It’s been just about 24 hours now since any slim hope that Notre Dame fans were holding on to for an undefeated season slipped away in just the second week of the season with a one point loss to the 15th ranked Georgia Bulldogs. The Irish had their chance(s) to win this one at the end, but simply couldn’t pull it off. With their first notch in the L column on the season, Notre Dame must now focus on not allowing things to snowball like they did a year ago. Just don’t ask Brian Kelly about that. I kid, I kid.
With that, here is the post game 6 pack now a bit later than ideally due to the late game, a tougher than expected journey for some late night eats in South Bend, and a travel day.
The sea of red was disgusting and embarrassing for Notre Dame and impressive for Georgia
Let’s get this one out of the way. Walking around Notre Dame’s campus all day the red was unavoidable but it didn’t seem that bad. Then we walked into the stadium. When we emerged through the walkway leading to our section the red hit you in the face immediately. Red as a color stands out in general, but this was bad. This was worse than 2000 Nebraska. This was a takeover.
I get it that Notre Dame fans stood to make a lot of money on selling their tickets, but come on man. Notre Dame fans let Georgia invade Notre Dame Stadium and turn it into a home game. Any Notre Dame season ticket holder who sold their tickets to UGA fans and heard Kirby Smart’s post game comments and didn’t feel ashamed, should lose their season tickets privileges.
At the same time, I have to give Georgia credit. Notre Dame fans travel well and I’ve seen a lot of Notre Dame fans in some big venues – most notably in Austin last year. But I have never seen anything close to what UGA pulled off. It was actually hard to look at all of the red in the stadium and not be jealous. One fan base showed out, the other sold out.
Notre Dame’s offensive line couldn’t go toe to toe with the Georgia defensive front
Almost equally as disappointing was the play of Notre Dame’s offensive line. Georgia has a good defense, but I still thought the Irish offensive line would be able to get some semblance of a push at times. It didn’t. Notre Dame’s NFL bound left side of the line did not look NFL ready on Saturday night. Now, that doesn’t mean that they won’t still be great this year or that they won’t still be high NFL draft picks. It just means that on Saturday night the Notre Dame offensive line as unit, played a really bad game.
Notre Dame might not face as athletic of a defensive front seven again this year as they did this weekend again all season so it will be tough to really judge if this was an aberration or more of an indication of how good this line actually is.
Even with the bad game, hats off to Mike McGlinchey for owning it like a professional and taking the lumps. A lot of Notre Dame fans are being entirely too hard and unfair on McGlinchey specifically today because of his missed block at the end that resulted in Wimbush’s game sealing fumble. He will bounce back. The line will bounce back. Hopefully this game film is seared in the memories and they avenge this performance next month when USC comes to town.
That Notre Dame defensive line though
I wrote a lot about how much of a concern the Notre Dame defensive line was this year. Every writer/blogger did. It was probably the number one concern going into the season, Through two games though, the Notre Dame defensive line has played very well. Jay Hayes has been an animal at SDE. Andrew Trumbetti has parlayed his strong camp into some big time contributions. Jonathan Bonner is showing that is much more than a starter by default. Daelin Hayes has shown that the hype surrounding him was warranted.
Now, the Georgia offensive line is not that good. Still, Notre Dame’s defensive line held both Sony Michel and Nick Chubb to less than 100 yards each on the ground. Who thought that was possible when fall camp started?
Through two games, the young kids have played pretty well too. Myron Tagovailoa Amosa and Kurt Hinish have been thrust into pretty prominent roles in the rotation but so far they haven’t looked out of place. The line still has work to do, but so far the early returns on this line after better than expected.
Brandon Wimbush will be fine with some more time
I was a little concerned with Brandon Wimbush coming into this game after watching him against Temple. Against the Owls he made plays simply by being a better athlete than anyone that Temple had on their defense. He wasn’t going to be able to do that against Georgia and sure enough he wasn’t able to. In fact, Wimbush looked like he wasn’t quite ready for prime time on Saturday.
