lot of love for the Big 10. Probably due to me living here in Indiana.

      Personally, I would like to see Sparty when this game. They have been Michigan’s step-child for years. With that said… I also have to admit that I’v enjoyed watching Bernard Robinson tear up opposing teams all year.

      Either way, I’ll be watching the game!

  5. Aaron Lynch is visiting Iowa because “people are telling him he’d fit better in their 4-3 defense.” This is Chris Martin all over again, Lynch is a goner. I really hope this doesn’t start a trend.

  6. I live in Pittsburgh, no offensive line, a bunch of mediocre seniors getting their first taste of playing time. Shaky new QB ( 4 games, 650 yards, 4 TD, 2 int) who can’t get the ball to a receiver who is superior to Floyd. They lost Greg Romeus to a back injury the heart and soul of their D. So, BK’s familiarity with them combined with superior talent should prevail.

    1. FXM,

      I’m glad you made these points which I agree with.
      If I’d have said the same, the headhunters out there would have tared and feathered me.
      I forgot that QB Bill Stull graduated and the job has fallen to the Soph, QB Sunseri.
      Not only have they lost, as you say, the heart of their defense in Romeus, they also lost the heart of their offense in RB Dion Lewis.
      We have lost the last two meetings.
      It sure would be nice to see Lou smile and May eat crow in this one.

    2. Unlike the BC game which was really a test of the leadership getting the team mentally and emotionally ready after three weeks of heartbreak, this one will be more of a guage of where the team is skillwise. A loss is a big setback and will call back into question the true talent level, as well as development status of the players. A close win, will not be so great because Pitt is now having problems. Kelly should have the guys practicing well this week. Management of this week with the team will show in at least a similar game against Pitt as we had against BC. Hopefully a more consistent, 60 minute offense will surface. I also hope there is some attention to establishing a running game. These guys haven’t come close to Shaz’s 175 yd. bar for success. Gotta have it.

      Pitt has some good and tall receivers so our line and linebackers better get some pressure. I’d love to see a package on 3rd downs where you put Teo on the outside. Move your nickel back just inside Teo and send Teo in on the QB. I’ve always felt pressure without all out blitzes is the most effective. These guys might be ready for more zone coverage.

      I almost want to predict. But I won’t. Not jinxing the boys.

  7. p.s.

    i think it is funny(ironic maybe?) that the areas where people questioned kelly’s skills the most are proving to be areas of strength, that is recruiting and defense. i don’t care how down you are on the irish, you have to admit that the d has really come around since last year…you can’t argue with a top 5 recruiting class either.

    btw, demarco murray looks like the second coming of AP…when are we going to get some backs like that?

  8. once again, defense played great, offense left a lot on the field.

    i missed the first couple drives, but kelly is too reluctant to pound it out. 45 passes vs. 31 runs is not my idea of a ‘balanced attack.’ the fourth quarter td featured some nice runs, but we are too quick to huck the rock all over the field. when crist has a year or two under his belt this offense will be scary, but until then, run the ball!

    my expectations are probably too high, but had we played mich, mich st. or stanford that would have been another loss. still not there yet.

    calabrese is a beast! fun to watch him and teo.

    go irish!

  9. Poz –
    Great way to put it – not sure how to win and waiting for something to go wrong. I had a wedding and reception to go to -only able to catch the very end of the 3rd qtr on. I thought the Irish looked very disorganized and definitely a bit disinterested. Saw a bunch of 3 and outs for both teams. i did see Kelly get in the grill of a few players but that was the only high light I saw. What the game showed me is it takes time to change the climate there. It definitely isnt going to happen in one year but hopefully they start building up from here and get some momentum and beat Utah and SC.

  10. I think Sat night was a clear indication of a team not sure how to win and waiting for something bad to happen. We just couldn’t seal the deal and finish them off. If BC was moderately efficient on offense things could have gotten real interesting. One more step in the evolution. It will be interesting to see if BC’s D turns out to be good or we were just that bad on O. I think Armando Allen is a nice back but he just can’t get loose. Always seems to be one tackle away. I think it is safe to say he is what he is. I like Riddick in the slot but wouldn’t mind seeing him get a few carries. He seems as if he can break one.

    The Pitt game seems to be our watershed moment of the season. A win here and we could have a real nice year. A loss means we really struggle to get 8 wins.

    Go Irish!

    1. Armando is a good back but not great by any means. He is running with some attitude this year but can’t seem to power through arm tackles or shoestring tackles.

      I was under the impression he had worked on his power this off season…

      1. I believe he did work on his power in the off season. Maybe he’s just not as good as we thought, just like a few other players. Maddening!

  11. A lot has been said about Crist thru the 1st 5 games, some good, some bad. I did some research and found some interesting numbers on how our last two QB’s did their first year. I know Brady and Jimmy were Freshman and Crist is a JR, but he had to start from scratch this year while he was recovering from a ACL injury, so it’s like he is a freshman all over again.

    Brady Quinn completed 47% of his passes for 1831 yards, 9 TD’s, 15 Int’s

    Jimmy Clausen completed 56% of his passes for 1254 yards, 7 TD’s, 6 Int’s

    Dayne Crist has completed 58% of his passes so far for 1358 yards, 10 TD’s and 4 Int’s.

    Dayne is on pace to throw for over 3200 yards, 24 Td’s, and 10 Int’s. That is not a bad first year, but more importantly it shows that if Kelly develops him, he is going to be a beast over the next 2 years.

    He has his issues, but he is by far the best 1st year QB we have had in awhile. I think he can still lead the Irish to an 8 or 9 win season.

    1. He has to connect on or his receivers have to hold onto about 3 more passes a game to be at about 66% which is hard to criticize. By the way that is Drew Brees career completion %. In addition, he is coming into the part of the season where those stats can be significantly padded.

      1. I think that % is a touch misleading. you gotta factor in the types of passes he’s completing.

        for example: if he completes 13/20 that’s a nice 65%, but there’s a difference between those passes leading to 200 yds or 100 yds. YpA is important to account for when you’re discussing completion %.

      2. You’re right, which is why I pointed out he has already passed for more yards than Jimmy did in a whole season and he is a couple of games away from what Brady did his first year.

      3. oh yeah, don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t trying to tear down you’re argument. I was just responding to FXM’s comment.

        But no, I see what you’re saying, and I totally agree. I think Dayne’s a developing young quarterback. if he played for any other school in the country he’d be referred to as a Sophomore(R) at Notre Dame, he’s a Junior. So people seem to expect more from him.

        I just wanted to point out that I put more faith into YpA. I happen to believe that better translates into first downs, and that’s crucial.

  12. one win isnt the season they have to play a whole 60 min game which they have not done in a very long time but they needed that one last night big game on sat against pitt lets see whats happen still trying to climb out of that hole we dug ourselves go irish

  13. Great win for the Irish. Let’s not forget that BC is a decent team. They are not as good this year as last year but this is still a real solid program. In reading some people’s comments on the game, you would think BC turned into Western Michigan or Army overnight. For everyone down on ND, I am surprised. There 3 losses all came against 2 top 25 teams. Two of those teams have the two top frontrunners for the Heisman. The reality is that ND wins against Michigan if Crist does not miss half the game. They were evenly matched with Mich State. They lost to a team that is better than them and will be a top 10 team when the season is over. I think by the end of the year they will end up 8-4 which is a great year. Let’s give Kelly some praise rather than downplaying their win. Let’s enjoy it. As for Herbstreet, I wish he would just come out of the closet on his hatred for ND. I can at least respect Mark May or Desmond Howard. They are up front and honest on the stance. Herbie pretends to be a fair and balanced announcer. He somehow has convinced himself that he has no bias for OSU. Somehow, he always seems to put them in the same grouping as Florida, Bama and the SEC. The reality is that Ohio State would be crushed in the SEC. Florida, Bama, LSU, etc… are on a whole other level than his beloved OSU. It is funny that he used the comparison of a high school defense as most people thought of Herbie as no better than a High school QB.

    1. I don’t understand the Herbstreit hate there. I would love to get on him for having an anti-nd bias, but I just don’t see it. he’s the guy who said ND would probably be 3-3 after it’s first 6 games. ND’s 2-3. He doesn’t hide his OSU bias, but at the same time, be honest they deserve to be in the conversation with BSU, Bama and Oregon. They deserve it a lot moreso than Florida or Texas did, or LSU might.

      This whole SEC is amazing, everyone else barely deserves to play idea is horse-shit. (sorry for language). No seriously, outside of Alabama and maybe Auburn, I just don’t see it. Florida’s offense just isn’t that good (much like Texas). LSU has less Offense than Tennessee. Tennessee is a friggin joke. So is Kentucky, vandy the state of Mississippi and then there’s Georgia. 1-4 “we just lost to Hawkins” georgia.

      Honestly, I’m coming to believe that between Arizona, Oregon, Stanford and even USC the Pac-10’s a better conference than the SEC. Don’t get me wrong, Bama’s the unquestioned #1 team in the country, but outside of that, I’m just not impressed with the rest of that conference.

      1. I have to disagree with you on your assessment of the SEC. Year in year out, the SEC is in a whole different category. Bama, Auburn, LSU, South Carolina and Arkansas would kill Ohio State in a game. I also agree with the Herbstreet analysis. The guy is a clown. He was a lousy player and an even lousier announcer.

      2. did you forget?

        two years ago….

        Utah blew away Alabama!!!

        Utah!!

        the SEC is overated!!

      3. Year in Year out? This is 2010. I hate that phrase. That phrase implies that what you (or your conference) did last year matters. Or for the past 5 years for that matter. If that were the case Boise State would be the unquestioned #1 team in the country. Because Year in Year out they just win. But that’s not the case.

        I get it, most years the SEC has a bunch of ‘really good’ teams. But this isn’t most years. This is this year. Look at the SEC’s non conference schedule, and it’s just really hard to be impressed. You’ll find that the majority of the teams they’ve beaten come from I-AA or ESPN’s Bottom 10 or the SEC. Think about that for a second. The reputation of the conference is built upon Alabama, beating teams everyone should beat, and beating each other.

        Like I said before, Alabama is the unquestioned #1 team in the country. But Florida’s just not that good. LSU’s offense is beyond a joke. Auburn’s big win is over South Carolina, who’s big win is over Southern Miss? I mean, I love what the SEC has done with PR, because it’s astounding. Arkansas, I just don’t see it. Arkansas’ record boasts wins over Tennessee Tech, UL-Monroe, a last minute win over 1-4 georgia, & a loss to Bama. Great teams, truly great. (for reference, of teams the great Arkansas has beat Georgia’s win over UL-Laf is the lone win against D-IA opponents).

        I just want to know, what exactly does Herbstreit do that garners your animosity? I mean seriously, does he ever make a claim to have been an amazing player? What does that have to do with him being an analyst anyway? If you’re mad because he said ND would go 3-3 at the beginning of the year, at best ND will be 3-3 at the end of the week.

  14. I liked last night’s game. You can pick the Irish apart all you want. But I’ll say having watched Kelly last night that I’m a believer. A lesser leader would have been only patting them on the back. But he did both patting on the backs and got in their faces. This tells them that he thinks they are capable of much more. So now they have the good feeling of a win and the good feeling that their coach believes in them.

    That team truly is a work in progress. The offensive line better improve. The reads of the line and QB better improve. The running game better start getting one or two big runs a game and better start getting more consistent. The defense better understand how to cover better.

    But they played tough and they played faster than given credit for by the analysts. This team is not a top 15 team, but it may be a top 25 team.

    Stay positive and stick with these kids, these coaches, and this program. They rebounded emotionally and took care of a team. This game was never close. I see that and I know they will make progress along their planned road.

    1. C-Dog,

      Brian Kelly got the freshmen Bennet Jackson, in on special teams as a kick-off returner.
      On the games’ opening kick-off he returns the ball to the 50 yard line. That’s how you start a game on the road.
      Another freshmen, linebacker, Prince Shembo, number #55, had a couple of sacks. The first one useing a speed rush around the offensive tackle.
      That is something that I haven’t seen from a ND DE/Linebacker in sometime. Maybe we found someone who can get some pressure in third and long!

  15. Good win last night,that first quater sure showed what this offence is capable of doing when they are on. The turnovers in the 2nd qtr were alarming but the D stepped up after that freebee nd gave up. Team showed up for the most part should have been a bigger win but awin is a win go irish beat pitt!!!!!!!!

  16. Offense needs consistancy, period. BC is a mess and we should have beaten them by 40. Also, no one respects Crist running and BK never went back to it. The receivers also ran wrong routes and were not on the same page. The Irish offense needs to play 4qts not 1.

    On a bright note the defense looked good. The one thing I am impressed with is the play of the MLB’s. They stopped the run and other than a double move had a good game. I think they need to get Shembo in the game on pass rush situations, the guy looks possessed going after the QB.

    The next game will be the test if they can score on a good defense. Place 8 in the box against Pitt and make their QB beat you. All in all not a bad game on defense and more consitancy on offense. Kelly needs to put in all of his packages before this offense will be lights out.

    1. I am far from a Dayne Crist apologist, he has serious accuracy problems. However, a lot of Crist bashing, even from BK. He is streaky which is maddening. However, lets be a little grateful that he did not do as Ryan Mallet did when Rich Rod arrived and he knew he was not a spread QB. He split. Dayne could have easily said torn ACL take a year off and switch to a pro style set. What we saw from BC last night is what we could be going through.

