I was at work on Tuesday filling out some papers when I turned and ask my co-worker what the date was. He answered “The 15th”, and upon hearing that my mind went into a completely different place.
October 15th, 2005 is a day I will always remember. It is the day that the ninth ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish hosted the top ranked USC Trojans in one of the most hyped games in recent Irish history. I was fifteen years old at the time. Prior to this game, I never really understood the Notre Dame/Southern California rivalry. I thought rivalries had to involve two teams being close in proximity, or the series would have to be constantly competitive. All I knew was that USC was located on the other side of the country, and they usually beat up on my team every year. It didn’t strike me as much of a rivalry. This was the case until October 15th, 2005.
The Trojans carried a roster full of NFL talent into South Bend and a nation high twenty-seven game winning streak. They were the defending national champions, and seemingly untouchable. The Irish were rejuvenated by new coach Charlie Weis. With three wins over top 25 teams in their first five games, and an offense that was scoring at will, the national media thought that maybe, just maybe, this Irish team could finally be the team that made Troy fall.
The pre-game hype was unlike anything I’d ever seen as an Irish fan. I was not yet born when Miami traveled to South Bend in 1988, and I was in diapers when “The Game of the Century” took place, so as I saw College Gameday broadcasting live from campus, and the USC/Notre Dame matchup previews headlining every newspaper, I started to get a sense of how special this game really was. The pep rally took place in Notre Dame Stadium. Every miniscule detail regarding the game was debated (“The grass on the field is awfully long!”), and when the Irish took the field wearing green, I knew it was on.
The game itself remains, to this day, the most intense Notre Dame I’ve ever watched. Neither squad held more than a one score lead at any point. There were incredible defensive plays, like the Trojans forcing Fasano to cough up the ball deep in their territory. There was special teams magic like when Tommy Z gave the Irish the lead in the second quarter with a bruising punt return. There were clutch plays; I thought my television screen was going to shatter from the noise in the stadium when Brady Quinn ran in the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth, and you could hear a rat pee on cotton when Leinart found Jarrett on 4th and 9. Every star player on each team came to play on that day, from Brady Quinn and Jeff Samardzija, to Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush.
I’ll never forget the final moments of that game. We all remember it; Matt Leinart gets hit short of the end-zone, and in the midst of about a dozen different bodies and complete chaos, the NBC clock hit zero, and fans started spilling onto the field. For a few moments, it looked as if Notre Dame had beaten SC and ending their winning streak. Eventually, the officials huddled and put time back onto the clock, the Trojans run one final play, and we all know what happens next…
I was near tears. The only thing that kept me from crying was the fact that I had friends over watching the game with me. I retreated to my room for the rest of the weekend and left only to eat and use the toilet until school came on Monday. How could the officials just let Reggie Bush push his quarterback past the goal line the way he did? I knew it happened all the time, but it was just so damn OBVIOUS in this case. What about the assistant coach for the Trojans motioning for a timeout after the Leinart fumble? They had none left; how could that fly? I was the most bitter and angry teenage boy in the world after that game, and my feelings toward USC were official; I hate that stinking team.
Time has passed and I have grown up. I realize that complaining about the Bush Push was just me being bitter, and that I was being a sore loser. But one thing that hasn’t changed is my attitude toward Southern Cal. I still hate that team. It made me sick every time they blew out ND since that October night, and even the thought of losing to them makes me sick to this day. This week’s game doesn’t have any Heisman hopefuls, or national title implications, or pre-game trash talk, but it’s still USC week, and I’ll be as excited on Saturday morning as I was in the moments leading up to that game on October 15th, 2005.
Game Balls: Week 7
Johnny Manziel, QB Texas A&M: Was 31-39 for 346 yards and had 19 carries for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Aggies’ 41-38 win at Ole Miss. Manziel led them on 2 game tying drives and the game winning drive in the last ten minutes.
Terry Baggett, RB Army: Had 18 carries for 304 yards and 4 touchdowns in Army’s 50-25 win over Eastern Michigan. That is not a misprint.
This week for the Irish
I’ve said most of what I wanted to say in the opening, so I’ll now try to give a bit of an unbiased preview. The Trojans, while a complete mess as recently as two weeks ago, are actually not a great matchup for Notre Dame stylistically. They feature an offense that is not short on talent, and now that they have Lane Kiffin out of their hair, it may start to thrive. They boast an experienced offensive line and have arguably the best receiving duo the Irish will see all year in Marquise Lee and Nelson Agholor. In addition to stopping them, Notre Dame also has to account for the Trojans’ rushing attack, which boasts a number of backs that can hurt you in Silas Redd, Tre Madden, and Justin Davis.