He missed throws, he rushed his reads, he forced some passes. In short, he did everything that young, inexperienced quarterbacks do. I know we all wanted Wimbush to step in and be a finished, polished product in week two, but that expectation was simply not reasonable. That said, it was more than resonable to expect Wimbush to flash that potential at some point amid the inexperience. He didn’t.
I don’t think there is reason to be worried about Wimbush long term just yet though. If Wimbush has performances like this one against Boston College or Wake Forest or Miami of Ohio, well then we have something to worry about. If he comes out next week and tosses three touchdowns and runs for a pair, we’ll know he is back on track. He’ll also have four more games to work through these growing pains before the USC game.
Why Dexter Williams had 0 touches is mind boggling
I know Brian Kelly has been asked this yesterday and today now, but I just don’t understand how Dexter Williams didn’t get a single carry when it was clear this offense needed a spark. It’s not like what they were doing on offense was working in the second half so what did Notre Dame have to lose by giving Williams at least a couple carries? It just didn’t make any sense to me during the game and it makes even less sense to me after the game, but hey “get used to it” I guess right?
I am a big Josh Adams fan and headed into this game I felt like Tony Jones Jr might get more looks than Dexter Williams, but I never thought that Notre Dame would completely ignore him on offense either. Williams is a gamebreaker and has proven that almost every time he’s been given ample opportunity now. Unfortunately we’ll never know if he could have made a difference out there on Saturday night.
This loss is not the end of the world
This loss sucked because it didn’t have to be a loss. Notre Dame was winning this game in the fourth quarter despite numerous mistakes. And Notre Dame lost yet another close game in a prime time environment when they had an opportunity to make a statement. All that said, this loss isn’t the end of the world that some are making it out to be on the message boards. I expected Notre Dame to lose this game when I predicted the Irish would go 10-2 this year and I expected them to lose it all week long even before I walked into Georgia’s traveling home stadium on Saturday.
This team can still have a strong season though if they don’t let this snowball like last year. It starts next week with Boston College though. That game should not be close and if it is, then I’ll start to get concerned.
Ian Book.
ND called about 30 running plays and about 47 passing plays. Weren’t we supposed to be a bring your lunch pail, run the ball down their throats team this year?
EJS,
When they stack the box a little, we should pass, right? And we did…except in the second half especially, due to some adjustments (?) we could not protect the QB at all. They have a great front 7 on “D”…but some good old fashioned SCHEME blocking (Lou Holtz style) might have stung them a bit here and there with adjustments of our own after we had a chance to look over their twists and dogs…but I don’t think we have it in our playbook…which is OK in itself…you can’t have everything in there, there isn’t enough practice time pure and simple…but you need some kind of answer at halftime, and we’re not the team that came up with one.
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
UGA fan here. ND will have a winning season, at least a bowl eligible season so dont think this is a repeat of last years 4-8 season. Georgias D is for real, your offense is not that bad. As a separate perspective UGA made a good bit of mistakes on offense and Special teams that could have made the game a lot worse. 2 wide open TDs were dropped, a kick return inside the 10 was called back, a makeable fieldgoal was missed 12 penalties for us for nearly 130yds (to ND’s 88yds) turned the ball over at our own 20ish for the only score shortly after, and were starting true freshman QB in 1st ever start, as well as two more true fresh starters. I feel UGA can be a very good team. A crucial penalty went our way but we shot ourselves in the foot numerous times.
Since Georgia squeaked in by one point, I guess that means that Georgia will also have a winning season and be at least bowl eligible, too.
Dave, bail whenever your team is down. Great justification. I am sure Knute, Ara and Lou would be supportive of your position.
They’re dead. Feel free to spend your life living it as if you are too … I choose otherwise.
well…two. And the other ain’t the coach.
No this season will disappoint – the pattern is the same – no spark in the players or in the team – the play of the team just doesn’t excite – nothing that gets the team or the fans enthused. Its Kelly’s style ,
its his moniker and it ain’t gonna change. The energy of the Georgia coach was stark in comparison to the blasé aura surrounding Kelly. Kelly likely chooses players that fit his personna – staid and plodding – and the result is a team – like all his teams – that will never rise up to Championship caliber or win the big ones that count.