  17. Since Sean McDonough grew up in Boston, he must have been a childhood fan of BC. Maybe even a big Flutie fan back in the 80s. He also announced for the Red Sox, which is beside the point. Tonight McDonough announced the game like an angry BC fan. When he declared that there wasn’t much enthusiasm in recruiting for BC, he must have been spilling the words of a BC alum who was connected to the program and him.

  18. A win is a wi is a win. One of the main reason for the win is that BC is more screwed up right now than ND. Crist has got to get it together – too many passess off target – behind receiver – over the head etc. Still not much of a rush on the passer even today – looked good against the run though – next week really a key MUST BE A LOT MOR CONSISTEN ON OFFENSE AND CRIST MUST LEARN TO ADJUST TO THE DFENSE- first quarter looked great after that – squat. right now you might consider what the Tampa Bucs coach John Mckay said when asked about hius team’s execution – He said he was all for it – must execute consistently

  19. Nice sack by Shembo, a kid that was waivering with his verbal until Kelly made a face to face and locked him down.

  20. Steelfan,

    Nice drive, however he needs to learn touch. I played QB and you need to throw to the proper spot. He throws lasers when he needs to lay the ball in. He locks on receivers because he doesn’t know the offense that well. When you are playing QB you lock on your first read a lot, it’s comfortable like a warm blanket because it’s what you do in practice. My JR year we had a weigel pass I locked on the fullback all the time, by the end of the year defenses just covered the FB and not the flag from the wideout or the drag. My senior year I watched film and hit the flag in the endzone, he dropped the ball, but I made the right read. Patience is needed with young Crist, but I feel he will be a better QB than Jimmy when it is all said and done.

  21. Jack,

    I saw the same exact thing! DC locks on too much. This is a pick 6 waiting to happen. Let’s just hold and go home with a W.

  22. Steelfan,

    I just think the team is young and not adjusting on offense. He should have hit Floyd on the curl when they kicked the field goal. The turnovers are killing us. Need to get their shit together and get the job done.

  23. Nobody thought this was going to be easy, did they? Could’ve been. Should’ve been. But we can’t just go ahead and bury someone. No! Our fart-for-a-brain QB can’t seem to make a play unless we’re starting at midfield. Our RBs can’t hold on to the ball. Our WRs don’t help by making tough catches and dropping some easy ones. Our D gives up a TD with less than a minute to go in the 1st qtr., giving BC life. On and on. Slop and slather (to quote from “StillMill” at my favorite Stillers site). Once more, BK isn’t adjusting to the adjustments (Coaching 101 and something that drove me mad about CW). Let’s hope we just hang on. Like I said before the game, I’ll take a 1 point win at this point. (My gosh, even I’m settling for mediocrity!)

    1. I thought it would be a walk in the park. A piece of cake.
      I used the term overmatched when referring to BC in this game.
      Of course I also stressed the fact that if we played without emotion as we have done in the past, we would be in for another long night agianst BC.
      It was good to see our back up QB get some snaps. (Something that rarely happened with Weis, and it showed at times this year)

  24. I have to watch the game on a gamecast on espn.I’m so pissed I live in the midwest and I can’t get the game. but I can watch washington vs.USC.

  25. Here is the goofy mental gymnastics we can go through, WE were the Spartan’s equal losing on a trick play in OT in their house, they handle #11 Wisconsin despite a bunch of turnovers, we sit nauseous about what may occur tonight at BC. God, could we be any further back on our heels?

  26. Is the band traveling out to the BC game this weekend? I kinda doubt it but am going and would love to hear them……does anyone know if they normally go to this game or travel at all?

  27. …..game day and we still have musings of the Stanford game…..no updates Frank? I hear we have a game against BC tonight….

  28. Well, until we start winning….the personal diatribes will be a daily event. And rightly so, however, contrary perhaps to popular opinion, BC is a must win without excuse. Incremental improvement will not carry the day if we do not win convincingly against BC.

    1. JC,

      Agreed, but, heck, I’d take a 1 point win right now. I’d take 1/2 point win if that were possible. Just win, ND, just win!

  29. cousinnap,

    We can lose to one and still finish 8-4. But that would be unrealistic since I don’t believe (although I’m always ready to be proved wrong) that ND will beat both Utah and USC. If we lose to both BC and Pitt, then this season is lost. You’re looking at 5-7 realistically and no bowl. That would practically ensure that we’ll lose several of the recruits we have or could have. That would be a real set-back for the program, a program that needs as much talent as possible, esp. on the D side.

    Mediocrity seems to be what many people here seem to have come to accept. I, for one, would rather stop rooting for ND than accept it becoming the Chicago Cubs of college football (i.e., a relic, an irrelevant team, or a lovable loser). There was a time when ND fans expected national titles; now we’re happy winning the Hawaii Bowl and always talking about “next year”. Sound familiar Chicago-area (including S. Bend) denizens?

    1. Notwithstanding the dichotomy of the media hating us but putting anyone who beats us into the top 25 (UM / MS) we have only played one good team and got clobbered. We beat one very bad team and so the jury is totally out on what we have here. Something close to average or worse than. This idea that we could be 3 -1, as a Steeler guy you can relate, it is easy to say the Steelers could be 1 – 2, but they are not they are undefeated. And this notion of we could be if is really goofy.

      1. FXM,

        Well-said, my man!

        I’m glad you brought it up, but, yes, the Stillers could be 0-3 right now and people would say that’s OK because Big Ben isn’t playing. Not Stillers’ fans, however. We were not going to use Big Ben as an excuse. Why? We expected the Steelers to find a way to win. Period. Excuses need not apply! That’s what Steelers fans demand — winning.

        And guess what, FXM? Like you said: 3-0. No need for excuses and what if this or that. But the leprechauns on this board will never tire of making excuses for losing and the mediocre. So don’t be surprised if ND continues to lose because it knows (like the Cubs’ GM) that we’ll continue to put up with and make lame excuses for shit-ass football.

        I don’t know if this is just sad or tragic?

    2. Steelfan,

      I disagree about the talent gap. Look at the line up on both defense and offense. On defense there is only one two three star players starting according to many recruiting ranks. The talent is there, they need to start producing period. As far as loosing a recruits, if they are not in let them go. We need players commited to ND. Lou Holtz had a loosing season his first year but was able to lock down solid recruiting classes. This is what ND is paying BK for, lets see how good he truely is.

      1. Jack and Chris:

        I think both of you make great points. No disagreements. I believe BK will get this turned around. All I’m saying is let’s not start getting ahead of ourselves with all kinds of bold predictions. We have a real long way to go. Let’s all pull together in the same direction and not settle for the medicore as fans. Let’s demand ND excellence. GO IRISH!

    3. I would NEVER give up cheering for the Irish.
      EVEN to SAY it as reference in passion is blasphemy to the Irish–the TRUE Irish Fans. Comparing ND to the Steelers in PASSION is one thing but to compare the programs altogether is absurd. THAT is CORPORATE, THIS IS COLLEGIATE. Even with the impurities in the game, this is COLLEGIATE.
      Honestly.
      And -Steel Fan–for the 10,000 time, I do not accept mediocrity. However, if you eat nothing but chips and beer dont’ expect the 5k to go your way the next day.
      I’m NOT SETTLING for MEDIOCRE results. ( The Michigan State loss still stings and FYI–so does the Boston College last minute field goal of 93 -thus kicking our National Title hopes in the Chins–and I STILL think we should have had a SHARE of that title–or THE WHOLE THING–after all we BEAT FLORIDA STATE- I WAS THERE)—-
      AND–AGAIN, I am an Irish GRAD, FAN, and to even suggest that I would EVEN cheer for Ohio State Tinker Toy Tech Institute on High Street in an abomination.
      NO WAY EVER! ( In case you didn’t realize, there are ND FANS ALL OVER THE WORLD even in the HOLY CITY OF JERUSALEM–been there-lived there-saw it for myself)
      So—IRISH JUST BEAT BOSTON and NOW WE MUST BEAT THE TRIPLE OPTION OF NAVY AND TRULY DESTROY the OCTOBER TEAMS –( I don’t like the MAC on our schedule AT ALL)
      I think I’ve stated my case
      Don’t categorize me, sir.
      I’m more Irish than most here.
      ONE STEP AT A TIME ON THE MOUNTAIN. Kelly Era or—BUST.
      ND NOW ND ALWAYS NUMBER ONE

  30. Why settle for 7-8 wins? Why not come out and be REALLY POSITIVE AND OPTIMISTIC and predict 9 wins?

    IF we win 8 games and a bowl, then you’d better believe that this will have been a successful season, esp. because ND started 1-3. 7 wins plus a bowl win is not bad either. ND would have major recruiting momentum and energy heading into the off-season and Spring.

    Now, whether it’s realistic to believe that ND will win 7 or 8 games, that’s another thing. I’ll tell you this, ND better beat either Pitt or BC to have a shot at winning 8 games.

    Real Irish fans don’t settle for mediocrity! That’s what we’ve been for over a decade — mediocre. If you settle for excuse-making and don’t want honest criticism of ND football, then go root for Ohio State or some other crap team. If you live in Ohio, you’re probably used to crappy football teams anyway. Bengals? Browns? Jokes. Teams with fans who settle for winning games or seasons. Steelers’ fans, on the other hand, may be tough, but then again we accept only SB titles. Perhaps there’s an equation here between teams with a large % of their fan base who settle for mediocrity (e.g., Cubs, Browns, Bengals) and teams with a large % of their fan base that demand more and better (ND back in the day, Steelers).

    GROW UP! GET OVER YOURSELF! GO DRAG SOMEBODY ELSE’S TEAM DOWN WITH YOUR TOLERANCE OF THE MEDIOCRE!

    1. they need to beat BOTH bc AND Pitt – that is where the 7-8 during regular season comes from and I was talking regular season – a bowl win in a respectable of course a great way to finish the season. Mediocrity is not the goal but you have to climb the mountain firsr and the last few years have dug a deep hole

  31. Oh My Gosh people–
    really?
    We suck, no fight, on and on and woe is us
    I hate to say it but many of you here sound like OSU buckeye fans
    ( I live in Columbus and should know whining when I hear it)
    REALLY?
    Stanford has a program in operation and progress has been steady with a school of high academics ( little empathy and only PC mind you -so it is when a school is in the proximity of Nancy Pelosi and the far left and Sodom and Gomorrah of San francisco and all but that’s another story-still the spirit is there and it rubs off on a University whose middle, first and last name is arrogance)
    THAT SAID-
    Harbough-who must have high blood pressure of 300/200 –has a program in full swing, can coach, and Stanford folks is just plain good.
    * ( If they have the chance ot play Ohio state, the Cardinal could win that! Oh yeah-cheering for Stanford? Thats a first for me)
    SERIOUSLY PEOPLE
    Grow up and shut up-
    ND GRAD ND FAN FOR LIFE
    we SHOULD AND COULD BE 3-1
    the world is not over and KELLY and COMPANY will be OK
    We had this coming with a young program and yet another transition.
    9 wins? don’t think so.
    Respectable?
    Sure.
    There was still pizzaz in the defense in the end even though we had lost it.
    Kelly called a time out with a feew seconds left and was still in the head game even though we clearly lost it. THIS IS NOT DOOMS DAY PEOPLE.
    I’ve watched Stanford on every game.
    THEY ARE GOOD.
    I know Wake Forest is not a litmus test–but did ANYBODY SEE THEM?
    HAS ANYBODY LIKE ME, WATCHED ALL OF STANFORD’S GAMES?
    WE WERE OUTMATCHED AND THEY WORE US OUT FROM MID SECOND QUARTER TO THE END.
    HEY—with the field goals limiting points to three -those could have been TD’ sby Stanford and the score would have been obscene and there would have 228 whiners on here instead of 128.
    Kelly can do it.
    NOW–think. Wadsworth—( GOD Rest his soul) and his little puppet boy aka
    bitch Bob Davie, then hiring O’Leary , then firing O’Leary, then Willingham who didn’t have the strength of a ham, Weiss who knows the science of the game but doesn’t have the leadership of it—the program is and should be in a hole.
    THE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION DID SOMETHING RIGHT FOR A CHANGE SINCE LOU HOLTZ LEFT MANIPULATIVE WADSWORTH!
    The healing has begun.
    It is time that the whining idiots who call themselves Irish fans realize that.
    0-12 or 12-0 Im ND all the way–and this time—and it WILL TAKE TIME
    the IRISH will be back.
    But 9 wins now?????
    please
    slow, walk, faster, run , do it.
    one step at a time
    The steps have begun.
    As for those who said there was no fight or swagger in the team, I think you had too much Irish Guiness at half time remembering the 60’s and 70’s.
    Wake up your own echoes and then you will see that the Echoes are waking up –albeit -not quickly–but it IS happening.
    Believe it.
    Grow up.
    REAL Irish fans don’t talk this way.
    Get over yourselves.
    COACH KELLY ROCKS!

    1. your right – 7-8 wins would be an acceptable year – one step at a time – let us have this same chat -2-3 years then see where the BK crew is at

    2. Could be 3-1?! Should be 3-1?! In the famous words of Herm Edwards: “You are what your record says you are!” But perhaps irisheye knows more about football than a former NFL head coach? This is the kind sad-ass, excuse-making I’m talking about. Only losers talk about “could be” or “should be”. Winners never have to resort to what could’ve been or should’ve been, do they? Does Alabama or Florida have to wonder about what could be? No, they just win titles. Don’t like the way they do it? Fine. Go petition the NCAA to change the rules for you. Go cheer on the suck-ass Browns or Bengals and let real ND fans demand better of the “most-storied program” in college football. (Let’s hope ND football adds more stories and doesn’t just become history!)