The Trojans defense has pretty good numbers against the run, but they have been gashed the past two weeks on the ground. Perhaps this could be just a hiccup for what was thought to be a very good defense, or perhaps this is the real SC defense, and the one we saw earlier in the year was just the benefactor of a soft schedule. Hopefully it’s the latter, because as I’ve mentioned several times, the offense has to run the ball for Tommy Rees to be successful. If the Trojans stymie the running game like Michigan State did a few weeks back, it will be another ugly offensive performance and that won’t be enough to win the game.
This has been a very tough game for me to pick. We can all point and at the misfortunes of SC earlier this year, but with new guidance, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that they can get things together and make a late season run. They are not short on talent, especially offensively. However, I think the key advantage for Notre Dame in this year’s matchup is experience at the quarterback position. Cody Kessler, the starter for the Trojans, has never played in an environment like the one he will play in Saturday. I’m sure the jet lag is weird in Hawaii, and Sun Devil Stadium is no picnic, but they just don’t compare to a night game in Notre Dame Stadium.
On the flip side, Tommy Rees has played against the Trojans before and won. He has also been tested about a dozen other times. He’s played in the Big House, he’s played in Yankee Stadium, he’s seen enough in his time at Notre Dame that no atmosphere is too big for him anymore. All of this, plus the fact that I truly believe in this coaching staff to have this team prepared after a bye week, and I think the Irish beat the Trojans in South Bend for the first time in over a decade.
Prediction: Notre Dame 21 USC 20
What else I’m watching this week
#5 Florida State @ #3 Clemson
This game has about all you could as for in an October contest. Two explsoive offenses, two heisman hopefuls, two national title contenders, and one of the best atmospheres for a game in the nation. Jameis Winston is an absolute stud and one my favirote players in teh entire country to watch; but can he handle Death Valley? This game could go a long way in deciding who wins the Heisman, the ACC, and the National Championship. It overlaps with the Notre Dame game, so be sure to either set your DVR and avoid twitter, or have your remote handy during commercials.
Week 8 picks
YTD: 9-5
Last week: 1-1 (lost on Arkansas, won on Penn State)
This week: West Virgina +6, hosting Texas Tech
May post more picks on twitter by the end of the week.
I think we can all agree the questions about AH were answered – unless there is some big change – he is supposed to have a real good arm – but he kept it well hidden – if USC had not killed itself with penatlties the outcome could have been very different – all sorts of praise to the D with all the stops in the second half – this could have easily been a loss – penalties – missed FGS – the QB even more of a big question now – there does not seem to be a backup – does AH deserve another shot ata weaker opponent to get some work?
I’m not at practice, so I have no idea if AH has any chance of ever being adequate enough, or whether Zaire is ready, or needed as a red-shirt – though from what I saw Saturday night, the shotgun/pistol is not the formation for AH. They’ve GOT to have practiced at least one other offense scheme- one size doesn’t fit all- that better features a RUN attack which you can play-action pass off, a scheme the other team hasn’t been preparing for
. . . with Koyack or Mahone as a lead H-back blocker, or a two TE set, especially on short yardage situations when everyone knows you’re running the ball anyway? How is the pistol/shotgun
effective on short yardage when we know Rees is not an option to run?
Consequently, you have 11 converging on the guy who gets the ball 5 yards behind the LOS!
Please, explain- I’m confused.
hey swarbrick rated lower than fresno state and northern illinois
Lou or Ara would never be ranked lower than those teams!!!!!
Rees has played QB all his life I assume. Did anyone ever teach him to scramble? Is it that hard to run 5 yards east or west to unload the ball under pressure. How bout running the ball 5 yards north or south if there is room when there is no one to throw to. Is that really that hard for any D1 QB? If all else fails then throw it away as he has become very good at. That is QB 101. He is an OK back up for sure but it ends there. Hendrix I’m not going waste my breathe. This may have been a good year to let Zaire play, learn and bring in Rees as needed to support Zaire as was the situation last year with Golson. I can’t believe I’m going to say this but I hope Rees is back next next week cause Hendrix is horrific and BK won’t play the Zaire card bottom line. Suppose Rees not back, Hendrix gets hurt, what does the genius BK do then? Can’t lose that redshirt status…………….
Scrambling…..awesome idea. Please send over your thoughts to BK, I’m sure they have never done that drill or even thought of it.
