Leave it to Dr. Lou to wait all of two minutes after Notre Dame’s season ending win over LSU in the 2014 Music City Bowl to start Notre Dame’s 2015 playoff campaign. Â Immediately following Notre Dame’s last second win, Holtz was on set with ESPN stating that with the talent coming back, players returning from suspension, and what has to be better injury luck, Notre Dame should start the 2015 season in the top 4.
God love the man, but is Holtz right? Â Can yesterday’s win over LSU propel the Irish into 2015?
A lot of what ailed Notre Dame in 2014 was at least momentarily cured on Tuesday. Â The Irish couldn’t protect the football, couldn’t run against good defenses, and by the end of the season couldn’t even execute short field goals without holding their breath.
Yesterday Notre Dame ran for 263 yards – its second highest total of the season – against the SEC’s top rated defense, didn’t turn the ball over a single time and really only came close once (on the opening kickoff), and made a 32 yard field as time expired to secure its first back to back bowl wins in over 20 years.
For most of yesterday afternoon it was easy to forget that this team lost to Northwestern, kicked away a chance for overtime against Louisville, nearly lost to to Navy, and was embarrassed on the road in Tempe and Los Angeles.
Despite the win over LSU though, many other problems that plagued Notre Dame in 2014 were still on display. Â At times, LSU ran the ball right at the depleted Irish front seven. Â Drops at critical moments were again a problem with Will Fuller and Corey Robinson both failing to haul in very catchable passes at crucial moments. Â Safety play was still a mess throughout with LSU tricking both Irish safeties on their 75 yard touchdown to open the second half. Â Special teams? Â Other than Brindza’s kick left a lot to be desired again.
Winning is a great elixir though and ending this 2014 season on a high note simply can’t be overstated. Â The difference between heading into the off-season following Notre Dame’s first win over a SEC opponent in over a decade as opposed to heading into off-season conditioning on the heels of a five game losing streak is immense. Â The positive momentum built and confidence gained from beating a SEC team will be carried over into every rep, every sprint, and every early morning wake up call.
Still there is much work for Brian Kelly and his staff as they head into the 6th year of the Kelly regime. Â After 6 years Notre Dame will enter yet another season with uncertainty under center. Â Not once has a Brian Kelly coached team entered a season with the position settled before August. Â Yesterday the two headed approach at quarterback worked but with an off-season to breakdown film, opposing defenses will be ready for it in 2015 should Kelly decide to go down that path.
Brian VanGorder will likely get a pass for the abysmal Irish defense due to the combination of a change in schemes, youth up front, the loss of two starters to suspension before the season ever started, and the rash of injuries that struck the Irish in 2014, but before the Irish can even be mentioned in the same breath as the word “playoffs”, his unit will need to show a vast improvement. Â With 10 of 11 starters likely back thanks to the reported return of Sheldon Day in addition to the possible return of Ishaq Williams and Keivarae Russell a vast improvement is, however, very likely.
Then there’s special teams. Â For a couple weeks at the beginning of the season it looked like this would finally be the year Notre Dame would have strong play in all aspects of its special teams. Â That didn’t last long. Â Now the Irish need to replace their kicker, punter, and primary punt return man from 2014.
While the list of items to be fixed is still long for Kelly and his staff though, the positives from yesterday outweigh the negatives. Â Mike McGlinchey got his first start of his career and raised questions as to why it took so long. Â The Philly native was a bonafide butt-kicker out there yesterday against the stout LSU defense. Â With McGlinchey looking like a potential star, the Irish could return the entire starting five from yesterday if Ronnie Stanley decides to come back for a senior season.
Malik Zaire showed the ability to run the zone read much better than Everett Golson ever had which could potentially give the Notre Dame offense a dimension it’s never had under Kelly. Â Zaire’s success also allowed Tarean Folston to continue his ascent towards becoming an elite back. Â Can Kelly remain as committed to running the football in 2015 as he was yesterday?
The Irish wide receivers, despite the ill timed drops, showed that this unit will be one of the best in the country in 2015. Â Will Fuller was an All-American candidate already this year. Â CJ Prosise showed his playmaking ability and versatility with his 50 yard touchdown run. Â Chris Brown displayed the reliability that he began to flash over the second half of the season. Â Corey Robinson is still learning every day after his late start in football. Â Add in the youngsters who haven’t played yet like Justin Brent and Corey Holmes and this unit can be scary good in 2015.