      1. STEEL FAN ROB–

        THERE IS ABSOLUTLEY NO MEDIOCRITY IN MY STATEMENTS.
        I will be blunt, however, in saying that comparing ND NOW to Alabama and Florida is unrealistic. Didn’t you read EVERYTHING I wrote???
        I want 12-0 like everybody but to bitch and complain about it when it doesnt happen is cause for evaluation and then moving on to the next.
        As for cheering Pro Football teams, I would rather watch the old laides in my Parish gamble their money away at Bingo. I never did like the Clown Browns and Bagel Bengals and thsi si NOT pro-football here, idiot.
        I’ve watched maybe 10 hours of pro-football in my life and when I have gone to a game -I have seen nothing but the rudest, trashiest people in my life at a game drunker than skunks. I could care a less about the super bowl and its commericals. PRO isn’t College and some folks don’t do Pro–just ask Lou Holtz.
        Yes, I live in OHIO but that does not mean “guilty by association” any more than Jersey Shore makes you ghetto mafia white trash.
        You want 12-0 ? Really?
        Go talk to Charlie Wadsworth at his grave site and then simultaneously wonder how the UN and the World economies are bad–one step at a time.
        Then ask YOURSELF, how do things get better? One step at a time. ROME was NOT built in a day—and this won’t either. If you were HALF as intelligent as you think you are then you might have received the point. So–STEEL FAN -keep your pro points there and realize that this is college and some things ARE different–petitions and otherwise. Alabama had their lean years as well—every team does. THERE IS PROGRESS and if YOU CANT SEE IT, then all of this is lost on you.
        BTW, I never said, I ” was more intelligent than an NFL COACH” You said that. YOU brought the NFL stuff in–not I. Good luck to your steelers and enjoy the madness there.
        We COULD Be 3-1 after Stanford–but the record does not tell the whole story. This is reality and it does not make anyone with common sense “sad-ass” or otherwise.
        It does however, make you a tyrant and big baby when you want it all –and you want it now. Grow up and quit trying to compensate for lacking in size in specific areas.
        Discern ye better hereafter lest thy words give thee a title of fool and not victorious as you think.

  32. The one thing I like about Kelly is he is willing to shake things up and bring in players lower on the depth chart that have shown promise.

  33. Bottom line many facets to fix on the Irish team and it dont get done in one Spring and Fall practice session. The saying remains true every year, as the offensive line goes – so goes Notre Dame. We will be on our way when the Irish are able to pound the ball at will and not have to wait to see if the opposing defense is going to allow it with their stance in any given down.

    Defense is improving if only the other players would make a concerted effort to follow Manti’s lead! They should be feeding off that big time! The kid is a stud and the face of the D – others should start getting his back for crying out loud!

    It also may be because of Crists inexperience but already this season I have seen WAY too many telegraphed play calls. The boy got to start moving his helmet to free up his receivers! Way too one dimensional in his look. Clausen did the same thing and continues to do so in the pros.

    Finally – Kelly needs to get back to being the firey coach he was at Cincinnati. I am wondering at times who this guy is on the sidelines. Too passive and administrator like in his response to bad plays by players when they come on the sideline. He needs to get in their face some more..of course that is probably why Diaco is in the booth and not on the field. I think BK went too far embracing the ambassador role instead of focusing on his job as head coach. He needs to make an adjustment here from what I am seeing. He is totally different on the sidelines of the Irish verses being at Cincinnati. It all starts and stops with him – that is why he was hired. BK – dont change what got you here.

    All in all the program is moving ahead while admittedly too slow for most of us. Need to really see some more nasty before this season ends. I fear they now go on a run against unranked teams – everyone gets positive again then are let down again at USC for the final game. Would love to see the IRISH really re-gear and be interested in seeing for themselves how good they can be by closing out undefeated including beating the condoms in CA.

    GO IRISH!

    1. Chris,

      you make a great point about telegraphing plays.
      Our center was head-bobbing just before each snap. Stanford picked up on it and were jumping the snap count with good success.
      Crist also seems to be starring down his recievers. Not a good thing when opposing defenses are rushing 3 with 8 back in coverage.

  34. Shaz,

    Sure. How about the fact we weren’t supposed to be too worried about Stanford either? After all, they supposedly beat up on inferior competition, too. Except that UCLA is far better than ND is right now. When was the last time we beat a top 10 team on the ROAD, Shaz? And, of course, the Stanford team we were supposed to have outmatched and beat (as per this board’s leprechauns) came in to S. Bend and raped the Irish on national TV.

    I’m sick and tired of this tough talk before games only to have to listen to all kinds of crying and excuse-making after losing to the likes of Syracuse, Navy, and UConn over the last few years. All these teams we outmatch and should beat. But we don’t. My God, when are some people going to learn that there are no givens with ND football right now. Let’s first beat a decent team and then start swaggering. (BTW: We’re a long way from swaggering about anything right now!)

    1. SFR,

      It’s all about the team playing up to their ability and meeting exspectations.
      Not doing so causes frustration. And there seems to be a lot of that going on around here,
      myself included.
      After the way Stanford beat us last year I don’t think anyone considered us the favorite in the game. But as you say there are no sure things in college football. That could also mean that upsets do happen.
      Just because some people see enough improvement that warrents us a chance to upset someone, doesn’t mean these people are delusional. They just see the glass as have full rather then half empty.
      You saw ND get “Raped” by Stanford. I saw a ND team that went toe to toe with a highly ranked, well coached team. They held their own, and were still in the game late.
      Failling to gain a first down on 4th and short from our own 40, followed by a pick six from a QB playing in his 4th game, made the loss look worst that it was.
      I would rather our team and fans show some swagger, which to me means confidence and support, then the half emty approch that we suck, we are doomed, and I’m not supporting the team until they win in grand fashion.
      But it’s a free country, to each their own.
      I also think your refference and association made about the Leprechauns is in poor taste. The leprechaun is deeply steeped in Irish tradition (I happen to of Irish decent) dating as far back as 1603, and is linked to Tuatha De’ Danann of Irish Mythology. Today’s version of the mischievious little peole comes from the writtings of Samual Lover in 1831.
      The Leprechaun became the official mascot of the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame prior to the start of the 1965 football season, and for those whom earn the job as the teams’ mascot, it is one of pride and honor.(as it should be!)
      Try to remember that the next time you to elect to dis the LP’s(little people)and the world wide acknowledged symbol of competitive sports at Notre Dame.
      Go Irish, beat BC!

      1. Shaz,

        I appreciate your rebuke. And you do make several good points.

        But I just don’t see anything that warrants a cup half full approach to ND football in the last 20 years, esp. against the likes of BC. I wish you’d point out to me one signature win in the last decade or so. I can point out any number of pathetic and/or gut-wrenching defeats, however, over that same time span. You’re in fact delusional if you don’t agree that we’ve done less with more and think ND football is anywhere near where it should be. Frankly, Shaz, that’s seeing a glass half full where there’s no damned glass at all! Shaz: Are you also a Cubs fan? That would explain a lot.

        Also, thanks for the leprechaun mythology lesson. But actually, the leprechaun caricature that ND uses as a logo is modeled after racist, anti-Irish, and anti-Catholic cartoons used by the 19th c. Victorian press in magazines like “Punch” to ridicule the Irish people (as drunk, bellicose, ignorant, superstitious, half-humans). You see, I know a thing or two about this topic myself, “Prof. Shaz.” (I’ve actually published an academic paper on the political uses of caricatures and cartoons.) The Irish people in defiance took over the anti-Catholic and anti-Irish British imagery and made it their own, much the same way African-Americans claim to have taken over for themselves the use of the “n-word” against racist whites.

        My use of the term leprechaun, Shaz, is to make sport of those who can’t see things for what they are and elect to believe in myths in place of reality. I wasn’t dissing little people or leprechauns (who in fact don’t exist, Shaz). I don’t appreciate you implying otherwise.

        Lastly, if you think ND went toe to toe with Stanford and had any chance of winning after the first quarter, that just proves you’re delusional. Anyone who’s seen ND football in the last decade and a half or so could’ve predicted the beat down that was about to take place after half time. I know I did and have people who can testify to the fact that I called the second half as it actually happened (i.e., ND got “raped” by a much more manly, physical, tough, old-school team).

      2. Shaz,

        Follow up.

        1) Re-read some of the posts. You’ll see there were plenty of people here (not to mention Lou Holtz) that were sure ND would pull the upset. (Will Lou Holtz please shut up and stop adding to our looking foolish nationally!)

        2) I said that there are no givens with ND football when it comes to beating anyone. When you lose to an utterly pathetic Syracuse team with a lame duck coach at HOME, there’s no such thing as a sure win at ND.

        Just wanted to clarify and not have my words used against me, Shaz.

      3. SFR,

        I’ve always enjoyed exchanging points of view with you over the years, but that Cubs remark was really a low blow. I haven’t lived in Chi-town for almost 20 years now, but was raised as a south-side Irish/ sox fan. I do tend to joke around a lot so I guess I had that one comming so I’ll let that one slide for today.
        Go Irish… Cubs suck!

      4. SFR,

        Certainly can’t argue with our past history. And if we had matched their(BC) intensity in reguards to this rivalry, our record would be much better.
        But I tend to put the past behind me and try to view this years team objectively.
        I think it was Matt Millin who noted during the game that ND is the only major program to have played 3 ranked teams so far this year.
        Watching ND play football is one of my simple pleasures in life. I try to look for the positives and hope for an enjoyable game. I think people tend to forget that a number of these kids are just a few months removed from high school.
        Although I was just messing with you a bit over our mascott you do bring up a good point about percieved perception.
        I myself always viewed the team logo as reffering to a group of people who like to drink, get shitfaced, and brawl. but it’s better than some stupid dog that was used prior to the 1965 season.
        Lets hope that the Stanford experience showed this team that reguardless of acedemic standards that tough hard-nosed football can be accomplished at any school.

      5. Shaz,

        I didn’t even know you were from Chi-town. I was being sarcastic. Certainly no insult intended on my part. Saw plenty of good things Sat. night. The biggest was the D keeping BC to 2 FGs after key Irish TOs. Last year and for some time now, the D would’ve allowed TDs and BC back into the game. Keeping BC to 2 FGs was huge. It allowed the Irish O to get back 10 points and put the game out of reach. A win is a win at this point, Shaz. Now we can go from here and get better. BTW: I think the Lane Kiffen era has officially started at USC!

      6. SFR,

        No problem brother.
        Does it seem like Washington has become the BC of USC football?
        If only poor USC could match U-DUBS intensity when the two teams meet!

      7. Shaz,
        I don’t know why anyone would pick on you for your optimism. Frankly why would those dissing you root for ND if all is lost? If it’s a lost cause why talk about it? I like you share hope that this thing will turn around and that we see a progression this year. Keep up the good insights and thoughtful analysis.

      8. C-Dog,

        Thanks for the support.
        I guess I’m just old school.
        But this is my school, as it was my fathers’ school before me. This is my team. These are my guys, and our coaches, and I support them in good times or bad.
        That’s what I consider being a realist.
        I believe in positive energy.
        For that we are sometimes ridiculed.
        But anyone who has been at ND on game day, in that stadium, when the lads won a game they had no business winning will certianly confirm.
        It is real, and it does exsist at ND.

  35. a quick solution to the AARP conventions that are irish home games….NIGHT GAMES

    i went to the university of colorado undergrad (and law school) and they moved many of the games to before noon because the students would get too rowdy. not only does it give more time to pregame, but old people go to bed when the games would be starting….

    some traditions are meant to be broken

  36. The next two games will decide what type of season we will have. Hope these guys can get up for bc man would love to beat the eagles in chestnut hill, that would be big to stop the bleeding. Go irish hope they can start to turn things around this weekend BIG GAME!!!!!!!!

  37. it’s funny how the tenor of the comments has changed since the stanford game. i hope (and believe) that this will be our worst start to a season this decade. crist is a better q than he showed last weekend and our oline is better than they showed last weekend too.

    great to see another 4star commit!

    where has frank been this whole time? with a recruit like this there is usually a posting…it’s irritating having 1 post a week and having to scroll through 100plus comments. i think frank posted more frequently in the offseason than he is now

    go irish!

    1. ted,

      1 post a week is being generous. The one about haveing a ticket partner doesn’t even talk football.

      At least last year we had angry eagle to make fun of.
      Yeah he was a “goober” and total dweebage, but the guy could take a beating like nobody I ever saw and kept comming back for more.
      It was some of the funniest stuff I have ever read!
      Did you know that he earned a degree at BC and parlayed it into a job hanging gutters?
      What a guy.
      He also had his own BC sports web-site and 3 people actually commented on his writings….
      well, actully two commented if you take away his own remarks on his own blog.
      I’m seriously thinking visiting the archives from last years game just so I can re-read some of the replies and reminisce about the good old days! I could sure use a good laugh!

  38. This game comes down to the intangibles of leadership that Kelly will provide. He’s going home. He should have a major chip on his shoulder. Holtz would have this team building itself to explode on Saturday. He would have done so with the right pace and delivery of messages during the week. I see what this team is capable of. The offense shows flashes. The defense has had the worst luck but really is also needing a bit more consistency.

    If Kelly has these kids ready to trust each other and play with reckless abandon, BC shouldn’t know what hit them.