I would think after watching that offensive debacle the other night we could all agree that BK is playing the proper guy. I’m sure that if Rees is unable to play this week that MZ will have to be ready on the sideline. If nothing else, at least we can stop hearing about the AH – TR debate.
Green Day,
On that play it was a delayed blitz up the middle. One of the hardest things to do as a QB is to escape a blitz right up the middle. Scrambling wasn’t the issue on that play it was holding the ball to long. Tommy didn’t have his first or second reads. He should have dropped to the ground and taken the sack. Doug Flutie made a great point Tommy’s game is based on timing, if you disrupt the timing of the routes he has issues. Everett would have had trouble with that pressure. I applaud Reese for what he has done for the program in his four years of service. He has been a trooper and a true ND man. He doesn’t have the skills but he has heart and I believe he will come back to coach at the University.
1. Dual Threat QB–A QB that can beat teams with his ability to throw the football as well as run the football. IE Golson, Zaire, and Kizer
2. Single Threat QB– A QB that can beat teams with his ability to throw the football. Tommy Rees
3. No Threat QB– A QB that can beat lesser quality teams with his ability to run the football but lacks the ability to pass the football and has no shot at beating a quality defense. Andrew Hendrix
An outstanding D’ performance for the AGES!
Other than their first drive, and the FG they made after
their punt return to the red zone,
$C got NOTHIN’!
Our defense has culiones!
Every one at that stadium last night,
I suspect, including the players, felt if $C
would score ANY points in the second half,
game OVER!
QUESTION:
If Rees and Hendrix have different skill sets,
why use the same offensive backfield formation with each?
With AH, or Malik, why not two RBs, two TEs, and RUN,
other than an occasional AH play-action pass,
to either TJ or DD, or either TE
but . . .
before 3rd and 17 , or 2nd and 20- talk about throwing somebody into the deep without a life line,
and after a two season hibernation for Hendrix.
Neither the offensive game plan, schemes or formations,nor the OL
made it easier for AH last night. So let’s not totally discount what he can do based on
this performance. Some of us seemed to have forgotten TR’s previous performance against $C
that we overcame to win at $C his first game against them three years ago in LA.
Check the stats he had, and despite repeated outstanding field position.
So Again, If Rees and Hendrix have different skill sets,
why use the same offensive formation with each?
WE can’t prepare a second backfield formation that better fits a Hendrix or Zaire?
Really ? [huh] ?
If we had more than one, maybe we wouldn’t have to use that pistol offense
even on a 4th and six inches, or on 4th down EVER again !
A painfully anxiety-ridden spectacle, offensively, and special teams play,
which were truly offensive and far from special, but again,
This D has culiones, and mark this D’ effort as truly one for the AGES !
Talk about wanting it so badly you WILL it, INDEED!
We all truly witnessed the D’s “loyal sons go marching onward to victory.”
spook,
You have been extremely critical of a coach that has produced an undefeated regular season and took the team to a National Championship game.
In 1994 the 85 man scholarship limit was implemented and ND just hasn’t been the same since, until Coach Kelly showed up. In the 20 years prior to 1994 ND won 2 NC’s and 71% of the games played. All the coaches since and including 1994 season ND coached by Lou, has won less than 60% of the games played and zero NC’s.
Coach Kelly 71% winning percentage and NC appearance may not be the ultimate goal but it sure looks like the right trajectory.
Hey did I miss something here, did TR not get closed-lined above the shoulders? The medical report says he has an injured neck. What flag?
In this case I will whine.
Amen JC, I also thought it should have been a personal foul
I believe BK did recruit other qbs..Golson, and Kiel…If both were on this team Tommy would be 3rd string and AH would be doing hand signals. Not like BK hasnt tried to improve the talent level. Only so much a coach can do, the rest is up to the players.
I agree Dutch but there are various reasons why they left. Again, if AH is who you have, has the staff developed him to the best of their and his ability. He has not received a lot of game experience when he had opportunity to do so. We can gripe about how bad AH played but if he is it, preparing him is on the coaches. If he “isn’t the guy” they have had 4 years to find their backup guy. They kept AH around. I agree the players have a responsibility to in this. However, in this situation I lay more responsibility on the coaching staff than AH. I don’t an issue with others disagreeing, again, just sharing what I think.
Im not on here to gripe about how bad Hendrix was, i don’t think anything else needs to be said as far as that…i coach highschool football and have had kids with great physical tools, but as soon as there is a pass rush or something goes wrong, these kids lose it. Mechanics go out of whack, make wrong reads, I have had kids that forgot the damn play. I see some if that with AH..some kids have it, some don’t.
