Well, after doing just about everything possible to make things hard on themselves, Notre Dame finally fell to Michigan by a score of 38-34. Mixed in with some great offense was some of the sloppiest football we’ve seen out of the Irish in the last few years. Here are my initial impressions from today’s disheartening loss.
Offense
- Michigan had absolutely no answer for Michael Floyd. I still can’t figure out why he wasn’t used more in the third quarter. Boubacar Cissoko was beaten like a drum by the Irish receivers all game, yet the Irish didn’t target him in the third quarter. Let’s pray that Floyd is OK after taking the tough fall in the fourth quarter.
- Not sure what happened to Golden Tate’s hands, but it was shocking to see him drop two easy touchdowns in the fourth quarter. He just doesn’t do that. Luckily he was able to get into the end zone on the third touchdown attempt in the fourth.
- It looked like Jimmy Clausen was going to have his first signature moment at Notre Dame by leading the comeback, but unfortunately the Irish couldn’t hold on. Clausen was 25 of 42 for 336 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions. He missed some receivers, but his biggest problem today was keeping the ball in the field on jump balls. Floyd was coming down with everything, but Clausen threw the ball out of bounds a couple times.
- Armando Allen ran the ball very well all game long. He ran tough and got the extra yards we’ve been waiting for. Allen ran for 139 yards on 21 carries. He also had a touchdown called back that replays showed was clearly a touchdown on one of the nicest screen plays I’ve seen Notre Dame run in four years.
- Jonas Gray is an immensely talented running back, but until he gets the fumbilitis under control, Weis might need to get Theo Riddick some more carries.
- Not sure what the point was of moving Robert Hughes to fullback this week. He wasn’t used at all from the fullback spot. With his receiving skills you would think that Weis would have called some passes designed for him.
- The offensive line gave Clausen time to pass and opened up huge holes for Allen to run through. Sam Young lost his helmet and played with a lot of emotion. The line got called for a lot of holding penalties – some of them warranted, some of them completely ridiculous.
- For the life of me I can’t figure out why Kyle Rudolph was not a bigger part of the game plan. Michigan didn’t have anyone who could have covered him, but he was barely targeted. His 72 yarder that got wiped out by the holding penalty was nice, but he should have been a major part of the game plan.
- Nice to see Shaquelle Evans make a couple catches and it’s hard to blame him for not coming up with the third down in the fourth quarter considering it was his first action.
- I liked the decision to take a shot in the passing game on 2nd down at the end, but didn’t like the play call at all. Tate wasn’t coming down with the jump balls all game. If Floyd was in the game I could see that play being called, but not with him out of the game.
- Back to the second down pass for a second… If you are going to call a pass there, you have to call something where Clausen has safe options in case the primary receiver isn’t wide open so that the clock runs and Michigan has to use a timeout.
- After two games, I think it’s safe to say that outside of USC, this offense is only going to be slowed down by their own mistakes this season.
- I did love the two point conversion call. I think it’s ridiculous to call an excessive celebration penalty there though. I think it’s even more ridiculous for ABC to not show a single replay of the penalty or even show the ref makes the ball.
- It’s tough to put much of this loss on the offense. They made their fair share of mistakes, but at the end of the day, they put up 34 points and should have had more had it not been for some pretty questionable calls.
Defense
- Tackling was downright awful today. Forcier is quick, but the defense just couldn’t wrap him up and it cost them in the end.
- After shutting out Nevada last week, it was very disappointing to see the defense give up as many points as they did – especially in the second half. Michigan made their adjustments at half time and the defense just didn’t have a counter punch.
- Not sure what kind of blitz schemes where being used, but they were largely ineffective. The rush was coming off the edge all came long leaving the middle wide open for Foricer to step right into. Notre Dame had a chance to rattle a true freshman quarterback, but allowed him to build confidence all game long.
- Run defense continues to be a problem and with a power football team coming in next week, I hope we see some changes along the defensive line to get more size on the field.
- Didn’t see much of Manti Te’o after he made a tackle for loss on the first defensive play of the game.
- The secondary came up with one pick, but had chances early to come up with a couple more and didn’t. The corners weren’t turning their heads on plays down field and a couple balls that hung in that air could have been picked off. Blanton also had a chance to make a pick on a bad throw but couldn’t come up with it.
- This defense will have trouble with spread offenses and mobile quarterbacks all season long. I actually think the defense will look much better against a traditional offense next week.
- I think Notre Dame just missed another tackle.
- Kyle McCarthy played a great game and came up with another pick.
- I’d like to see Gary Gray get some work as the nickel back – he is a much sounder tackler than Sergio Brown.
- Notre Dame had a chance to rattle a rookie quarterback, but instead ended up making Forcier look like a seasoned vet. Foricer is going to be very tough to stop for the next three years. He’s much, MUCH better than I thought he would be this early.
Special Teams
- Special teams helped cost Notre Dame the game. A missed field goal, a kick return for a touchdown by Michigan, a shanked punt when Michigan needed to be pinned deep all directly had an impact on the outcome in this game.
- Nick Tausch missed his first field goal attempt, but did look good on his next two including a 42 yarder that split the uprights.
- Barry Gallup was actually very good as a kick return and would have had two long returns, but got tripped up by one of his own blockers on one.
- Ben Turk might not keep that redshirt very long.
Officiating
- I hate blaming officials for a game – especially one in which Notre Dame loses a game it should win on its own – but I will say that the officiating was very questionable.
- It sure looked like Golden Tate was tackled on the 2nd down pass attempt on Notre Dame’s first drive.
- As far as al of the holding calls, I’ll just say I wish the refs were consistent in their holding calls for both teams.
- The official explanation for why the two seconds were removed at the end was because the officials said Riddick touched the ball. Don’t remember the last time I saw time taken off a clock that had not been previously taken off though.
All that said, the officials did NOT cost Notre Dame this game. Notre Dame did by wasting opportunities and shooting itself in the foot over and over again.
Hats off to Michigan for taking advantage of their opportunities. We’ll be back at it here as soon as the hurt from this loss wears off.
michigan state will be fired up I hope front butt has the team ready. Its Obvious charlie is not leaving. if he wasn’t fired after the last 3 seasons. Notre Dame administration is a joke. What keeps him there what has he done. The schedules are a joke! I cannot believe poeple pay to go see them play. It’s tough enough on TV. Is Coast Gaurd on there schedule sooner or later they can have 11 PATSIES ON THERE SCHEDULE. wHAT ARE THEY AFRAID OF. i HERE TOP TEAMS CALL AND THEY REFUSE.
It’s time for Charlie to go. Saturday’s game was a must win and he couldn’t finish the job. Now in his fifth season he hasn’t beaten one team he shouldn’t but has lost many games he should’ve won. Even if they beat Michigan State by 3 touchdowns this week it will not erase what happened in Ann Arbor last week. That was a very winnable game and Michigan never even should’ve had a chance. Rich is doing in 2 years what Charlie won’t be able to do in 5.
michigan got the breaks and won. the game could have gone either way.
since I am ND follower , i hated to see nd loose.
Also, let’s get as many Irish players into the game as possible!!! We don’t know what each player can do until he has played significant time in all situations!!!!!!
I want to finally see this team play violently and fast!!!!!! Get them on the run and keep them on the run!!! GO, GO, GO and don’t stop until you and your team crosses that goal line CHARLIE WEIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Put charlie at offensive cordinator. Hire bill cowher as head coach. please.
Let me just say this all things aside with CW. I here people make alot of excuses for him, and his questionable play calling. I would just like to remind people he is the second highest paid coach, Urban doesnt even make his money. That being said, if the people reading this performed at there job like the way CW has, would you still have a job! Strictly taking a buisness point of view. Trust me if i had a employee making that much money and made the basic and unexcusable mistakes he has. I would fire him. Cut and dry
As for coaching-changes, if you’re not going to get Chucky or Urban Meyer, then the coaching change you need is defensive coordinator. If not defensive coordinator, then new defensive line coach. Clock-management notwithstanding, Weis called a fairly good game, and cleary can put together offenses. It was the defense that sucked, the defensive line in particular. E. Johnson clearly belongs at defensive end, for example.
Why not look at Brian Kelly? Urban Meyer was a pretty big question mark when he was winning all those games at Bowling Green.
We’ve changed out how many assistants now? Our OC, our DC, our D-line coach… at what point do you go, hey, maybe there’s a problem at the top?
Urban was ok as Pope, but he’s the real deal as coach. He’s got to be our caoch come recruiting season.We’ve already got the base for him-1 or at most 2 of his classes gets us in the mix every year.
I put 50% of the loss on Shaq Evans. I put the rest on the coach that put him, as a true freshman, in that position. I’m not kidding. Jogging the end of your route because you don’t think you’ll get the ball doesn’t cut it. Not understanding where the first-down marker is doesn’t cut it. That was the path to winning of least resistance and ND lost the game because the kid was either stupid or lazy, or both. Hopefully he’s learned from the experience.
I think Notre Dame got the bad end of the officiating, but I also think this reflects more on Weis (and how much people don’t like him) than it does on the officials themselves. Two things: he needs to lobby the officials more effectively (did you see Rich Rod whine about that “missed” holding call? If Weis coached up his whole staff to respond to as a staff to selected difficult to make calls, he would do better at instilling doubt in the officials heads); and he also needs to coach his team better in the art of not letting a bad call get into their heads (see Golden Tate’s dropped passes). The first point should actually help the second, by taking the onus of appeal out of the player’s hands. If I were him, I would seek counsel from Brey who has gotten much better on this issue over the years (though he too is a work in progress).
I’m still ill over this game, but I’m starting to move on…Most people seem to forget that Michael Floyd’s injury played a huge role in the outcome of this one. Floyd continues to torch defenses and will continue to do so all season. I really believe that Charlie is a good guy, but his coaching is questionable at best many times. I hope that this is the final lesson he needs, as well as for Tenuta (The defense over pursued Forcier all day and he had a field day eluding the rush). I think that the Irish rebound this week and will lose no more than two more times this season, but that will possibly leave the Irish on the outside looking in of the BCS picture. Here’s hoping that Floyd returns unblemished from the injury and ND can shakedown the thunder this week.
So… Upon further review,
This thread is why after the game I went to bed and didn’t get up until the NFL was on. I cannot emphasize how much I want to distance myself from the overall tone and discussion of this thread.
Not sure who’s posting as ‘Bill’, but its not me.
Michigan had the twelth man big time. The only crticizing i can make is on out defense. The play that killed me was Tate Forcier’s long run in the second half. i couldn’t stand to see that overrated qb run for 6. I would also like to add the announcers, a little to biased? i hate that they would yell in excitement at a good play by michigan and they would treat Forcier as if he were a god, i muted my tv in the fourth quarter, anybody agree?
