Official Notre Dame Football Thread

[padman59]

Tuitt and Lynch are going to be tested against Air Force since they'll probably be on the field a lot with Ethan Johnson's injury.

 

[FirstTimer]

Tuitt and Lynch are going to be tested against Air Force since they'll probably be on the field a lot with Ethan Johnson's injury.

There's a chance Johnson plays but I would expect to see more of Hafis Williams and Kona as well.

 

[Irish]

Tuitt needs to not skip class so he doesn't miss anymore games.

 

[NAHSTE]

Tuitt needs to not skip class so he doesn't miss anymore games.

You can miss games for that at Notre Dame? No wonder Urban Meyer passed on that gig.

 

[Irish]

How was it? Didn't catch a single glimpse and don't really remember last night.

Purdue sucks.

(and ND's special teams)

Pretty much describes the game.

 

[FirstTimer]

Got my tickets for the Air Force game today.

 

[FirstTimer]

Take some pics.

Also, where is the G/B/U?

G/B/U will be up tomorrow.

 

[FirstTimer]

Notre Dame vs Purdue

The Good

-The offensive line. I wanted to list Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray again but I found it hard to without mentioning that for most of their night their job was made incredibly easy by a dominating performance by the offensive line. The line absolutely dominated the line of scrimmage in a way I haven’t seen a Notre Dame team do in years….perhaps as much as a decade. It’s also encouraging to see the team hold up so well at the point of attack in short yardage situations, something we haven’t see from an irish squad in God knows how long. Tommy Rees was also kept clean the entire night to the extent where on some plays he was able to get to his 4th read and still have plenty of time to deliver the pass. Whatever Brian Kelly and Tom Longo are doing with this group is working.


-Michael Floyd. Man among boys. That pretty much sums up his entire performance and his season to this point in general. Floyd dominated Ricardo Allen from the outset and was unstoppable all night. For what reason I have no idea but Purdue thought they could single cover Floyd. That didn’t end up working out too well. Floyd keeps making his case stronger and stronger that he is the best wideout in Notre Dame history. Who else is really in the debate at this point as a true wide receiver?

-The defense. They started off the game with a big play and set the tone early. Bob Diaco has done an excellent job early in the season shutting down the opponents running game and forcing teams to efficiently move the ball down the field on long drives. The 4th quarter debacle at Michigan aside this is the most impressive defensive unit Notre Dame as had since the early 2000’s and perhaps as far back as the early 1990’s. Louis Nix has been an absolute force in the middle. Manti Te’o is almost numbingly great, Robert Blanton and Harrison Smith are having tremendous seasons, Darius Fleming is starting to pick his game up and Aaron Lynch is already a difference maker as a true freshman. The defense still has it’s moments, but for the most part has been fantastic. The point totals this unit has given up this year so far: 16,35,13,12,10.

-Tommy Rees…most of the time. No turnovers! First and foremost that’s great. He got away with one throw that should have been picked off but those will happen over the course of the game and a season. Targeting Floyd in single coverage can make any quarterback look good but when he had to he was quick to come off his primary read and check down or find another option. That’s very encouraging as in recent weeks he had seemed to be locked in on Floyd a bit too much, part of me can’t blame him but it was still nice to see progression from Rees this week.



The Bad
-Tommy Rees….very few times. I will admit this is very nitpicky but Rees left a few plays out there and wasn’t nearly as accurate, especially over the top, as he has been in the past. He missed Floyd once and missed Eifert a few times as well. Rees played clean football and even though Notre Dame had 38 points on the board at the end of the night they could have had another touchdown or two. Greedy? Yes. But just an honest observation.

-Gary Gray. Gray still looks utterly lost when he is required to make a play on a jump ball. I have no idea how this can be corrected but it’s almost maddening. Turn your head, make a play. Please.


The Ugly
-Special Teams. Again?! Missed field goals, short kickoffs, questionable snaps, nothing out of the punt return game, our long snapper picking up a personnel foul(which I still question). It all adds up to another bad night for Mike Elston’s troops overall. I keep waiting for Ruffer to come around but it just hasn’t happened yet and the punt return issues are starting to get beyond frustrating. Against better teams like USC and Stanford we will need more out of our special teams to beat USC and stay in the game and upset Stanford. Right now Notre Dame is winning games with only two of the three phases really working. At some point something has to give and we need to get more steady (good) production out of the third phase. Notre Dame is clearly not a complete team yet and Special Teams play is one of the most glaringly obvious reasons why.

