Notre Dame has been in search for a true go to back all season long. The Irish have given several upperclassmen chances to lock down the top spot on the depth chart in the process, but after nine weeks, it has become very apparent that the top back in the Irish stable is freshman Tarean Folston.
After the Air Force game two weeks ago I compared Tarean Folston to another former Notre Dame running back who as a freshman just looked better running the football than anyone else Notre Dame lined up in the backfield that year. The Navy game only further cemented that comparison for me with an eerily similar breakout performance.
Take a quick look at the two stat lines below. Both are performances from a Notre Dame freshman backs from different years against Navy – games in which both backs had their break through performance.
- Running Back A: 19 Attempts – 146 yards – 0 TD
- Running Back B: 18 Attempts – 140 yards – 1 TD
Both running backs played sparingly before exploding onto the scene with 100+ yard performances against the Midshipmen towards the end of their freshman seasons. Running Back B, of course, is Tarean Folston just this past weekend. Running Back A? That would be none other than Julius Jones – the best running back of the 2000’s to play for the Fighting Irish.
After the Air Force game I said that the way Folston ran the football reminded me of watching Jones as a freshman. Jones found himself down the depth chart behind Tony Fisher and Terrence Howard in 1999. Both were solid backs in their own right, but neither were elite college running backs like Jones was and it was evident just in the way he ran the ball in limited action as a frosh.
Folston runs the same way. He’s got that “it” factor that just can’t be coached. Watch Folston cut on a dime and jump cut his way around defenders and it’s abundantly clear that Folston has the instincts of of an elite back. Does he have all of the other makings of an elite back? We need to see a lot more from him before we can definitely say yes, but all the signs are there.
Other backs on the Notre Dame roster have the ability to make plays when the blocking is right in place for them, but so far no other Irish back has shown the ability to make plays when the blocking is less than perfect.
George Atkinson can take it to the house better than anyone on the roster when there’s a clear path to the end-zone but so far he hasn’t shown the ability to follow blocks and buy time until things open up for him. Cam McDaniel might be the toughest runner on the roster, but he lacks the speed to really turn the corner and go.
In the limited time we’ve seen Folston, he has shown the makings of being a combination of some of the best parts of the backs he has been behind on the depth chart to this point and his performance on Saturday was evidence of just that. His 140 yards were the most by a freshman running back for Notre Dame since Jones’s 146 fourteen years ago and just eight yards shy of Jerome Heavens Notre Dame freshman record.
Tarean Folston’s rise to the top of the depth chart
It’s taken Folston some time to ascend the depth chart as he has increased his conditioning and deepened his knowledge of the offense. Nine games into the season though, Folston looks primed for a strong finish to the season. He may not replicate the 140 yards he had a week ago again against Pitt, BYU, or Stanford, but he almost certainly will see the increased workload he’s seen the past few weeks continue down the stretch – especially with a bye week following this weekend’s contest with Pitt to rest up.
In the process of climbing the depth chart, Folston has taken carries away from juniors George Atkinson and Amir Carlisle – players thought to be focal points of the Irish offense this season. Against Navy, however, the two combined for just 7 carries to Folston’s 18 with all 7 coming from Atkinson. In fact, the last two weeks, Folston has a combined 29 carries compared to just 16 combined carries for the Atkinson/Carlisle duo. Cam McDaniel has seen his carries dipped into a bit as well, but not as much with a combined 17 carries against Air Force and Navy.
Prior to Folston’s 29 carries the last two weeks, the freshman had totaled just 11 carries through the first seven games of his collegiate career. A couple nagging injuries to his hamstring and hip slowed his progress, but now that he is healthy and has begun picking up the offense, Folston is hitting his stride at just the right time.
Somewhat lost in the mix of Folston’s ascent of the depth chart is the fact that most casual observers thought Folston wouldn’t even be the top freshman running back for Notre Dame this year with the more ballyhooed Greg Bryant garnering most of the attention coming into the season. A knee injury forced the Irish to shut Bryant’s freshman season down early, however, and Folston has pounced on the opportunity.
With three games left and then a bowl, Folston has a chance to stake his claim for the top spot on the depth chart not just for the remainder of 2013, but heading into 2014 as well. Notre Dame is very fortunate to have the stable of backs it currently has on hand right now and even more fortunate that Folston has started to emerge as the leader of the pack.
My main point is that there was a lot of adversity for ND coming in this year. I cut Kelly some slack for that, not to mention I really didn’t think a BCS was going happen this year due to having Rees at QB.
Now next year, if they lost more than 2 games, with the team they should have coming in, I’ll start having my doubts too. I don’t think I’d be on the fire Kelly wagon yet (sometimes changing some assistants can make a difference).
Part of it is I want to believe Kelly is the one to turn things around, once and for all. Lets face it, if Kelly is let go, what is the future for ND. With their standards (something I support), the Nick Sabans (or many big name coaches) of the world are not going to come to ND. We need Kelly to succeed at ND. Otherwise, I’m really not sure where ND will go.
If he is such a great back, in training, then why after his sensational effort the week before, did the genius at the ND helm decide basically
not to use him against Pitt. Talk about embarrassing. Rees was pathetic, but that wasn’t a surprise. The fact that ND couldn’t stop a mediocre Pitt team was a disgrace. The coaching, on both defense and offense, just didn’t get the job done. Losing Tuitt, didn’t help but come on. The announcers talk about being bowl eligible, not to any of the top bowls that’s for sure. Go Irish!
Moral victories are for Navy, Temple, and Pitt. I recall a time when true ND fans didn’t have to depend on moral victories to feel good about the Irish. But I guess that’s what so many have just come to settle for. My God! What’s happened to this program and its fans that they can even invoke moral victories and ND football in the same breath?! We’ve become Northwestern. We’d rather have a moral victory (which Sat. night wasn’t, of course, it was a disgusting defeat!) than talk about greatness. Some time things have to be torn down before they can be rebuilt. It seems some here would rather stay with this delapidated program than seeing it rebuilt to its former glory. You want to call me and others who think like me names, go ahead. At the end of the day, we’re true Irish fans while the mediocrity-loving excuse makers are worse than any anti-ND haters. At least the anti-ND haters are genuine.
Shaz,
I don’t think anyone would disagree with you this team is beaten up. More than most. But a lot of other top teams have lost important players and are tired too. Besides being hurt and tired doesn’t account for all our problems, unless we just want to make excuses. Being tired, for instance, doesn’t account for the bonehead play of not going after a live football that could’ve gone for a TD. It also doesn’t explain TR’s aweful endzone INT.
I’d end by saying another human side that shows up right about now is faux moral superiority. So, if someone disagrees with you then “they really don’t know jac about football”? Really you can make the claim to know that about others on here all on the grounds that they may not always agree with you?
I don’t always agree with you, Shaz, but I have too much respect for football acumen to suggest otherwise and know that you’re a ND man through and through. Perhaps we can show that respect to the others on here who love the Irish, even if we disagree, assuming they aren’t trolls like Burgundy, or initiate the ad hominem attacks like his stooges.
Speaking of people I’ve disagreed with but nonetheless respect as a real fan and loyal member of this community, anyone hear from JC recently? Trust you’re OK brother.
SFR,
I agree, that there are a lot of teams that have lost important players and are tired at this point in their seasons.
And, in most every instance, most of those teams have lost at least once already.
I would also wager that you yourself have called off from work or missed an appointment at least once or twice in your lifetime due to illness, injury, surgery, or accedent?
Is that an excuse? You bet it is!( all be it a very valid one)
Exactly what I see that we have here.
Exactly what I these players and this team is going through, and I for one am willing to cut them some slack for it.
I also believe (in my own opinion) that mental and phsyical exhaustion absolutly does account for not going after that fumble.
More bonehead plays are born from mental and physical exhaustion than any other 2 reasons combined in sports.
The TR endzone INT is on the Coaches.
TR is a pocket passer… period.
Asking him to roll out is asking for trouble. Always has been.
This isn’t the first time the coaches had him rollout and he made a bad decision on the play.
I can understand the coaches desire to try to move him around a little bit, but I have seen that play end poorly too many times.
And if I know it, then the coaches should know it too.
I would end by saying my remarks about human nature has nothing to do with any percieved moral superiority on my part, and regret if it was taken that way.
Nor do I see it as having anything to do with any level of agreeing or disagreeing.
It was simply my own opinion based on years of observation and the predicability of fan reaction given the outcome.
Maybe I just see things a little differently.
For example, I have observed many years, and many levels of football. Enough to know that the best, or biggest, or fastest, or most talented team, doesn’t always win.
Sometimes… many times … perhaps even most of the time… it comes down to survival of the fittest.
Which we most certainly are not.