Go Irish!
Sam…I know what you mean by the biased announcers…it’s just like the NBC crew that calls ND games!
Sam: Quit crying over the officiating. Blame Weis for not having timeouts when the Irish needed them.
ND vs Michigan… The final solution
For Michigan fans, today their team is the greatest, for ND fans, many feel they didn’t get a fair shake when it came to the Ref’s.
So how do you find a fair and final solution?
According to the fans of the Maze and Blue their team and coaching staff is leeps and bounds better than ND.
So what if ND decided to forgo thier HOME game agianst Michigan next year and play it at a nutral site, Say Soldier’s Field in Chicago? You get a officiating crew from the SEC, Big 12, or other non affiliated conference.
There’s no associated referring, no home field advantage. Each team brings their team, coaches, bands, and Fans. Even though ND would be a more experienced team to the younger Wolverine team, The Michigan team is so much better based on the out come from Saturday’s contest, that this format should be a no-brainer.
For whatever team wins and whatever team looses, at least the players who put in all the work and sacrifice will be asured of a fair and level playing field where ONLY their efforts and skills are the deciding factors.
I said in one post, My hat’s off to the Michigan team and coaches. They played to win. I’ve seen some posts criticizing ND bloggers for going back at the Michigan posters. But I will say this. This blog site is UHND, it’s an ND blog site. This is for us to do the internet equivalent of talking with our own. Gloating on our blog site? That’s respectiable? I went on a UofM blog site defending RichRod against the allegations. Other than that I stay out of other poeple’s conversations.
You come into our blogsite to gloat? And insult Our Lady’s University? You deserve what ever you get. Go Blue, Go BLow, and the rest of you, get some class and post somewhere else.
Where ND goes from here, I don’t know. But a more drastic change is needed. And we don’t need to break the rules to win. More practice time? No, I think the staff need to make sure the players discipline themselves, like Holtz’s teams, or the teams of old. You want to get a scholoarship to one of the best academic institutions in America and save $52K per year? You better earn it giving your best at ALL times.
Personally, without ND, I’d watch D-1 football about as much as I watch the Pros, very little. I love football, but why watch unless the players are repsectable? Soemthing’s gotta give with these guys.
Why does Charlie Weis recruit players and then doesn’t use them? If all players both, recruited and walkons are good enough to make the team, then they are good enough to play in games. How do you know what you have when you don’t give your players a chance to show you what they got?
To me, this notion that you have to practice and practice well to play in games is trash. Some players are better at practice than others.
I am really disturbed that some of the players were allowed to practice sloppy and go through the motions this past week. That is an endicment of the head coach. There is no room for that!
FIRE WEIS and give CORWIN BROWN the opportunity to show us what hes got as the interim head coach for the rest of the season!
I heard Clausen stayed around and waited to Forcier to finish his interviews and to congratulate him on the game. That’s a pretty classy move by a kid that played a great game of his own. I have a feeling he’ll continue to put up big numbers all season and I hope you guys take it to State next weekend.
1. One loss. I’m also upset, but a little perspective. The coach will be evaluated after the season so save your venom.
2. Special Teams – just awful on all facets.
3. 3rd Quarters: Anyone know the stats. My perspective is that we usually come out flat and lose ground in the 3rd.
4. Passing with 3 minutes left. No problem (we had great success all day). But higher percentage plays, please.
5. When the chips are down Charlie is not comfortable with our running game, despite the performance against Michigan. That is a shame.
6. Play calls were overall excellent. The offense moved the ball as well as any with the exception of the 3rd quarter.
7. Time Management (Jimmy and the Coach)- Always a problem. The number of games that we go into the last few crucial minutes after having needlessly burned 1 or 2 time outs due to poor communication is hard to swallow.
8. Weis is responsible for all 3 facets of the game, not just the offense. If he wants to just manage the offense I would gladly take him as our O-coordinator and bring in a motivator as a head coach. The best of all worlds.
Finally, take a deep breath, this team has a lot of time to prove itself. I am still hopeful for a 10 win season.
Calm down everyone.
1) ND appears to be a bit better than Michigan.
2) Both teams are VERY good.
3) If ND kicks MSU around, beats USC, the Irish are in good shape.
4) With this team, Weis should produce a 10-2 or 11-1 season; if he doesn’t, he’s gone. I think he will.
CHARLIE STAYS… THE BIG FELLA FINALLY HAS THE PROGRAM HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, FOR GOOD, WITH PLENTY OF TALENT THAT WILL ALWAYS RELOAD BECAUSE OF HIS RECRUITING….. YET SOME WANT HIM TO GO???? THE DEFENSE NEEDS TO GET BETTER AND WILL OVER THE COURSE OF THE SEASON…. ND WILL BE ROLLING BY THE USC GAME AND WILL WIN BY 2 SCORES… ON THE WAY TO A BCS WIN…. GO IRISH
That very well could happen. USC should be the only challenge left. That being said, Charlie didn’t do himself any favors by telling the press before the game that if ND plays their best game and Michigan plays their best game that ND should win. That’s telling them “we have more talent, so if we lose it’s on the coaching.”
All in all, a good game. The Irish team is showing good progress over last year, and the offense looks confident when they are out on the field. As for the defense; it’s still a work in progress, but I wouldn’t be so quick to caste dispersions. Unconventional offenses are hard to defend; just ask Ohio State after the Navy game. As for the officiating, it’s been something I’ve been suspect of for years. The out of bounds call in the first half- even on the replay showed no irrefutable video evidence that Allen was out of bounds. The line judge was right there looking at the play. I won’t go so far as to say the officiating costed ND the game, but it certainly changed the scope and speed of the game. The screen play was working well against the U of M defense, and seemed to draw more scrutiny from from the officials. Many posts on this site asked what happened to Golden Tate’s hands? The answer was, he was getting mauled. First replay of him “dropping” a pass clearly showed the U of M corner had his elbow locked with Tate’s. If Tate was getting frustrated by the end of the game, who’s going to blame him? The refs certainly weren’t going to call it. They set that tone early. Not saying it mattered as for the W-L record, but it seemed to cover the spread nicely, and keep U of M in the game.
As a VOLS fan, I ask that you do us both a favor by throwing lots of money at Urban Meyer. The great thing is, ND could have an awesome coach who will win wherever he is and TN may actually compete with the Gators, although I doubt it, at least not anytime soon.
Ok…ill ask the question…what is URFITH?
TBONE– I like it…gave me ideas for dinner.:)
LMAO….I like it!!
TBone (Tim Bone) is my name…be nice!
I am still dropping $3,000 on a Notre Dame weeekend in November with my family and love the Irish. It’s just hard to watch the same thing every Saturday and not beat any quality teams.
URFITH….
Laugh my ass outloud….basic!
We play on the season…finish strong with recruting…and evaluate after the season.
You are 38 and called TBONE? LMAO
I would rather not get into a pissing contest with you…so I am asking once…keep it civil between two people that love the Irish.
LMAO? I am 38 and not sure of that acronym.
We are rebuilding every year at ND. A .500 winning percentage for that last 5 years is rebuilding. Rebuilding for USC is 10-2.
What is the answer since you seem to really be smarter than most of us?
The mark of a good football team is how tough they are. ND is Not! It’s all coaching baby. Sorry Charlie!
LMAO….rethink your argument….LMAO….
I agree with you somewhat…I dont like to lose…I work with Michigan, USC folks everyday…and they talk major ****. However, did you did not see all the good that happened Saturday?
Is the program where i want it to be…NO! However, firing Weis and start all over…? that is not the answer….
I saw that quote as well. Lou Holtz would not lose 9 of 10 to ranked teams, Navy, Syracuse, Air Force, and break every loss record on the books for the last couple of years.
That quote was designed for losing a couple of games a year, not 50% of them.
Rethink your argument…
Since you were so gracious in sharing a Lou Holtz quote…here is one for you:
“You’re never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you’re never as bad as they say when you lose.”
Lou Hotlz
That is way above my pay grade.
Here are a couple ideas:
Houston Nutt- Ole Miss
Kevin Sumlin- Univ. of Houston
Butch Davis- North Carolina
Any top coordinators from Texas, Florida or USC.
ND Nation agrees that a change is needed.
good point…my friend.
so tell me…you want to fire Weis…who is his replacement?
Here is an old saying for you my friend,
“How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser.
Lou Holtz
We have been the LOSER for the past 5 years. ND football is better than this.
FYI: UTAH is in the Moutain West not the WAC.
There is an old saying, “It takes skill to build, it takes no skill to tear down.”
wow…I’m as pissed as anyone about this game. However there are many games left in the season- its time for the boyz to get to work as a team and turn this around.
go irish!
What I am really looking forward to is the soft ball questions at Chucksters press conference. Would someone please ask him why he goes to the freshman Evans when the game needs to be sealed? Why not Rudolph over the middle if you are going to pass? Why not Tate over the middle – how bout Allen dropping behind the MLB’s? ANYBODY over the middle – it was there ALL DAY LONG!!!!! I still say it that situation when you need to grind it out and cement some confidence in an offensive line that played pretty damn well – you tell the line its your game – open the friggin holes – get some push lets seal the deal and go home. None of the above……
If you don’t like Weis you should go after Bill Calahan. He’s a good one. You guys complain after one loss to a pretty good team. None of the so called great college coaches want anything to do with ND because you have to play by the rules there and you can’t win in D1 playing by the rules. Get over it. Weis will win but he’s going to have to do it by the book.
The poor clock management, the failure to take advantage of the ND receivers and tight end over the middle, the fact Weis determines they can’t run against Michican when it matters most and you need to grind out a win w/ a 30-40 pound advantage on the Irish offensive line is reason ND lost. That is coaching – and if you cant realize that you’re a putz! Offense played admirably – especially in the drive that put them up 34-31. No reason – no reason in hell Michigan gets the ball back – but in recent years past – this is exactly what happens. That is coaching my friends. On a side note – Tenuta, you are killing me man! I honestly thought after Nevada the Irish D had some twang. Dont be doing anymore smack talking – cuz you dont back it up and you defensive guys make the Irish and their fans look stupid and it aint like we’re just getting used to that. When if EVER will the wake up call come? If only the ND defense of last week would have also decided to get on the bus to Ann Arbor! Michigan State is pissed too from losing this week – they will also be taking it out on what appears to be another hapless ND defensive squad. I am already throwing up in my throat thinking of when USC comes to town again.
1 more thing:
How does Utah win every year (I know they are in WAC), but then they beat up on a BCS team?
We have 5-star, 4-star athletes all over the place and we CANNOT beat average teams.
Weis is 1-10 v.s ranked teams!!! That is enough..let’s make a change now.