Dutchman,
I agree with you 100%. You have guys who are great 7-7 players but put them in the game and good luck. Great physical tools but just don’t succeed during the game. In order to play QB you need that it factor combined with some talent. Show me a top 5 team and I’ll show you a great QB leading that team. If ND wants to be considered it needs that type of QB.
Yep, I don’t dispute that Dutch. We have issues in the QB role beyond who is playing backup. I’ve said enough about the AH thing.
Go Irish
Yes BK did recruit two QB’s. One made a mistake and the other was an entitled premadonna baby who didn’t want to compete. Kids transfer and get suspended that’s college football but BK keeps winning games he should. It isn’t pretty but under the two previous regimes that game would have been a loss. The QB situation will be taken care off next year.
I agree with what you’re saying Jack. Again, knowing for awhile AH’s shortcomings, if I am the staff either I look to what I got, even a position conversion if need be, or what is left by default and do what I can to develop& prepare him to the best I can as a coach. I don’t think that has occurred because it seems like minimal forethought was given as to what might happen to TR where god forbid the backup may need to come in because of injury. If there was displeasure with AH as a backup then something more should have been done to have a more decent backup or then play MZ to get him more READY & PREPARED. Something I don’t think the coaching did with AH and then people want to gripe about his role and how poorly he played when never been given much opportunity to get him prepared to play in an important game like last night. I wasn’t surprised as to how he performed poorly. Since MZ was not going to be used, if AH isn’t “trusted” then somebody else should have been considered/developed and it looks like that didn’t happen. That’s coaching as far as I am concerned.
AH is our 3rd string qb remember? If a certain someone doesnt get kicked out. AH is terrible, for all you guys who say he didn’t have the chance, i say he is so bad BK doesn’t trust him in mop up duty. His mechanics are horrible, his football acumen is terrible, and his mental make up is terrible. There is a reason he was 3rd string last year. You guys ever think that the coaches know something you don’t?
I agree with you but he doesn’t want to burn Zaire’s red shirt. I will give BK a pass on Hendrix because you can only teach a kid so much, he has to do some things on his own. Hendrix is a good kid but isn’t a QB. I hope TR is only out for a short while. I also hope that the O-line and running backs realize they have to pick up the pace
Jack,
OK, as fast as BK turns over QB’s why wait? We are not that good this year so why should we not play Zaire now! Don’t tell me he is not ready please! No kidding, how about we get him ready for next year! I don’t want to hear it if Golson for some strange reason does not make it back! Next year with ZERO QB experience will flush year 5 down the toilet too! Then What? More of the same next year? I don’t think so with this mild Clark Kent crowd.
I agree JC play him now against Air Force and Navy. Hendrix is not ever going to start. You need to have to have a QB ready to play next year. I don’t forsee a NC caliber staying for a fifth year anyway
I don’t dispute that but if by default he is the backup as a coach you do what you can to prepare him. If you don’t trust him then get somebody (hey even better, RECRUIT SOMEBODY) you do. The lack of getting talent is on the current coach who has been here for 4 years now to develop a backup. AH has been left at 2nd and 3rd string for many years. This coaching staff had PLENTY of opportunity to recruit a better person slated for backup and didn’t. They never really afforded opportunity for AH to get play time. Practice time is NOT substitution time for game experience. So to thrust AH like they had to last night and have him play great is a bit unrealistic given he hasn’t been developed at all for being backup. Again, if he isn’t the guy they want, who was responsible in seeing they have the backup they want. The coaching staff is and that is on BK. The bottom line is, the QB position on this team has been questionable FOR 4 YEARS now. BK was supposed to change that by his recruiting. EG ‘s return would have greatly helped this team this year but he had other ideas off the field. I won’t even repeat the flaws of TR who as a senior has had continued repeated problems. Yeah, AH isn’t great either but given what he has been allowed to do, it’s not real surprising how he performed. QB development from starter to backups, that is on the coaching staff. We have what the staff have developed. I point the finger at them first.
I’ll definitely take the win!!! I hope TR is not out for the season! We will not be in a BCS Bowl without him. Albeit, makes a great case for plan “B” – Zaire as back-up? Not starting but mop-up! Or in case of injury, then he will have to start. AH was not prepaired for more than one play and it was ugly the rest of the way. Well, 5-2 the hard way and I expected nothing less.