Valid points all, Shaz. Forgive me for my misreading of your original post. I’d say that TR has thrown way too many bad EZ INTs to be all about the coaching. But even if that’s so, then that plays into what many of us here have been saying about poor coaching and game planning. You know, Shaz, questioning the coaching around here will get you into trouble with the thought police and certainly get some kind of KellyCare factoid in return from Ronnie Boy. I’m not sure you want either.
Couldn’t agree with you more in your final observations!
Peace.
SteelfanRob,
You have made valid points and I agree that this team should only really have one loss and that I can debate. They played horrible against Michigan, OU and Pitt. It is inexcusable that they lost all three of those games. I would disagree with Damian the Reese peaked two years ago. Tommy has not grown as a QB. He is still throwing dumb interceptions in tight ball games. This is who Reese is and will always be, if you expect him to win the game or put the team on his shoulders he is not your guy.
Now this is where people like Burgandy will lose the arguement on my next point. Great coaches are able to adapt their team to their personnell. I think Kelly is lacking in this area and needs improvement. Like I said in an early post he needed to get up by two touchdowns and pound the ball. What did he do, chuck the dam ball all over the place with a sub par QB. His backs were running well in the first half. Why should he have pounded the ball, because his defense is beat up and will wear down in the fourth quarter. This is where BK fails time and time again, game management, play calling and understanding his personnell. The funny thing is it doesn’t happen every game, but he seems to panic and can’t see when Tommy is not on, to just change his game plan. He had no problem doing it with Everett, but I think it’s a love affair with Tommy and trying to make him something he is not.
Not sure what argument you mean Jack. I merely support BK as the coach and think he will do a great job. Look, I can’t defend Sat night. Bad game and as BK said in the presser after the game, this was is on me, didnt have them prepared and they didn’t execute, and it is the coaches job to help them execute better.
I’ve never been one to get on play calling as there are too many nuances to a game to really know what is happening. Fronts, blitzes, coverages, checks, injuries, personnel etc etc. the coaches know infinitely more than us and trust them to make calls.
Look TR is what he is. On any other Top 25 team he is 2-3 string at best. Somebody posted this the other night. For all of our shortcoming, put Manziel back there and we probably are 10-0 right now. Football is about the QB at this point. Look at the Packers. SB contenders to nothing with one injury to Rodgers.
This season ended (as far as NC or BCS concerns) in a classroom in May when EG made a bad decision.
This is just one person’s opinion, critisize me if you like, I know the frustration runs deep today, but what “I” saw was a tired football team. Tired phisically, which was finally followed by, tired mentally.
Just plain, flat out, dog tired.
You could see it on Tommy Rees face. A player called on to carry his team in each and every game from start to finish with virtully no breaks.
You can see it in our running backs, you could see it in the weak attempted arm tackle by Farley, you could see it on the fumble caused by Shembo where “everyone” just quit on the play. You could see it in the slow tempo of the offense, you could see it in our D-Lineman struggeling to get off their blocks. And you could see it in the subsititutions coming on and off the field.
At least I could.
I will say that at the 10 game mark in the season ND isn’t alone here by a long shot. There are a lot of tired teams and players.
I watched BYU (ND’s next opponebt) vs Wisconsin. BYU is a fine team. Well coached. Better than average defense. A Fundamentally sound team playing on the road at Wisconsin. (and a heck of a lot healthier than ND)
Now the Cougars know that the Badgers are going to run the ball. That’s what they do. They know where they are going to run it, how they are going to run it, and who is going to run it.
Yet they got absolutly shredded by the Wisconsin run game. Their D-linemen couldn’t get off their blocks and they had a lot of weak arm tackling from their rather sizeable secondary. That was a tired defense. Anyone really watching could see it.
Then there is Michigan. I watched a good part of the Michigan – Nebraska game. The Michigan Run game has gone completly south the last few weeks.
This is the story of the two Devin Garner’s. The first is the healthy fresh Garner that played so well during the first half of the season.
You remember the one. The guy that was so quick, so slippery, so athletic that it was like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands and how he put up some amazing numbers.
10 full games later of carring his team’s offense against some very tough, physical defenses, has now slowed him considerably. And with him, 80% of Michigan’s rushing offense.
And that’s what happends to a lot of these key players. These 19 $ 20 year old college kids.
Too many minutes, too much of the load, too many big hits, over too long of a period, fighting through too much pain and adversity, week in and week out, and suddenly they’re human side shows.
Another human side also shows at this time. Always does. That of those select fans that show that they really don’t know jac about football.
At least that’s the way this one person see’s it.
Good points Shaz. BK has a very impressive record in November ( Sat nights debacle not withstanding) which hopefully will show over the final 2 games. It will take a Herculean effort to win these two. Can we? No clue. But I think we will find out a lot about our senior leadership and how much the coaches can get out of this team during the final 2 games.
I watched the Gators this past weekend which is a team on par with the injury situation we have, arguably worse. They have completely quit. Of all the bad I saw Sat night I did not see quit.
While nobody cares for moral victories, at least we seem to care. I’m headed to the BYU game in 2 weeks to congratulate this senior class. The players and coaches need our support, not our whining. I expect a tight close game that looks ugly (seemingly that is what we are) but confident we can pull out a win.
But alas, what I think, say or do has no bearing on the outcome. I would rather choose to support than tear down. Over his career BK has proven to be a winner, he proved he has the mettle going 12-0 last year, and I think over time he will prove to be a consistent winner at ND.
As for now, I must get back to my salon quality hair and reading the news.
Stay classy UHND.
BTW: I’ll love to see this team rally and win out showing improvement in all three phases lof the game. In fact, as sign of godd will, I’ll give Burgundy props ahead of time for calling this rally. You see, I’m a true fan that cares more about the Irish than being right. But I hope Burgundy and his croonies will man up and if this season falls apart they don’t continue to justify mediocrity. But I doubt it. They care more about theor own opinions than about the Irish.
Burgundy,
You’re really going there? So Michigan is a top 20 team? Really?! See, the things about your kind of stats is that they remind me of what Mark Twain said about stats: “There are lies, damnable lies, then there are statistics!” We’ve beaten a 20 team from a weak conference. How many top ACC or SEC teams has ND beat this season? ASU was a good win but let’s not confuse the Sun Devils with the Crimson Tide. Also missing in your KellyCare stat of the day is losing at home to an Oklahoma team that is also marginally top 20.
Now, how about quoting me this stat: How many top 20 teams have lost to Pitt, barely beat Navy, and struggled with Purdue and Temple?
You clearly are happy with this season since every stat of the day you bring up makes it seem like we’re the #1 team in the nation. How’s that? Little problem with your logic, RB?
But you keep trying. Or at least hide behind your stooges and faux identities.
But let’s end on a point of agreement. It’s time to rally. Let’s see how this team rallies. Will you agree with me to call things like you see them if this team fails to rally? Or will you get SteelFanBooby to continue to make excuses for you?
An outside chance at 10 wins – is that chance outside the universe or what.
BYU is not a given – they are better than Pitt. Stanford – no they show up for every game and for 60 minutes – this ND team doesn’t seem to do that. All of TR’s limitations showed up in this game. Has he ever scrambled – on the INT in the end zone it looked like he had a shot at gaining a couple of yards if he ran – just did not try. Also some very questionable coaching on both sides of the ball – this was a team with a record of allowing sacks – very little pressure put on them. What happened to Folston? He gains 140 yards one week and you hardly see him the next. Having Tommy trying to be the long range bomber did not work.
Some real adjustments all around needed. I did like the use of TJ on the end around – but it was old by the end of the game.
A lot of bad breaks this year but good teams overcome that – the mental attitude is one big issue – where is the swagger and passion for the game – does not really show here.
Every week I become less convinced that Diaco is the defensive genius he is made out to be – – a bad plan for Pitt here – Offensive plan not much better
KellyCare stat for Monday morning:
ND has beaten 2 teams currently in the top 20 of the BCS. No team in the country has more.
Hopefully the boys can rally for a big Senior day win. As for the bowl game, personally I’d like to play BC. Would be something for the guys to get up for over the holidays as opposed to Utah St.
*nobody is happy with the season: players, coaches, fans but there is still an outside chance for a 10 win season. Time to rally.
Damian,
Who exactly is the first person singular “you” you are referring to in your post? I know you’re not talking to me if you’re suggesting that I said that BK be fired and replaced by Urban Meyer. I have in fact been clear that BK deserves at least two more seasons. I also am on record that ND shouldn’t go near Meyer.
BK does need to be held to a higher standard than at Grand Valley or Cinci. ND is not Grand Valley or Cinci last time I checked. Unless we want to see ND become Cinci then we need to demand excellence freom BK and his team. ND can and should be great. True ND fans want to see ND great again instead of having to endure endless defeats to Tulsa, Navy, Pittsburgh, etc.