What about Kevin Sumlin from UH for head coach?
Two more things:
1. Hats off to Forcier. What a tough kid – mentally and physically. I’m extremely impressed by his leadership as such a young age.
2. Hats off to the Michigan team. You can tell they played with intensity. I feel that ND had more talent, but they took full advantage of ND’s miscues.
3. Big 10 officials were borderline scandalous. Would not be surprised if collusion with Rich Rodriguez or UM boosters were involved. ONe bad call, OK. Six bad calls, red flag.
Oh ya, Michigan definitely paid off the referees. I totally agree.
I also think that the US Government coordinated Pearl Harbor, Kennedy’s assassination, and 9/11.
All that really matters is if Weis can prepare for and win the big important games. Clearly, he cannot. And that will seal his fate. It makes zero difference if he recruits 5 start athletes if he cannot win games like the Michigan, North Carolina, Syracuse, USC, Navy — crap, the list goes on. The difference between Pete Carrol and Charlie Weis is that Carrol finds a way to win. It may not be pretty and it may be controversial, but he FINDS a way to win. Charlie thinks very highly of himself, but like they say out in Texas, “big hat, no cattle.” His play calling, his choice in targets on critical plays, the delay of games all point to Charlie Weis and his judgment and his inability to take ND’s considerable talent and come up with big win. Folks, I have this keen sense of dread about Michigan State, (a vastly improved) Washington, Stanford, Navy. I said it earlier, now I hope I’m wrong about a 7-5 finish.
We need a change in coaching at ND. For top-teir programs .500 is o.k. during a rebuilding year. Let’s rebuild now, because we are just a .500 program anyway.
Bring in a new Head Coach and staff that can start over. There are A LOT of talented players on the roster, we would be fine.
Have CW head of recruiting and stay away from coaching.
Listen man what we need to do is keep Armando in the game(all around running back) because everytime Wies put gray in every1 knows its a running play. Gray is a very good back but his fumble led to a score in which it shouldnt have happen. Now if the refs wouldve call a clean game we wouldve been ahead 10 mayb 14 points in the first half. For a spread to really work an stay in rhythm they need to run the ball in which taking alot of time off the clock in which the game needed to be close(refs). Ok the second half were bad play calling but we wouldnt even been in that situation if it wasnt for the refs. Defensive line are young but very SUSPECT, linebackers/corners good, safties average. But the bottem line is Wies need to develope a killer instinct if he wanna be a top coach(Urban,Pete,Saban) for example.
Folks I am a life long Notre Dame fan. I’m sick about yesterdays loss. We have have a great team and great players, thanks to Wies. Is he a college coach I’m not sure. I’ve coached baseball my whole life from little league to college and you have to treat players differently at every level. I don’t think Charlie understands this. GO IRISH.
Let’s face it. The Big 10 looked so awful the first week something had to be done to pick them back up. They made sure that Michigan would be competitve in this game. There’s too much money on the line now a days not to insure your conference’s success. It’s a shame it happens but it does. You ND fans shouldn’t feel too bad. You have a good team but you need your own set of refs if you want to get back into the big time.
I just saw Bill Cowher on the Sprint Half Time Report for the NFL. Now there is a head coach who will bring toughness and great defense to Notre Dame. I am starting the Bill Cowher for Notre Dame’s next head Coach bandwagon. Whose with me?
#1. WHY did Weiss call for passing with about 3:29 left in the game? Grinding out the clock and keeping it on the ground would have been the key to Victory at that point.
Passing once? Sure.All the time at that point? NO
I Question this a lot.
#2. To all the jackasses and pompous and arrogant people from Michigan that are on the site complaning about the comments about the officials:
NOBODY from ND said the officials cost ND the game. In fact, the article read “hats off to Michigan” and the “officials did NOT cost Notre Dame the game!”
So–Michigan folks, READ the ARTICLE before you comment.
That said, an ND receiver was shoved out of bounds during one play and it was not called. The officials were very inconsistent with “holding” to both teams.
Michigan won because the Irish gave the ball back to an inspired Michigan team with 2:17 left. I am not appeasing the Michigan people merely ststing the fact. I have a lot of respect for the University of Michigan. ( it was choice #2 for me before I chose Notre Dame.) That said, Michigan folks need not be so cocky. Anything can happen in ANY game-just ask the folks from Michigan State.
Good Luck to you Blue Fans-meanwhile grow up.
GO IRISH!!!!
You and all your ND faithful can talk about how you are taking off you hats to Michigan all you want, but the article also complained about the refs quite a bit. And so has almost every other fan on this site.
I have only seen two complaints here:
1) Charlie is a bad coach.
2) The refs were bad.
Some people on this site are even insinuating that Michigan paid the refs, so don’t act all noble here domer. Saying the refs didnt cost you the game and then whining about them non-stop doesn’t really make sense now does it?
By the way, nice choice with ND over Michigan!
Notre Dame had what I needed at the time. I do not regret it for a moment. Michigan has superb opportunities in the Arts and Academia -but ND was the choice for so many reasons which I cannot go into here. BTW, I stated on another article to Notre Dame Fans that we should not count our eggs before they hatch. The Preview Article of this matchup -check it for yourself. FOCUS is what the tema needed. Truth be told, few people really knew what to expect from Michigan or ND. “THey” assumed because UM sucked last year and ND was at .500 that ND would dominate because of starters and depth. BTW, I know the Boren family personally -the kid who transferred OUT of Michigan and went to Ohio State. The mom and dad are DEVOUT Michigan alums and were stellar athletes in their time. They are not alone when they have little regard for Rodgiguez. Lloyd Carr snubbed him on his last win at the bowl game upon his retirement. The momentum was on Michigan’s side and they TOOK it-due to the decision of Weiss-which was still questionable to say the least. ( throwing instead of running and grinding up clock-dudh!) Still, I am NOT ashamed of ND and the team effort. The offense shot themselves in the foot and Michigan seized opportunities. Still, my hat IS off to Michigan. Be a gracious winner -and skip the sarcasm you moron. Michigan should do a lot of damage to some teams this year-including over ranked Ohio State. Congrats–and NOBODY is insinuating the refs were paid. You knowing sarcasm and all should recognize that. Duh.
Again, good luck to Michigan this year.
NDMike,
I’m a life-long ND football and Steelers fan. Please, NO BILL COWHER! Unless you want to see ND lose title games over and over again. You’ll probably say but at least we’ll get to title games. Believe, that will be little consolation when you lose them. Bill Cowher is the son of Marty Schottenheimer. In other words, LOSER. (The Steelers won a SB IN SPITE of Cowher, not because of him!)
SteelerFanRob,
I am just desperate to see a ND defense that is tough and dominant. As a small market team, I always marveled at how tough the Steelers were, but your point about losing big games is not lost upon me. I just don’t see the toughness and dominant defense at Notre Dame under Weis. Cowher’s defenses were always mean, and tough, and great! Maybe it was LeBeau instead of Cowher, I don’t know. I just don’t see it under Weis.
ND success over the years had key componetes:
– Turnovers (or lack there of)– key fumble by Gray.
– Penalties (or lack there of)– how many big plays got called back.
– Special Teams execution, horrible punt, horrible kick coveratge.
– Poise, why is Jimmy or Brian Smith Talking trash…until we win a NC…
Charlie put the team in a postion to win the game, however key plays were missed by the stars…the pressure got to our kids. NOW is the time to see what the character of the team is…NOW its time to show me!
In order for Notre Dame to be a contender, we need a defense that is championship caliber. For all the talk about Weis and his play calling, the defense was atrocious. Jon Tenuta has full reign in the defensive play calling and it was pathetic. That was a very average Michigan Team running up and down the field on an Irish Defense stocked with big time recruits. “Defense wins Championships” is a cliche that is always true. Great offensive teams do not win Championships. Florida won two Championships with great defense and winnable offense. USC lost to Texas with a Great Offense but only a good defense. LSU won two National Championships with Great Defense and only a winnable offense. Ohio State beat a Great Miami Offense back in the day with Great Defense and a winnable offense. Oklahoma’s victory in 2000 against Flordia State was some of the best Defense I have seen in 30 years. What does it take for Notre Dame to put a great defense on the field. The tackling by Notre Dame was embarassing. That Michigan offense was very average yet we made them look prolific. This Michgigan team will struggle offensively this year, just not against Notre Dame. I am so disgusted and sick from this loss that I can’t get out this funk this morning. Where is the defense?
Going away from the run in second half and some questionable play calling in the second half was just plain stupid. And what happened to the defence,they played with no heart.No way we lose this game,i’m still pissed.
Also, those delay of game penalties were ridiculous. There is no excuse for that. We had 2 or 3 delay of game penalties, and we had to use 3 of our time outs to avoid getting a delay of game penalty.
Those mistakes are on coaching.
It just seems like we get outcoached in the second half of every game. Allen was running well. I dont know why you wouldnt run the ball three times (have michigan use all T.O.s) and then punt if you dont get the 10 yards.
Carey: We can’t win the “big games” because of two things. One, Coach Weis is simply not a college coach, and never will be. He still continues to coach this team like he would a team in the NFL. He just doesn’t “GET” college football and the enthusiasm that plays such a HUGE roll, and the fact that you need a “Killer” instict to put teams away. The second reason is that he can’t motivate his players. Haven’t you heard him speak at any of the pre or post game interviews? He constantly repeats himself, stutters and stammers all over the place, he couldn’t motivate anyone out of a paper bag. I will still never forget last year’s game at USC when you have dapper Pete Carroll out there in his white USC sweater and looking every bit the part of a head coach of a major college program, and then you have Charlie over there in his Bill Belecik hoody, and his baggy sweat pants, BOY, now there is a class act all right. Tell me, how can someone like that possibly motivate his players? GOD LOU WE MISS YOU!!!!!!!
I wouldn’t be in a big hurry to fire Charlie. Who really don’t have the emotional energy to watch ND go through another rebuild? A new coach usually means loss of recruits and say good by to any NFL ready juniors and seniors. Anyone interested is seeing Floyd line up on Sunday yet? If he does get fired then do it after national sighning day. By then your players would lose a year of eligibilty if they transfer and the time to declare for the draft is over. A good coach can get a team ready starting in mid-Feb. Kelly, Myer, Gruden! Now I’m going back into the bathroom to finish throwing up!
oh great now we are hearing from ND players that practices last Tuesday and Wednesday were sloppy to say the least and once more they weren’t prepared for the speed of the game!!??? Are you friggin kidding me? After all that crap we went through over this issue before!!???? And the Chuckster says Michigan was in a defense that would not allow us to run!!!!??????? THAT MENTALITY SAYS IT ALL! What an idiot! Its all about Charlie – and his ego. This program isnt going anywhere with this guy involved. OMG!
