Notre Dame Football’s Depth Chart for Ball State

Coach Polian’s special teams last year (2017) were much improved over 2016! They really did not make a huge gaff until the Citrus Bowl. Still, if you want to look at it that way, the Citrus Bowl and Michigan are big screw ups in two games in a row…both “big” games, too. That does not bode well for the future and it needs to stop now. These blunders (1. CitBowl: letting a punted ball hit you and go live…then lose what should have been a hard earned possession, and then LSU scored immediately afterward, of course, AND (2. “M”game: getting out of your lane?!!? really guy? and instantly getting stung for a 95 yard return, of course,…these blunders are on the players…not Coach P…BUT IT IS UP TO HIM TO PUT A STOP TO IT…and if we don’t…if it continues to evolve into a “trend”…which is what it is starting to look like, we could very well lose a game in the future. FOCUS, Children.

BGC ’77 ’82

I know Notre Dame will probably never do this but I would like to see them make a few changes with their schedule moving forward. First I have no problem with 5 acc games every year. Also I’m okay with USC Navy and Stanford every year
HHowever I would like to play USC or Stanford the last game every year. I think it is a bad advantage for Nortredame to always play the last game on the road. Next get rid of the neutral site games and add a seventh home game. It’s always to your advantage to play at home. Finally play a cupcake to start the season. Yes Notredame got away with this year but if you are breaking in a bunch of new players and a new quarterback it is not a recipe for success. Also the 4 games Notredame plays in addition to the 5 acc games andusc navy and Stanford should be against 2 traditional good top 25 teams and 2 cupcakes where you can get playing time for your second and third st 7thging. As the saying goes you COACH next year’s team this year. Teams in the future I would like to see Notrdame play Oklahoma State Kansas State west Virginia Iowa tenessee.

Here’s my strategy for opening vs Ball State. Jailhouse blitze on every down on defense to start the game. On Offense, pound, pound, pound the rock on every down early, then play action. See if Ball State can handle that.

Happy to see Javon McKinley listed. He will get good experience the next three weeks, then break out big time vs. Cardinals a team he could have played for.

Frank,

Is this really your opinion on punt return?

“Notre Dame clearly prioritizing hands over athleticism/speed at PR.” – referencing Finke starting at PR

Wow, did you not see Finke simply blow by two guys on that throw from Wimbush? I think you might be underestimating Finke’s speed just a tad and not to mention how shifty he is in open space. Watch some of the old spring practice tapes of Finke going one on one with tacklers. They could never get him down.

Punt return’s problem has always been how we cover, not the man returning it. When gunners are in your face every effing time, what are you supposed to do other than fair catch? Polian honestly is a bad coach. Put multiple guys on the gunners on return. The priority should not be the guys inline as their first job is to block before running down field. These players are much slower and Finke would actually have some space if we would simply adjust to this type of coverage. Polian needs to watch the NFL and how they set up on return. It’s honestly embarrassing he doesn’t see that but I’m just a fan and can recognize it.

What is happening with Freshman TE Brock Wright?
Is he being redshirted?

Terrible Decision letting Doerer continue to handle kickoff duties. In your punter and your place kicker You have two seniors with a lot of experience and big legs that can put the ball out of the end-zone.