    1. C-Dog,

      Not only could we use a win, but if we can score early and offten and build a lead we can take what should be a roudy Saturday night crowd out of the game and perhaps get some playing time for some guy’s who otherwise might not see the field.
      Wouldn’t it be great to be able to play our back up QB’s, or work on our running game without fear of have the game slip away.
      I think BC is clearly overmatched in this game, but as we both know that doesn’t mean crap. They always play us hard, mostly because we fail to match their intensity.
      That shouldn’t be the case this time.

      1. Joe,

        Agreed! The leprechauns are back at it. Can we just wait a few weeks and see how ND plays before make our bold predictions about ND dominating anyone?! I’m tired of reading about how ND has all this skill out on the field and will win easy. This will not be an easy win if the recent history of this series tells us anything. I hope ND wins. I hope ND wins BIG. But I’m not going to get burned again by this gutless team. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!

        I was just reading about how BK thinks Ian Williams is a dominating NT in the 34 D. Is he crazy? What a joke! Has he ever seen what a real dominating 34 NT looks like? I’ll tell BK this: it’s not Mr. Williams! Perhaps BK and Bob Diaco should spend this offseason in Pittsburgh picking the brain of Dick LeBeau and learning how a real 34 D plays.

      2. How about the only decent team that BC played (Virginia Tech) shut them out.
        Unless you consider Kent St. some sort of national powerhouse?

      3. Joe,
        Did you see the look on the faces of the BC fans when we went up 21 to nothing in the first quarter?
        I bet you had the same look.

      4. Shazam, I actually root for Notre Dame, but unlike you, I’m a realist. You seem to think ND is going to crush every opponent, look at your comments before the Stanford game, that turned out pretty well. Once in a while you get lucky and we actually beat someone, although after the 1st quarter, BC was hardly “overmatched.” Instead, it was basically mediocre football at best. I’m certainly happy about ND’s win, but I’m not going to sit here and proclaim myself a genius after a fairly pedestrian performance against a clearly depleted BC team starting a frosh QB who then got injured during the game. That said, I’m pleased with BK and think the team will continue to improve as the year progresses. I look forward to your prediction that we’ll now be running on all cylinders against Pitt and will bear them 49-0.

      5. Joe,

        How “Clearly depleted is way different form “over matched”
        is beyond me. Give me a break.
        I think this is the first time you have strung together more that 2 sentences.
        You always seem wait for everyone else to make their statements then jump in with your two cents worth.
        I guess you could consider that a smart approch, or at least safe one.
        Wouldn’t want to stick your neck out over your team only to look delusional.
        Now that the Stanford game is in the books, as well as their loss to Oregon, there is no doubt that ND has a way to go before we can be mentioned with the nations best programs.
        We played a good game agianst Stanford for 3 quarters, unfortuetly it takes 4 quarters to win the game.
        That certainly was “wishfull” thinking on my part.
        Picking ND to beat a team(BC) that hadn’t played anyone, has a young inexperienced o-line, a untested freshmen QB, only one decent runningback who has been struggeling, no recievers, and team speed that is slower that our own, kind of makes picking ND to win easly a no brainer in this game, but I do appreciate the genius refference.
        Even though we play Pitt at home, they have a much better O-Line. A seasoned and accomplished QB,and a runningback who carried 27 times for 277 yards and 3 TD’s in his last game.
        But if we should put everything together and win 49-0, I think it will be safe for you to go ahead and drop the mediocre football tag.

      6. Shazam, from a guy who finds it difficult to spell three words correctly in a row, I find your “strug together” comment laughable.

        Not sure what you mean by me waiting “for everyone else to make their statements.” Prior to the Stanford game, while you were blathering on about ND operating on all cylinders and shocking everyone, I predicted that ND would lose big time. And we didn’t play a good game against Stanford for 3 quarters, we were never in that game. Not sure what game you were watching. Finally, I still find your “clearly overmatched” comment hilarious. BC wasn’t clearly overmatched anyway, but for that 1st quarter explosion (better keep watching that over and over again to get your jollies because we’re not likely to see it again), ND was just as pathetic as BC. Heck, BC was just starting to play better when the QB went down. Probably would have been closer otherwise.

      7. Joe,

        Yes it is laughable, in fact it’s almost as funny as how we will “bear Pitt 49-0!.
        What are you going to bear???
        Your Ass??? Haven’t you done enough of that already?
        We held BC TO 5 yards rushing
        but they sure weren’t overmatched.
        Outside of one long pass play for a TD, their offense did nothing.
        We actually gave them a gift of 6 points.
        Now If we had given them another 6 points the game probably would have been closer.
        We shut them out completely in the second half.
        We forced two interceptions and eleven punts.
        And the first time we brought pressure, their QB crumbled like your stale reasoning.
        We aren’t laughing with you, we are laughing at you!
        Your a realist, so lets just keep it real. I’m sure you will watch the fourth quarter of the Stanford game over and over. I hope it brings you some form of comfort.
        How about this…
        We don’t stand a chance agianst Pitt. We won’t even be in the game. We are so pathetic. we should have lost to BC. We are mediocre at best. Maybe we can improve to a pedestrian preformance.
        But I root for ND and am pleased with BK (at least for this week)
        (Talk about blathering!)
        There…I hope that made your day! Don’t let anyone say that I never threw a stray dog a bone.
        Hell, maybe we will all band together and put you in for the “fan” of year award. I’m sure it will make for good burning in your fireplace.

      8. Meehan,

        Bill, you get my vote every year. I mean really, who could argue with that?
        I still think the fix was in last year when they gave it to that 103 year old geezer wearing a knited ND hat and kilt while sitting in a wheel chair. I know for a fact that he has a perfetly good walker and only uses the chair for special occasions…. like breakfast.
        Perhaps if you modify your name to Wiley Willie McMeehan your odds will improve!

      9. How long have I been hearing that ND football teams have finally learned their lesson to not take BC lightly only to lose to the Eagles and look totally disinterested, lost, outclassed, etc.? BC has ruined ND title hopes. No matter. ND has wrecked the visiting locker-room at ND Stadium. That’s OK, too. BC has celebrated on our field by taking chunks of turf from the field as victory trophies. Who cares?! It seems that nothing gets to ND teams. Let’s hope ND football starts showing some
        g _ _-d _ _ ned pride for a change!

      10. I hear ya man! We have no emotion whatsoever. Stanford punched us in the mouth and instead of standing up and fight we asked for forgiveness. Just going through the motions. I’m not getting too excited until I SEE something from the team and BK. It’s one thing to be less talented but Cmon have some heart. Stand up and FIGHT for crying out loud!

      11. This game is really really important for many reasons – mentally all that stuff plus just showing ND can win – next week with Pitt also two wins there and a decent season still possible – bringing a new system and “team culture” takes some time – yes Crist does have to step up or its done. Patience is needed and cannot be done in one year – it would be great to really dominate both sides of the ball in this game. Also Stanford is very likely the best team ND will play this year so the beating is more understandalbe – live with it
        REALLY NEED THIS GAME

  39. It is kind of sad that you feel that on any given Saturday we can make a freshman QB a legend. (for a day). Last I looked Tate Forcier was a third string QB on a mediocre football team.

    1. Couldn’t agree more with FXM. We made Forcier a short-term legend in Ann Arbor because of an inept defense. He was, is, and will never be the player he was on that day in 2009. As I’ve said for years now:

      “ND FOOTBALL: Providing signature wins and great highlights to bad football programs since 1998!”

    2. FXM,

      Sad, maybe.
      But it ain’t no lie.
      Having absolutly no pass rush what so ever will do that.
      Before that fatefull game agianst Michigan, I said lets stop the run, force 2nd & 3rd. and long, and get after this freshmen with a pass rush.
      We all know how that day ended. The kid was a legend, if only for a day. ESPN made damn sure of that!
      You said it all when you said “last I looked Tate Forcier was a third string QB on a mediocre football team”
      Considering what he did to us that day, that’s really sad.
      I’ve been around long enough to know that BC loves nothing more than to beat ND.
      They live for this game.
      They want to embarrass us if they can.
      I we had taken the same attitue toward them, we would have another National Championship under our belt.
      I don’t trust them.
      Never have. Never will.
      Brian Kelly and his staff would be wise to heed these words.

      1. That Glenn Foley game started this downward spiral almost 20 years ago, so I do take them seriously. But I hope someday soon we are licking our chops over a freshman QB.

  40. ESPN reports that (surprisingly)that Boston College has name the Freshman, Rettig, as the starting QB for Saturday’s game.
    Not sure about this whole situation. Could there be some turmoil in the BC locker room? Shinski is no kid. Last year he passed for 280 yards agianst us. You bench your most expierenced QB going into ths game? It’s not like they are 0-3. They actually have a winning record. (2-1)
    Either Shinski and his attitude have gone completely south, or I smell a rat!
    Does anyone know anything about this kid Rettig? Is he the next comeing of Denard Robinson? Are we walking into a trap?
    I don’t know about you all, but facing an unknown, freshmen QB, in his first game on his home field makes me nervous. Anyone remember Tate Forcier?
    You would think that if our defense can stop their running game, force second and third and long, and generate some pass rush, that they could have a great day. You would think.

    1. Shazamrock,

      I have inside info that after the game on Saturday Shinsky stormed out of BC locker room MFing the coaching staff and team. Also he was told he would have to compete for the back up spot. He was getting blamed for everything on offense.

      1. jack,

        Thanks for the update. It makes more sence now.
        I hope our defense pins their ears back and gets after the freshmen QB like other teams do to us.
        I did some checking and chase Rettig is a pro-style QB. Big Kid 6’3″ 210lbs. I’m sure he can run if he has to, but at least he’s no Denard Robinson in that respect.
        At one time he was recruited by ND and showed his QB skills to the Irish coaching staff. They should have a good idea on what to exspect come Saturday night.
        If Rettig should tank, we need to be ready for the Sophmore back up or even Shinskie to return to the game.

  41. The Bottom Line__

    ND Should be 3-1 and at worst 2-2

    It is upsetting but time is the key. I predicted 9 wins this season which will be a tough road.

    I will try to stay positive and continue to watch to see if Coach Kelly is able to adjust to the competition week in and week out. To be fair u can’t judge a coach on one season and he does have an amazing pedigree…

    I LOVED Harbaugh’s philosophy, obviously by my name. I do believe that is the type of player that i believe Notre Dame can recruit and the type of team which would bring them back to the national championship but blah blah blah.

  42. Great news about Davaris Daniels!
    As Cav has pointed out ND has climbed to number #2 in recruiting by scout.
    Rivals has them at #3.

    Fun with numbers:
    Check out the comparision between ND’s last 5 recruiting classes compared to (the last 4 2007-2010) Cincinnatti with Brian kelly
    2007 ND ranked 11th. Cincy ranked 80th.
    2008 ND ranked 2nd. Cincy ranked 51st.
    2009 ND ranked 23rd Cincy ranked 53rd.
    2010 ND ranked 19th. Cincy ranked 61st.
    2011 ND currently ranked 2nd. Cincy currently ranked 46th.
    Kelly built excellent teams with leftovers from Penn St. Ohio St. and Michigan. Not too many top players are willing to go from California to Cinncinatti, or from Florida, or Texas, or Hawaii, or Georgia.
    Kelly has done great things at Cincinatti without having a recruiting class in the top 50!
    Common sence say’s that if he holds true to form in his current recruiting, combined with his ability to develoup talent as he has done in the past, not only will he return ND to glory, he will keep them there for years to come!

    1. We need to all pray that he does well on the ACT test on October 23rd. I think that is the last hurdle to clear and the young man is working hard at preparing for it. I am from the Chicago area and have been following him (and Tom Rees) for a few years and he is going to be a great slot receiver for us. Not sure how much room we have left if everyone signs in February, but we could use Wayne Lyons to top off this outstanding class.

      1. Doc,

        (I used to be from the Chicago area)

        Who is Wayne Lyons?

        And when it comes to ND recruiting, I always thought the last hurdle was keeping the vultures (Miami, Florida, Michigan, Ohio St ect..) at bay before signing day.
        They are always pecking away at our recruits, waiting for some mis-step so they can swoop in and steal away with one of our guys.

      2. Wayne is a great young man from Florida, with a high intelligence level and plays safety very well. He was up for the Michigan game and hung with the Atkinson brothers there. He has some strong family ties with Florida, so I believe it will boil down to us two schools. We need another safety in this recruiting cycle, as Badger won’t be back from his mission until the 2012 season (20 year old freshman at that point, probably married and ready to level some heads – that’s why the BYU and Utah teams are strong with limited talent pools – good coaching and more mature athletes).

      3. How would you like to have Justin Trattou, Omar Hunter, and Chris Martin on the D right now. That is why we can’t let this thing spiral out of control this year. We need to finish strong so these other guys can’t scare these kids into jumping ship.

  43. I was Utubbing tonight and I came across a vid of Kelly I think it was the second day of spring practice. He was very angry at the player’s efforts and afterward, talking to the media, he said that the team was no where near where they need to be in order to be competitive. That wasn’t that many practices ago, and despite what many may have thought, it was no mystery to BK and the PTB of ND football, that the team wasn’t ready, hadn’t had enough reps, and it was apparent to anyone who bothered to look.

    It’s not a mystery why we lost to Stanford, their OL is one of the best in the country. That was apparent when they converted well over half of their third downs. The game was over for me when they got what they needed on a 3rd and eleven and extended their drive. That’s the signature of an excellent team, doing what you have to do to win. In this case, converting on what 13 of 18 third downs and scoring when in the red zone. And it all starts up front. Yeah we can talk about Crist, AA, bad play calls, not so good coverage, but we seem to forget that Stanford did exactly what they needed to do, when it counted the most, and it was their veteran, savvy OL that accomplished what was needed. We’ll get there, just not this year….