Is Notre Dame a top 4 team to start the 2015 season as our beloved Dr. Lou suggested yesterday? Â Probably not. Â The Irish need to settle the quarterback position and gain some stability on defense before that’s possible; but based on what we saw yesterday, this team can be very, very good in 2015 and very well could end the season in the top 4. Â After a year in which the Irish were in the mix in October and then irrelevant by mid-November, that’s what we all should be hoping for.
Don’t count on it. Kelly did this same game plan against Miami in Chicago and dominated it via the run game focus. We haven’t seen it again till LSU game. Although for the past 7 games it has been a known factor that the defense was having massive struggles! So there is Kelly calling pass after pass after pass…. putting that porous defense on the field.
It was ONLY due to the fact that Kelly had multiple weeks to prepare and thus SOMEONE was able to chip away at that thick head he has and talk some common sense game planning into him.
That was the ONLY way ND has a chance to beat LSU. Run ball, take clock and make 1st downs! It took 40 min of ball holding…..but it helped keep the defense off the field. To bad Kelly’s 20+ years of coaching couldn’t recall that strategy consistently. So don’t count on it for next year too. He will go back to his FLASH ATTACK TO NOWHERE that has shown NO killer instinct and massive dysfunction. How many games in 5 years has ND really taken care of and put teams away? In almost EVERY case it was do to the fact OF TO MUCH PASSING.
Lots to look forward to, but not enough to really be optimistic about unless the front 4 gets much better and our athletic safeties learn the defense. Kelly still favours the smart player over the athletic player and BVG’s schemes seem to require it. We do not have the pass rush from the front four to worry good teams. Therefore we need to blitz; therefore we need to adjust coverages, and the LBs, DBs and safeties really need to know what they are doing. It all tends to break down here. Alabama had a similar problem with OSU on New Year’s. When we did well in 2012, we had Tuitt, Day and Nix dominating the line – add Shembo in and we got consistent pressure with 4.
We need to get back there before we can really expect to make noise. We were in the final 4 for Armstead 3 years ago; we lost Vanderdoes 2 years ago; we lost out on that kid from Kentucky last year. I see nobody in this year’s class that is an elite pass rusher. Hoping that BVG can develop some of our present guys to be the new Justin Tuck. Go Irish!
Honestly, Armstead and Vanderdoes weren’t really dominant pass rushers. Great run stuffers, but pass rushing is solid but not a quality that is to be acclaimed. ND has those guys in the fold already, but they need time to develop. Jhonny Williams, Andrew Trumbetti, Grant Blankenship, Kolin Hill, Jay Hayes. All incredibly underrated recruits, but they are underdeveloped, and need time to get their mechanics and physicality straightened out. Also watch out for Jonathan Bonner.
Great to see the Irish get a big win in the Music City Bowl against LSU! Certainly a reason for optimism heading into the off-season. I must admit I got very frustrated with the losses against Northwestern, Arizona State, Louisville, and USC; however, I don’t think I realized how many injuries they were actually dealing with on the defensive side of the ball. Certainly, that had a lot to do with the defensive breakdown late in the season. Looking back though, the Irish literally gave the Northwestern game away and could have easily beaten FSU (last call was a tough one). Had they won those games we’re talking a 10-3 season, which I think we all would be satisfied with given the suspensions and injuries. I know “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve…” doesn’t mean much but I think, in the end, the season wasn’t quite as bad as it seemed in November. They have almost everyone coming back (including some of the key suspended players) and their young guys got a ton of experience this year. Should bode well for next season and beyond. I think the future is bright and I look forward to 2015! Go Irish!
IF Kelly follows LSU game plan…yes a chance. However Kelly has NOT shown that he is capable of doing so in 20+ years (run focus). As always if the LINE is solid the rest will follow with a leader (QB or LB). ND has the LB. ND I believe will have the QB. The lines? The right strategy for game plan development (seriously short sighted for decades now)?
Maybe top 15.