Go Irish!
Someone above suggested they fire Kelly and bring in Meyer (as if he’s waiting for the call).
I agree, next year will be key to Kelly’s future at ND. Esp. if EG comes back. With Rees as QB, I sort of figured 8-4 was a likely scenario. QB is a crucial position, and not having EG back was big.
Damian,
I for one said 9-3 was acceptable under the circumstances that you point out. I figured on defeats at Michigan and Stanford and a home loss to either Oklahoma or MSU. And I agree with you that a BCS bowl was unrealistic.
But losing to Pitt and looking like crap against almost every other team on our schedule is inexcusable. To make excuses or bury our heads in the sand is what too many have been doing for too long. Enough of the excuses for mediocrity.
What about if this teams goes 7-6? What then? More excuses.
I for one with all due respect am tired of making excuses for bad play at ND for going on 25 years. I don’t know about you but I want to get to the point where we’re talking about how great ND is instead of having to hear so called fans making endless excuses, year after year.
I respect what you’re saying and you raise valid points. But in the end I’ve heard it before and am tired of hearing it.
Next season is key. No more excuses. No more slow start to games. No more uninspired play. No more poor fundamentals. I want to see a team that plays hard and smart start to finish, game in and game out. I want to see a coaching staff in command.
No more excuses next season!
Some people need to relax. The loss to Pitt was bad, yes. They are not that good.
But I also had remind myself of what my expectations were at the beginning of the season when EG was kicked off the team and we were back to Rees at QB. At that time, did anyone really think a BCS bowl was going to happen? Now be honest. I was thinking maybe an 8-4 season at best.
Why? Because of what many suspected all along. Rees plateaud 2 years ago. We’ve seen his best. He has some great stats, but he throws interceptions whenever he gets pressured. That has not changed. Not saying he throws INT everytime he gets pressured, but if he is in a game where he gets pressured, he will throw to the other team. I believe Rees is doing the best he can. It’s not really his fault, let’s face it, not everyone is a Heisman QB.
Also, very important, he does not play into Kelly’s preferred system, so Kelly inevitably has to dial back the play book. He can’t draw up a running play for Rees, just as an example.
Kelly is ultimately responsible, and there are things he’ll need to adjust. But it’s certainly not time to “fire” Kelly by any means. My GOD people, ND overachieved and got to a NC last year. You don’t fire a coach the next year. Just who do you think you are going to get anyway? Urban Meyer, really, you want to make ND a fool by chasing him. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Kelly has had success everywhere he’s been. Have a little more faith. We saw some good things last year. Part of that was EG once he got experience under his belt. He fits Kelly’s coaching system to a T. If they get him back, and he’s properly conditioned, we might see some good things next year. Folston is just beginning his long road at RB, and with the crop of WR’s and TE’s, next year could be completely different.
But don’t have a panic attack. A BCS bowl this year just wasn’t realistic with Rees at QB. And there aren’t any other good options. Hendrix can’t pass and at this point, I certainly wouldn’t burn Zaire’s red shirt. He’ll likely be the heir apparent to EG if he comes back.
Hey, poser, learn to read. You know, A, B, C, ….
You’re not even the person you pretend to be, Booby. Why are you so ashamed you assume this persona?
Bottom line is you’re a cheap immitator (can’t even come upo with your own screen ID), a poor debator, and not even a real Stillers fan.
But if you want a fight, yeah, I’m your Huckleberry, StillFanBoob! If you knew a Stillers’ fan you’d know we don’t run from a fight. So let’s see if you’re a real fan of the Black and Gold.
Now Burgundy is having others fight his fights. So sad! jeff was classy enough to not let the con man bait him into it. I’d also pick better allies than a make believe, want to be, faux persona like StillFanBoob. He can’t even read. If he could he’s realize that Burgundy accussed me of being a racist when he said I brought up Mike Tomlin’s race when in fact he’s the one whoc picked a fight by even bringing up how bad the Steelers are. But, you see, the socalled Steelers fan Boob cares more about Burgundy than he does about the Steelers. If you were really a Stillers fan, I’d be ashamed of you. But I know you’re not even who you pretend to be, although you are a boob!
Produce a quote that says he called you a racist. And now I’m off to Primanti Bros.
I’m supposed to be impressed you know about Primanti Brothers. They have Primanti Brothers outside the Burgh, too, you know. That doesn’t prove anything. Sorry, Booby, nice try.
1) Your alter ego was the one who brought up the Steelers as a weak attempt to insult me.
2) Since you/RB (one and the same?) broached the subject to begin with, I felt it incumbent upon myself to point out that MT was respeonsible for the Stillers collapse.
3) I pointed out (without refernce to race) the MT was an “Affirmative Action” hire.
4) You/he got offended because I brought up a “man’s skin color” (there’s your direct quote) and said that was off limits.
5) I never said that MT was hired because he was black. You/he came to that consclusion all on your/his own.
6) Affirmative Action isn’t only about race so why jump to that conclusion? Besides if MT were Hispanic or Chinese or whatever he’s still unqualified to coach the Stillers given his previous experience.
So, Booby, I know thinking through things isn’t your strong point so I’ll summarize this for you: 1) You/he brought up the Stillers not me; 2) it was brought up as a weak attempt to get under my skin; 3) I never brought up MT’s race until after you/he did; 4) I pointed out that Affirmative Action isn’t only about race; 5) thus that’s a conclusion you/he reached on your/his own; 6) you/he were offended by my alleged bringing up of MT’s color; 7) the letter and spirit of the exchange was clear that me brining up MT’s race was enough for you/he to conclude I was somekind of racist.
I know you don’t read very well either but I’ve done enough of your reading and thinking for you.
So, you see, troll, if you were really a Stillers fan what would’ve offended you was Burgundy’s lame attempt at insulting the team. But of course because you aren’t really from Pittsburgh or a Steelers fan you focused on defending that coward Burgundy who isn’t man enough to do his own fighting.
But nice try defending your lady friend. Very gay of you.
Don’t choke on a Primanti Bros. sandwich!
The bully is Burgundy or do you not follow the numbers of people on here he’s insulted and offended. I guess you don’t follow this site closely.
If you knew the backdrop of this you’d know that Burgundy called me a racist and tried to pick a fight between jeff and me for his own sick entertainment.
So, Southy, don’t frankly care much for your defense of this troll who has bullied many here with his sarcasm.
But you keep on coddling the haters rather than the true ND fans. Speaks volumes. Speaks volumes. But I guess going to church makes everything OK. Who needs amazing grace when we can get it on the cheap!
Wow, you are delusional. I’ve followed this non sense enough and the word racist never came up.
You are just looking for a fight.
I’m ashamed to call you a fellow Steeler fan.
ND has adapted in the past to keep up with the times and stay competitive. Would recruiting be helped if ND were still an all male school? Doubt it! Would ND recruiting be helped if the football team didn’t go to bowl games? Hardly! Would recruiting be helped by not investing in more modern facilities or a training table? Probably not! ND now allows early admits which it didn’t a few years ago. That’s helped in recruiting too.
No one here would claim this means ND has sold out to become a football factory. No one here claims ND under Lou Holtz became Miami because admissions standards were relaxed. On the contrary. ND lost no academic standing but gained a great football team. This school’s last.
That’s the case Jack, Stores, me, and several others are making. Feel free to disagree. Just don’t claim that ND hasn’t evolved with the times in the past to help the football team. That’s just naive.
Go Irish!
I certainly don’t expect Notre Dame to go undefeated every year – that would be unrealistic, particularly when you consider their strength of schedule. They play a challenging schedule every year and I give them credit for that. However, I do have an expectation that they be at least a top-20 program year in and year out. They have the talent (or should), the facilities, the tradition, and they have the best fan support of any program in the country. I do have an expectation that they dominate lesser teams and play extremely competitively against the better teams on their schedule each year – realizing that they will win some and lose some – that is the nature of competitive athletics. I do have an expectation that they compete for national championships (winning one occasionally). Finally, I do have an expectation that they do all of this without compromising their integrity. I believe all of these expectations are realistic. I know that they have not compromised their integrity (ex. is Golson. Most teams would have maybe suspended their starting quarterback for a game or two if that – ND kicked him out of school). I give them credit for having extremely high standards. However, I refuse to believe they cannot be more competitive while maintaining their high ethical standards. The bottom line is, they are “gut-wrenching” to watch right now and have been all season. They continually play to the level of their competition and I simply don’t understand that. Something is missing there right now and has been for some time. They are undisciplined, not very aggressive, and do not play very smart. I’ve always thought that teams reflect the personality of their coach. This team certainly doesn’t cast a positive reflection on the coaching staff. I know this team has been ravaged by injuries, I understand that, but that can’t be an excuse. This is just not a very good football team right now – they are brutal to watch, brutal. Perhaps my expectations are unrealistic….I’d like to think not.