  44. Scout.com has ND with the #2 class in the nation. They have them with 6 Top 100 kids, second only to Texas who has 11.

    I know that Weis had some nice classes, but these kids are going to be taught the right way from day 1 on how to be successful.

    I still can see this team finishing very strong and getting an invite to a nice bowl. This team has nowhere to go but up and I can see them as a team that finishes strong instead of one that goes 0 for November.

    I think the swing in momentum starts this Saturday in BC.

  45. Slowly but surely things are headed in the right direction. With seven games to go before SC, plenty of time to get our mojo back starting with BC. SC will be our bowl game this year regardless of post season play.

    Shaz,

    Enjoying your analysis! All aboard the BK Express…….Go Irish!

  46. I was at the Stanford game and I thought I was in the library it was so quiet. All the students go to the game, so you can’t make more student sections. But you could checkerboard them around the stadium. Spread around their noise and influence. Back before the expansion, the students took up a quarter of the stadium and dominated the stadium. That influenced the alums to cheer and made it a loud place to play. Since they expanded the stadium, the students are probably about 15% of the stadium. Now the glum alumni dominate the students and it’s a nice tranquil place.

    And can the band please stop with the Darth Vader song every defensive down? Darth Vader was an evil fascist mass murderer (i.e. not a good guy). Plus we played like C3PO on third downs. It’s been the same dumb songs for a dozen years. Something new for a new era please.

  47. Shazamrock,

    He did run against Michigan and had a two nice runs. I agree let him run, but I think the Hendricks kid is better to run this offense than Rees. On a different note I just got done watching the latest press conference with BK. It is so much different than watching Weis laying back or hunched over. Kelly carries himself better and sells his program better. I just feel that there are some many things he has had to change that we are headed in the right direction but are just not seeing yet on the field. Consistency is the key and we will see on Saturday.

    1. jack,

      Weis used to drive me crazy with his approch.
      Slouched back in his chair, wearing that nasty old hoodie, sipping water, with a smug smirk on his face.
      His teams seemed to take their queue and personality from him as well.
      Kelly… he normally stands, dressed in a suit and tie, willing to answer all questions no matter how long it takes. Very humble and personable. Always reaching out to those around him or anyone associated with ND.
      Now if the players take on the personality of their coach, they will surely be something to be proud of!

      1. It takes time to change a culture that has been there for 5 yrs. I think he can and will. We are only a 1/3 of the way through the season, we will see if the corner is turned this season.

  48. I have seen for myself Kelly’s spread offense at it’s peak of efficency while he was at Cincy. It is very good. But the spread is dependant on having a QB that can run with the football. If you doubt what I say look no further than Michigan and their QB, Robinson.
    I heard a lot of talk this spring about Dayne Crist and how much better he was at running the football than Jimmy Clausen was.
    I understand that we were in the early stages of the season, and our back up QB’s are nowhere near ready to play if needed. I understand the need to protect our best option at QB.
    But if you are going to run the spread, it has to START with the QB, and his ability to make plays running the ball. We know he can throw the ball.
    We have lost three in a row. The National Title will have to wait until next year. There is no conference title. And to be honest, I’m not really all that interested in facing South Florida or whom ever, in the Meinekie Car Care bowl that pits a pair of 7-5 teams (that’s assuming we can win 6 more games)
    It’s time to run the offense the way it was designed. It’s time to find out if Dayne Crist is up to the challenge.
    But what if he gets hurt? Well, that’s football. You put the next guy in and do the best you can. But you have to find out, and I say the sooner the better. Look at this week opponent, BC. They are changing their QB. They are willing to bite the bullet and do what’s needed to give their team the best chance at winning. And not just now, but for the future as well.
    I could understand if we were 4-0 and wanting to protect the QB. But that’s obviously not the case any more. I say you take off the gloves and let the kid play the way it’s meant to be played.
    The kid looked a bit “lost” last week. Maybe he is a good runner. LET HIM RUN. Remember a QB named Tebow? His coach let him run with the ball. He became the leader of the team, and he eventually carried them on his back to a National Title.
    I hate this half in, half out routine. Let’s go all in with Dayne and see if he can lead this team!

  49. I was at this game and am surprised by a few things that have not been mentioned. Kellys worst move of the game was at the close of the first half. If ND runs the ball 3 times the half ends 16-6. Instead on second down they throw an incomplete pass to Rudolph. Stanford is able to then get the ball back and kick the field goal giving them 19 and driving the first nail into our coffin. I like BK but what was he thinking.
    Has anyone noticed that Floyd cannot catch a low pass?

  50. This was not a tough loss. This was a loss. Stanford is better than we are right now. The game made it clear.

    As for the comments on running the football: I generally agree that we need to have an effective running game to compete with the teams on our schedule. Not only is running the ball important because it balances the spread, it’s a strategy to keep the opponent’s offense on the bench.

    Having said that, I lived through the Davie years. We ran on practically every down. I don’t want to return to that. Let’s move the football through the air and on the ground. And, this goes back to a fundamental point: we have to be able to block better than we’re blocking right now. Stanford rushed three guys and still got to Crist on occasion. Likewise, we have to be able to rush the quarterback better thant we’re doing right now.

    But, if you asked me today if we’re better than we were at this point last year, despite the record, I would say, “yes.” Last year we had an NFL quarterback and so we got away with a lot because we scored a lot of points. This year, fundamentally, we look better. We tackle better. We seem to be able to mix up our defense better than we did last year.

    I would rather be 1-3 and improving than 4-0, squeaking out games and then collapsing down the stretch. My sense is that we will do better down the stretch than we did last year.

    1. When someone drops 8, you gotta be willing to take off. otherwise your receivers are being covered by eight while your linemen twiddle their thumbs. What would happen if Harbaugh tried that stunt against Michigan or this week at Oregon?

  51. Shazam,
    You nailed it.

    The Irish have to be able to run effectively and at will. 175 is the right target, or really the right minimum. They should be able to establish that even if the defense knows they are going to do it. I hate to bring back Holtz, but his teams ran and without any attempt to fool anyone. Basically you knew that most games ND was going to run 50% – 75% of the time. And they did successfully and won. 8-3 was a bad year then.

    As for the fans. Yeah, something needs to be done to get a more active fans base. But I think the administration is too passivist and too politically correct to allow that. They cleaned up Dodge, even though it never needed it, and going to a game is like a day at the Club.

  52. Shazamrock,

    I agree to an extent your analysis. Either run the ball 175 yds per game or pick up the pace. I remember watching Cincy move at the speed of lightning, this team moves like a snail compared to Cincy. I know it is a new system but you either pound some running plays and run Crist or get up to the line and lets roll. If you are going to have a track meet than have a track meet. Also, receivers catch the dam ball. Riddick dropped a first down in the first series and the drive stalled. While I am on that subject more Hughes and Gray, Ceirra needs to stop tap dancing and hit the hole. Finally someone get in the grill of the OLB’s and push them. I want to see a pass rush not them playing patsy with an offensive lineman. Just a few thoughts.

  53. Look we started the season unranked. Few of the experts exspected too much in Kelly’s first season. Now is the time to get things fixed. Here is a number that ND can strive for, and I feel will make a huge difference.
    175… a buck seventy five. Give me 175 yards rushing per game and let the pieces fall where they may.
    ND rushed for just over 150 agianst Purdue, and guess what… we won.
    Armando Allen looked great. Cierre Wood gave us a great change of pace when he was in there. The O-Line was firing out and being aggressive.
    Where did our running game go?

    ND WILL NEVER BE SUCCESSFULL IF THEY CAN’T RUN THE BALL.

    Do whatever it takes. Go with six line men and three tightends if needed.
    Find the fastest player on the team and give him four or five running plays. Find a combination that can run for 1,2, or 3 yards in short yardage situations. Teach your back-up QB how to run the option and give him a series or two. Give Riddic a few carries. Let Crist run when needed.
    Being able ro run the ball will only help our young QB. The one second or half a second provided by play-action is offten times all the difference. Especially when you have a young, inexpierienced QB.
    Stanford passed rushed with only three down lineman and dropped eight into coverage, with two deep to keep everything in front of them. In that situation you are asking your offense to be perfect. The blocking must hold up. The reciever must run good routes, even then, the throw must be perfect.
    If ND can run for 175 yards it will mean an extra three or four minutes at least,in time of possisiton. That can only help our defense. Especially in the second half of the season, late in games, and into November.
    Run the ball with sucess. Force the opposing defense to commit to stopping it. Do that and the passing game will explode!
    175 is all we need!

      1. Agree. The game is won and lost at the line of scrimmage. If we can run the ball well and stop their run, chances are…we’ll win.

  54. I also have noticed that more and more tix are available for ND home games in the past three years. I know that some road teams that come to SBI dont travel well but I find it interesting that this is happening. I had a extra tix for Saturday’s game, asked a friend to come and he said no because he didnt want to get yelled at to sit down by some old people. Sorry, I am still pretty steamed by how awful some of the fans are that go into the game. Can anything be done besides lowering the cost of a season tix? We have four season tix in my family and my father pays around $3000 for all four. The stadium tax is pretty hefty. More students need to be packed into the the stadium as well. Maybe add two more sections for the students? I cannot spend half of the game arguing with those great positive, enthusiastic, team supporters who sit the entire game and boo the team. I am sorry I like to stand and cheer for my team. Once again PATHETIC ND FANS.

    I swear I see old people wearing ear plugs during the game. I am picking on the elderly mostly and they are not the only ones. There was this woman who had a “portable seat” to support her back or something and never stood up 1x. She also was halfway into my row due to how far back the seat was. She never complained about the people in front of her, but why would they allow this into the stadium? STAY at HOME

    1. ND82,

      It makes no sence. You wait all year, or at the very least, all week for the game.
      You buy gas. You make the drive. Taking the toll road? That will cost you.
      you pay for tickets,
      Then you just sit there???
      I’d rather be tossed out on my ass for being unrulely, then to sit there like a stalk of celery.
      Maybe ND can make a deal with that company that manurfactures that 5-hour energy drink, and they can give out free samples before the game!
      Since I moved to the south, about 800 miles from my beloved ND, I don’t get to any home games any more.
      But if I did, I would buy one of those Vuvuzela horns that the world cup soccer fans use.
      Anyone who told me to sit down, boo’d the team, or sat on their butt’s, would surely hate my guts by games end.
      Guess what? Too bad. Either you stand and cheer or you get the big plastic horn blast in the face!
      Even ear plugs aren’t going to save your sorry ass with that thing!
      (you say a woman had a portable seat? Was it a potty? That could actually come in pretty handy come the fourth quarter! Hell, I’d let her blow my horn for some quick releif in the 4th quarter!)

    2. I went to the Standford game last weekend.

      $30 Gas
      $15 Toll Roads
      $50 Booze & Food
      $70 Sweater & ND cups to drink booze
      $30 Parking
      $140 two nose bleed tickets
      $80 Cash

      = $415 to experiencing a day on campus. It was worth every penny… I absolutely LOVE going to games.

      However, my fellow Irish friends and I have decided to not attend games anymore. We are still going up and enjoy all the pre-game activities but were going to bring our own TV and enjoy the game from outside the stadium. We wont save any money because it’s going to cost us $300 to get close to the stadium to tail gate all day and throughout the game!!!

      It’s going to cost us $300 to use their parking lot!!!!!

      Oh well, it’s worth it because we can yell, scream, toss the football, eat our own food and drink as well as bring up our own chairs.

  55. UCLA looked like us…….

    until Saturday.

    Kelly should have the team watch highlights of UCLA Stanford and UCLA Texas. The theme is to play each down as if it means something. I think this group can get there. UCLA’s offense really isn’t very good. But they can run the ball. Kelly talked about wanting to be tougher and running more. I don’t think Kelly is a scheme freak like Weis was. Kelly saw a team who likes to slug you. I think that impressed him.

    Let’s see what an Irish defense can do with only a second week of pretty much everyone healthy. Let’s see what happens now that Kelly needs Hughes as the second guy. Kelly has a personal desire to win this one, given his roots.

    Nick Saban said his guys played better in the second half against Arkansas, after the players and coaches quit being afraid to lose and got aggressive. That’s the message Kelly needs to get across.

    1. C-Dog,

      I really like your UCLA referance. It confirms what I said below.
      UCLA ran the ball 56 times for 267 yards. At one point they rushed 22 streight times!
      22!(This from Norm Chow)
      We give up after 2 carries!

      Both BC and ND have pretty good middle linebackers.
      They both play a similar style. They are fast. Can work from sideline to side.
      line.
      They both can really lay a hit on you.
      When Teo is allowed to play unobstructed he can dominate a game. Much like Mark Herzlich
      I think it might be a good idea to make sure we put a body on Herzlich so he can’t freelance.
      Just a thought.

  56. Cav up above is spot on.

    We beat a team that lost to Toledo this week. We lost to a couple of Michigan schools that have proved little so far. We were pummeled by a true top 15 team this week. We are probably about the 50th or 60th best team in the nation right now. From last year our offense has declined and our defense has marginally improved. We beat no one convincingly in the trenches.

    We have plenty of talent but we need to start several things to turn things around.