Defensive issues IMO:
1. D line good – not elite; Sheldon Day was our THIRD best lineman a year ago; remember? No pass rush without blitz;
2. LBs not playing at elite level, save Smith; Schmidt is close but not athletic enough for top 4 tier competition
3. Safeties are either slow and smart or fast and regularly lost in space; way too inconsistent for top 4;
4. DBs, save Russell, are a step slow and not elite
Until we recruit and coach better on D, we will not overcome BK’s inconsistent play-calling and QB development (Golson regression, Zaire underdeveloped, Rees over-utilized in 2013, Kiel not retained). We have recruited good depth but not elite level play with any consistency. BK has set the table to get ND to real elite status but has not shown he himself can get us there.
1. D-line can be elite. Day was arguably better than both Nix and Tuitt, but all 3 were hurt that year. Outside of that, what other upperclassmen could provide a decent pass rush? Outside of Okwara on a rare occasion, nobody.
2. Schmidt, given he stays healthy, is among the best LB’s in college football, as is Smith. Former walk-on be damned. He just knows where to be, and where the other guys need to be. Brains > Brawn, and he has a good bit of both. He’s not slouch athletically. Moving Morgan to OLB where Schmidt can direct him will be HUGE as well. Morgan has great athleticism, hitting ability and playmaking ability, but he needs to be guided in the right direction.
3. The latter. They are very athletic, very fast, very strong and very dangerous. But they are also very lost. Partly they are inexperienced, and mostly it’s a new scheme.
4. Same as Safeties. Not slow at all. Luke, Watkins and Butler are all very athletic and have good speed. But let’s remember that all of them are underclassmen, with a first year scheme (see a trend here?).
Golson’s regression weren’t on coaching. It was his inability to overcome mental adversity and in USC’s case, injury. Zaire looked pretty damn developed in my eye. Was he perfect? No, but 12/15 and nearly 100 yards rushing is good in my books. Rees had to be over-utilized in 2013. Do you take a 4-year starting QB passing the ball a lot or 2 newbie RB’s taking the ball on each snap. It was a pick your poison that Kelly took with the more experienced guy.
Like you said, Kelly has set the table with elite talent. That being said, it’s up to those elite talents to stay here and develop. That’s showing to be true with 2013 and 2014, but 2011 and 2012 have let us down. Kelly is doing what he can, but he has basically been forced to return to square one this year with all the youth and inexperience. The injuries/suspensions haven’t help any either.
and JUST like Weis will tinker for another 2-3 years trying to develop 1 year of success! Because you need upteenth variables to come together to get 1 successful pass. This risk of success is MUCH higher to consistently achieve a passing game. You can have a spread but with a fundamental run focus to keep consistency higher for transition of players. Meyer OSU has used THREE QBS and ADJUSTED to each quickly!! Kelly says do it my way. Um and who has championships?
Well , I’m not an alumni–but been a fan since 1956 and probably know more about Notre Dame football than any student’s 4 years on campus of any era. Why should student/alumni be more respected on this forum than die-hard Irish fans ? Duranko ?
SS
I’m not an alum either but I do understand Duranko. Alums have skin in the game and for many a 4 to 8 yrs of their lives invested in just attending the school.
I’m a fan because I grew up in Indiana and have fond memories of attending some ND games with my father.
That is really my only connection to ND football.
ND has what 13,000 students?
University of Florida has 49,000. One need only travel around areas of the country to determine more people hate ND than love it. Here in the south if you wear an ND ballcap into a sports bar on a Saturday people will be happy to tell you ND is only where it’s at because of money or some Catholic conspiracy.
As I said above , it’s a numbers game and eventually those alums who say ND should remain IND will be a very small majority themselves.
But I do understand Duranko’s passion. It’s that passion though that is keeping him from accepting the future.
Meh, it’s to
Absolutely this win will help us next year. I think it gives confidence to a returning staff and players. We will land more recruits from this win.
We are going to have a great team next season imo. The talent will be deep all over the field and with more experience.
Notre Dame is neither socialist nor interested in getting into a conference.
Nothing would be dumber or less consistent with Notre Dame’s raison d’etre.
Eagles don’t flock.
Nor does Notre Dame.
there is a pattern. Notre Dame alumni understand this. It is the non-alums who get all atwitter about a conference.