I understand where you’re coming from. I am slightly disagreeingthat we may need to re look at being somewhat more flexible in some student athletes from an admissions point of view. We did this during Holtz’s time and that has been the last time we maintained high consistent performance over a period of years (Chris Zorich or Mike Stonebreaker would not have been in if they were to be admitted or allowed to stay) of making some exceptions-notice I am advocating some exception, not the rule per se. I agree a team is a reflection of its coaching leaders and I think this reflects somewhat unfavorably on the current staff. I know this, when any Holtz team came to play, I always thought they were ready to play and a belief they could win. I haven’t really felt that way since Holtz left. ND hasn’t maintained any winning consistency on a yearly basis since he left. I noticed people overall didn’t gripe about his success except the Admin folks who eventually pushed him out of ND. I feel a little pessimistic we will never re-achieve that type of consistent success.
I agree with what you are saying about relaxing the standards. The issue is the fact that what ND is asking a coach to do is near impossible. This also goes into getting a coach lime Sabah or should I dare say Meyer. No coach wants to come to school where they can’t recruit certain players due to a list of qualifications that most players in the country couldn’t meet. I’m not advocating lowering the bar that much, but give some kids a chance at a great education at a quality University. A guy like Lynch didn’t work out but I am willing to take more risks like that one.
Well put, Jack.
Advocare Bowl vs BC or Poinsettia Bowl vs Utah St.
Thoughts??
Thoughts, Burgundy? These options are as crappy as this team you’ve been making excuses for all season. BTW: I’m not sure ND can beat either BC or Utah St. That’s how bad this team is under BK. But I’ll wait for your next KellyCare stat to make things OK.
Dude, why do you have such a hard on for the anchorman?
Get over yourself.
Perhaps because he needs a taste of his own BS for a change rather than your coddling.
Who are you exactly to dictate to anyone here? Seems you need to get over yourself.
Me, just a southy from Charlestown who likes the Sox, the Pats, my church and who doesn’t much care for bullies. That’s who I am.
Being at the head of the pack got Folstan exactly 4 carries against Pitt.
Yeah I wanted to know where he was. Did he get injured?
Doesnt surprise me at all that Folston only got 4 carries. Thats BK for ya. Always seems to leave us saying WTF regardless of the outcome. Use the running game to control the clock and give your depleted and tired defense a rest. Didnt do this enough against Navy or Pitt. All of the top caliber teams have Stud QBs while ND is seriously lacking in this critical area.
It speaks to poor fundamentals and in-game lack of awareness. We’ve seen it before, just not that bad. Recall the pick at the end of the ASU game that should’ve been batted down instead. That was poor in-game, situational football.
Bottom line is this is a poorly coached team right now in all 3 phases. The HC of course is the main culprit.
But these players are just something else. They can’t tackle, cover, catch, run, etc. I thought ND recruited smart kids. These guys play stupid. I thought ND recruited great athletes. Where the hell are they?
This program is in shambles. Right now it’s only marginally better than at the end of CW’s tenure.
Pathetic.
BTW: Where are all the gee whiz types this morning? You know the ones. The ones that tell us we should be happy just beating Purdue and Navy. Where are they today now that they can’t hide behind some narrow escape to some putrid team we should beat by 30 points?
Perhaps now Burgundy will make us laugh with one of his stupid retorts. Come out of hiding, Ronnie, we need someone to make us laugh at.
I will also say that Sheldon Day’s complete mental and physical breakdown was like nothing I’ve ever seen. He was what the Marines refer to as “Condition Black. I think it speaks volumes about where our D is as far as mentality. YOU ALWAYS PLAY TO THE WHISTLE. YOU NEVER ASSUME THE PLAY IS DEAD. YOU NEVER ASSUME ‘IT’S NOT A FUMBLE’. YOU ALWAYS TRY TO SCOOP THE BALL UP AND RUN. He had 6 points on a silver platter and stood there with his crank blowing in the wind.
I don’t recall ever seeing anything like that.
Fire swarbrick fire Kelly fire diaco. go getUrban Meyer
Urban Meyer didn’t come to ND in the first place because he knows that even a more lenient admission policy is still 100 times tougher than the admission policy in the SEC or Ohio St. Why would he leave a program on the cusp of a NC for ND?! There’s not enough money in the world for that!
I think a coach who gets more out of his players given his own school’s limitations on admissions and overall less talented players is Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern. I am not suggesting he become the next coach here but he keeps his teams pretty competitive with less talented players. Makes me wonder how he would do if “the gloves” were allowed to be loosened or taken off to get better talent if he were somewhere else. I am not convinced that a change in coaches at this point would make a huge difference anyway. I do agree that coaches with previous experience at the major level seems to work out better if hired here. To me, the bigger issue is we are not on an even playing field with the high caliber teams albeit most of those athlete students playing for those teams would have a hard time academically at ND. I don’t foresee any changes soon regarding any changes in admission standards. I am getting tired of losing to teams we should beat, especially with our publicized better athletes.
i 100% agree with your 2nd to last paragraph (not that i disagree with the rest mind you)
we wait two more seasons and reassess. by then “the next big thing” will be out there.
the million dollar question is – will that guy, be THE GUY ?
Other than Rockne and Ara, the iconic coaches at ND have been successful college coaches at big programs. They’ve had winning track-records at places like BC, MIZZOU, Arkansas. That seems to be the formula that has worked for ND. Stick to it.
Anybody see NDs schedule the next few years WOW!!!! You can’t dig at ND for the toughness of there scheduling not Division 2 teams in those schedules , 2 horrible calls on 3rd downs last night that lead to 14 of there points the Tuitt ejection was complete BS on Tuitts ejection and the Jackson PI was crap Tommy’s 2 pics where really bad no doubt but considering all that he’s had a solid season at times ESP with the running game so hot and cold O line has been impressive all year Watt and Martin are gonna be missed , the O line has been impressive ESP Elmer and Hanratty stepping in and playing well keep grinding a much needed bye then senior day against a very tough BYU gotta get that 8th win some how and then see where this team stacks up against a power team like Stanford still can get some good things out of this season
jonny,
There are only a few of those and ND won’t and shouldn’t want them. Besides, like you say, they won’t even come to ND to begin with.
So any hire is a lateral hire. The question is, is it the right lateral hire? Of course, ND could reach and promote an assistant or small-school coach. But that hasn’t worked, including with BK.
Another option is the NFL route. How did that work out with CW?
Let’s forget about Saban, Myer, Miles, Gruden, etc.
First thing is let’s see if BK can turn this around. He has at best 2 more seasons to do so. Then we’ll see what the coaching landscape looks like. No need to speculate until then. BK’s going nowhere for now.
BTW: I’m serious about O’Leary, he’s been building a nice program in Mickey Mouse land for some time. I know it won’t happen but that man has had success coaching at several places.
jonny,
There’s no magical solution. No, we shouldn’t go for scumbag coaches who won’t even come to ND. Sumlin sounds interesting. A great recruiter with good experience. Oh, but wait, he’s African-American and according to Ron Burgundy I’m a racist, so I guess I should say no to Sumlin. But wait, what does Burgundy know about me anyhow? So yes someone like Sumlin or Al Golden would be a good fit. Both are young. Both have previous experience. Both are great recruiters. I say that’s the way to go. Seeing what George O’Leary’s doing at UCF makes me sick. UCF is so much better than ND right now and coaching is a big reason. Right now I’d take O’Leary even if he had Nobel Prize winner on his resume!
all due respect, Golden and Sumlin seem like lateral moves to me. at best.
the only thing that gets ND to the next level is a “home run coach” …..i just don’t know who that is.
and since BK isn’t going anywhere, i guess the point (for now) is moot
I am feeling extremely pessimistic right now, our trend of being defined by losses to teams we should have beat continues. I don’t see things changing in the near future either. I believe if we are ever to reapproach being top caliber the type of players we are willing to accept may have to be a little flexible. I don’t foresee that happening and I don’t think a change in coaching is going to produce an immediate change in the situation either. Last night’s performance was just stomach churning. As a fan, I am not resigned to say wait until next year. I am not positive next year is going to be better. I can be realistic a NC may not be won every year but achieving a consistent high performance on the field would help. I am not happy as a fan of the coaching decisions being made either. I will not be surprised if our coach goes NFL in the next couple of years.
I hear USC is interested in possibly pursuing Kevin Sumlin. Interesting if he were to leave A&M.