However, on the bright side Cam had a great game! Yeah, I saw the fumble with 9-10 stacking the box! Troy was fantastic tonight! TR would have scored his usual 28 points so the real score would have been 28-10. Hey the defense kicked USC’s azz in the second half! So really, the only real question is how bad TR is hurt and who is going to be the back-up QB? AH or Zaire? I’ll bet that the #2 QB will get serious reps this week whoever that is. Again I hope TR can start next week.
GooooooooIrish! ugly, uglier and ugliest!
I have this to say about tonight. Tommy Reese thank you for your service over the past four years. Stephon Tuitt thank you for playing this year and last year hurt. I know SC’s offense isn’t great but thanks you defende
Jaylon Smith is an absolute stud. Recruit speed Kelly
THEY BEAT SC be happy geez
How does anyone know how many reps AH gets. And regarding the penalties, on a few of those plays if they don’t hold we make the tackle
I can tell you AH hasn’t got a lot of opportunity from past games when he could have been inserted for some meaning reps and didn’t because TR was left in the game. With all due respect, if you haven’t seen that over the last 3 or so years I don’t know what you have been watching. Yeah, AH played pretty poorly but his lack of being prepared is a big result of how he has been developed or should I say lack of development. We are 4 years into BK’s tenure and we have not solidified the position he supposedly was renowned for which he was hired for to begin with. It was a win and back to back wins for the first time in A long time, against these crapheads. The D is starting to play better also. The while QB thing is bothersome.
As for a NC game, I look to see Alabama, Florida St or Oregon being crowned come January. We are no where near them in talent, not even close.
Play like a champion
you guys knock kelly but they win. i don’t know how but they do. maybe kelly knows how to make the other team shoot itself in the foot.
I will be critical of Kelly for not doing more to have a backup QB more prepared. AH can only play to the point he was prepared. That is ON COACHING. There were COUNTLESS TIMES over the course of the last few years he could have had much more game time reps and didn’t when it was appropriate. If AH wasn’t it then somebody else should have been. Coaching and getting the QB position prepared. I lay it there squarely on BK and to s lesser extent, Chuck Martin.
I think that about covers it for me Storespook and from the looks of this site for “several” more supporters who see it exactly the same. Glad we got the W but pretty sure Kelly used up a lot of his “Luck of the Irish” on this one. I did note ASU buried the ranked Huskies today and MSU, Michigan, and Oklahoma all still with ONE loss so makes ND record look better for possible BCS bowl if they can run the table from here on out for 10-2 and a last game win over Stanford could “cement” their place for a BCS selection.
Please please nobody wish bcs bid on this team yes the money for the program and the u would be nice but I don’t think I can stand another bcs blow out like the past few although it would be worse this year
D-Train, If we go 10-2 this year it will be with TR at QB. AH was terrible tonight just as i thought he would be. If TR is going to be out next week than i believe AH will look better as he gets more comfortable against weaker teams coming up on the schedule but lets face it he is not going to be an upgrade over TR. Ive said it numerous times on this site that BK has failed at recruiting quality QBs. This is his 4th year and we still have Weiss’ QBs at 1 and 2 on the depth chart. How is it that you cant recruit quality QBs to come to ND.
There d train 65 you wanted Rees to get hurt! You wanted Hendrix in. Be a man and admit you know nothing about this team.
Nice to be remembered Rick. What I will admit is what “several” other supporters have already alluded to. Kelly has reaped what he has sowed. Kid has sat on sidelines for years with no opportunities to get experience during blowouts and in the rain with a 4pt lead and several 3rd and 20’s he gets to start his career. He shorts 2 passes and Niklas drops another right in his hands. Kelly playcalls runs into 10 man fronts to force 3 and outs and so we put it all on AH. In first half he comes in for his “obligatory” one play per game only to have Oline jump and so comes off to Kelly getting in his face about I guess it was his fault the team jumped because maybe his cadence was wrong so you can sit down AH your one “almost” play is done for this game. All of a sudden Tommy the fair haired boy is hurt so now it is “Oh please Andrew can you come in with 3rd and 20 and bail us out. Christ it starts to rain, lineman start jumping off side, Cam fumbles for first time in his career and it is kids fault he doesn’t look like Peyton Manning in his first chance in 3 yrs. No I am not going to admit the kid can’t play What I will admit is Kelly got what he deserves eg Having to play a kid so totally lacking in confidence after 4 yrs of no opportunity that he fails to produce in his one qtr of football. Next week it is back to Tommy who we all know has never missed an open receiver in his career, never thrown a key pick or fumbled on a key play etc etc and he has had HOW MANY OPPORTUNITIES in last 4 yrs. Sorry Rick I am with the guys on here who have pointed out whose fault this “limited” performance is that falls on BK who reaped what he has sown. If Rees can’t play next week I would not be surprised if Kelly burns Zaire’s redshirt so once again showing great confidence to a kid who sat on the bench for 4 yrs only to be told he CANNOT grasp this COMPLEX offense. Sorry for Tommy’s injury but not sorry for my opinion of Kelly’s coaching and it looks like I am not alone on that one. You have a good day my friend. Go Irish.