-Purdue’s coaching staff. Single covering Floyd in order to have extra help on Theo Riddick?!
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A dominating win in a place where even when Notre Dame has been good they have struggled in the last few seasons. We came out and set the tone early and took the game over. Any time you can go on the road and beat an in state rival and Big Ten team by four touchdowns it’s a very good sign. Now focus has to shift to Air Force and the dreaded triple option. The defensive line is going to have to step up and play like they did against Army last year. Here’s hoping that Stephon Tuitt has been attending class and will be eligible to play this week. Him, Nix, Lynch, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Ethan Johnson(health permitting), Sean Cwynar, and the rest of the line needs to have big games. The offense also needs to play clean. No turnovers and score points on each possession, even if it’s three. If we fall behind with the type of offense Air Force runs it’s going to be tough to get the ball back and score to make up the ground.

I will be at the game this week, my first Notre Dame game since 2009 against Washington. I’m looking forward to a beautiful day and a big win.

Go Irish. Beat Falcons.

 

[padman59]

Either Hendrix or Golson is expected to play Saturday per Kelly's radio show. My head might explode if Kelly burns Golson's redshirt.

 

[FirstTimer]

It'll be Hendrix.

If he burns Golson's redshirt I riot.

 

[FirstTimer]

If he burns Golson's redshirt I'll burn a cross on Golson's lawn.

Wut?!

 

[FirstTimer]

Sounds like it's going to be Hendrix from everything I'm gathering.

EDIT: Keith Arnold is thinkign the same thing..

 

[FirstTimer]

Bob McBride, the oldest surviving Notre Dame coach, passed away Wednesday night. He was 89. McBride was an offensive guard for the Irish in the 1940s, including playing for the 1946 national championship squad, before serving as the offensive line coach for the final five years of the Frank Leahy era.

McBride’s passing wouldn’t usually be the subject of an entire post here, but just a quick read about his incredible life gives you a window into a true American hero, and one of the most improbable journeys of any student, coach or teacher to ever come through Notre Dame.

McBride’s football career for the Irish was interrupted by World War II, when he served in the 106th infantry division as a machine gun squad leader.

Back in 2006, when the 1949 national championship team celebrated a reunion, UND.com’s Pete LaFleur profiled the incredible journey McBride traveled as he fought his way back to Notre Dame after service for his country that garnered him three battle stars, a purple heart and the presidential unit citation.

The 1949 team joins all of Notre Dame in honoring Bob McBride, the oldest living former Notre Dame assistant football coach. McBride – who celebrated his 84th birthday last weekend as Notre Dame was playing Georgia Tech – endured a rollercoaster of life experiences during the 1940s, as his playing career at Notre Dame was interrupted by World War II service that saw him spend four months as a German prisoner of war. He returned for his senior season and was a member of the 1946 national championship team, later serving as an offensive line coach in the final five years of the Frank Leahy era (1949-53).

McBride came to Notre Dame in the fall of 1940, following an all-state senior season as a fullback at Logan (Ohio) High School. He earned monograms in 1941 and ’42 (as the starting right guard) but entered military service in the spring of ’43, ultimately serving as a machine gun squad leader in the 106th infantry division.

His division quickly shifted to the Belgian front and met the German counter-offensive in the Battle of the Bulge. Almost 7,000 men from the 106th were killed or captured, with McBride taken prisoner on Dec. 21, 1944. While suffering from frozen feet, he was forced to walk 13 days and was placed in two prison camps before a 50-day march during the German retreat. A starvation diet – one-seventh of a loaf of bread per day – resulted in McBride’s weight dropping from 212 to 90 pounds, before he was liberated 122 days into his imprisonment (ending 39 months of service). He received three battle stars, a purple heart and the presidential unit citation.

McBride used a summer construction job to build up his body before returning to the Irish in the fall of 1946. Relegated to a reserve role, he was an inspiration for his teammates, who rallied to have him serve as captain for the huge midseason game with Army. That historic clash ended in a 0-0 tie (avenging major losses to Army the previous two seasons) and Notre Dame went on to claim the national title (8-0-1).