BGC, I like your pontificating, a little long. You remind me of the Priest who every Sunday would go on for twenty minutes to make his point. Well, behind his back members of the conGREGation complained to the Bishop. Of course word got back to Him. The next sermon He told us laughing” sorry, but, you all got to listen to me”
As a long time Irish fan and a 35 year resident of Atlanta, the season ticket holder sell out to Dawg fans was disgraceful no matter how you justify it. As a father of 2 girls who went to Alabama and living in SEC country, I can tell you without hesitation that SEC fans do not sell tickets to opposing fans for any game, let alone a big one like last Sat
First time I have ever been embarrassed to be an Irish fan.
SEC people keep telling me they cannot believe a true fan base would do that.
AD should remove those who sold from season ticket list and give them to real fans.
They keep telling me here that football is a religion and up north just a game
Looks like southerners are right about that. The team played well and should be proud.
The season ticket holders? Not so much
You should be totally embarrassed to be ” a fan ” of Notre Dame football AND Norte Dame University.
This ( self described ) ” Catholic School “. Couldn’t be farther from Catholic. Pro-Abortion, Pro-Sodomy, and groveling at the alter of affirmative action, Norte Dame is a Disgrace to Aithentic Catholics and an excellent example of Religious Hypocracy.
Only a moron or Hypocrite would support such a disgusting institution
Tim, You need to ask Father Burtchall (if you can even find him) about Notre Dame’s “pro-sodomy” position (as you seem to allege, without any facts). I’m sure he’ll straighten you out. And as far as pro-abortion? You’re just plain nuts, pal, and completely ill-informed. Just because we listen to other positions, rather than set up an impenetrable echo chamber like the “two-parties” do, and just because we occasionally praise somebody for the outstanding things he/she has achieved in life even though that person may not fit our/your model of perfection, does not mean we are “Less Catholic than Thou.” In fact, given Jesus’s propensity to “feast with sinners”, it might even be indicative of the opposite!
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
Bruce. This Tim is a troll, don’t waste your time. He’s obviously not a fan of ND but likes to troll around other team’s message boards. Must not have much of a life. I certainly don’t have time to spend on other team’s message boards.
Damian,
Thanks for the advice…I’ve only been posting for a year, so I’m still learning. BTW: My wife and I were at that NAVY game in Baltimore you went to. (Lord, I love Halloween weekend games)! We stayed at the Marriot right across from Camden Yard, went to the local ND Club dinner and ate crabcakes…and to the pep rally, which I think was in the baseball stadium. It was nice!
I saw WAY too much red in the stands on TV. No excuse for it. No excuse for not running Dexter Williams. I did not like running the same plays over and over with the same results.
The Irish need to adopt green shirts for the fans and stick with them. It should be a sea of green, not a sea of the opposing team colors.
Actually the Irish need to get a good football team for a change, THAT would bring back the crowds.
A new AD and a new coach who are more interested in winning football games with Catholic Student atheletes than harboring flunking out minority’s would be refreshing.
On the issue of Georgia fans invading our territory …. just deal with it. This was a perfect storm for Georgia bucket list trips. The first time they have played north of the Mason Dixon Line since 1965 or thereabouts ! Of course they’re gonna make the trip and pay ridiculous prices. Plus the Falcons played the Bears in Chicago and they also had the chance to sample the Cubs at iconic Wrigley Field.
And I think folks tend to forget that ND’s student body is only 8,000, not then 40,000+ that you see at so many state schools, and that inhibits a schools ability to stave off an invasion. Having said all that, i would NOT have sold a ticket to that game if I had one. Gotta go to the game !!!
Somebody below said this is an 8 win team. I kind of agree … 7-8 wins. Hope I’m dead wrong on the low side. Although extremely frustrating to be so close to winning the Georgia game, we can deal with it. But it is yet another bad data point for Kelly’s offense during crunch time in close games. Inexplicable not to be able to move the chains at all in two possessions. Our O-line is always overrated as a unit, yet it is baffling when we have so many O lineman go on to have fine NFL careers. Again, an indictment of Kelly’s offense.