Very kind of SC to have 11penalties, thanks we needed every one.
Oh and Toul, tonight we got all the calls. It all balances out over time.
Big hit on that 4 and 8 with 54 secs left. Lesson: make sure to have your backup prepared. That’s coaching period. They are lucky to have won this game. Good step up by the D.
An absolutely unbelievable performance by the defense! An amazing display of heart and guts!
We sent offensive football back to the 30’s, but a w is a w.
I guess the refs really screwed us today! I think we should give USC the victory.
Really glad d line showed tonight also really good matt elam is in the stands to witness it
AHendrix is a less talented Dayne Crist …. Tommy Rees is the most under appreciated player ever at ND. I wish he never had to start a game but it could have been a few miserable seasons without him.
I don’t know Joey. When you never give your backup any meaningful reps( and that hasn’t happened) its somewhat challenging when he then comes in very unprepared. Practice time isn’t a substitute for game experience time. Regardless, we are weak at QB and Golson letting this team down really can’t be stated.
Bad teams just find ways to lose. Now even Cam fumbles. If we had just been able to punt I don’t think SC scores more than 3. Now we need to hold them to 3 and hope for a miracle. Only a miracle will allow ND to win. It won’t be BK’s credit if ND wins. It will literally be a miracle somehow.
Just freaking wow! I am speechless.
There you go boys TR couldn’t have got that first down
Not to be an apologist but AH. Just never got the game time reps he should have in games past-in years past. Expecting a step up in game time when you haven’t been provided that opportunity(and there were times AH should have got some playing time and TR was left in). This is reflective of player development and coaching. I just shake my head and really have few words left to say. It is so disappointing. I am tired of the “wait until next year” bullshit talk.
if we throw it up once (even if its a prayer) when they put 11 in the box and #10 comes down with it….we’ll win
This is what you get when you dont get your backups on the field when you are blowing out the likes of temple and Purdue .. ohh wait that didnt happen for this “elite” team
We’ll TR haters you’ve got your wish Hendrix looks great
This goes beyond the fair hair wonder boy. It’s about player development (or lack of).
what i dont understand is that i remember him moving the ball and being pretty effective in that blown bowl game against fSU…..what has happened? confidence?
Now I agree with BK it is Tommy or no one else. I think you should burn Ziare’s red shirt b/c Hendrix is just not good at all. I thought BK’s play book was limited with Reese. I wish that defense would have shown up in the first half. I don’t think ND wins unless they get a special teams TD.
Jack,
Don’t give BK any credit for basically not having more than one QB ready to play. This is a bloody disaster. I’m really beginning to wonder about this man’s ability to coach at this level. This isn’t Grand Valley BK! This is ND!!! Get a clue!
He needs to put in the freshman. Hendrix is choking I wouldn’t call that the coach’s fault. Golson getting booted really hurt. Name another program with three QB’s ready to play. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I hope Reese can play next week
TR is the best option we have period. AH is terrible and Zaire isnt ready.
i guess everybody can see why tommy rees has been playing quarterback. a guy that is bigger ,faster and has a stronger arm and can’t play.
hey fellas, guess what??
our special teams play is awful!!! totally shocking. i know.
This team is in big trouble. Now we see the wisdom of BK’s QB development or lack thereof. Basically, it’s TR and no body else is even remotely ready to play QB at ND. I seriously wonder if BK has forgotten how to coach O. I’m lost. I just don’t know what to say to explain how poor this team looks on O.
It’s going to get worse with AH. This team is just mediocre. When it’s not the O, it’s the D. When it’s not the D, it’s the O. And STs are always crap under BK. Brindza is so inconsistent. This looks like it could come down to the end again.
Rees just got hit as hard as he kicked that cop I hate to say it but I horse laughed seeing that
defense needs to take over here. step up and show something boys
Tuitt is playing better than he did earlier in the season. TR. led offense is PAINFUL to watch.