“i will not be surprised if our coach goes NFL in the next couple years”
if he takes diaco with him? …..i’ll deal with it
Kinda ironic how last year we were scared we would lose Kelly and Diaco to the NFL and less than a year later we cant wait to them both go away. Wonder if the administration will do the same thing to BK that they did to CW. Pay him millions…..To go away.
random gripe : STOP TAKING THE BALL TO START THE GAME WHEN WE WIN THE TOSS!!!!!
I agree. Win the toss and defer to the 2nd half
Agree 1000%.
Notre Dame – the Chicago Cubs of NCAA football. Not much of a team anymore. But a great place to take your kids, blow an obscene wad of money, and have them look at you like you are nuts when you tell them about how Notre Dame was great and stood for something back about 50 years ago. ” Gosh, Dad can we go watch a Mickie Rooney, Judy Garland movie too?”
That’s right, C=Dog. Just like the Cubs it’s always about next year.
ND needs to do some soul searching and decide whether it wants to do some things (short of selling out!) to be able to compete with the elites or simply join the Ivy League.
ND football right now is a relic. BK can’t get it done. Last year was a total fluke that got exposed by Bama as such. It’s one thing to coach at Grand Valley and Cinci. Perhaps that’s BK’s level. ND’s clearly too big for him.
That’s were things stand. ND is going no where fast. The apologists and gee whiz types will tell us next year will be different. We’ve heard that before. It’s always next year with them. The sad thing is they’re OK with that.
Our resident troll and secret ND hater Ron Burgundy is loving this. See these people want to see ND mediocre. They hate ND. I get it. But for true ND fans to side with Burgundy, well, that in itself tells you where this program is.
Next stop for ND is games against Dartmouth and Penn. Perhaps we can even join another ex-power and play the U. of Chicago in the Nostalgia Has-been Bowl.
Pathetic!
Right now, there is so much truth to your observation.
ND: 3 turnovers
Pitt: 0 turnovers
Enough said. Been saying all year that we never know which Tommy Rees will show up. (not that the whole loss is on him)
We simply don’t have depth or consistent execution to win when we turn the ball over. (like a Texas A&M that can still win with TOs for example)
Tough loss, feel bad for the boys. Hopefully, BK can rally the troops and get a W for the seniors against BYU. Essentially the Stanford game becomes the de facto BCS game for us this year. It’s the last thing to really play for.
Another ugly game from ND and this time it got them beat!
Let’s see:
-Jones’ fumbled at Pitt’s 5 yard line
-Rees throws 2 critical picks (one in Pitt’s endzone and one that directly led to the winning touchdown)
-Sheldon Day and Joe Schmidt fail to pick up a fumble and take it to the house for 6 points late in the game
-Bennett gets beat every Saturday on a critical play (this time a pass interference penalty)
-Tuitt gets ejected (thought it was a horrible call to eject him)
-Farley can’t tackle (this is the case every week)
-We didn’t see Folston at all after the first couple of series (was he hurt?)
-We abandoned the run game (once again) after having success in the first half – why? (Is putting the game in Rees’ hands really the better option? It certainly wasn’t last night and I would argue it never is. Why not establish the run with your stable of backs and wear Pitt down?
-We continue to see curious playcalling that leaves you scratching your head asking “why?”
This really is disappointing. I understand ND has had to deal with the loss of Golson and a lot of injuries (I get it) but most of their issues are self-inflicted. Every game this year is gut-wrenching. When you continue to allow teams like Purdue, Navy, and Pitt to stay in games down to the wire it eventually gets you beat – and it did last night. Those are teams that ND should beat by 3-4 touchdowns without question. They are not a fun team to watch right now. They are so predictable and really just a mediocre team. They are at best a top 40-50 team right now and that is not getting it done – particularly with their level of talent. They are not even on the same planet as an Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, Stanford, Ohio State, etc. They would lose by 30 points to those elite teams. I would like to think Notre Dame should be one of those elite teams but it is clear that they aren’t and haven’t been for about 20 years now. It hasn’t been the same since Lou left!
Todd,
Every time Tommy throws the ball over 40 times ND loses. I said earlier if you are depending on Tommy to win the game with his arm you will lose. If ND had run the ball in the second half they. win. I knew ND was in trouble when at the beginning of the game Herbstreet talked about how Tommy had mastered the offense. Translation, we are throwing the ball all over the place. In the games that Tommy loses. he usually has a stupid turnover in the end zone. Its sad but but in the four years he has been at ND this is what he is, good some of the time and really bad some times. He was not accurate at all last night
I think he only threw 38 times last night, but close enough. We only ran the ball 25 times and Folstan got all of 4 carries. I don’t get it. I felt that Cierre Wood was grossly underused when he was here and I hope our freshmen star running backs don’t get the same treatment.
Well the smoking pot probably didn’t help Cierre in BK’s eyes last year and it appears he is having that issue at the next level too.
Pitt-i-full !
Looking forward to Frank’s 5 “things he liked”.
Save the ink, Frank. ND had one thing to like- TJ Jones.
And losing TJ, Watt, (good job against DL Donald), Martin, Nix and Tuitt next season will make for another long season, with EG returning or not. You win or lose in the trenches, and our lines will be less impressive next year.
Here’s 10 questions I have.
1. Where was Folston?
2. Why didn’t we see Robinson until the last play of the game, or against Navy ?
3. Why do other teams blitz on passing situations and ND let’s their opponents’ QBs play pitch and catch? Pitt gives up sacks all year, but to be fair, other teams have schemed to pressure Pitt’s QB. ND rushes three (maybe four), assuring Pitt’s (and everyone else’s QBs) the time to find his two excellent WRs. Pressure is what causes missed opportunities by a QB. The ’85 Bears proved that nearly 30 years ago. Green Bay blitzes on nearly every play. It’s called modern football. “Bend and hopefully don’t break” is passive. I thought I was done with that as a Bears fan when Lovey left. Now I get to watch it every Saturday instead. Tommy Rees knows how effective pressure is on disrupting your rhythm. Please, Tommy, tell Diaco, before you graduate. Much like being pushed off the line of scrimmage by Navy to protect against the chop-block was obviously choosing the wrong D’ scheme. Get aggressive. Take it to them rather than react on your heels to them.
4. Will Diaco ever learn ? Like BK’s running the pistol on short yardage situations with his mantra “We are who we are”, Diaco’s stubborn refusal to apply pressure on key passing situations leads to passive back on your heels D, and gives inferior teams a great chance each week to stay in the game. ND’s players made huge plays against Purdue, MSU, Navy, U$C, and AZ. ST. Otherwise, we’d be looking at fighting for our fourth win next week.
BK called it a “team loss.” It was also a coaches’ loss. Like Navy last week, ND was outcoached by another less talented mediocre team, back – to – back. Looking ahead, UW pressured BYU QB Hill into mistakes. This goes against Diaco’s game plan. He’s totally adverse to pressuring QBs. So sit back and watch BYU take apart ND’s D’. The ND game plan will surely be sit back and react, as they have the last two weeks, and more. If you’re going to lose, at least lose aggressively (see question #3).
5. Why do ND CBs play okay their junior year and seemingly forget how their senior year? (see Gary Gray, Bennett Jackson) Player undevelopment? Here’s hoping Russell doesn’t get worse, too.
6. Why does Farley play so many minutes? We have several safeties who can both tackle and pass covergae at safety other than Farley. Hardy and Shumate both look better, as does Collinsworth. You bring in an outstanding prep safety in Redfield, then- never play him except for on your KR team. Huh?
7. Why do you pass on 2nd and four from the four? Our receivers have done a yeoman’s job going up and getting TR’s passes, but sooner or later, when you throw passes up for grabs, like TR has done all year, the other team will catch them.
8. Why doesn’t Sheldon Day know what’s happening during Shembo’s forced fumble but the Pitt RB does? Other than TR’s INTs, and the woeful coverage by B. Jackson and the MIA Farley, Day’s brain-fart was a key critical turning point. Coaches need to remind their players to finish every play.
Pitt allows 27 out of 29 scoring within their red zone this season and stop ND by forcing TOs inside the seven – TWICE! (TJ being ripped from the ball and TR’s cross the body gift to Pitt from the four).
9. Why does Pitt want it more than ND every year they play them? Inferior talent, yet superior effort (or is it better preparation), year in and year out, even in defeat, whether it be Todd Graham or Paul Chryst.
After watching BYU, it looks likely ND drops their last three games this season, with Mendenhall likely outcoaching ND again next week. Having two weeks to prepare would be an advantage, but ND coaches, like they didn’t do against ‘Bama, refuse to vary their schemes. I’m not calling for new coaches; only for some flexibility and variation from them.