    1. Confidence. (College football is at least 50% mental and momentum).
    2. Time (New system on offense is not sharp).
    3. Dayne to see his second option, and get some touch.
    4. Better outside linebacker play (Pressure would improve 3rd downs).
    5. Louder fans, people seem to be unaware that fan noise is important. That is a problem. Maybe the SBPD alcohol squad has been a factor?
    6. Viable backup QBs so Dayne can run (3 man rush – see ya later).
    7. Hughes. Please, short yardage and the best hands of the RBs, give this kid a chance.

    That said I have faith that Kelly will get there.

    1. We are 50 – 60th, but it is hard to believe that this team baed upon the talent we believed it had is that mediocre. As Bill Parcell’s says, “you are what your record says.” But remains hard to believe the talent is actually that poor. But it is, we don’t need a change in scheme, we need graduation.

  57. I think Brian Kelly is the answer to turning this program around. Remember last year the Irish had one loss going into the USC game. Every game came down to the wire and we were lucky in all those wins. Now this year the first quarter of the season has been a disappointment. What I want to see from here on out is what kind of heart this team and coaching staff has. At this time if the Irish go on a run and win this is a mute point, If they continue to loose we may have a problem. I think this is a great situation for the Irish to be in, it will show the heart of these young men and how our head coach handles adversity. This is not the first time a plan has not worked for Brian Kelly and may not be his last, but lets see how he handles adversity and prepares these young men for the rest of the season.

  58. He shouldn’t be shocked he lost the two “super-stars” albeit late draft picks from a .500 team. And if Floyd or Rudolph between the dropsies by the one and the whiffed blocks by the other think they won’t have a similar fate they are sorely mistaken.

  59. I would like to direct everyone on this board to an article on Blue and Gold’s website called Monday Morning Musings. Read that article and really look at the product you are seeing on the field. It is interesting and made me think. I am supporting Brian Kelly, but I think after this weekend he realizes he isn’t in Cincy anymore.

    1. no, he isn’t in Cinci anymore, just like Lou wasn’t in Minneapolis, anymore.

      Look, we’re all frustrated. This team is frustrated. But, things will turn around.

      1. I think even Kelly is shocked at how bad they are. The one big thing against us is that beating ND is still a big deal to teams. Look at how Harbaugh gushed about coming to South Bend and winning. ND is 1-7 in the last 8 games. If teams treated us like they were playing San Jose St. maybe we would have a chance. BC is terrible but Saturday night will be like a Super Bowl atmosphere. Like it or not we get the best from everybody.

  60. i am glad that we lost to mich and mich st. you heard me right, we didn’t deserve to win those games.

    we are not one of the top 25 teams in the country (by a long shot) and winning those games would have undeservingly placed us in the top 25 just to be taken to the woodshed by stanford. then i would have had to hear from everyone how nd gets too much love in the polls and all the whining etc., screw the media

    and screw the false sense of confidence everyone got from weis’s bcs season right out of the gate. i don’t want to be 3-9 this year but i also don’t want to be lulled into thinking we have top ten team just to be taken to the woodshed in a bcs game. better to realize that we have a long way to go now then get embarrassed in a bowl game this year, next year, and go 3-9, 6-7, 6-6 the following three years.

    with that being said, you have to give stanford some credit. i didn’t give them enough credit going into this game, but they shutout a ucla team that just pummeled texas and scored 30 something points.

    go irish! beat bc!

  61. McDonald was supposed to be the pass-protection linebacker in coverage but he struggled mightily on Saturday. Perhaps he’s still getting up to speed after his injury, but I thought Carlo had done a decent job most of the year so far in pass coverage.

  62. agree on the qb sneak. It was 3rd and 1 before that 4th and 1…should have run it twice. we didn’t get a big 3rd or 4th and 1 earlier in the year – should have done the same thing.

  63. I live in Toronto Canada I have never been to a ND game home or away but watch every sat It sucks to hear people say that Notre Dame stadium is so quiet now and that people are just waiting for something bad to happen or sitting on there hands when something good does happen. I REMEMBER watching games & could hear how loud it was when they took the field led by LOU HOLTZ it was great. Hope the people who are lucky enough to go will bring back that passion i have seen when things are good. Hang tough people hopefully BK is the guy to turn it around just want to see some improvement.

  64. The irish are not were they use to be the last 3 years plus the start of this year has been tough to watch. But BK is trying to change the culture,the players have to pick it up and start finishing drives,get off the field on 3rd down and do the little things. Hopefully they can turn it around on Saturday night against BC. The next 2 games are huge and will determine what type of season they will end up having GO IRISH!!!!!!!!

  65. THE 4th and 1 CALL: I thought it was great. The fact that ND couldnt pick up 12 inches though wqs quite possibly the best indicator that this team simply doesnt have waht it takes right now.

    THE O-Line: Yeah, they are young and new system, yada yada yada. Stanford got pressure with a 3 man rush. Stanford. Freakin Stanford. This isnt an SEC dumb as a cannon ball but just as fast defense. This is unacceptable.

    PASS COVERAGE: Let me say I am quite happy ND seems to be tackling better this year, and the play of Gray and the other DBs has been much improved. But, why does it seem our DBs and LBs hesitate? I havent done ant research but I watch alot of games, I dont see any aother program ahve as many completions against it across the middle. Why dont we deck a few of these guys, break up a few, something? Is it bad positioning? Not athletic enough? Or is it scared players that fear giving up the big play or penalty? Its not enough to let a TE cross the field and pick up 11 when they need 10. Sure, he didnt pick up 30 like he would have last year, but he shouldnt have free reign across teh field either. And why do we consistently give 15 yeard cushions to recievers? I understand not wanting to get burned long, but when they need 10 and our DBs are lining up 15 off the wide out…doesnt take a genius to figure they get the 10.

    THE OFT repaeated argument that we cant win with our academic standards got blown to hell yesterday. Stanford is playing championship caliber football. I know its a new coach, new system with new starters. I expected to experience alot of mistakes and low points this year. But, with the exception of Teo and a few others sprinkled here and there, I saw a team play with no heart. And after BK talked about “nasty tenaciousness.” This was the first game where I felt like I did last year. Or even in 2007.

    As to the fans, I’ve been to a couple of games at ND. Always thought of it as the cathedral of college football. Fans were respectful of other teams…and definitely quiet. I’ve also been the neyland in Tennessee, been to Bryant Denny in Tuscaloosa, Death Valley at LSU, and Texas memorial. Definitely louder. They bring the intimidation factor that ND’s stadium, history and ghost once brought even with quiet fans. Problem is, opponents arent awed by the stadium and the reverence of the place anymore. So, now, we need that raccous atmosphere. But we arent gonna have fans with nasty tenaciousness untill we have players with the same.

      1. A couple of weeks ago we had the ball at our own one yard line with a running back lined up 10yrds deep in our own endzone. That resulted in a safety.
        Obviously the coaches didn’t learn from that.
        Also, it is clear that they didn’t work on short yardage.
        Kelly said it was “fixiable”
        If it is “fixiable” then
        FIX IT!
        I heard the same thing about dropped passes, bad penilties, and turn overs.
        We are now entering the fourth week of the season…
        FIX IT… NOW!

  66. I really don’t like Harbaugh. However, I have to be thankful to him for dispelling the idea that high academic standards are impossible obstacle that can’t be overcome. Got to give BK some time, but one thing that is eye opening is how in one year’s time Stanford has apparently fixed a horrendous defense. Too bad neither CW or BK could pull that one off.

    1. That fix wasn’t done in a year – are all those Stanford guys freshman – I don’t think so. Look at next year’s recruitment class – heavy on the defense and OL – so the attention is there – takes time to get the pieces and put them in place – not done in one year at Stanford look at the record since Harbaugh has been there and how long has he been there – more than one year

      1. I am talking about the defense, No those guys were awful on D last year, they have a new D coordinator so last years performance got someone fired, didn’t you watch us rip them for 38 last year? Oregon put 51 on them last year.

      2. cosinnap – you are leaving out one key piece of information about Stanford. What do you think helped propel that program when Harbaugh took over? Undoubtedly his attitude and passion. And his pedigree. He played with tons of heart as a QB (anyone remember that playoff game at Pittsburgh?)

        That played a part. But what helped him in his program building was defeating a top 10 USC team when they were 30 some point underdogs. Remember?

        That’s a signature win. It tells the entire team, student body, media and alumni – I can coach, I can win and I can beat the best.

        Charlie Weis had ample opportunity for signature wins. USC all five years he was here. Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. LSU in the Sugar Bowl. The man had chances. So did Tyrone Willingham. So did Bob Davie. What do they all have in common? They never had a signature win.

        It’s still to early to tell this season what would be considered “signature” for BK. Was it Michigan? They could fall apart and go 8-4. MSU? More than likely they’ll fade once they hit the meat of their Big 10 schedule. Stanford? Who knows . . . Oregon can hang 60 on them this week and they could end up in the Alamo Bowl. USC? Who knows.

        But I have seen three chances for BK to make an impression – he missed it against Michigan, missed it against MSU and completely dropped the ball against Stanford.

        I think he is learning very quickly that ND has one of the toughest schedules in the country. Not because it is littered with BCS top 10 teams, but because of who and when you play teams, how different each team is and how hard it is to manage it.

        Think about it, you go from Purdue and their pass-first spread to Michigan and their all-world run-first spread, to MSU and their power game to Stanford and their multiple formation power scheme. You get BC next, which no matter how bad they suck always get up for ND. Then you play a tough Pittsburgh D. Sprinkle in Navy and Army and follow that up with a trip to USC.

        The ND schedule is unforgiving, it takes TREMENDOUS amounts of coaching skill to prepare a team to face completely different weekly challenges. Especially at this point, when the team isn’t dominating, nor electric, nor exciting to watch.

        BK even mentioned that in his presser, about lack of valuable film on the opponents. He is seeing why September is a killer on the ND schedule. I blame that on the AD . . . you schedule like this, you pay the price. Especially early on in a coaching tenure built on a 180 degree fundamental swing in philosophy.

  67. Coach Kelly talked about cleaning up the little things this week, but that’s all it was… Talk.
    Crist is still making poor throws on the short passes.
    Passes are still being dropped.
    Critical penilties at critical times.
    Still turning the ball over.
    Defense can’t come up with the big stop in crictical situations.
    What ever happened to Ciere Wood?
    When your team is stuggling these things become magnified, as they were in this game.
    This was still the same defense we saw last year. We lost, but Jimmy Clausen did put up 38 points.
    Coach Harbaugh uses, and gets the most, out of all his players. There is a lesson to be learned there.
    You look at the top 25 teams and who they played this week and you have to wonder why, with a new coach, and a new system, we don’t give our team a chance to grow, learn, and build some confedence with a little bit of a easier start.
    My hope is that these opera fans who have cornred the market on ND season tickets, decide to sell their tickets from here on out to the real fans.
    They can sit home and enjoy their Metamusel and Geritol while watching Jersey Housewifes.
    Florida has the swamp, Alabama, the Tide Pride, Oregon… their fans are just plain crazy, Same with Boise St. Texas AM has the 12th man.
    And what do we have? The Aristocrate’s? Enhance your calm folks!
    Maybe ND needs to install a dome over the stadium, not to magnify the sound but to keep the snobs dry. How about padded seats with foot warmers?
    Maybe a few of those big screens TV’s that tell them when to cheer?
    We need to make progress every week… on all fronts.

    1. Shaz:

      Seems things have changed a lot down there. I was down on the sidelines and the most noise from the south side of the stadium was coming from the Alumni Band. (We should have those guys there every week.)

      Someone earlier said we were turning into the Walt Disney (AKA Big Black Rat) of college football, with everything orchestrated (pep rally was lame – not like the old days of shaking down the walls at Stepan Center or kicking up the dust at the old fieldhouse)and a large price tag associated with everything. It was good to be back, but I’m not sure I like the “new order” in regards to the atmosphere. The players are more focused than two years ago when I was there and they seem to actually care about what is happening on the field.

      I believe Kelly will get them back to a higher level of performance. I am just afraid of what “Walt Disney” will do with the rest of the show.

      1. Doc,

        As I posted above eariler, it seems the “culture” has changed at ND. I haven’t been back since I moved away, but I always will remember the attitude of not only the players but of the students
        back then.
        Yeah, there were a lot of rules, guidelines, and responcilbilities involved, by they were of the feeling that for the 3,4, or 5 years that they were there, that ND was THEIR school. It belonged to THEM. And they were determined to make the very best, and get the most out of every day. They took hold of the University and made it their’s. In all their image and personallity.
        And back then their personality was pretty bold and pretty damn loud!

  68. I don’t think it’s BK I really think it’s Crist he looks hesitant and I am constantly worried if he is going to make the right read. He over throws the ball on deep passes and he isn’t strong rolling out of the pocket. I think Crist is a good kid and will be a solid QB but he has a ton on his plate right now and it really makes me appreciate what we had with Jimmy Clausen, Luck was making passes that Clausen made last year. Give it time we can’t just win a National Championship right out of the gate with a new coach. Look at the experience these kids are getting on the field under BK that they weren’t getting under CW.

  69. I’ve said this before, but it bares repeating, these players have averaged 5 wins over the past 3 seasons. Very few were around for the 19-6 record and 2 BCS bowls with Brady and Company. ND is not a top 25 team right now. They haven’t beat a ranked team since Weis’s 2nd game and they were overmatched by Stanford. Stanford beat the snot out of UCLA and UCLA beat the snot out of Texas. The reality of it is, is that ND just isn’t a top tier team…yet.