And that’s the problem. They didn’t really have to gain yards, although another first down would have shut the whole thing down. They needed to burn time, but instead, Charlie wanted to look flashy, and look what it got him. By the way, your 22 year-old QB got beat by a freshman. I sure hope he didn’t spend a lot of money buying a case for those championship rings he said he was going to win.
if they arent fired up after these past two seasons – it sure as hell aint gonna happen now! I also dont have the faith in Swarbrick to do the right thing. Attorneys are like that –
This was a great article. It literally took the words right out of my mouth in every aspect. Truly a heartbreaker yesterday. Unfortunately, I think that the only thing that will salvage this season for Charlie is a win over USC. But with the way our run defense looked yesterday, I’m not sure we’re up to the task.
P.S. Where was Manti??? After making an awesome run stop early, where he plowed through blocks to get to the ball carrier, I saw him maybe once
I guess I was wrong about ND and Florida meeting for the BCS championship unless ND can manage to get Nevada on their schedule a few more times. A leaky defense, an overrated coach and a cupcake schedule should be more than enough to keep them out of a BCS bowl game never mind the championship game. Florida will play the winner of USC and ND for the national championship, that is my new prediction!
Lets just say clausen is right on target. our offense cant be stopped. Every year were expected to be a top notch team its our defense giving up big play after big every single time. They can never be trusted, and to be honest im starting to be embarrased. i know we have talent i can see it on the field, weve improved in so many areas but why cant we ever win that big game when we need it so badly. maybe this team can get fired up after that loss(how couldnt you) and kick ass the rest of the year. maybe we fold. all i know is we need to come out with fire and win every game left. usc isnt the same team weve seen in the past, we can beat them, our offense is clickin, our defense is not.
it is pretty embarrassing how fast people turn on weis.
Tim,
Five years isn’t fast! How long are you willing to put up with the same gutless, undisciplined play by this team? Last time I checked, there are still Cubs’ fans saying giving up on the team after 100 years without a championship is too fast!
We have been against Weis for the last 2 embarrasing seasons. This is a train that is running faster and faster into a wall.
When can Notre Dame win again? I am in sales and if I don’t deliver for 2-3 years in a row and I have the best product to sell, I AM FIRED!!!
Same should go for CHARLIE!
Charlie is just not great coaching material…he can recruit. He can put points on the board, but in the end his mindset does not seem to click that it is really about winning the game. That is why he is willing to throw an entire offseason of training, changing philospohy, great recruiting on play calls he thinks makes him look smarter than the coach on the other side. And this attitude of ‘all i need is to look smarter than the other coach’ and not necessarily win transcends onto the players. That is why ND ALWAYS looks so anemic in the third quarter…My biggest faith is that Swarbick looks like a much sounder AD than KW and will handle the ultimatre decision better at the end of the season…in the meantime, go Irish.
I’ve been an ND fan for over 20 years and the loss was painful to watch. However, I’m not ready to jump off the bridge just yet. I saw some things that I haven’t seen in a while. I saw a team that overcame an 11 point deficit twice. I saw a team that averaged over 5 yards a carry. I don’t care what you say about Jimmy Clausen, but this kid is one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
If memory serves me, Brady Quinn lost a game early in his junior season to Michigan State and still went on to lead the Irish to a pretty good season. Let’s face it, if ND wins 9 or 10 games this year, it is going to be a great season. These players are so close to being really good and I have heard a lot of experts talk about 2010 as the year that brings the Glory back to ND. Remember, most of the key players on this team are Juniors and Sophmores. Losses like these are the teachable moments that will help this team grow. I think this team was starting to read their own press clippings and this loss will bring them back to reality.
Now, we will see if this team is going to grow from this loss like the 2005 team did after the Michigan State loss or if they are going to go into a shell and blow the chances of a great season.
I personally believe that they will learn and grow and this will be the season that puts ND back on the right path.
I can’t wait for the “Return to Glory” season t-shirts for the third time this decade! At least long time fans won’t have to spend money on the new ones in 2010. They can just dig out the one from a couple years back.
I still have the green one from the Ty Willingham years. You know what they say, hold on to your clothes long enough, they will always come back in style.
Go Irish
WHERE WAS MANTI TEO???????????? His speed and nose for the ball would seem to be a no brainer to have him in there as much as possible??
VERY MUCH THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Weis is not a leader. No discipline. The team should know not to ‘show off’ following a score – no excuse. Without that kick off penalty Michigan may not have been in a scoring position so quickly. Weis should instill in the team – showing off means turn in your uniform. Simple.
Anf if he is going to call the plays – well, get them to the QB in time.
The defense was a dissapointment and the reason for the loss. An overly aggressive group of linebackers could not contain the QB. A stronger defensive front would have completely shut down UM’s offense.
You have to love the offense. Not buying critique of Charlie at the end of game. This offense is built on unpredictability. Trying to run out the clock at the end is still not the strong suit of this team.
Charlie stays.
I agree with Kyle-the coaches put the players in position to make the plays. Agree on Walls and the safety help inside. On Claussen’s QB draw our LT completely missed his block, otherwise easy 1st down and you can’t say anyone was expecting that call. It looked like Michigan was jamming Rudolf most of the 2nd half so no TE crossing on MI blitzes in the 3rd. Other than some 3rd quarter offensive calls, no problem at all with gameplan (off or def) or with the playcalling. It’s easy to say now that Charlie shoulda run last series but I didn’t disagree at the time. BTW, did anyone think Tate got run over a little on that play? A little better coordination between Claussen and Evans (looks great, btw) and it’s an easy 1st down. Refs sure didn’t help (us, anyway) as the replay clearly showed Alen’s foot in (with a ref in perfect position to make the call, which he did) hard to see “indisputable evidence” on that one. A real head scratcher. Tate’s arm was blatently grabbed on a 1st half bomb, no call. Why no personal foul when the MI player shoved the ND player who was laying on his back. What was the unsportsmanlike that cost us field position? Can someone tell me?
Needed a better punt at the end (no pressure, shoulda been a huge punt) and longer kickoffs all game. On the MI touchdown return it seemed when the runner got through the initial wall there was no-one. Some people obviously blew their assignments. Can’t put that on the coaches.
Claussen looked great, I’m really impressed by his arm strength on the outs and he did bring the team back from 11 down late to take the lead. No problem with Claussen.
Last observation-it seemed to me MI was getting good spots all day long. GO IRISH!
3:00 to go in the game – Irish are ahead and have the win and have not closed a game out since Charlie has been there. 2 first downs and you are out of there with a win. ND remains a not ready for prime time team still after 5 years since Chuck came on board. Of course it would have helped had the Irish D decided to also make the trip to Ann Arbor…what a disgrace!
This loss is not on Weis. The D needs to figure something out, talk about suspect, that doesn’t begin to explain it. When the Irish go pressure on Tate he was not as sharp.
Special teams is another large factor in this loss. Too many big plays/bad kicks.
Weis is figuring it out and calling for his head is way out of line. This loss still seems surreal this morning, just red hot mad. But, this season is so far from lost. There are so many hopeful signs. If the D can figure out a combination that is effective, I am still confident we can win every game the rest of the year, especially after seeing Barkley stuggle.
GO IRISH
Its Sunday morning and I am still sick to my stomache. I think the only people we can blame for this loss are the players.
Charlie’s health/size is a major issue. He starts games well, makes good play calls. As the game goes on, his energy flags and his ability to make quick analysis and react to what he sees dissipates. By the end of the game, he is not thinking clearly about the game.
The pass calls yesterday are a good example. Even if you want to take advantage of the defense and call a pass, make it something high percentage. You need a first down, not a touch down. On second down especially, a four-yard completion that forces a Michigan time out is a smart play. What Charlie called was not.
One final point — the officiating was what it was, but I have no problem with the taunting call. The gesture wasn’t pointing to the sky as some have said here. It was that bush league finger to lips telling the crowd to shut up. Not ND football.
no matter what anyone says – the refs can’t be blamed – you just can’t use that as an excuse – the calls hurt yes – they were killers but even with that the game should have been won. The third quarter meltdown took the game away – it was going the Irish way and jsut stopped. Charlie’s play calling at the end certainly questionable – could have made the clock an ally – left way too much time and timeouts for Michigan -AND WHERE IS RUDOLPH – use him. Some major points out of this game – it was great the way they came back after being down eleven, and the defense still needs work -CHARLIE GOT OUTCOACHED – that is where the game was lost
Charlie is a great offensive coordinator but a very poor head coach.
GRUDEN!!!!
Even though it was a loss, I’m very happy with the improvement of the team from last year. Clausen looks more like a first round pick every game. I’m begening to belive we can beat USC this year.
Everyone is a genius second guessing play calls… the last two passes were good calls, the box was loaded and had cov.0 on the outside have to make plays in those situations..
DEFENSE…. Walls has to make a play on the 3rd and long jumpball on UM’s first scoring drive… Toryan Smith has to tackle the QB on the 4th and 3 TD run by Forcier… Walls has to stay on outside hip of the WR on the last TD (Because of the safety help).. 3 huge mistakes/ lack of making plays on defense costs ND the game… if we make all 3 of those plays we win in a blowout… if we make one of them… we win comfortable… OFFENSE…. penalties hurt and the one fumble hurt.. other than thought we have a very very good offense.
When will ND fans realize it is a set up. The network have them on because most people love to see them lose. I guess it pays the bills for the AD but really why would a real player go there.
Coaching had nothing to do with this loss… Offense looked sharp all day with the exception of some costly penalties. Defense is not very athletic and will struggle against teams who are wide open like Michigan. The scheme on defense was sound (Players were in position to make plays but didn’t)… The last TD was Walls fault should have stayed to the outside of the receiver because of the safety help over the middle… ND IS BACK AND WILL WIN 10 OR 11 GAMES PLUS A BCS GAME… USC will be a toss up like it should and will be from now on… Michigan is a top 20 football team.. factor in the rivarly and playing on the road, equals little room for error… Coach Weis will be here for a long time, win Championships and beat USC as often as they beat us… GO IRISH
So Allen being near 100 yards by halftime, yet they abandoned the run in the 2nd half wasn’t due to awful coaching?
Passing on consecutive downs with 2mins left in the game when youre trying to kill the clock wasn’t awful coaching?
Please, coaching was one of the biggest reasons this game was lost.