10. Was ND at 12-0 last year a fluke?
Pitt-i-full !
Answer to question 10. YES
This team is what it is. Undisciplined, unfocused, over-rated. You name it. BK’s now officially on my hot seat. I’ve been one of those on here calling for some moderation. But enough is enough. The Chinese fire drills on O, wasted TOs, blown red zone opportunities, gutless D. You name it. BK needs to be put on the hot seat. He has more signature defeats than wins. Enough is enough. I’m so sick of those here who worship at the altar of next year. It’s always next season with these excuse makers. Enough is enough.
i think the contract extension he received earlier this season will negate him from being on any “hot seat” for quite a while
jonny,
That aside, he’ll be on the hot seat if ND goes 7-5 this season and something like 8-4 next. If not with the ND powers, certainly with most of the true fans.
I get the distinct impression ND’s too big for BK. I thought he was going to be the next Ara, small-school coach who returns ND to glory. Perhaps the next coach at ND should be like Devine and Holtz, two men with vast experience at major programs.
This all started going downhill with Faust (appopriate last name for making sinister pacts!). Why did ND hire a HS coach?! Lou’s tenure was the exception to the rule of ND’s football demise.
so, whats the solution steel fan?
do we bite the bullet and go after a “big fish” (urban meyer, nick saban type)?
assuming they’d even come here, a BIG if, do we really want to take a questionable character type of coach which could lead to problems down the road, all for the sake of winning?
the past me would say no, screw that, lets do it the right way……….but the present me is getting reeeeally sick of losing.
losing in general, but mostly falling to teams we have no business losing to. teams we should be pounding.
i’m tired of waking up sunday mornings with the first thought that pops into my head being terrible bone head plays from the previous day. (sheldon day images are going to haunt me for quite a while)
I JUST WANT TO WIN DAMNIT
I agree SFR. If a coaching change happens it probably wouldn’t be a high caliber. Coach anyway. Who would want to come here when we are somewhat limited in who we accept as players. I have always supported admission standards but looking at some flexibility at times for an athlete should receive more consideration. I unfortunately don’t think that will occur. The game is changing and if we want to evolve with it we may need to look at how we involve ourselves. The football program brings in a LOT OF MONEY. What would happen if that starts to dry up, hmmm, because of loss of interest and poor play not bringing in the revenue? Anything is possible if that were to occur. I want to see at least consistent high performance. Is that too much to ask and expect? I think not.
I think Tuitt makes it the 2nd ND player ejected for targeting, while no ND opponent has been ejected for targeting. I have a feeling we will wait a long time (5-6 years before an opponent gets ejected against ND. During that time ND will probably have 20+ ejections from that horrible rule.
In the last 10-15 years I have never seen a defensive player not pick up the ball after QB was hit and fumbled. Sheldon Day’s blunder was a case of horrible misjudgement. I’m not at the practices, but I can’t picture ND not coaching their players in this situation. You always pick up the ball. It could be a clear drop 20 yards down the field. The defensive player should be ready to pick up the ball. When Sheldon Day made that mistake, I was at a lost of words due to his stupidity. No excuses, he made a stupid mistake.
1-Poor Reese. He looked decent in the middle of the game and then fell apart.
2-We somehow need CW to recruit and Kelly to coach.
3-Don’t ever want to be Alabama because I want to root for a team with educational standards, but do believe we can beat Alabama… the same way we beat a far superior team like miami 88″. 1st we need belief that we can win. By the COACHES and the players. It is a game and as ND fans, we should know how often a lower caliber team can upset a superior team.
4- If tuitt hit was a penalty then the ref should have called about 15 more targeting penalties. The pass interference was terrible call saying the penalty was before the tip … add that up to tommy melting down and TJ jones fumbling on the ten yrd line = ‘s 7 point loss to Pitt
Last year really seems like an aberration. Like weis’s first year. Kelly seems to have gotten the defense back to Willingham Davie levels, but I don’t see a progression beyond. The ND program is now a decent but not great program. Expect not much more than Davie gave you. Maybe ND won’t go 5-7 very often, but more than 8-5 will be 1 in 10 year occurrences. And amazingly people will pay top dollar to sit and pretend its 1988, 1977, 1973, 1966, 1943-1950, or 1919-1930. I think I’ll just watch the movies next time I am feeling nostalgic for what it was like before the 1990s. This program had its day. Sorry to say but the team, coaches, and the administration don’t even know why ND was once special. Now it’s just a rich man’s school a little to panziassed to be comfortable with a football team. Or at least a truly excellent football team.
Add 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
I can’t add anything further that has been said. I have said we are not a BCS team and tonight SURE AS HELL PROVED THAT. I am so sick of this mediocre play. I am at a point I am through. Where the hell was 25 tonight. For that matter, where in the hell WAS THE DEFENSE? HERE IS THE PHRASE, WE SUCK! I am so freaking pissed right now. I am hitting the hay before I throw out a window all my ND items. Why are we so different? I want beat my head through a wall right now. God damn it.
Awesome rant, Stores. All true ND fans should feel tha same way. Sad thind is so many of them are so used to losing they don’t have your passion. They’re OK with just being crap and will tell you you should be too. These people might want ND to win but they’re OK with losing to Pitt. How can this be our fan base?! Like C-Dog says, ND football is the NCAA version of the Cubs and the fanbases are very similar in their apathy to winning. This just sucks!
it a team can rush the passer notre dame has no chance. they can’t run the ball, tommy rees can’t avoid the rush and can’t pass on the move.next two games don’t look very promising.
if i could ask tommy rees one question it would be what happens to your mind when you get inside the other teams twenty yard line. that interception was on second down when they tried to move him. throw the ball away and try again on third down, there is no need for desperation. at least get the field goal.
I just want to know how he can look so good, but almost always blow it when it counts. Is he getting bookie money to blow the game on purpose?
Kelly couldn’t hold Ara’s or Holtz’ jock strap….I’m done with this clown.
Final post….
Woody.
I know what you mean.
We’ll miss you old wooded one.
God speed!
We won’t miss you, “Affirmative Action” Ronnie!
What, no KellyCare stat this morning?
Here’s one for you: BK has now lost to more mediocre teams than he’s beaten top 10 teams.
You have a mediocre day, Ronnie, just like the football you make excuses for.
You can run, but you can’t hide great “Affirmative Action” one!
I’m waiting with baited breath for Ron Burgundy’s next stupid remark. Come on, Ron. I need to laugh at something after this game. Humor is with your stupidity.
We’re not laughing with you, Ron. We’re laughing at you!
Can Ronnie come out and play? No? I guess “no bueno” Ron Burgundy’s tapped out of BS excuses and sarcasm. Poor Ronnie. So much BS. So little time.
What’s your KellyCare stat for today, Ronnie?
I just don’t know if ND can ever be elite again with its philosophy. Unless the ND adminsitration adjusts its standards, ND will end up in the Ivy League. We need every player we can get. But, heck, even if we had the best class in history it seems none of our coaches after Holtz can develop that talent. I’m at a loss to explain how mediocre this program is. Last year was a mirage.
We couldn’t beat Northern Illinois. Enough said. OUT.
Or North Dakota St
I’m done! I like Tommy as a person, but for God’s sake every time the game is put in his hands it’s a nightmare. Let’s just start with this horrible play calling. ND should have one this game and shit the bed. Bennet Jackson looks like Gary Gray at Michigan. As much as I hate saying this, put Manzel on this the and their 12-0
guys,
was folston hurt?
man, that was FUBAR.
FU Kelly….out!
woody
BK’s grab-bag approach to O happened. Nothing works for this guy. And if it does he screws it up. I swear. I think this man has forgotten how to coach.
He has next season. After that, I’m off the support BK bandwagon.
What happened to Folston?
Well, he goes with the hot hand. Cam had 10 carries for 28 yds. Of course, everyone hates GAIII who still has 6 yards per carry on the season. Whatever.
I wonder who is available?
People, don’t you understand. Pitt is a great team. Bama has nothing on them! We got their A game. The refs screwed us. We’re hurt. Am I forgeting any excuses, Burgundy?
They lost to Navy, we beat Navy, the beat us, we’re 3 peas in a pod. This is our peer-group. Oh, I forgot that we have top ten recruiting classes and they can’t get in the top 30. But, let’s not get bogged down with details.
Really, that’s the best you have, Burgundy?! No bueno…. No shit, jackass. It’s been no bueno all season. But you’ve always made an excuse for no bueno. Not today?
Wow, break out the snake oil and call those recruits!
Is Rees throwing games?
No bueno. Pinstripe Bowl bound!
Game, set, match.