So let us recap.
Independent Notre Dame. Smart
Notre Dame in a conference Dumb
Why do people think this small school in Indiana has the second most valuable football program in the country? I would think a conference dilutes that and if they deserve to get in the playoffs they will because it is good business.
Duranko
I’m copying this post so I can paste it back in sometime when ND fails to get in a playoff when they deserve to.
The Big 12 understands the pressure point of theirs that just got pushed..They will soon surrender.
ND ever loses its TV contract and they will no longer bargain from a position of power.
Notre Dame is already in a conference, the ACC, in BB and other sports. Football will follow or someday ND will get the same message that TCU and Baylor got.
Our way or the highway.
Not saying I agree with it, condone it, or support it. But the writing is on the wall and denial of that leads to the end of all independent Division 1 schools and conferences without a conference championship game.
There were 4 Independents this year. Now there are 3 since Navy joined a conference. BYU is trying to lobby for a spot in the Big 12 but they will soon be back in a conference. They clearly see the message that was sent this year. Army will soon follow Navy or be delegated to only play in the Military bowl. It will be very lonely for ND then and eventually they’ll be forced to join the collective or face irrelevance.
Eventually big business and corporate America will get what it wants.
It always does.
anyone who says bowl games outside of the “new years 6” are meaningless needs to have their head checked.
I agree with Frank. It’s a frank analysis (haha) of where ND is right now. The win is huge. It can make a world of difference, as part of playing football is confidence. They beat a solid SEC team. They should go into the offseason believing they can win, and that’s half the battle. But as Frank noted, there are a lot of areas to be worked on.
Top 4, not yet. Frankly, I’d rather start the season under the radar, much like we did in 2012. All I care about with rankings is the final ranking at the end of the year and the wins. Pre-season rankings are almost close to worthless.
ND still needs a pass rush and their LBs must get better at closing on opposing runners, and more consistent safety play, so an ever- improving D’ is necessary before joining the elite. But with the addition of an elite CB (Russell) to replace the gutsy reliable Riggs and key experienced DL (Williams & Day, Jones and Rochell)), three returning difference-making leaders at ILB ( Smith, Grace & Schmidt) and the front seven young developing talent of Onwualu, Okwara, Trumbetti, Morgan and Rochell, BVG will have more weapons and depth to become dominant. This was a game ND deserved to win, and did, much unlike three others ND didn’t close out in three previous losses. ND was but a few plays away from an 11 win season, despite all the turnovers and injuries. This finish provided a tourniquet to stop the bleeding the second half of this season started. Flow no mo’! Go Irish.
I would have loved to see what the D would have looked like with Riggs and Russell playing together. We’ll never know.
Some of these issues are youth at key positions. The two explosive plays in the second half were missed assignments. The MLB went the wrong way and the gap was wide open. The Second explosive was a miss read by the safties biting on a play fake. I think with film study and Joe Schmidt back on defense this team should get better. Also, their will be a log jam at Linebacker next year. Jarret Grace will be back, Nyles Morgan, Jaylon Smith, Joe Schmidt, Martini and others. The Defensive line may lose Sheldon Day but that’s it and get Isaq back. The secondary gets Kavaire Russell back and lose #2. The safties will have one more year under their belt and another year in the defensive scheme. One thing that ND was not able to do once Joe Schmidt went out was to confuse fast tempo defenses to slow them down. They will need to get lined up and adjust as the offenses adjust into the correct defense.
The offense needs a steady diet of run. Regardless who the starter is they need to control the line of scrimmage. I think Zaire is built better than Golson to run the read option. Golson has poor ball security and gets lit up to easily. I would go with Zaire rather than Golson. You will need to pound the football next year in order to win games.
Finally, Special teams have been a issue since Kelly arrived. I think keep Bryant as a punt returner and put him back on kickoff also. Punting should be interesting without Brindza and field goals can only get better.
As far as a top four team, I don’t know. The schedule is tough. Look at Penn State this year, they go 2-6 in the Big Ten East and make it to a bowl game. That is sad. ND doesn’t get four cup cakes like most schools. That is why getting into a conference would be smart because you could schedule at least two games that are at least easier.
I agree with This article. They have a shot next year but still need a lot of work to get there.