Kyle
Please send me the whatever it is you are smoking….I need to escape reality too…Michigan had been unable to stop the Irish run in the 4th Q, and Fat, and I mean Fat, Charlie calls 2 unneccesary pass plays that go incomplete and keep at least 45 seconds on the clock…Michigan scores with 11 seconds left…do the math and don’t forget to send me some of what you are smoking…
Even with voters and bowl officials lighting every candle they can find to pray for ND eligibility – just because the TV ratings are sick – this may barely be a bowl team, and BCS is a pipe dream. Even then, suppose they get to a BCS game…they’ll get destroyed and you know it. I thought they weren’t supposed to be one of those “we’re happy if we make the playoffs” types of people in sports. No, you’re supposed to win, and right now, they can’t.
Michigan is not a top 20 team, and this year’s schedule should have been beneath the school’s pride to assemble. Of course, when they go 6-6 this year despite that, what will they do then, play Div. III teams for weeks 1 and 2? Nevada for week 1…who were you kidding besides yourselves?
And by the way, USC isn’t a toss up until they match-up in coaching and talent. Talent can happen, especially if SC sufferes injuries like this year, but coaching isn’t happening until someone throws Charlie a box of twinkies and sends him back to the NFL.
Jeff Jagodzinski
He hates Notre Dame and said so in the Boston Media
A poor defensive effort,no halftime adjustments, game mismanagement(wasting four timeouts plus two delay of game penalties),and questionable officiating(touchdown called back,holding calls,and unsportsmanlike conduct)all hurt ND today. Despite all that we had that game won. We where up by 3 with 2:29 left to play. Then on second down Charlie called a play that cost us the game. Throwing the ball deep instead of running time off the clock show a lack of football knowledge. You force Michigan to burn their timeouts by keeping the clock moving. I don’t care if you lose yards. You RUN THE FOOTBALL!! Possibly you run a play action pass on third down, but you force Michigan to use timeouts. Then you punt and worst case scenario they get into field goal range with the time left. Its football 101. Unbelievable!! The team played hard and showed some resilience. They overcame poor play at times and where in a position to win. This loss lands squarely on the shoulders of the coach. I think we have a good team with some solid talent, but its hard to get excited when the coach can’t manage the game. That’s his job and he failed miserably today at it. Problem is this isn’t the first time, and I’m sorry to say it won’t be the last.
well its obvious that the better team lost today…but all that shows is that we are not a championship team….what good is all the talent in world if you can’t beat an inferior opponent.
If I were Lou I’d give the stickers to ND and the Refs. Anybody who says there weren’t an absurd amount of more than questionable calls (or lack of calls for that matter) is smokin crack. That being said..we still should have won the game. I hope we use this as a wake up call and win out.
Whatta bunch of whiners! The refs and the broadcasters were against you? Newsflash: you and your sorry-ass football team can’t win even in a “scheduling for success” year! That rumbling you hear is the BC truck that’s gonna run you over for the 7th straight time, even in a rebuilding year for the Eagles. Hilarious! Hey you guys used to win 20 years ago, so you should be proud of that. Shake down the thunder. Jimmy Clausen and his 4 straight NCs. Charlie Soundbite and his schematic advantage. Man, I pity you guys and your inflated expectations. I don’t know what I’m going to enjoy more, this loss or next week’s to an angry MSU squad that has ND’s number
good call dumbass last time i checked athletic directors dont make the schedule right before the season starts. Oh and bang on NDS tradition. I forgot BC does have a huge tradition of two good players Ryan and Flutie. wow
Navy and Army has tradition (from the 40s and 50’s). Harvard and Ivies if you go back even further. Their traditions are just ancient, like ND’s. You haven’t had a real deal team in over 15 years, or when the current players were in diapers. In fact, except for a couple of good recruiting classes in the mid -late 80s, the team has been pretty medicore for 30 years. Think about that. BC’s program ran by you guys around 2000 and none of you Domers want to admit it. Look it up, jackass, facts don’t lie. Shake down the blunder.
I can’t believe this. How is it that coaches who pull in unranked recruiting classes can have legitimate programs in a matter of a year or two?! Maybe cuz they have coaches who are motivators on and off the field, who inspire their players to be national contenders, who instill a sense of camaraderie in their team and who rally the fan base all through leadership & example? Charlie’s done none of that. He sure is full of excuses though.
I look at Petey at SC, and though I hate his team, I gotta hand it to the guy. He’s always volunteering in LA, running around practices with his players to get em fired up, showing some intensity during games, making sure personal fouls are minimal, setting an EXAMPLE…that’s a head coach! Where’s Weis for that? Charlie’s not inspiring – hell I almost fall asleep just watchin him. And it kills me to say, but I think his team’s starting to show some signs of a trashiness, too. Show some class, man! You’d think a school like ND – a school that prides itself on character, integrity, excellence, blah, blah – would DEMAND the same from its arguably most public figure. I’m disappointed.
I know it would cost a lot to get rid of him, but in the long-run, with the damage he’s doing, it’s gonna cost wayyy more to keep him around. If he’s half as smart as he thinks he is, he’d resign without fans and alums having to pay him off. Take a step back, Weis, and acknowledge you’re running the program you supposedly love into the ground. And at the end of the day, realize this is about more than just winning and football, too – it’s about representing that for which the school we love stands. You don’t, Charlie. AND it so happens you suck at college coaching on top of it.
The way I see it, ND has 2 choices: get rid of him, or accept the fact that there won’t be a ‘return to glory’ in the foreseeable future. All things considered, seems like a pretty easy choice to me. Stay classy, ND Nation. Go Irish.
Hey Go Blow, You have sealed the fate of your Wolverines. Seven score by seven years the curse of Rockne is upon you and the Wolverine program from this point forward. Rich Rod will be a ball and chain to your football program. What goes around, well you know. Cursed to the Death Spiral. 3 and 9 will be what you can expect from this point forward. Now begone from this site and never return.
My favorite story from Saturday was about the ND fans that were chanting “3 and 9” before the game. Maybe they were calling for a repeat of ND’s 2007 season, rather than trying to rip on Michigan?
Good old Charlie Weis has got to go. I could have coached this team to a 35 point victory over Michigan today. Charlie gave the Refs a chance to give this game to Michigan and that they did. Weis has been a very bad coach ever since his second season.
Doubtful.
One Word Solution: GRUDEN
God, no. We need a coach that’s been successful at the college level.
Two Words:
Brian Kelly
You are right, Bobby. See my comments above
haha notre shame sucks. go blue!!
As ND fans alum etc we should gather ourselves commend the victors and aknowledge our situation. We are in need of intervention. There are areas that need to be improved. Yet if we are really behind our team there is hope and lots of highlights to be aired across the nation. We are in a restoration phase. As ND fans we always want to or should at least expect to win. It is imperative that we strap our chin straps put a hat on a hat and become the team that eleminates our oppenets chances for victory. Notre Dame must also widen its recruiting doors all the while not compromising the NOTRE DAME ethic… All hail to ole Notre Dame.
Agreed. Whether or not you like Weis, that situation will take care of itself, but it’s time to rally behind the boys guys. Losing like this is painful, but the last thing we need is another loss to MSU at home. The best way we can avoid that (now and in the future) is to rally behind the team and show everyone that we can bounce back after a tough loss.
Go Irish, Beat Spartans!
CDog I agree. With Weis this team will not have the heart to beat out the close ones. I am beginning to realiza how B Quinn was truly integral to Weis succes the first two years. The killer instinct is simply not there…
I agree and even though we played well at some points of the game. We did not leave it all on the feild. Loosing has become exceptable for ND. I dont know about anyone else but i hate to loose and love to win.
Where to begin:
1) Let’s begin at the top. Charlie Weis will never learn that he’s not as smart as he thinks he is. There’s no reason ND couldn’t have scored 50 points today. Instead, the ND offense comes out and sleeps walk thru the entire 3rd quarter. No Rudolph in the seams. No Hughes in the flats or out of the backfield. Throws down the sidelines with little hope of completion that wasted time and downs we could’ve used to score more points. When Weis is fired at the end of the year, I’d love to see him as my Steelers OC. (I’d win twice by having Weis out of ND and having him replace lame Bruce Arians in Pittsburgh; Charlie is a proven pro OC.) And let’s not forget the lack of discipline this team showed all day and the poor clock management, a perennial problem under Weis.
2) John Tenuta is over-rated! He’s no Dick LeBeau, that’s for sure. No blitzes from different angles. Everything was very predictable for Forcier. Pathetic defense!
3) Nothing special about ND Special Teams. The 94 yard KO in effect was the difference in the game.
4) Let’s not blame the refs. ND lost this game. Michigan took advantege of the gifts ND gave them on offense, defense, and special teams.
For the next 365 days, it’s Hail to the Victors from Ann Arbor!
ND is no better than 9-3. Count on a loss to USC. Count on another debacle at some point in the season. Come to think about it, 8-4 might make more sense with this gutless team!
Let’s hope we get a favorable matchup in the Gator Bowl!
are you kidding me michigan is garbage we lost only because of poor officiating if there was a long play call it back because of holding. Michigan sucks and so does forcier im not impressed. they dont belong on the same field as nd seriously your dbs suck this is why weis doesnt want shit head big ten officals doing are games. Honestly you cant watch this game and think ND isnt 100 times better. good luck losing to big ten garbage teams while we go on and beat USC. This is funny Michigan still sucks and they are two years behind ND. U got lucky go beat northwestern my prediction for michigan 6 wins. ND will be in a bcs game 9 out 10 times will whip your ass. you got us tonight pure luck
Clearly this guy is a great example of why many people despise ND and their fans. Not all are like this, but there seem to be quite a few.
Go Blue 2009 Why are you on the ND Blog Site? would you drive down to South Bend, go to the Huddle and badger people walking in and out? No, so go hang with your own crowd.
Trust me, after working in Detroit for some many years, there are many more UofM fans like the ones you complain about. Go live in Colmubus, State College, or Knoxville. Then come and talk about Notre Dame fans.
Actually that’s 7 td passes.
Weis the offensive coordinator. His offense just put up 500 yards and 34 points at Michigan and you people are complaining? What do you expect from him–to coach the defense and special teams also? In two games his offense has put up almost 1,000 yards, 70 points, 5 td passes and no interceptions, and only 1 turn over and you’re complaining? And that doesn’t even include the 50 spot they laid on Hawaii and the 5 dimes JC threw in that game.
If you want to complain about Weis, blame him for hiring a defensive coordinator that blitzes every play even when it isn’t working. Did anyone really expect that a team that was 6-6 last year would be undefeated this year? Relax. It’s a long season, there will be plenty of time to evaluate Weis come November.
I have to say, after today, I am not happy. ND has lost it’s link to it’s legacy. And Weis has progressed too slowly as a coach. This team should win. Defense still has holes. But here’s what they’ve lacked under Weis, the heart and guts that ND teams had that won when they weren’t supposed to. Weis will never pull an upset because he doesn’t believe it’s possible. Holtz was a master game strategist, but he was an even better leader of men. I hope ND as University hasn’t lost the Catholic heart and soul that made us the Fighting Irish. But it sure seems like it.