Now let’s hear from the gutless brigade of those who are happy keeping mediocre teams in games.
Intentional grounding?! Are you kidding me!!! This team is undisciplined and poorly coached. Bottom line. No awareness. That gutless play of not playing to the whistle on the fumble is a testament to where this team is under BK. It’s just a gutless team.
Now we’ll hear from jackass Ron Burgundy about how great BK’s record is.
awesome use of our final time out coach
I bet we score and miss the pat.
SFR
So right. The defense looks uninspired. Rees playing once again like he has made a deal with Vegas bookies.
Who is assuming 8-4? They might be 7-5. Or 7-6.
Something is very wrong with how this team is responding to Kelly. I wonder if he’ll find someplace to go. Hopefully not USC.
TO THE NFL YOU WATCH and frankly at this point I wouldn’t care
Game over! ND just doesn’t have the depth, which is a sign of a great program. I blame this on the administration and their arrogance.
we’r probably better off not making the bcs anyway. i cant take another ass whooping like last year
8-4 is unacceptable, Jack. If that happens, BK and his staff need to reevaluate their game plans.
This team is so far away from elite it’s sad. We are closer to Toledo than Bama.
This is just so sad but true.
Rob we lost to a team that in the last two weeks had 65 rushes for minus 65 yards!!! And a team that got destroyed by Baylor. But hey we can look forward to Stanford, as mentioned above “We play them again on the 30th. Buckle your chin strap; the Irish sure will.”
As Tommy goes so does ND. That is why they will be an 8-4 team this year.
Pretty sad, I have a long list of tier two teams I don’t want to play in a bowl game, including Baylor!
We’re not a lock to beat anybody. The best we can do is hope to beat Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl. That’s our speed. Not saying we can beat Rutgers, but we have no chance in hell of beating Baylor or Oregon.
Baylor would kick our ass left and right.
Why is it that if you are a junior db you play lights out, but if your a senior db after a great junior season you play like shit. Also, 3rd and 2 and yet another time out
I wonder if Bama fans have to make excuses for destroying a top 20 team and rival on the road? I wonder how many excuses they have to make winning NCs year after year!
That’s the standard people. Don’t like it? Perhaps ND should join the Ivy League then.
Oops Bama is playing at home. Better get that right before Burgundy gets on here and points that out in a weak attempt to discredit my main point.
Maybe and just maybe we just suck so bad the Ivy League would be out of our reach. I am just pissed right now. Can’t stand this crap. I AM SO SICK OF THIS SHIT. 43 years of being a fan and I am about fit to be tied of watching this bucket full of slime. I just shake my head as we stumble like a bunch of freaking monkeys.
No criticisms, fxm. This is great team we’re playing tonight. Plus we’re injured. Lost Tuitt. Insert excuse here!
This is just pathetic.
We’ll hear about how we got Pitt’s A game. Blah, blah, blah…. Why can’t we match someone’s A game with an A+ game of our own?! No the excuse makers and ass kissers on this site won’t ask that. No let’s just keep making the same excuses year after year.
I swear that anybody who gets on here to defend this garbage, win or lose, should just stop being a ND fan and become a Purdue fan.
I am so tired of 17 years of play that is mediocre. We are making Pitt look good. We seem to do this a LOT with teams we should beat. Why can’t we get someone who instills a killer instinct in this team. I AM SO FREAKING TIRED OF THIS.
Uncle.
Back to the good old days of multiple turnovers inside the opponents 5 yard line. Nice.
Can this nightmare of a year please come to an end??? It started in Miami in January and hasn’t gotten any better since. Let’s play in the whatever dot com bowl and move along!!!
Unbelievable!!!!
This brainless team just gave up on a live ball!!!!
This is just a poorly coached team!!!!
Don’t be upset Rob, you see, Pitt really gets up for this game. It is like their super bowl.
Please no excuses. This D is just pathetic. Poor tacklers. Poor coverage. No pressure on the QB. This D is making the Panthers look like a juggernaut on O. No excuses. This D had one good game against USC (I’m not counting AF, which is basically ana FCS team). And that was a USC team that was also missing key players (you want to use the injury excuse, then it can be used against you, too).
TR looks Luke crap, inconsistent offense, ND us in trouble
We don’t have a sack against an O line that hasn’t protected the QB all season. We’ve given up over 100 yards rushing to a team that was only able to run on Navy. Yes, there are injuries. Yes, Tuitt is missing. But this is just pathetic. Perhaps ND wins. Perhaps not. But this team is just mediocre. Bottom line. Bury your head in the sand if you want. But this is a fact.
There’s always next year. Or the year after that. Or the one after that….
Just unbelievable. All this talent edge and a struggle every game, no matter if it’s a team that lost at home to Navy. A Navy team that lost to Toledo.
But we’ll hear about what a great team Pitt is. Just like that juggernaut that is Purdue.
Unbelievable.
I am so tired of mediocre play for 17 years. I am so tired of watching inferior teams play us and we make them look good. THIS IS NOT A NEW PHENOMENA EITHER. I am so tired of this CRAP.
Unbelievable call against Tuitt! No way was that targeting and now they’ve thrown him out of the game! Could certainly impact the entire game with a terrible call. The kid is one of the best DL in the country and you throw him out on that play. I am sitting here in disbelief.
Where’s Shembo been since ASU?!
How about Chris Brown. Does he still play?
Good point, jeff. It seems that he’s disappeared on O. I wonder if he’s hurt.
Just making it easy for these guys.
Of course it was reversed what else should be expected. Run it from the half yard JESUS
I don’t care that it worked, inc pass followed by a sweep? This guy likes to make life hard.
13 carries 121 yards, TR 4 for 11. I know what I would do.
Wow! What can I say about just finding ways to lose. This is unbelievable.
Look at the difference in breaks between Bama and ND. That tells the tale of tape between both teams. One gets the breaks and the other gives the to their opponents.
Unbelievable!
This is going to be no cakewalk tonight. Watching Bama and LSU during commercial breaks. I am envious of the talent I see regardless of SEC thugs.
It’s a game now. TR better make the easy throws. He’s missed several already. Our D will have to find something deep down inside or it’s going to be tough to win.
Maybe we will finally see some fire out of these guys.
I’m one for not blaming refs but this is big-time BS!
Yes it is Rob, yes it is.
Tuitt’s EJECTION IS CRAP
Maybe the refs should do that freely in all games to make them more competitive?
if they are going to call a penalty on that play they might as well ban football.
That is exactly what I said. Stop playing the sport if a play that is going to be called illegal.
How about investment in a ST coach who takes defending kickoffs seriously
Nice toss fair hair wonder boy to DD for a touchdown.
1 for 6 start for TR doesn’t bode well.
Another wasted 3rd down attempt.
By the way, that Bama just leads a charmed life, LSU fumbles on the goal line going in for the score.
You don’t try long FGs at Heinz Field.
It would’ve been the longest in field history. Sorry, but wake-up! Go for it or pin them.
Hahaha, yep agree SFR
Well, notwithstanding that they beat us (I still can’t believe it) Michigan is really a disaster, just got held to negative yards rushing for the second week in a row, this time at the hands of the Cornhuskers. Two week total 65 carries for minus 66 yards!
That is shocking to see. I was really impressed with Gardner after our game. Don’t really follow their program so don’t know if they are dealing with injuries or what is causing this downturn. Guess they peaked against ND or we just made them look good.
Guys, I think Kelly is pretty darn good. Basically, we have had to play this season with a 2nd string QB, who is completely one dimensional.
I think we can win out this year, but that is unlikely.
Next year, there should be no reason to lose a single game.
Go Irish!
Woody
Tommy Rees needs a fake gravely ill girlfriend in order to improve his image with fans. Rees for Heisman
Oh, I get it.
I remember 5 freaking years of a regime headed by Gerry Faust. I prayed for his demise or at least the Admin making the decision to release him. When Lou Holtz was hired I just knew things would change. Even though his first season was a losing one record wise, ND was able to make it a game for most games. By 1988, they were good as MIAMI or FSU, the dominant programs at that time. I would love to see that again. Why shouldn’t we expect to get a program to equal the success as Bama, OSU or FSU. If Stanford can get high competulitiveness out of its team why can’t we. That’s what I want to see. Will it happen? Current history would suggest no. Watching Stanford smack the ducklings as they did just made me ask what is stopping us from achieving results like that.
FOLSTON is a beast. He actually really looks like a RB out there. Not that Cam shouldn’t get carries, no other back ran the way FOLSTON did. Let him run.
Play like a champion
Wrong, they had already discovered their starting QB at that point. Hogan is a good runner, but not that great of a passer. I know this ND team is not that good, but I think we matchup well vs Stanford just like how we matchup well vs Michigan State. Wouldn’t be surprised if we beat Stanford again.
holla atcha boi
HOV
I agree
Thank God for our Constitutional protections, right “duranko”?