Wait till you see the offense with Hendrix. It will be worse than TR. I hope im wrong but we will soon find out
Have to be able to pound the nails into the coffin. Nothing gained sfter we picked them off.
have we kicked off after every intermission this year?
i hate never starting the 2nd half with the ball
We are so FFFAAARRRRRRR away from elite status. Watching Bama and Hogs during half, we aren’t even close to those who will be playing for a NC this year, holy moly.
Cam’s the man! So many people even here underestimated this kid. People forget he was a highly recruited RB. Also, give the devil his due, that was a nice throw from TR. Now just take this lead into halftime. Make some adjustments on D. Stress tackling.
Go Irish!
d back playing off………virtually no push from the d-line……line backers looking confused…
jeeez fellas lets GO!!!!
Can these guys tackle someone!
SFR, I feel like im watching ND vs Bama all over again. Instead of Lacy and Yeldon its Silas Redd. Pathetic
Close, jeff, not that bad, but frustrating for sure. Gotta get points before the half.
Leave it to BK’s O and TR’s mediocrity to make the Trojans’ D look like decent. 7 points in almost an entire half against a team that was allowing the opposition to go up and down the field and score about 50 points a game the last several weeks. Sad, really sad!
offensive playcalling is so damn inconsistent!
2,3 good plays in a row, followed by consecutive plays of crap.
i feel its a combination of bad calls coupled with Tommy being…not very good.
that missed throw to #20 procise as a fine example.
The fair hair wonder boy at work, intentional grounding
Excellent D stand! Now the O needs to get points.
Real imaginative play calling. Big punt return with a ND penalty, just great,
missed tackles and linebacker play. killing us so far
Now the D needs to decide to start the game. Another chance to come up big on D. Been saying that all season.
They needed that score. Lets play like champions
nice catch HERCULES!!!!!
So the crapheads score. We better match this with a TD on the next possession.
I hate to say this but his play calling is horrible. It’s game decisions like that are the reason he shouldn’t be coaching here. That is horse shit, kick the dam field goal jackass
another bad start to a game at home.
awesome.
There’s always next game, jonny. Or the one after that. Or the one after that. Etc. Then again if not this season then next. Or the one after that. Or the one after that. Etc. Perhaps if we wait until next century we’ll actually show up to play at the start of the game and win something important.
Is he channeling his inner Weis? Take the three points or put Reese under center
Can’t make it on 4th, short and goal. Lets go D
Play like a champion, lets go Irish
October 15, 1988 the Irish bet the Criminals – er…the Hurricanes, 31-30. Went on to win the NatChamp.
Really????? That’s awesome!
There had to be a hidden point there right???? This is a ND site so I’m guessing most had that one figured out.
No hidden point, Ron. The topic is i.e.. your special ND football experience. No hidden point – just a straightforward recount. I hope that’s what people may want to share…
oh crap, Ron! I meant to type “Te Irish BEAT the criminals.” Notre Dame is a
Catholic school. We don’t bet. (rolling eyes)
Are you serious, THB! After all these years you’re still making excuses for CW!!! Sorry if I offend you, but you have to be utterly delusional to think that one call cost CW anything. Losing to Navy 2-3 years did more to seal his fate than one call. Looking like crap against Syracuse didn’t help CW either. With all due respect, don’t confuse loyalty with stupidity, THB. I’ll leave it up to you to think about that one.
I look at this game this way. If ND comes out flat like they did two years ago SC wins. The team needs to understand that the Trojans are playing for pride. ND needs to understand that in a rivalry game emotion can propel even the lesser team to victory. BK better have these boys prepared for the intensity level required to compete in this game.
One thing I can say about this team is they don’t give up even when down. The game X and O wise will be between ND’s receiver’s and SC defensive back field. Short passes is what we will see from ND
Good Morning Jack,
Amen on the short passes! Hopefully we will get the TE’s more involved and a balanced attack with more running. Man, we need this game and I don’t care if we only win by one point, as long as we win!
GooooooooIrish! Stomp USC!
You are right on Jack. There better be some EMOTION when they hit the field or replay from 2 years ago is likely.
Storespook,
Well, if Tyler and Zack are right again this week on their predictions! We definitely need to plan a road trip with them to Vegas!
hahaha!
By the way, Lou is predicting a win too!
GooooooooIrish! Stomp USC!
on this team we will fight for every inch. When we add up all these inches that will make the difference. I can’t make you do it, Irish. Now, what are you gonna do? I think you will do it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk
Oh heck, yeah!!!