I won’t be surprised by any loss this season. And I no longer expect this team to win close games or against any opponent that will end up with a winning record. I no longer expect that because I don’t think the coaches know how to prepare this team to finish a game. I’m deeply troubled by Weis after today because his X’s and O’s aren’t enough. He just doesn’t have what Holtz, Parsegian, Leahy, or Rockne had for leadership. But who’d come here now to a place that is hated for trying to do it right, ( and for being Catholic ), and who will get trashed by ESPN until they give in and join the cartel? Frankly, I don’t know where this program goes from here.
The game turned when Claussen through outside when he should have thrown inside on 3rd and long with 2 and some change remaining. I know Jimmy had a great game, but with a wide-open receiver at the first down marker, he only needed to recall to throw inside (when leading) to keep the clock moving. He threw outside, the ball went out of bounds (stopping the clock) and we had to punt.
Now, no game is decided by one play. Frankly, the special teams unit was pretty poor today, too (not to mention that awful defense at the end of the game). But, the game completely turned when Claussen missed the first down that the Wolverines gave us with 2-plus minutes to go.
I know, folks are calling for Weis’ head. I actually think this was one of his better offensive performances. Like some, I wondered about the play calling down the stretch, but for a full 4 quarters, we played well offensively. It was the defense and special teams that cost us. And, it was Golden. How many drops? Was it nerves? Lack of concentration? What?
Oh well. I am not ready to call it a season yet. Ann Arbor is still a very difficult place to play. I think we’ll roll past Michigan State next week and I like us beating up on Purdue, too. We’ll see. If we learned anything today, it was that the offensive line is vastly improved, the receivers are very difficult to defend, the running game is rolling — and the special teams unit needs work. One final note: on the play before the winning touchdown, Michigan’s receiver dropped the pass in the front corner of the end zone. I thought to myself: “how did that guy get wide open?” And I sort of wondered if they wouldn’t just call a play to the front corner. If I thought that, why didn’t any coach or player think that? It’s 11 on 11. We should have stopped them.
USC coming back and beating Ohio State on the road with a true freshman quarterback is a great example of the problem with Notre Dame.
The USC system is superior to Notre Dame in so many ways.
– 11 players were drafted from USC last year.
– True Freshman quarterback
– Injuries at WR and RB.
– Brand new Offensive coordinator (Sarkisian went to Washington)
They still beat OSU on the road. It is coaching or athletes? Probably both for USC. USC wins big games, Notre Dame does NOT!!!
Coaching stunk. Should have been up 10-0 quickly today.
What was Armando thinking? It is a poor situation when your first instinct upon a big score is to taunt the opposition as opposed to turning to your teammates. Trash talkin’ culture. Didn’t I see that before? ’93 BC game?
I’m still at work so I didn’t see the game so I can’t “whine” about the officiating but why are there conference refs in this day and age any way. It seems like the NCAA would want to have more control over the situation. Those refs know who’s signing their paychecks so get rid of conference refs and that way all we could say is “boy that crew sucks” instead of “we’re always getting screwed by the big 10”.
I thought that today’s game officiating crew was out of the Big East? Did I not hear Don Crique say that a couple of times?
As a general question. What made ND so good in years past (prior to say Bob Davie era) and now they can’t win regularly? Were school standards lower then? My point is that it is pretty hard to find a top tier football school (i.e. USC, OSU, LSU, FLA, etc.) that better emphasizes education for their athletes than ND. At the same time, college football doesn’t even seem to be college-related outside of being on a campus. It’s so mainstream now. It’s almost NFL-JV where analysts are always commenting on draft statuses, etc.
T Bone – Agreed – except for the Montanna comment. ND continues to allow lessor teams to play exceptional and look like supermen when in fact they really are not. Instead of pressuring and knocking Forcier around they let him hang around and gain confidence. It all boils down to lack of preparation – lack of motivation and failure to get the talent that ND does have to produce on the field. I thought the attitude on the team was enough already – when it comes to the Weis factor – I say enough already! If the play book is the size of the phone book then why to we contuinually see the same fade passes to the corners tried 4-5 times a game, the same quick outs that are telegraphed before the snap, the same jump ball passes? Yeah – real friggin schematic advantage. NOT!
Answer to when Charlies gone… When the 10 year contract ND signed him to after his 1st season expires. In which that season he had Ty Willinghams kids. How Ty got dumped so abruptly and Charlie Front butt still has a Job is absurd.
At what point in time does Notre Dame alumni and fans hold Charlie Weis “accountable”?
We have not beat a ranked team in over 3 years and continue to say we have “recruits” that will bring Notre Dame back to the BCS.
The football program is broken. We are no more than an average Div. 1 team that has not beaten a good opponent in a LONG time.
Even Joe Montana said that we should not have our expectations too high.
Disgusting coaching….It is the coaches, not the players. The recruiting will slow down because these kids will start going to USC, Florida and Texas where they know they have a chance to win a BCS game.
Agree – ND needs a coach that will instill some discipline in the team. Poor sportsmanship following ND’s final TD in the End Zone should not be tolerated – and the team should know it! The penalty cost ND a victory.
I agree with you 100%. I did feel a bit worried last week when we only scored 1 td in the second half just because we had the game under control. There is a reason why you see the Floridas, Texas and USCs with scores of 50 or 60 pts against lesser oponents and it si the coach making sure the team keeps its killer instinct…or even run it up on ND by 38pts when we are down…Kill means kill, not mame and then feel sorry…the team still seems to get the animosity virus in the 2nd half. If you dont put the game away in the first half, then that should be the only MO on the first drive of the second half…this is going to be an unecessarily long season if we keep botching the plausible leads…
The weakest link for Irish football is the coach. He is a good recruiter and it starts and stops right there. The Irish were their own worst enemy. To fail to take advantage of huge opportunities going to the wide receivers more and the tight end over the middle was unexcusable! These guys were bigger – better and open all day long and Weis is to fault for not exploiting this from the beginning! The failures at time management also took the Irish out of rhythm.
I did not recognize that ND defense that played today. It was nothing like the guys flying around the field last week. Saw next to nothing in blitzes = no pressure on the freshman QB which should have been the game plan. They let Forcier gain confidence and away he went. Miserable – miserable defense – my faith in Jon Tenuta took several steps backward today. My confidence in Weis was lost after year two. ND continues to fail to be able to salt the win away. Charlie was pulling the rock over himself w/ 3 minutes to play with the lead. 2 first downs and the game is over but just the opposite occurs thanks to the predictable conservative mind set which never works. Just like last week giving Crist nothing to run in 8 minutes – if you dont practice the killer instinct and end the game in total control – you cant expect it when the game is on the line.
Overall the stats favored ND – the talent for ND was easily much better – Weis however contiues the role of the conductor on a wagon train loaded with powerful thouroghbred horses and continually pulls mightily on the reins to slow them down. Like the comment from Jim Lovell on Apolo 13 – “gentleman we just lost the moon”.
Same old ND football is the mindset once more with what has resulted from this inexplicable loss. I am watching USC and OSU right now and the team I saw today in Ann Arbor does not belong on the same field with either USC or Ohio State. The Irish remain Not Ready for Prime Time. Any arm chair quarterback watching the Irish play today would have taken better and full advantage of tremendous mismatches that the Irish had today. Waiting until late in the 4th for the hurry up offense was simply too late. Weis remains the weakest link to Notre Dame football. What a miserable showing! It did not have to be that way. The refs obviously were horrendous but in the end the Weis factor sealed the deal.
Written like a true ND fan. Obviously ND didnt have the superior, better athletes tonite, cause you lost. You lost to a superior FRESHMAN QB to your arrogant overe hyped J-Claw. J- Claw continued his family tradition of overhyped QB’s that never did squat. ND’s a joke and so is your football program. The only thouroghbred horses I saw today were the ones that wore Maize and Blue. And ND had a few stud WR’s today, which im sure there wondering why they went to ND rather then a school that hasnt done anything since Holtz was coach.
Yikes,
“ND’s a joke and so is your football program.” Can’t we be civil?
You know, its one thing to point out when ND fans become overly arrogant or are poor losers, its another thing when certain (read: not all) Michigan fans like yourself come back and make comments that show you sir are a poor winner. Neither of those statements in that sentence of yours are true, certainly a last second Michigan win doesn’t prove either of them.
Tate Forcier played an incredible game, much better obviously than Jimmy Clausen (name calling not necessary) did when he was a true frosh. Bottom line: kudos to UM, they came up with some big plays and won the game, ND sputtered on their 2nd to last possession with 3 minutes left and that is the difference in the game.
In my opinion it seems that the officiating badly hurt ND’s chances to win but didn’t decide the game’s outcome, and I don’t think that opinion makes me a bad loser. Obviously the outcome was mostly a combination of Michigan making the big plays and ND not that was the biggest difference between ND winning or not winning this game.
Congrats to UM, let’s pull together guys for a big win over State next Saturday!
Go Irish, Beat Spartans!
Maybe the arrogant Charlie finally learned tonight after 5 years of flashing his Super Bowl rings in high school recruits faces doesnt win you games in big time college football. And why this J-Claw kid that ND hypes up like he’s the next 3 time Hiesman winner since the great Ron Powlus, err wait he didnt win anything either! Itll be sad to see Charlie fired, especially after a PISSED off MSU team comes to town next weekend and and shows what Charlie, J-Claw and ND are for the 2nd week in a row, FRAUDS!! The refs didnt blow the game tonite vs MEEEECHIGAN, Charlie and your fraudulent defense and J-Claw did! Suck it up and give Blue the credit. UM beat you (the non ranked UM that Chalie said they should beat). GO BLUE and hopefully ND keeps Chalrie around for more enjoyable games like tonite! Cause this was ND’s best chance for many years to come to beat MEEEECHIGAN!! GO BLUE!!!
The thing, is Rich proved that in college you can do a lot more with less players and good coaching leadership. Can you imagine a Michigan coaching attitude with our current talent? We would be talking about NC game this year…instead we are splurging the talent on hanging a hat on a shut out on teams we are are mor than suppose to win…
Wow is all I can say. Most folks have already said it. ND took themselves out. It is SO painful to watch. Sure, it’s not a season ender by any means, and I am on board with a 10-2 record. But the championship bid is all but shot unless somehow OSU, USC, and Florida really blow it. As far as Weis is concerned… he made some great calls during the game. Mainly the screens, they for the most part, were very effective. But the obvious kills me. Floyd was it, he was untouchable and was the game breaker and he had to be. For some reason Tate was just having a rough second half. Overall HEARTBREAKING loss, it’s Michigan.