So, okay, we lost to a pretty good UGA team by a point. Let’s deal with that. But I’ll be really ticked off if we don’t win the next 3. We must be 4-1 at the end of September. If not, we won’t see 8 wins and there are REAL problems with this program and specifically the coaching staff.
Wimbush has more than “growing pains ” to worry about
If Brian Kelly didn’t have an obsession for black quarterbacks, either because of his white guilt from being raised in a privileged family or purely because of racism, Norte Dame would be starting a potential Heisman Trophy candidate instead of a below average “B” grade ( probably “F” academically) recruit.
Brian Kelly’s job is on the line this year, as it should be for many reasons including his affirmative action approach to coaching.
All this is hopelessly lost on the poor brainwashed, cliche parroting students who choose to go to a school which is Pro-Abortion, Pro-Sodomy but calls itself ” Catholic ” and is the laughing stock of the Authentic Catholic World.
Another losing season for a LOSER COLLEGE !!
False Flag?
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
So now we have to give Wimbush “some more time.” It’s always one excuse after another. We can never expect to win NOW, apparently. Oh well, let’s get on to what’s important …. BK was rude to a reporter and Tillery committed some personal fouls last year.
Give me a break. What institution is more about taking the money and running than Notre Dame? We (fans) don’t give a damn about a $600 million stadium with a mediocre product in it. I don’t blame anybody at all for getting rid of their worthless tickets to a game we we are probably going to lose (which we did) for 5 or 6 hundo and up. Good for the Georgia fans who got a chance to see a game at Notre Dame Stadium. Who cares? Remember, last year was possibly the worst Notre Dame team of all time. Same with the Nebraska game a while back, we were coming off a year where we replaced the greatest coach of the modern era with an idiot and lost five or six games as a result. The people who should be ashamed are the people that accept mediocrity. Kelly sucks, he will not win a championship, he has won less big games than you can count on one hand in eight years. Put a winning product, a real ND team, on the field and you will see the stadium packed for games like this. it’s not on the fans, who have been loyal as hell during a couple decades of bullshit football. It’s on the administration. yeah, I’m sure the people that sold their tickets are really bummed out that they didn’t get to see a borderline top 25 team run 10 or 11 three and outs in a row. ???
The color scheme is not that important;Air Force, Navy, Army. More important is all the players being on the same page.
Thanks for this article. I came away astonished at how badly our O line was pushed around and was down. But hopefully you are right, that it is not the end of the worl. We played badly, and yet we were so close to pulling it off. I was also ashamed of our supposed fans who scalped their tickets. You are so right they should be removed from the list. Thanks! Murf.
How in the hell can you not run D. Williams? There are alot of top 25 teams who will. I dont expect him to sit too much. Of course we should be accustomed to losing highly touted recruits. Good job BK.
Dude is going to transfer if we don’t start playing him. May be the best back on the team
McGlinchey seems to be “owning it” a LOT these past two years. Just accept that he’s average.
I don’t think anyone is too shocked that the OL was so overrated. Seems to be an annual thing now.
Fire Brian Hire Chip
Sad but True
Here’s a question for people that are lucky enough to go to ND games, do a lot of students go? I see other CFB games and it seems like there’s a lot of students in the stands. You see the usual costumes, kids with chests painted that sort of thing. I really don’t see that at ND. Is there that rabid support by students and fans at the games. I haven’t noticed it before and am curious.
I an a ND Basketball fan as well, and thinking it back I swear there’s more enthusiasm at their home games then at football. You see more coordination, the same color, style shirts, that sort of thing. It’s loud at the football games, but I don’t get that same sense of support and enthusiasm at FB.
There are a little over 8000 students at ND. Almost all of them go and they are loud.
Don’t have 30-40k students like some of the big state schools.
Yeah, I had forgotten that ND for all the attention it does get, is actually a small school. It’s so easy to forget they aren’t a big school. I am glad to hear though that their fellow students support them. Just a shame everyone else seemed to bail on them this weekend.