Woodrow
Hate USC hope the IRISH! Show up ready to bang out should be a good game under the lights that stadium should be rocking no sitting on your hands or telling people to sit down let it rip embrace the hate and get the W !!!
Name calling is classless. Physician heal thyself!
Pretty well covered it PD. Here in Australia they have a saying, “Winners can laugh, losers can please themselves.” That also pretty well covers it for me. I have been a referee in basketball for 40 years and headed up the team of officials for a Wyoming-UTEP college football game here in Oz. If noone remembers anything at all about the officials then it was a GREAT game in my book. They should be “faceless” people that are there to “facilitate” the game if they have done that they have done their job. Cheers
Ron, I’ve watched an athletic contest or two, but I have NEVER< EVER
seen a game that was lost because the zebras made more mistakes than the players and coaching staff of the losing team.
Not ever.
When the ball is snapped, 22 great athletes, many of them world class,
spring into action and they know every trick in the book. the zebras job is difficult.
There are some coaches, both football and basketball, who coach their team by making the players put on the whistle and ref a game or scrimmage. The cleverest ones coach their seniors and leaders to give the "player-ref" grief just to show them how thankless the job is.
Winners NEVER whine
Whiners NEVER win
But, facts and logic ought prevail.
Name calling is declasse, and "he started it" is no defense.
Here’s the bottom line. Stop them on 4th and 9 with 1:30 to go and you win the game. No refs, no whistles, no nothing it wouldn’t have mattered.
Refs are human and mistakes are made, it all evens out over time. Especially on the 25th anniversary of Catholics vs Convicts, you could easily say Miami got jobbed. But Jimmy Johnson had a great quote. You’ve got to be 10 points better on the road and we shouldn’t have let the game come down to an official making a call.
The 2005 game was great, it was the first real big game in a long time and a real classic.
I don’t think I called anybody a name other than to say whiners lose and losers whine.
Ron,
May not always agree with your positions you post but you are DEFINITELY correct on this one. It was inexcusable to let them convert on that 4th and 9 play. It was a good game that day and extremely disappointing they lost on the field that day to the Trojan heads. Winners account for what they do (even if they end up short on the scoreboard to their opponent), losers find fault with everyone else causing their plight.
My father officiated in high school ball for 25 years, if you think a call is the reason you lost than you didn’t play well as a team.
Well said, RB, well said indeed!
IDIOTS
The only idiot here is the one who always talks about refs screwing up calls as an excuse for mediocrity and also the one who has told us all over and over how great Purdue and Temple are. Now that’s an idiot for sure. Geez, I wonder who that can be?
Then the founding fathers were “idiots” for challenging England’s tyranny via King George. They dared to speak their minds.
I apologize if I offended any here but that crap call in 2005 cost Charles Weis his tenure, reputation and ultimately his place in history here at Notre Dame.
signed
Idiot
Always reasonable to compare America’s independence with a football game.
I’m guessing going 3-9, 6-6, 6-6 had a little more to do with his tenure than that game.
“October 15th, 2005 is a day I will always remember. It is the day that the ninth ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish hosted the top ranked USC Trojans in one of the most hyped games in recent Irish history.”
(ABOVE QUOTE) – The worst officiating in the history of CFB bar none.
A few seasons before 2005 UO took on OU in Eugene, Oregon. The Pac 10 Conference provided the referees for the match up. Up until this football-game UO never managed to defeat OU. UO ultimately won this game however though it was achieved by a flagrantly bad call from the same Pac 10 Officiating Organization. The Pacific 10 Conference also officiated the ND vs #1 USC game played in South Bend during the 2005 season led by Charles Weis (THE ROBOT GENIUS). Post the UO/OU game the president of The University of Oklahoma Mister Boren, it was reported contacted the PAC 10 official responsible for the game changing call/outcome. Rumor has it Mr. Boren threatened this official’s life!! I understand the threat to have been ” accepted by the said referee as a real one.” The Pac 10 official retired the next day permanently. TRUE CFB STORY
Whiners lose and losers whine. Sometimes you get the calls other times you don’t.
Great game! Sadly, the highlight of the CW era was a loss.
RB,
Technically speaking, the Bush Push game was wiped from record.
While USC is no longer credited with a win for that game, I don’t think ND ever sought credit for a win either.
I guess you could call it a big waste of time… which strangely enough, was another highlight of the CW era!
I thought it was Jimmy Clausen’s method of arrival at campus and anointing himself the chosen recruited savior (a big recruit by Big Charlie) as the highlight of the CW era, hahaha. Never was a fan of Clausen.