BK is going nowhere for now. Two years from now we may be having second thoughts about him. Let’s hope not, though. Let’s hope BK becomes as iconic at ND as at least Lou is.
You recall correctly. Thanks to a great D effort we beat Stanford at home in OT. We’ll need the D to be at least as good as last year and the O to be better to beat the Cardinal on the road this season. ND better buckle its chin strap because we know Stanford always does.
Peace.
We did beat them last year in O.T. at home and most fortuitously before they “discovered” their starting QB. I hope I am proven wrong, but notwithstanding last years victory and our Cinderella season, I hardly think our program is presently in its proper station as the Cardinal’s superior. Just as Utah is not their superior on the virtue of their victory. The team is trending in the right direction.
Rob, the rights to be stupid, shortsighted and completely devoid of judgment are constitutionally protected.
Brian Kelly is going nowhere.
Neither are stupid people.
Neither are emotional dwarves.
I’m reminded both of the Red Queen and that wonderful general in Catch 22 who was played in the movie by Orson Welles. His famous retort was “Take him outside and shoot him.” He was bumfuzzled when his lackeys told him that was impermissible.
Further, unless I recall this incorrectly, the last time we played Stanford we beat them. Not to confuse things with the facts!
We play them again on the 30th. Buckle your chin strap; the Irish sure will.
fxm,
There are some people on here who do want to get rid of BK today if they got their way. There are others who can’t stand for one negative thing, no matter how realistic, to be said of BK. Both extremes cherry pick their stat of the day while overlooking the big picture. You point to the big picture, fxm. I think with a little help from the ND powers that be, kudos to Jack for pointing this out, the Irish can get to the top; of course, BK will have to step up his game and develop the talent he has and will get.
Why on earth should ND generally be looking up at Stanford? Good question. Perhaps years of crappy coaching at ND and top-flight coaching at Stanford at least partially explains the differing results of both teams over the last decade.
What will suck is if somehow Bama stumbles but we beat Stanford, Bama ends up in the title game somehow.
Hope Folston gets coached about excessive celebration, and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and the damage they can do to the team. He’s surely a top notch talent, and great to watch, but modesty is a virtue that can be taught/acquired, and helps with teammates. Stteve
Gentleman lets not get nasty hear. I say this all the time, BK is who we got, period. I don’t know of a top flight coach that would want to coach at ND and not because of the pressure. The administration hampers you on who you can get. It doesn’t really hurt n the front line talent, but depth is a real issue. Under the current administration at ND you wouldn’t have a Rice, Zorich, Ishmail or Stonebreaker. Also, Stonebreaker would have been suspended an entire year for his DUI.
Now BK frustrates me with the fact that against Navy he could see his defense was unable to stop the option. Instead of padding Tommy’s stats he should have pounded the ball the entire first half. He should have held the ball as long as he could. The key to beating Navy is getting up by over two TD’s. You take them out of their game plan and make them become one dimensional. He could have easily accomplished this by pounding the rock. We have two big ass Tight Ends put them on the field and pound the DAM football.
Against Pitt our defense is playing with reserves and taped up people. I applaud their effort and love for their team, but ND needs to control the Dam ball. If they go out and play this pass happy BS they will lose. Control the line of scrimmage, control the clock and you will beat the Panthers. Allow Pitt to stay in the game by not converting 3rd and long because you took a shot down the field and missed on 1st or 2nd down. Get positive yards every play, stay in 3rd and less than 5 and grind the football. If ND does that instead of trying to hit a homerun every play and you will see them win.
I don’t see this happening and it will come down to the fourth quarter again and the luck will eventually run out.
I don’t think anyone wants to get rid of BK, we know we are not ever going to be Bama, but we also know it is incumbent on BK to stop being in nail biters with inferior foes (we don’t want style points we want player development which comes from having a cushion), losing to crappy teams like this years Michigan (after our game people thought Devin Gardner was Jameis Winston) and Oklahoma (see Baylor) squads, and why on earth should ND generally be looking up at Stanford?
KellyCare stat of the day:
ND needs one more win this season to have 8 wins for four consecutive seasons for the first time since that streak ended in 1993.
Hard to believe and sad when you think about it.
KellyCare stat of the day:
BK needs just one more BCS win to for ND to win its first BCS bowl.
Hard and sad to believe that from 1993 to 2012 ND was largely insignificant (never irrelevant, though) in the BCS era. BK got to a NC game only to get pasted and continue a trend of ND losing big in BCS bowls.
But Merlot will continue to give us his facts while ignoring the bigger picture. Small minds think small.
This kids fun to watch, doesn’t need a hole u could drive a truck thru plus his timing with the O line looked terrific. Of course this was the Navy defense, Pitt will be a real good test. Go Irish
Frank. I’m not buying into this wholly. Cam McDaniel has been there all season and has been poorly used by Kelly. This is a very good OLine with a poor QB at the helm yet Kelly is more interested in throwing the ball.
Sure, McDaniel doesn’t have the same athletic ability as Foslton but he’s been a solid back and should have been used in a better game plan by Kelly benefitting the team.
I’ve been hard on Kelly with use of the running game and will continue to be until he learns to use the run game to the teams advantage. The run game is an also-ran in Kelly’s game philosophy and it puts the team at a disadvantage in all its games.
The Kelly spin has worn thin.
It would be different if Kelly actually used the run game with purpose as a game plan and it didn’t work out but that’s not what has happened.
Your right jimbasil, this winning 27 of the past 31 has got to stop!!
What about losing bowl games and barely beating underwhelming opponents? I guess that doesn’t have to stop right, Burgundy?
Go make apologies for your deep desire for just doing enough to not go anywhere or win anything important and get blown out in big games. Your BS excuses are the kinds of things that will keep ND mired in mediocrity for decades to come. But perhaps that’s what you actually want.
Like I said, Burgundy, you can run but you can’t hide. I’m calling your sarcastic BS out every chance I get.
Right Merlot, you read what I wrote only you forgot I posted on the running game and the use of RB’s. And it’s 35 – 13. It was 12 – 0 in a season where he had a better run game plan but still ND won ugly with his poor use of a run game (though better use of one last year thanks to Riddick – the guy he moved to Slot even before he coached a down of ND football – were by the way, I said moving Riddick was a mistake and would be poor use of his RB at the time).
What’s odd is almost all football people agreed – having Rees at the helm, the run game had better become a little more featured but no, UM and OKLA – no run game until the game was all but over. But keep posting.
Merlot!!!
Welcome, jimbasil, welcome indeed!
Atkinson, McDaniel, and Carlisle, are all Juniors and will benefit
from yet another year in the conditioning program.
And while some may say that Carlisle has disappointed thus far, it should
be remembered that he played very little at USC his freshmen year (1 game I think)
Then after transferring to ND , he missed considerable time due to injury.
In all actuality, this was his first full year in pads.
I think he still has big play possibilities and ND should continue to develop him.
He has excellent speed, which just happens to be one of the few things a coach can’t teach.
Then there are the two freshmen in Bryant and Folston who have both looked very good during their time on the field.
Great future and great upside for both players.
That leaves Will Mahone, … the forgotten man? Perhaps. But with two running QB’s in the mix starting next year, it would be reasonable to
expect ND to run more option. And a really good option normally starts with a good running and blocking fullback. Something Mahone has the ideal size and frame for.
(And something the ND offense has been missing for some time now.)
Will all these running backs stay? Will any transfer? Can’t say, but if they do all stay, it sure opens
a world of possibilities in the running game. And a lot of competition, which is a good thing!
Good points Shaz, wouldn’t be shocked to see somebody transfer. That’s a lot of backs with only one ball to go around. I’ll be interested to see if Folston can back up his performance this week against a much tougher front. If the kid produces this week he may be the real deal. I know it was Navy but the kid had a jump cut in the hole last week that you just can’t teach. Dude has some serious raw talent.
i think the running game the last two weeks was an aberration. it was the two weakest defenses they will face all year, also the most undersized. the line hasn’t block well for the run the entire season. tonight game is a perfect example. there wasn’t a single hole for a running back all game.
I like the idea of Folston and Cam McDaniel getting more carries earlier in the game. Let GAIII get his carries later in the game when the D is a little more worn out and more susceptible to breaking a run for a long TD. BK has had it backwards, running GAIII and Carlisle early is a mistake. Clearly Folston is the best all around RB. Feed him and learn from the Stanford model.
Go Irish beat Pitt
cant wait to watch him and bryant next year. now I see why that back from charlotte decommited.
if Bryant doesn’t transfer