The only practice McBride ever missed was the day his son Patrick was born. McBride and the former Mary Stein had been married shortly before he departed for the war and their family now includes seven children, 28 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

McBride – who received Notre Dame’s prestigious Byron Kanaley Award (recognizing exemplary student-athletes/leaders) – compiled a 16-3 record as head coach at Chicago’s Mt. Carmel High School before returning to Notre Dame in 1949 as offensive line coach. His skill at breaking down game tape and overall coaching ability made him one of the most valuable members of the program during the final Leahy years.

McBride’s return to football after nearly starving to death truly embodied the spirit of the “Fighting Irish,” and his story is one that can’t been told enough. Born in Logan, Ohio in 1922, McBride graduated in 1947 from Notre Dame in 1947 with a degree in sociology. He passed away at Dujarie House at Holy Cross Village in Notre Dame.

 

[padman59]

I don't know if the Army game last year was a fluke, but the same problems that the defense had against Navy last year were still there today. There was rarely anyone with Slaughter to defend the pitch, and Air Force had no problems moving the ball. If not for those two turnovers from the Irish defense, this game might have had a much different tone.

That aside, it's nice to see the offense hang 59 points on someone. Also, I felt kind of bad for Hendrix when he ran out of gas on that 78 yard run and couldn't get in the endzone on the next two plays.

 

[FirstTimer]

I don't know if the Army game last year was a fluke, but the same problems that the defense had against Navy last year were still there today. There was rarely anyone with Slaughter to defend the pitch, and Air Force had no problems moving the ball. If not for those two turnovers from the Irish defense, this game might have had a much different tone.

That aside, it's nice to see the offense hang 59 points on someone. Also, I felt kind of bad for Hendrix when he ran out of gas on that 78 yard run and couldn't get in the endzone on the next two plays.

ND was selling out up the middle on the option and the safety was having to hang and wait a bit because Jefferson can throw so well and is such a good runner. We had to respect the QB, unlike against Army. The CB's did a great job on the edges forcing it back in side. Not having Ethan Johnson hurt too. The yardage totals look bad I know but Tim Jefferson was a matchup night mare and our safeties had to respect it. Unlike against Army when Harrison Smith could fly up to the football.

 

[FirstTimer]

How was the game FT?

Fucking awesome. Tickets were sweet. Crowd was great. Weather was a bit warm. But overall awesome. Tailgated over at the new Eddy Street Commons etc.

 

[FirstTimer]

Awesome! Glad the crowd was live. People are really starting to sense the tides turning. I didn't catch any of it, but ended up going back and watched the entire game on nbcsports.com this morning. Things looked great. They had a little trouble guarding the option, but it wasn't anything awful. The final 14 of their points were definitely flukey, and NDs offense could not be stopped.

My dad copped tickets to the $C game in two weeks. And, as of now, I have a ride up home from B-Town from a friend.

Never been so excited for a football game.

Lucky bastard. My parents and sister are going but I'm stuck going to a wedding with the wife. The new Eddy Street Commons are fucking spectacular

 

[FirstTimer]

Yeah, it looks 100% different. They're definitely starting to turn the area into a college town. And create more hotels and places to stay for when they renovate the place to hold 100,000. :shifty:

I think there's something like 5 ND basketball games during my Christmas break that I'll catch. Ironically, the Fall term ends 12/16 and ND plays IU in Indianapolis on the 17th, so I'll probably stay in a hotel with my parents in Indy Friday night and catch that game on Saturday before heading home. I had season tix since 2005 so I'll definitely miss it.

I'm also hoping to drop by for a hockey game in that new building. That place looks fucking awesome, and I've only been to a few ND hockey games.

I guess the debut game in that building is already sold out.

Swabrick and the administration has done a great job the last few years upgrading facilities, campus, the surroundings etc.

 

[FirstTimer]

Air Force

The Good

-Tommy Rees. Another turnover free game. Rees was incredibley efficient through the air. Granted that was rather easy to do with Air Force playing so far off of the Irish skill players but he really only forced one pass all day. Rees still has trouble throwing to the outside and making touch passes into the end zone but overall he played a very solid football game.


-The offensive line. Another tremendous performance up front. The line opened huge holes for Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray all afternoon and didn’t allow a sack. Yet again Notre Dame overmatched a team up front when they should have. It’s incredibly refreshing to see that kind of progress out of this unit and this week I again have to give huge amounts of credit to the coaching staff for developing this line the way they have.