Damian,
Almost every single undergraduate student goes. The price of their single ticket is paid as part of their overall fees – like a parking fee, or a lab fee!!! That is awesome. But Grad students are another story…to paraphrase an ancient rock and roll song…”a whole lotta SCALPIN’ goin on”
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
Thanks for the clarification. I guess I just wish the fans/students in the stands would show their pride a bit more like other schools. You can hear the crowd on TV, but you don’t seem to see the excitement like you do elsewhere. But that’s just my perception, maybe other people have a different take.
One of my bucket list items is to one day see a game at ND stadium. Unfortunately I live too far away to do it more than once, but one of these days I’m going to get to South Bend to see a game (I did get to see them play Navy in Baltimore several years ago which was great–they did win BTW, but it was during the Weis years and ND did everything it could to let Navy win that game, but Navy wasn’t having it that year Navy).
I can’t speak to the graduate students but the undergrads were there in full force and tried their best to be louder than the Georgia fans. Those were the only sections that had no red in them. Remember, there are only 8000 undergrads but there sections were full. The “problem” this year is that “The Shirt” (designed by students and sold as a fundraiser) this year and worn by most students and other fans is navy blue, not a color that stands out. Undergrads have to pay for their tickets but at half price. I also read that the agreement with Georgia is that they each get 8000 visitor tickets for the home and home series. Obviously that doesn’t account for the other 20k – 25k tickets. It wasn’t all season ticket holders because there aren’t that many. I am guessing many alums who bought single game tickets also sold their tickets. Resale on Vivid seats is now sanctioned by the university. As an alum and current parent, I was embarrassed by the invasion. I had extra tickets and sold them to a fellow classmate at face. Would never sell to the opponent in a big game like that. Hopefully we can return the favor in 2 years.
Most of ND’s undergrads attend the games. But you have to keep in mind that the school is a good bit smaller than a lot of other schools, so the ND students have less of an impact.
There are a lot more season ticket holders than you would think if you read the university’s silly pie chart breakdown. Strictly speaking, they make a distinction between “Season Ticket holders” and employees who buy their guaranteed season ticket package…I make no such distinction.
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
I actually do think Wimbush will get better. I think in some cases the O-line let him down. He made some bad decisions, sure, but if (a big if) he gets the right coaching those are teachable errors. We’ll see if Rees is a good QB coach or not by whether Wimbush grows out of some of these mistakes. But I didn’t really see anything that is not teachable. The O-line however, sad to say that still needs work. It shouldn’t. We keep hearing it’s an elite unit, though I have yet to see it.
The defense is getting better though. That was good to see. Last year they would have put up 40+ points on ND. Still a work in progress but its moving in the right direction.
Just one year, one freakin year I’d like to have a good offense and defense on the field, AT THE SAME TIME. Can’t we score a lot of points and make a lot of stops in a pivotal game like this.
And I still can’t move past the whole sea of red thing. I see more support at the Basketball games then football anymore. Other CFB teams you see rabid fans and students in the stands. Where is that for ND. Even if you hate BK, at least support the players. Who knows, maybe a more hostile crowd would have disrupted Georgia’s players just enough to make that one key miss. It doesn’t excuse poor plays or coaching, but every little bit helps.
I share the frustration of not having a good offense and defense the same year. Evert year there’s a
key component missing which keeps ND from having a complete time – this year it’s receivers.
Damian, I know it wont make you feel any better, but us Georgia fans have been saying the same thing for years ! One year we have a good offense/bad defense, then next it is reversed. It will drive you to drink (more).
It was a good/hard fought game Sat. A bit sloppy at times by both teams but it was a “slobber knocker” (I like those physical games).
Regarding UGA fans in the stands and slamming your fans for selling them. You have to face it, a game at ND is a bucket list type game for most teams (unless you have played there a lot. I have actually been lucky enough to see a number of games there – catholics vs convicts and multiple ND/USC games). Georgia fans had this game circled since it was announced and as we saw did not mind paying a boatload for a ticket.