Go Irish
Run the freakin ball. Armando Allen was a beast today, if not him, Gray, if not him Riddick. You were able to run the ball almost at will today. Your offensive line outweighed UM’s dline by almost 60 lbs. Swallow your pride Charlie and run the damn ball. Lets play some smash mouth football for once and quit being a finesse team when it counts. It obviously hasn’t worked in 5 years.
I think ND is in trouble. Our offense played about as good as possible and we won’t have an offense this talented for a while I feel.
We got outcoached (again) which is scary. Sure, throw it to Floyd/Tate in mas protect is an easy call. We couldn’t rattle a freshman QB, failed to kick a quick XP, throw twice last in the game…all against a Michigan team that is only going to GET BETTER…
We are DOMED to go 6-6 for awhile and need to live in the moments we can go 8-4 in a season.
All I wanna say is that I hope all you domer fans think twice from now on before you go on the internet and predict that ND will win big against Michigan or any other team.
As a Michigan fan I had no idea who was gonna win this game because I thought we knew very little about either of these teams. Nonetheless, I listened all week to you guys make rediculous predictions about what was going to happen based on your last two games. I even had to listen to a domer fan on a Michigan blog talking trash, which is a large part of the reason I am writing here.
Bottom line is that the better team won today. If you try to claim otherwise than you are just being a poor loser. Whether it was execution or just pure skill, the better team won. Goodnight!
then let them play again. take away the suspect (not suspect, bad) calls or non-calls and see who wins. i went to neither school so i am relatively neutral, but it was obvious ND should have won this game. even many of the michigan fans are acknowledging this fact. you got the W, but sorry, michigan is not better than ND.
Would you say that to Michigan fans who predict a win when the team loses. What a stupid comment. Who cares what anyone predicts on the internet?
Hey UofM fans. Stay on your own Blog site.
The officiating was horrible. Several times Matt Millen in the booth made mention of how the CB’s of Mich “got away with a push” or “shove” or “a hold” on a ND receiver. The taunting call was BS. Thanks ABC for not showing/mentioning it at all. All that being said. It was the special teams that cost ND this game. Kick offs sucked, K.O. coverage sucked, punts sucked, and a missed FG. Everybody will blame Charlie for this one, but I thought the game plan was good, and the play calling was decent. Didn’t like two pass plays on the last possesion. But all in all, ND lost this one because they didn’t exacute.
I mean there are at least 5 games over the last 3 seasons (Navy in 2007: UNC, Pitt, and Cuse in 2008: Todays game) where bad coaching and playcalling played a pivotal part in the Irish losing. 5 freakin games.
…and of course people are mad about 1 game. In a season with BCS hopes not out of grasp, every single game counts – and with MSU and USC looming, losing a game that we by all accounts should have won is definitely going to piss people off.
Here’s my quick take.
The offense is pretty darn good.
But the defense for years has been our Achilles heel. Unless we get a stout defense, the Irish (which I am an ND grad) will have a difficult time getting into the upper tier of college football.
Case in point…closing out games…the D was less than stellar today.
“Weis can win with this football team”
Maybe he can. But he doesn’t. That’s a problem.
Can anyone explain what the taunting penalty on Allen’s touchdown was for? Was it really for putting his finger by his mouth and going shhhhh? Wow. It is also odd that the TV did not replay the shot of him doing this dispicable act.
He can’t coach? You must be kidding! A blowout last week and then a self-inflicted loss which easily could’ve been a win and you’re all ready to give up?
Well give up.
We don’t want you as fans, fair-weather losers.
I’m not ashamed of that loss or my football team. The season is not ruined with one game. The offense played well, but sputtered at times when they should not have. It’s pretty sad to see that people are giving up on the Irish after one game. I don’t think that it is Charlie’s fault for the play on 2nd down to Golden. Why wouldn’t you try and go down field? Charlie cannot afford to take his foot off the pedal and it’s like your damned if you do and damned if you dont. Clausen has so much confidence in tate and floyd that he could do it pretty much any time he wanted to. Weis can win with this football team. Let’s see how they respond next week, against a very game MSU team.
I love My Irish and the negativity makes me wanna puke…
Whats the deal with the “go blue” on one post and then the “our team” on the next? I hope they are two different Johns.
My only problem with Weis today was his play-calling on the last drive. We had demonstrated the ability to run the ball down their throat and we could have sealed the deal with a first down or two.
As far as performance, there were way too many penalties and Gray’s fumble was key.
That said, for the first time in a long time, we looked like we had a real team on the field. The defense still lacks elite talent, but we should be in for a really good season this year and an even better season next year.
I don’t understand people bashing Weis when he finally has the program headed in the right direction. We can toss him out and start all over again, but that only ensures that the program will remain in turmoil for another 5 years. If we lose more than 3 this year, then maybe we need to re-evaluate, but for now, I think things are looking up.
Beat the Spartans.
Good bye Charlie. IIt has been a long time when ND had a clear advantage man on man and cma up short. charlie’s arrogance on the play calling at the end did us in; we should have run the ball down their throt or us the tight end. Defense was non existent. Anothjer disappointing loss. I am dog tired of these let downs time and gain.
Let’s face it. ND hired and over-priced coach who doesn’t have what it takes to right now. He could grow into a good coach if he can learn from his mistakes. It’s a good thing for him that the rest of his schedule is full of cupcakes, except for USC and maybe Mich St. But I don’t blame the ND football program, because I wouldn’t want a tough schedule or to join a conference either. Regardless, this program gets way too much attention for being such a laugh.
If you don’t like Weis as the coach then who would you want? I think it’s slim pickings.
Gruden,Kelly,Clements to start
Why wasn’t Manti T in the game. Our linebackers are awful. #22 Smith never makes a play. Walls reminds me of Cliff Jefferson. Charlie is flat out dumb. Jimmy doesn’t have it. But we went all the way to Hawaii to play on Christmas Eve, compromising our integrity and we still don’t use the kid. Also. lets see more of Barry Gallup. He had the courage to leave his father who is on the B.C coaching. He looks good. Charlie and his defensive coach don’t.
I also have been a big supporter of Weis. Why not run the clock out with three minutes left in the fourth with the lead? Instead, to throw the ball twice, ridiculous! I’m done, don’t let Weis even take the bus ride home. He is no offense genius, his arrogance cost us this game.
If we are in the year of ‘SHOW ME’, then show why Allen was not set up to get the crucial 1st down. What good is to have a run game if you don’t use it….
The refs were terrible, if only because they couldn’t keep the flags in their pockets. But this loss gets pinned squarely on Weis. In addition to giving away the third quarter with hopeless play calling, the final three minutes was some of the worst clock management I have ever seen.
I think this game marks the beginning of the end for Weis. I have been behind him these past two years but he shows that his brain gets in his own way. His [;aycalling on crucial situations feels is done more out of ego than faith in the team. He spoke all spring long about improving the running situation, and now that it finally works you don’t use it in a crucial time clock eating situation? You spoke aboutthe lack of tight end depth and security last year and not use it when you need it? I’m sure even the team is scratching its head. I know the defense allowed 38pts but it is hard to keep points off the board at the Big House with 3 and outs. I think Clause still does not have that clutch leadership gear Quinn had, but ultimately, we still make mistakes which should be a none subject with a 5th year coch and 11 starters.
We need a new head coach – it’s pretty simple. It’s been obvious for a long time now.
If you like Weis/think he should stay, than just condition yourself for mediocre football in South Bend.
I don’t dislike Weis as a person, but would like to see a winning product on the field.
I’m just tuning in to chek out the whining. I am a neutral, and from my view the game was fairly refereed. Too bad you homers don’t see that. You don’t see your team isn’t very good either. Shreveport is nice in December.
Typical weiss should have been canned last year. Why is he still there ? I cannot understand it. There schedule the next 3 years is pathetic. They are not a top 25 team. They play USC and no one else in the top 25. They have beaten 1 top 25 team since weiss has been there.( penn state ranked #23). How can ND let him continue this crap football !!!! I think they will have ten patsies on there schedule so they can beat someone.
EC has a point. The losses are not Jabba’s fault. It’s the darn schedulemaker.
Let’s drop USC and Michigan. Wait, better drop BC, Navy and Pitt, too, just to be safe. ND doesn’t have to beat any top 25 teams to go to a major bowl game — that’s already been established. We need more Nevadas on the schedule!
Or maybe ND should join the Mid America conference and play four weak non-conference teams along with it. There would still be a lucrative TV contract — after all, they’re Notre Dame!
But if they’re going to hire a new coach they should probably go with one right out of the high school ranks – that worked great the last time. After all, once you are “annointed” as the ND head coach you can do no wrong (it’s right up there with papal infallibility). At least, not until the day they fire you, then they’ll blame you for every subsequent loss for the next three or four years!
Pride in your program is a good thing. But one of the theologians on campus should remind the ND football folks that excessive PRIDE is a capital sin, and “goeth before a fall.”
It’s been a long fall and, sorry ND fans, there is no end in sight.
ND has a real chance of being 2-3 after 5 games. If they are 2-3, Weis should be canned right after the USC game.
The way I see it, a win against MSU is now a must. I predicted the team to go 10-2 this season. I thought the first lose would be against MSU but I feel more confident about that game now. If we can beat MSU then as far as I’m concerned we just traded a MSU lose for a Michigan one.
I still think this will be a good season. Its not until week get a third lose that I’m panicking.
ND is no sure win versus Michigan State, especially after MSU was embarresed by CMU
Sorry comrade but I expected more from the team like one loss to USC. We have beaten Mich b4 and we could have 2day. MSU lost 2 Central Mich earlier only to say we could beat them 2…
My frustration level is at an all time high. Call me when we get a real Head Coach – one who knows how to manage a game and play players
Why recruit running backs if you don’t use them? Why all those receivers if you only throw to 2 or 3 of them each game?” Why, Why, Why doesn’t Weis use his more of his players? Is he afraid that they’ll get hurt? The truth is that the man really can’t coach and I am beginning to see that he can’t call plays either. Well, he can if it’s the same 10 of them each game.
John, you are an idiot. Michigan fan runs to the opponent’s blog after a big win. I could give you many suspect calls, but instead, since you must be a dumb Michigan grad, is that the article to which you responded flat out said that ND lost the game on their own and it wasn’t the officials’ fault. Maybe they don’t teach reading comprehension at Michigan. Hope the 30% unemployment isn’t making life too uncomfortable for you up there.
Can we please keep things in perspective? It’s pretty disgusting to bring up unemployment rates in a discussion on football. Also, as an ND fan, it sickens me to read pompous comments criticizing the education of other schools. You don’t represent Notre Dame with class,and your perspective is from a segment of pretentious Domers. We don’t all share your views. With that said, the play calling was suspect, and it’s a valid point.