    I think one of the biggest reasons ND is 1-3 right now is because they don’t have Jimmy Clausen. I know he would have had to learn a brand new offense, but he would not have to learn how to read defenses, he had THREE YEARS of experience doing that. Dayne is not only learning a new offense, he is learning how to read the defense as well, which causes him to think instead of play. Jimmy did that as well his first year, but by his third year, he was picking defenses apart. So before we all throw Kelly under the bus, let’s remember he is doing this with ZERO experience at QB. Again, had Clausen stayed, I believe ND would be in the mix right now as a Top 25 team.

    Now, I see a ton of potential in Crist, maybe more than Clausen, but it’s going to take some time. Think of where Dayne will be this time next year or the year after. He will be able to read the defense just as good if not better than Clausen. Dayne Crist will develop into a top flight QB and when he does, ND will rise up with him.

    I’m just as frustrated as everyone else who has suffered with this team for the last 20 years, but I believe Kelly is a program builder and he will leave ND in a better position by the time he leaves. I also believe that this streak will make him a better coach as well.

    Go Irish, beat BC

  70. I was at the game like usual on Saturday and I can’t recall the stadium being that quiet for a ranked team ever. Seriously, it’s starting to get ridiculous how awful the ND fan base is. I was told to sit down several times and the Usher had no choice on this day but to make us (after several complaints) No one was standing. I sit on the goal line seven rows up. Notre Dame needs to take a look at how Penn St, LSU, Michigan, Oregon etc do things. The elderly need to stay at home and complain there. I can’t even start complaining about the game yet just due to how disappointed I am with the fan base. Pathetic

    1. I agree. I went to two games last year with my dad. at the washington game a guy told my dad to sit down that was atleast 5 rows behind us. my dad told the guy to stand up and everyone just looked at him like he was dumb. saturday we were lucky and had a bunch of drunk guys that wanted to cheer around us. It was nice. they need to tell the old farts to stay home, sell their tickets to ND fans that are not in anyway associated with the university like my dad and I. sell the tickets to ppl that would give certain body parts just to go to one game. someone that loves the place more then anything and will be like the student section and stand and cheer the ENTIRE game. also, watching ppl leave sat halfway through the 4th qrt sucked. I dont care what the score is, stay and support the team.

  71. the offense was terrible. the defense played great.

    as crist goes so does nd. but keep in mind, this was crist’s 4th game as a starter, how did jimmy do in his 4th start? some programs can transition from one q to the next, but never with a new system.

    stretching back to purdue, crist has struggled with timing, accuracy and confidence when his first option isn’t there. when he sets his feet and fires he is great. the only way this will improve is with experience. he needs to work on his pocket presence as well. and just huck it deep to floyd when all else fails, floyd is a complete beast!

    so frustrating to watch stanford get pressure rushing 3. i think it’s because our tackles are undersized and were getting handled. line up 290lb tackles with 290 lb d-ends and i will take the d-ends all day. we need both our lines to hit the weight room hard from the first day they come to southbend. this will get better with time.

    i can’t explain our lack of running game. there was nothing aa could do, absolutely no room to run.

    defense – nothing negative to say except that we didn’t get enough pressure on third and long. d-backs played solid, we stuffed the run pretty well until the latter part of the second half, teo and the linebackers had respectable games except in coverage. i swear brian smith was getting beat on every third down. we should have played more of a nickel on those third and longs and saved the linebackers from being embarrassed.

    step forward on defense and step back on offense. i’m expecting significant steps forward on both sides of the ball by the time we enter the colosseum.

    i still have faith in father kelly and the holy crist!

  72. My screen name comes from the team I love, and where my wife graduated from. I was lucky when she was at Auburn to get to some games in South Bend but also got to see some games in Jordan-Hare Stadium. It always astounded me how much louder Jordan-Hare got rocking but Notre Dame Stadium was just purely quiet. It comes down to mentality. I noticed it the first time I tailgated at Auburn a few weeks after going to ND. Like night and day. I never was told at Auburn to quiet down and take a seat, but a couple of times have been in South Bend. Younger demographics, that southern attitude.

    One of my best friends got to celebrate his 30th birthday in South Bend this weekend. The first thing that came out of his mouth when I talked to him: how quiet the stadium was the whole game.

  73. About the fans… Notre Dame students are required to pay about $250 for a student booklet at the beginning of the year. The reason the stadium does not get loud is rarely because of the student section. A way to immediately impact the intimidation factor of the stadium is to give the students seats closer to the field. Essentially surround the field with the student section so they are closer to the field and thus the noise level is louder. It is the same principle that Duke uses in their basketball arena. The student section is practically on top of the court. Let’s be honest…the older alumni rarely are out of their seats during their game. The only time they really yell is when they are complaining about coaching decisions. Also, another idea is to never play the song in which the student section cheers by moving their fists in an upward motion when we are on defense. The song makes the entire student section go quiet. (I think the song should just be eliminated from the stadium in general) Tell me what you think about these suggestions because I agree that the stadium is not intimidating. Also BK does need some time. He lost two really close games, and Stanford is simply a better team than this year’s Irish.

  74. don’t give me this excuse of “he needs time to get his players and system in”. charlie and ty both rocked it their first years. brian kelly’s coaching decisions have not been great. i thought he was overrated at cincinnati (poor schedule, weak league). i also think his staff isn’t great, our tackles played poorly and why bring back a position coach that helped get ty fired. was it me or did kyle rudolph look like he was limping around the whole game. forget a bowl, hope for .500, and get ready for next year because this year looks to be very long.

    1. Oh ya, charlie and ty were both wicked coaches who led us to the promise land, right?

      That Lou Holtz was such a disaster given his 1-3 start.

      Stop being stupid.

    2. Guess you didn’t catch Cincinnati last night. By the way, how long did it take harbaugh to turn around Stanford? How about Michigan?

      Maybe you should go cheer for someone else, and not come back when Coach Kelly produces a winner.

    3. Patrick,
      Have you ever been to a Notre Dame game? Did you attend Notre Dame or have you had family attend?
      You seem not to know much other than Notre Dame has a football team.
      I’d say you’ve not understood what building a program is all about.

      1. We all know how programs are built. We see it everywhere with examples like Boise State, Nevada, Fresno State, USC, Oklahoma. I remember when USC was futile and how Carrol built it. I remember when Oklahoma was the laughing stock of the Big 12 – and how Stoops built it. Don’t assume we are incapable of understanding the learning curve, new system, etc.

        The “problem” I have is Notre Dame is not as futile as Oklahoma was when Stoops took over. Or USC when Carrol took over. Or Boise State when Hawkins was there.

        Nobody here demands 12-0 this year. Nobody in their right mind should expect that . . . or even 10-2. Or 9-3. We get that.

        However, you cannot deny it is difficult to watch ND give up almost 300 yards rushing to a Michigan QB (who we will face at least two more years). And accept a fake FG in OT that loses to MSU. Or . . . and this is the worst . . . to watch Notre Dame be completely and utterly dominated, out-coached, out-schemed, and beat into the turf. Not by Florida. Not by Alabama or Oregon. But wait . . . by Stanford.

        Let’s talk about Stanford. Harbaugh had his signature win when he beat USC. I don’t remember if that was his first of second year, but he did what Notre Dame has not been able to do since 1993 – and that’s have a signature win.

        I give full credit to Jim Harbaugh. He’s doing an excellent job and I expect to see him take his proven system to other schools. He has shown 1) power football is still alive 2) you can out-scheme supposed “legendary schemers” and 3) you can win at an academic institution with tough admission standards.

        So to go back to your comment, I can’t speak for the person you are quoting. But I think I can speak for a large majority of ND fans. Yes, we understand rebuilding. Yes, we understand learning a new system. But we expect more when these actions are being executed by 4 and 5 star recruits. By kids who, if nothing else, have played in BCS games. Who are used to the pressure.

        Nothing more, nothing less.

  75. Stanford is a really good, big, fast team with a mature QB. We have a long way to go. Let’s start the journey by spanking an inferior BC team by 2 touchdowns !! …. then set sights on Pitt.

  76. OK so here’s my thoughts about the team.

    The offensive scheme relies heavily on the QB. Crist looked bad and was hearing footsteps. The pressure wasn’t so bad that he couldn’t have stepped up. His timing was off most of the day. He needs to develop a more elaborate counter in his head. The trust between Crist and his receivers isn’t there. Crist needs to know guys are going to get open and put the ball where they should be. Let Kelly deal with it if the receivers are out of position.

    No long balls. No short hitch, pump fake and go. ND established such a pattern of short crossing patterns and comebacks, that they could have had at least two or three long gainers if they had tried that.

    Crist needs a better handle on the playbook. He’s trying to see the receivers instead of knowing in his head where they should be.

    Crist is starring at his receivers for too long. The defense can react before he throws.

    His mechanics are still inconsistent. He seems like a tough and intelligent kid, so he and Kelly should be able to fix those things. But Kelly needs QB #2 and #3 ready.

    Running game — No attempt at mixing an inside power game. I would have like to seen a two back power I set once or twice. Hughes Hughes Hughes.

    Offensive line — They are more physical, but still miss assignments. Accelerated improvement is needed. I’d find a spot in the season that doesn’t demand total game prep and just work those guys on technique, toughness, and knowing their assignments. This group needs to sustain through the seaason. They already show signs of the strength swoons of the past 3 seasons. Kelly better make sure this group not only stays strong but gets stronger. OR tougher.

    Receivers – need keep working on the little things that make defenders lose them in coverage.

    Floyd – is doing many things well like blocking, getting good body position. He and Crist need to get on the same page. That’s a practice thing.

    Defense – The front three were the Hyde this week as compared to solid Dr. Jekyll performances of the first three weeks. LB’s Fleming was decent. Calabrese and Teo were great again against the run and in pursuit. Teo needs to learn to read receivers and backs in pass coverage. I think Teo’s present excellence but required learnign curve is obvious and commented well by everyone. I was impressed with improved coverage. Having Slaughter back in made a difference. If this team faced Michigan on Saturday or MSU, I think we have differnet outcomes, but I only use that to say that even with this horrendous loss, the defense is improving.

    Some wise guy is going to question that last remark, but consider that the offense really stunk up the field yesterday. 44 yard rushing won’t keep your defense off the field. Stanford owned the 2nd quarter and then from the mid 3rd through mid 4th. You can’t expect a defense to last like that. Look back to Davie’s teams and you’ll see good defenses that just got gassed for being on the field forever.

    These coaches need to scrap a pure spread and commit to a classic running game for a portion of each game, if only to rest the defense. This team could attempt a two back set and run it. Then switch gears back to a spread and see what happens.

    One other thing I might do is invert the linebackers on passing downs. Teo as an outside linebacker could blitz the QB and get some sweet pressure. Not every time, but at least part of the time just to see if it would work. Three linebackers didn’t know how to cover the middle, so make one useful by sending them in.

    Overall, this loss was disheartening. This team looks not so good right now, especially with Purdue losing to Toledo. They need to take each practice and commit to improving in all aspects. I don’t even think they can look to game day, but need to focus on trying to perfect each facet being taught. This is the next 5 mins for these guys.

  77. I agree with the 4th and 1 play. the Offense had not done anything all game. If I was in the same situation i would have done the same thing. maybe if they get that 1 yard it sparks the offense. But you couldnt rely on the D to stop them again. stanford had a great team and would have probably drove down the field and scored again and left 6 min on the clock. remember, if they make the 4th down conversions in these past few games and win, then people would say they were great calls. Give this team some time, it is gonna click for them soon I think. and when it does, it will be scary to watch them play.

  78. On the bright side, the Irish have a bunch of easy games coming up they can actually compete in. They are where I’d thought they be at this point. Go easy on BK.

  79. I believe BK is doing a great job; however, the decision to go on 4th and one from your own 49 with 13:43 left in the game was a very poor call. ND was in the game down only 19-6 with a very good punter. Remember Stanford had already fumbled one punt earlier in the game. This decision all chances for ND. Stanford drove the ball 49 yards for a TD, executed a two point conversion, then ND through a pick 6 on the next play GAME OVER!!! I think BK is the right guy for the job; however this makes three weeks in a row where a poor decision on 4th down has cost ND the game.
    1. Michigan end of half kick a field goal and ND has a shot at a short field goal at the end of the game and they win 30-28.
    2. M.S.U. the refs cost us the game; however, the 4th down did not help us.
    3. Stanford 4th and 1 at the 49 with an entire quarter of football to be played and we were only down 19-6.

    I will stay with my opinion that BK is the MAN for the JOB and I don’t really have a right to ? his calls I know in the end BK will be the KING.

    NEPTUNE

  80. This is the WORST spread offense in the country….How are guys always running into each other during their routes, or why are there two guys within 2/3 yards of each other ALL THE F’N TIME??? Catch the damn ball too!!

    I watched Boise State run the same offense yesterday, and the receivers are WIDE OPEN 80% of the time!!!! ND is stacked with 4 and 5 star recruits at the skill positions, and they can’t score???

    Manti Te’o is a STUD!!!! What are the chances he goes on a mission and then transfers to USC or BYU if this season doesn’t get better??

    1. Boise St. has never and i repeat never had a recruiting class better than ND, yet they looked like the ’85 Bears compared to us. I am as disappointed as i have ever been with ND football.

      I’ll give BK this, he is a great speaker. I heard his post game presser and I began to believe again. I hope he can keep the kids from tanking it.

      1. i don’t know where you get the idea that these players are that good. they have a losing record for their college career. forget the stars they’re meaningless. notre dame got beat by a better team. if kelly had stanford’s players he would have the winning coach. i wonder if i’m the only one who thinks the notre dame players lack toughness.