-The defense. Yep. I said it. Look at the yardage all you want to but the starting defense only gave up 19 points before they were pulled early in the 4th quarter and in the second half basically shut down the Air Force attack. They created a few turnovers and forced Air Force to execute their offense for long drives in order to get points. The unfortunate thing is that had it not been for a dropped Gary Gray interception and an Aaron Lynch offsides, that 19 points would have been even lower. The two scores in garbage time mean nothing.


-Andrew Hendrix. Hendrix came in and looked calm composed and in control of his package of plays. He made some excellent reads in the zone looks and was efficient throwing the football. It was nice to finally see the run option off of the spread look that Kelly runs. It also helps that USC now has to prepare for a few different looks.

-Michael Floyd. It was another productive day at the office for Mr. Floyd. A highlight reel catch, tremendous blocking, and each time he caught the ball he did damage. For a year that started out so poorly for Floyd personally he has turned it into a spectacular season on the football field.

Honestly, for this week “The Good” could go on forever…..



The Bad

-Gary Gray. A dropped interception and another pass interference because he is unable to defend jump balls. Come on Gary!


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The above are shorter for this week only because I was at the game and want to spend more time describing my experience. My wife, two friends, and myself headed for South Bend around 7am CST and got into town at about 12pm EST. We headed directly for the Eddy Street Commons, a new complex that has been built over to the south side of the stadium in the last year or so. It has apartments, townhomes, and condos as well as restaurants and a Hammes Bookstore branch. After polishing off two growlers and a 12 pack of beer we headed for campus. The fall colors weren’t quite out in full force yet but were starting to emerge. Campus, as usual for mid October, looked incredible.

We took in the band concert on the Bond Hall steps then followed the band to the stadium. We took the obligatory Touchdown Jesus pictures then picked up our tickets. As I knew that I would be sitting right behind the student section I brought with me my grandfathers journal that he kept while he was in school at Notre Dame back in the late 1940’s. I figured if I was going to be sitting near where he used to that I should at least bring something of his with me.

The best part of walking into the new stadium is seeing the old brick of the original stadium. To walk through the entrance my grandfather walked through more than 60 years ago was a incredibly moving experience for me. Grandpa’s journal in hand we made our way to our seats. They were easily the most fantastic seats I have ever had for a Notre Dame football game. We had students all around us and for the entire game were right in the midst of the cheers, the traditions, the dancing, everything.

We were also lucky enough to be around a few great families. All were father’s who had at least one son there who was at his first game. I had to laugh to myself at one point and ask why these dad’s were baptizing their sons into the same torture I’ve been dealing with for most of my 27 years on this Earth. But then I remembered all the Saturday afternoons with my dad in the garage. Watching, cheering, and fuming at our beloved Irish and it all came back to me. No matter the torture, I’m glad I was brought into it all.

As the Irish scored its last touchdown I got a huge laugh of the seven year old next to me insisting that his dad and grandpa lift him over their heads yet again so he could do the pushups like the student section did for every point. They did, and we all watched as a grandfather and a father lifted the boy over their heads and helped him do the pushups. Two generations of Notre Dame fans bringing another one into the fold.

We left the stadium and headed to the Basilica. It still amazes me that no matter how big a win Notre Dame has campus is always serene after the game. It’s an incredibly unique experience. As expected the Basilica was crowded but we were able to make our way through and take it all in. The Grotto was the next stop and has always been an incredibly meaningful place for me. My grandmother, before she passed away from complications from heart surgery, wept at the Grotto praying for peace in her life and strength for her surgery. I always remember her there. This trip was especially difficult as I had my one grandfather’s journal and have just recently lost another grandfather of mine in July. I don’t mind admitting that my emotions got the best of me and as I prayed I openly wept.

With the sun going down we made our way back to the Eddy Street Commons parking garage. We decided to stop in and check out the bookstore extension and were incredibly impressed. Minus the text books that are available on campus most of what is available at the main bookstore was available at the extension store. Arriving back at the car we shared one last beer, snapped a few last pictures of the stadium from our roof top tailgating spots and headed to our hotel.

No matter how many times I go to Notre Dame games they never get old and I can not wait to get back.

Go Irish. Beat Bye Week.

 

[spiker]

Their offensive line play has been truly outstanding this year. Of the teams that have 200+ passing attempts, only Oklahoma (3) and MTSU (4) have allowed less sacks than ND (5). They are picking up the blitz and opening holes in the run game. I can't remember a game where they looked bad.