Then why bring it up at all? Obviously the implication is that if only those biased officials hadn’t ruined our chances…. Sorry, the attempted disclaimer doesn’t work. The officials weren’t the problem and didn’t “help” Michigan at all. (Irish fans conveniently forget the calls that go the other way). Your overhyped, soon-to-be-fired coach was your problem — just like he has been for years now.
Go Blue.
The refs were god awful, but ND still didn’t play well enough to win the game.
But the refs were still awful (The taunting penalty on the 2pt conversion, Allens TD on the screen pass in the 1st QTR that got called back are just two examples)
We cant blame the refs for this one. We didnt play with the fire that we needed to match the wolverines intensity. Something that we have been lacking for years since Lou Holtz. We no longer believe we can win and when we do we are always surprised. FIRE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’re right John, Weis is the reason. Thanks to U of M Weis will be gone!
Just proves my point that no matter how bad ND gets or how terrible our team plays we will ALWAYS have people from all over the country (including our biggest rivals’ fans) on our website checking out ND. Why dont your Michigan and USC fans go to this website I hear it where you do your recruiting anyways http://www.ncaaviolationsgalore.com
Does Weis get paid to make ND look bad?
The big ten zebras cheated us out of that 1 in the first half. I hope the money was worth it because that really slowed our offence down.Second half were somewhat playcallin but we still had our chance.
UND radio crew always spoke of the “Big East Officials” when they soke of the UND-UM refereeing crew.
Is Charlie trying to get fired. He forgot what was working the first half. Didn’t try to hit Floyd. Forgot about Allen and the running game. Worse the two pass plays especially the deep jump ball with 3 minutes left was stupid. Have you heard of running the clock out with the running game. Even if we don’t pick up the first down Michigan has to burn it’s timeouts to stop the clock. I am really losing any faith I had in Weis. Not to mention the defense made Tate Forcier look a lot better than he is. Bad play calling all throughout the game.
I suppose the officials were the cause of all of your 17 losses the last two years? (and, no, I don’t think the officials were the cause of any Michigan losses last year — we actually take responsibility for losses). Pathetic.
John,
I guess you missed this part of the of the post:
“All that said, the officials did NOT cost Notre Dame this game. Notre Dame did by wasting opportunities and shooting itself in the foot over and over again.
Hats off to Michigan for taking advantage of their opportunities. We’ll be back at it here as soon as the hurt from this loss wears off.”
Frank – McCarthy is a tough kid but slow…memory serves me right he got beat when a back broke into the end zone on him for a TD…to slow to react.
So how much longer till your under probation because of a Rich Rod violation. 2 years in and already being investigated.
Dude, he said “the officials did NOT cost Notre Dame this game” Take your win like a man.
what a joke. scUM fans are the biggest excuse makers in teh country you nitwit. I grew up in Michigan and all that comes out of fools mouths like yours is if and but. scUM is a joke and will never be good again. Go get some academic requirements losers!
As a UM fan I have to agree that the officiating had some impact, and cut in our favor. On the holding call where our guy was pancaked, I didn’t see holding. Foot was inbounds, too. Thanks for you gracious “hats off”. I’m ecstatic, but I still cannot figure out how we won this game – and Boubacar is going to be traumatized for life.
It is nice to see a michigan fan that does acknowledge the refs lack of consistency. I agree 100% that ND should have won this game inspite of the bad calls. The refs were not the reason we lost this game (although it did not help) Charlie needs to realize that Claussen is not going to be a Tom Brady and he needs to work with his strengths. He has multiple weapons at WR, RB and quite possibly the best TE in the nation and for some reason we still find the need to run a QB draw on 3rd and 2??? We need to pull our head out of our ass and start playing football. Its like charlie is trying to show-off like he is running in an election and needs votes. Well sir…your just lost my vote on saturday!!! The only way to get it back…………….beat Mich st and USC.
Typical Irish whining. Blaming it on the officials? What, exactly, was “questionable” about the officiating? Other than that you didn’t win the game?
What was questionable. Obviously you didn’t watch the game.
The holding call, on a great block, to negate a 60 yard play is BS and Michigan fans know it. They should thank the refs for keeping them in the game!
Even ESPN thought the overturning of ND’s first touchdown was HIGHLY questionable. That’s YOUR network. Hey hat’s off to the Michigan players and coaches. Even with extra practice time.
Michigan fans can go back to Detroit and collect their unemployment checks and wait for a government bailout…..or hash bash which ever comes first.
Typical ND Response, I can’t win the game, so I’ll pout and call people names. Bring back Tyrone Willingham and the curse will be removed
Happy-M–Man,
Go hang out with the unemployed UofM alums in Detroit. I’m sure their all standing around like they did when I worked at GM. “I can’t believe Toyota is kicking our butt, we might go bankrupt but we’re still better.”
UofM might have won the game with THEIR OWN REFS, but you’re all the biggest bunch of self satisfied losers. The Irish will be back and you’ll be unemployed.
Are you that blind or just a retard hater of ND because you are jealous? Armando Allen did not step out on the first scoring drive. That cost us 4 points right there. Hmmmm that would put us at 38 points jackace! Take off your homer goggles. Oh yea and Allen really was being low class in pointing to the sky after that great 2-point conversion. That was rigged by the paid off refs.
GO IRISH!!!
Bring out the violins. There were bad calls both ways, including an obvious hold on a big ND run in the fourth quarter that was NOT called. Dude DID step out of bounds on the long screen pass. Most of the people posting on here seem to have thought things through and are quite logical. Don’t blame the officials. Notre Dame has been the beneficiary of questionable calls/non-calls far more than they’ve been the victim for years. Whining about officiating only makes you look like, well, a “jackace”. (I do judge you if you use bad spelling and grammar.) Take the high road like others have. ND has a heck of an offense. Build on it.
Kyle Rudolph should have been the target on the pitiful drive leading to Michigan’s winning drive. What was Weis thinking on the bomb on 2nd down? University of Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly should be the next Irish coach.
I agree bring in Brian Kelly
Brian Kelly will be introduced as the new Irish coach in December guys, mark my words!!!!! What a rising star this guy is. I’m a huge ND fan all my life. My dad graduated from ND but I am a Grand Valley State alum. That is where coach Kelly started what now is a dynasty of winning there. It’s all because of Kelly. What CMU is doing is all because of Kelly. And now he is tearing it up at Cinci. He is now what Urban Meyer was in 2004-2005. Go hire a coach ND!!!!! The initials are BK Mr. Swarbrick. Bring the Irish back!!!!
I’m very much starting to turn on Weis as head coach. I have been a big time defender of him the last two years, but he was awful calling plays today. The two pass plays at the end were flat out stupid. Even if you just HAVE to pass in that situation, why not make it a short pass that’s more likely to be caught and take time off the clock? Something to Rudolph in the middle would have worked.
This game stings because I really think it was ND (with a bit of help from the refs) that beat themselves, not Michigan beating us.
I am closer to the fence regarding Weis and if we blow it next week I’ll be on the fence with every intention of jumping to the other side. While I think the holding penalties and the sloppy tackling were the main reason we lost, a couple of short passes in the end probably would have sealed the deal.
Wasn’t Allen out when Weis gave the ball to Hughes on the first play of the last series. I though Allen got hurt the previous play and left the field. I figured that is why Weis called the last two pass plays.
This one hurts bad. Hopefully next week the Irish can redeem themselves by finally sticking it to the Spartans who lost to C. Michigan today.
You can’t blame the officials, Chuck got out coached, Michigan made halftime adjustments, ND did not…There is not a bigger ND fan than me, but someone, tell me who in the last five years have we beat that we shouldn’t have? NOBODY, this coach is not even a blind squirrel, he can’t find a nut….
Drew, in regards to your comment about coach Weis I am with you. I feel he starts strong and fades quickly with his play calling. He continually miss manages the clock…he thinks he is still coaching in the NFL. After so many years without a running game ND finally has one and he still wants to throw on 1st and 2nd down….ND is always fighting 3rd and long… It has also come clear to me that ND’s kicking game has no leg. On the kick off I don’t think Nick Tausch once made it past the 20 yard line. The Michigan player would field it around the 30…its flipping maddening. Bottom line poor play calling, miss managing the play clock and special teams led to ND’s demise…these dept’s is in need of a face lift. Sorry Coach Weis….its time for you to go.
Charlie Weis is a remedial football coach. 2:15 in the game ND has 4 downs to move the ball and chew up the clock. What does the head coach call, two low probability pass plays that go incomplete. Horrible play calling when a sound offensive strategy was needed. Who was the genius that gave this coach a long term contract? If this represents the best thought process that ND offers, my children will not apply to this school when it comes time to choose a university.
Hmmm, where do I start with this one. The opening drive of the game, I sat there – when it was 3rd and 2 and wondered what the heck Charlie Weis was doing calling Jimmy Clausen on a draw. Really – that’s the best call in that situation? I must’ve forgot Jimmy runs a 4.8 40 yard dash, and has the running skills of my 6 year old brother. This opening drive set the stage for the game.
Offensive holding penalties killed drives. Our defense – once again – couldn’t stop the run. The blitz rarely actually got to the quarterback. And when it did, nobody was home to stop Forcier from scrambling.
Shaquelle Evans, on the 3rd down play at the end of the game, failed to turn and look for the ball on Clausen’s pass – thus forcing us to punt.
It was clear, ALL DAY, Michigan couldn’t cover Michael Floyd. So, what do we do? We stop throwing it to him. Or when we do, we do it to the short side of the field, where the inferior Michigan CB can use the sideline to push Floyd out of the field of play.
Looks like another 7-5 year boys.
It looks4 like all you SUNDAY fans seem to forget that ND came back two times and were leading with eleven seconds left in the game. Most of what was said was correct but they were up against an unknown. Their QB was really quite good and made the plays because of the ability to think quick. He is now a known quantity and the future opponents and the future games with ND they weill be able to defense him much better. As in baseball a rookie pitcher will do good for the first couple of outings and then they get a book on him. Let’s not forget the games our QB has strung together. His managing the game and his passes were magnificant, his TD’sto int is pretty good also. It comes down to that offensive line showing up in those great games by Jimmy plus the run game will keep the opponents off balance. GO IRISH!
I agree. I’ve been a ND fan for 50 years. I’ve defended the coach, but I think the blame falls with him. It really hurts. I hope he can turn things around. That’s what I’ve been saying for a long time now.
if you watch the play on a very clear high def picture you can infact see his heal did set down for a millisecond into the white grass blades. And accordong to the rules of what qualifies as a hold, nd was guilty of all of them. They should have been called for more of them. The only people who think these calls were questionable were people from nd. Typocal.