      2. You’re a joke tommy!!! Are you serious when you say that stanford has better talent???

        Floyd and Rudolph are all-americans and TJones was a stanford commit…..

      3. You’re mind is stuck in neutral, Poz.

        A lot goes into whether a recruting class is strong. Sure, how many 5-star recruits and 4-star recruits factors into it. But, so does continuity. Football, more so than any other big-time sport, is a team sport. No one can come up in the bottom of the ninth and go yard. No one can score 35 points and lead a team to an upset. You need 11 guys on one side of the ball, focused on the mission at hand. And you need 11 guys on the other side of the ball, focused as well.

        Having a lot of 5-star athletes helps — for sure. But, having a lot of great athletes who know their coach and who are prepared and know what is expected of them is the key to success.

        Right now, Kelly has had four games as head coach at Notre Dame and he’s won just one. There are a few ways to look at this. One is to do the doom and gloom and say that Kelly’s incompetent. This theory embraces the five-star recruit theory (i.e. the more five-star recruits, the more wins, the more titles and the like).

        Another is more complicated. It’s to say that the kids are starting to get to know their roles and are starting to know what it means to be prepared under this coach. It’s to say that the coach has only put together one recruiting class.

        I prefer the second approach. In a year if we’re still getting blown out, I’d say that Kelly will be in trouble. But at this stage, the goal is improvement. They seem to be blocking and tackling better than they were last year. They seem to be doing some stuff well on the defensive side of the ball.

        But, there is a very long way to go.

    2. Boise State has had the same offense in place for years.It’s a lot different learning a system when you are a freshmen and can grow in the system vs.a junior qb and recievers learning in one year and having to go out and execute.The freshmen can learn the offense by sitting and watching he doesn’t get thrown into the fire.ND will be back but not this year, have some faith and stick with the team.Every week they are getting better.In my opinion this was a great game for Crist to learn from.Support your team.GO IRISH!!!

  81. We need to be patient with BK. Keep in mind, the same players that played last year are playing this year. Sometimes you have a players that are extrmemely talented, but just can’t get it done. I believe we are in that cycle now.

    Football is won on the line scrimmage and right now ND is weak on the line scrimmage especially the defense of front. The defensive line gets no push and there is no pass rush. We can’t get off the field on 3rd down. If you have no pass rush, any QB will have a high completion rate.

    I thought the offensive would be more explosive this year. When is the last time you saw an ND runing back or wideout get yards afer catch and take it to the house. Bottm line, we still need players. I don’t care how good a coach BK is, if you don’t have the players, you are not going to win.

  82. Like all of you at the game, there were many things to see.

    Big East Refs gotta go. A totally missed obvious offsides penalty. 11 was almost behind Crist when the ball was snapped. Why no flag even if late? I noticed before the game, the refs went into the tunnel with Stanford. Wonder if Harbaugh made some friends. The facemask that wasn’t called and sent Jonas Gray to the bench with an injury. It seems Harbaugh is able to push his weight around like Pete Carroll did. He also had a coach coming way out onto the field spotting something on the ND sideline and then running to signal the defense at every snap. They were never called for sideline violations.

    We need to use one conference and pay them double. Maybe the Big Ten, or why not the MAC? Can you imagine a MAC reffing crew coming to ND? Especially if things like the Stanley Cup show up. Double the reffing pay with a huge tip. Just to make the game calling fair and even.

    1. Agree that officiating was horrendous today. That first offsides was actually too close to call, I think. It certainly looked the part live, but on replay it could have just been the most perfectly timed run on our silent count. There were plenty of other calls that were unforgivable, though, including the spot of the ball on the play Kelly challenged. The fact that the refs didn’t even have to measure with the chains confirms for me that it was a terrible spot. Also, the punt that that was batted back at the goal line was first touched by a Stanford player at the 4 and then downed at the 2. Should have been spotted at the 4 where it was first touched. 2 yards can make a big difference on the goal line. Missed a facemask on the play where Jonas Gray got hurt (and no, horrible ND announcers, that will never be called on the offensive player, see Jeff Smardzija). I could go on.

  83. The only alumni smiling today is Charlie Weis! I also agree with getting more students in the stadium. Well here we go again though I like Kelly’s offensive plan. Problem is we don’t have a QB that can execute that style offense and not so sure Dayne is much of a leader. Inaccurate arm and cannot put a good “touch” on the ball. Have seen signs of brilliance but not consistently and not so much buying into give him a break, “he is a 1st year starter” anymore. Maybe be time to look to the future with a freshman QB?

    Why not give Robert Hughes the ball more since none of the above is working so great. Play a little smash mouth up the middle with Hughes. Throw a little of everything at defenses rather that 5 yard east-west swing passes and failed runs. I do give the defense credit. Nice turn around from last year. There biggest problem is they are on the field way too much. Thank you offense.

    I do think things will get better, “keep reading the book”, but will take a few seasons and I’m sure most fans are as impatient as I am anymore and it is tough to wait……

  84. I’m posting twice. First regarding the fans. I was at the game too. There was a lot of discontent. The students stayed true. But this fan base now is old, or does not realize the origin of Notre Dame and the football team. They booed the coach or the team ( not sure which ) at the end of the 1st half. We never did that, even during the Faust debacle. And I can tell you in terms of disorganization, Faust is the worst ND coach in memory. We never booed our team. Then with 6 mins left, about 1/4 of 1/3 of the fans left. We also never did that. Traditional support for ND went well beyond whether the team was winning or not. But yesterday, it seemed that a lot of people came to the Disney version of Notre Dame and weren’t satisfied. Sorry, but as much as Father Jenkins, NBC and the richie riches try to make Notre Dame a Disneylike marketing concept, there are some very deep and historical factors that go into truly supporting Notre Dame. Stay true.

    On the otherhand, Kelly has some issues that are eroding confidence in his plan. This shouldn’t be on the kids because he needs them to play with reckless abandon now, but he better string a few wins together. I don’t necessarily agree that the losing is his fault, but the times are what they are and it’s going to take some extra work in this internet tweeting facebook posting generation to keep people patient. Kelly will need to show his strength. Lou didn’t have to worry about that in 86.

    I hope this plays out that this team builds toward the end of the season and into next year. Kelly might be ND’s last shot at ever returning to the elite of college football.

    1. I attended a dozen games in the Faust era. Not only was he booed in ND Stadium, he had to deal with vandalism at his house, as ND students would steal realty signs from homes and put them all in his front yard.

      The crowd also booed Lou as he walked off the field after the 1992 Michigan game because he settled for a 17-17 tie.

      1. Gotta say as I was a student from 85 thru 89 and went to several games a year, through 1996. I truly don’t remember the booing like I heard yesterday. I do know that Faust’s last year was bad for him. I do have the Farewell Tour shirt.

        But Kelly just showed up and has been a success. They’re booing him in game 4. That’s bad.

      2. They booed Davie regularly by the end, with purpose when he settled for overtime against Nebraska even though it was tied, we had the ball, and there was almost two minutes left in the game (naturally we lost that game in OT).

        They threw snowballs in 2007.

      3. I went to ND games in the 70’s and 80’s.
        We would tail gate before and after the game.
        After the game (weather permitting) we would hang out in the parking lot eating and drinking, and waiting for traffic to die down.
        Many times players would come by (especially if we won) to partake in the food and revelry.
        It was an impromtu chance at meeting players, sharing a laugh, or reminescing about the great plays of the day.
        It was a great way of bonding with the team.
        The last home game I went to was in 1987. Not sure if this is still a common practice since so much time has gone by, but for us it was the icing on the cake for our annual trip to ND and almost allways capped off a great day.
        I remember one guy who made great chilli. He always had four or five players gathered around his camper after the game. His wife always called those players “her boys”.
        Those teams always connected with the fans and it seemed that it was good for the culture as well.

      4. Kelly deserved to be booed. His team looked just as undisciplined and soft (save Teo) as Daviewillingweisham.

        After 15 years of seeing the same thing over and over again, Notre Dame fans should express their disgust as loud and vociferously as possible.

        ND should worry when the fans don’t care enough to boo. If Kelly keeps this up, the fans will speak with their feet, which will be sitting at home instead of walking to ND Stadium.

  85. Something I felt like you missed was the secondary.

    Not that it was perfect by any means. But I definitely noticed the corners in more press coverage, and I felt like they performed well. Gary Gray’s proving to be quite the tackler in the open field. And blanton showed flashes.

    Motta has issues, but I’d consider him to be a work in progress. Also HS is turning out to be a much better player than many have implied he was capable of. Overall I’d say the secondary is improving faster than any of the other units on the team.

    1. Blanton played a great game, constantly in a position to make a play down field. Walls struggled a little with his tackling, and definitely got ran over for one 3rd down conversion. At first I was amazed that Gary Gray had missed the tackle, but then I realized it had been Walls. The 2ndary has been so banged up, but they are warriors. Our offense needs to be the same.

  86. Nothing against the rest of ND nation, but…

    Dear Dame Fan 1, the youtube god with the FUM shirt:

    PLEASE post another video. Wear a Santa Claus outfit. Anything. A lot has happened since your legendary/itchy/scratchy post prior to the Michigan game. Many, many people would be very interested in hearing your thoughts about what has transpired since. There must be something you’d like to share. Indulge us.

  87. Same thing when i was at the navy game last year until the final minute.

    Its time to start tossing some old Alumni out of the stadium and expand the student section

    1. I agree. ND hasn’t been an intimidating place to play for over 15 years. I look at other schools and their fans are rockin’ & rolln’ the ENTIRE GAME! Say what you will about tradition, but in some areas, it’s time to bring ND into the 21st century.

    2. Please explain re expanding the student section. Don’t all students still get tickets as part of tuition? If so there must be enough room in the student section. When I have been fortunate to get back to a game the students are seem more interested in grabbing some tail than even watching the game. Used to be when our lads laid out an opponent we reacted with the time honored cheer that “Blood makes the grass grow”. My thinking is that students are so used to losing they do not know how to make a difference.

      1. 1980 was the last year where student tickets were part of tuition. Since then, students buy season tickets, which are half the price of regular tickets.

      2. nope – students have to buy tickets- they are not included in the tuition. And – the kids are into it and its the only lively section – and are the only one standing the entire game. Last year, I went to parent weekend game. Ironically, the rest of the stadium sits the entire game, until half time (which is the only time the students sit)

  88. I was also there and agree. I thought the D played well untill half way through the 3rd qrt, the offense just didnt do anything to give them a break. kick retuen was horrible. do they have anything other then middle return? I really hope this game was just a lack of focus and they come out next week and beat bc. I also hope people dont start calling for kellys neck.

    1. I agree as I was there as well. The section I was sitting in didn’t even get off there ass’s when we did make a big play.

      1. If the rolling stones came to perform and sat there on their guitars the audience wouldn’t cheer just because they used to be good.

    2. BK decision to go on 4th and 1 down only 19-6 at his own 49 with 13:43 left in the 4th ended this game. Stanford scored then Christ through the pick 6 GAME OVER. BAD CALL

      1. Yeah, Brian Kelly’s decision to go for it ended this game. Then again, maybe he was trying to shorten the field for an anemic offense.

      2. I couldn’t disagree with you more about the 4th & 1. At that point the D had been worn down by the Stanford O. Stanford’s possessions were generating scoring drives (albeit FG’s) but more importantly they were eating large chunks of clock.

        I thought this was the pivotal drive for ND if they were going to have a shot at the game.

        I might not agree with the playcall, or may have been disappointed at the missed assignment, but the choice to go for it seemed like the only viable choice to me.

      3. Disagree. That was a good decision to go for it at that stage of the game. I don’t agree with the play call but I think that was a wise choice.

      4. In any close, hard fought game, there are going to be instances where one team must go on fouth down. In this case it was for short yardage at mid-field, and we failed (agian)
        to get it.
        Ask your self this: “What would Jim Harbaugh’s team done in that situation?
        He would have gone to a short distance formation. He would have had three offensive tackles on the O-line. Overloaded with tight ends, had a true blocking fullback in, handed off to a sure handed running back, and made damn sure everyone exicuted their blocks.
        He makes sure that if his team is faced their fourth and short, that they get it. we don’t.
        We had 3rd and one and elected to pass. Agianst Michigan we had the ball at our own one, had a blown blocking assignment and got nailed for a safety. Now Fourth and one failed here in this game.
        Loseing doesn’t bother me as much as making the same mistakes over and over!
        This shit is starting to piss me off.
        If we go into Chesnut Hill, and turn the ball over, can’t block on 3rd. or 4th and short, drop passes, and take bad penilties, can’t even run for a measley 50 yards, then we are back to a 5 year plan.
        I hope you all can live with that!
        This is basic football, day one bullshit that isn’t getting fixed!

      5. Shazamrock, couldn’t agree with you more. Turnovers, penalties, blown assignments. Undisciplined as hell. Not what BK was preaching in the off season. We are also way too soft among other things. Stanford came in and punched us in the mouth and instead of getting up and punching back we ask for forgiveness. No FIGHT in us at all. Is it any wonder why the fans are so quiet. When are we going to knock someones block off? Stanford rushes 3 dudes and tears our shit up. When are we going to learn how to fight, Kick, scratch and punch someones lights out. Especially in OUR house! Stand up and fight for Gods sake. Quit acting like a bunch of little girls.

      6. That 4th and 1 play, where Notre Dame didn’t get any push and didn’t block a defensive end who had unrestricted access to the ball carrier, was pure Weisball.

        Rudolph in particular blocked like shit all day.

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