I’ll tell you this, if an ND fan wants to buy my ticket for the rematch in Athens in 2019 and is willing to pay what Georgia fans paid for this game – Id sell in a second. A lot of other Georgia fans would too, regardless of what they say on these boards.
Good game, great town and hospitality, and good luck the rest of the year. I cant wait until we tee it up again in 2019 !
To the whole lot of you,
I find it fascinating that many of the same folks who have been ranting and railing for 18 months on this site that our stadium isn’t hostile enough to opposing teams, and mostly blaming that on elderly alumni who like to sit during the games, are now defending the SELLOUTS for selling their tickets to the highest price bidders from Georgia!
Bruce G. Curme
La Crosse, Indiana
I was at the game I think the comments about Georgia’s “home advantage” were a little bit exaggerated and a lot unfair. Two things I’d point out:
1. I take it as a point of pride that Georgia fans were willing to shatter their piggy banks to see Notre Dame.
2. They weren’t that dominant. I read 30,000 vs. 50,000. Sure, the student section could swing that to even but Notre Dame still should have had a home advantage.
3. People (outside of Georgia) have jobs and schedules and have to sell their tickets sometimes. Most of the time, you’re as likely or more likely to sell to an ND fan as an opposing fan, so let’s all settle down.
Now, I do have a couple legitimate gripes:
1. Notre Dame fans need to get loud. This is a longstanding problem but when 30,000 are louder than 50,000 by a wide margin it’s time for some change.
2. The Shirt changing colors every year is a complete travesty. Kelly Green stands out like crazy and isn’t particularly common among college football programs. Stop changing the damn color and let’s see a sea of green.
Maybe that’s true. On TV though it really did look like a Georgia home game. It didn’t help that the NBC announces noted about 142 times that it was a sea of red. But your right, ND needs to get loud. I never paid much attention to it in the past but I know some fans here have complained that when they go to games others have complained about it being too “noisy”. It’s a CFB game. Its SUPPOSED to be noisy. It’s not golf people. And the color didn’t help either. Since ND fans vary in their colors, it only made the sea of red look worse.
I like what you wrote, Justin. But look, if you, or others, read my rant against the SELLOUTS, you might ask yourself (or me) why I’m still friends with the secretary who shows up with a handful of 25 tix, and with the family friend who scalps his wife’s pair. That’s easy…BECAUSE THEY ONLY SELL TO ND FANS! They don’t go through some online ticket broker, and before that, they never sold through PJ’S Tickets (if you know what that was). So even though I don’t condone it, it does not hurt the team…and to me, that’s a huge difference. So you can know who you are selling to; it’s just less convenient (and probably a little less money.)
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
Fair point, Bruce. When I sell, I usually try Facebook and then sell through Stubhub if nothing comes through. Scalping is great in theory even if you make a little less money (doubtful, given StubHub’s rake), but ND fans and grads live all over the country.
At any rate, not sure 10,000 less Georgia fans would have swung the outcome of the game. Disappointing to lose a winnable game but encouraging to show up and make it a great game early in a transition season with new QB, coaches, etc. This was not a humiliating loss a la USC 2016 or ASU 2013 (ugh) etc. If Georgia beats Mississippi State now the pollsters will forgive us.
Count on Kelly’s teams to come up big in the small games and small in the big games. How about this Notre Dame Administration. Pull the tickets from the fair weather fans and sell them to the dedicated fans. Does anyone think this will happen?
NO.
Bruce G. Curme
La Crosse, Indiana
I agree that the O-line had a rough time on Saturday but it was mostly because they were outnumbered most of the night. UGA routinely had 7 and most often 8 in the box. Kelly simply refuses to use his tight ends over the middle because he’s scared to death of a turnover. How about recruiting a QB you have enough confidence in to make the throw to the TE’s? 8-12 yards dumps over the middle will force the D to play things honest and eliminate most of those blitzes. This has been Kelly’s MO since Eifert graduated and good teams do this to us every game. They blitz from the corners while rolling up into press coverage because everyone knows what BK will and wont do. The O-line did have their problems but the play calling and offensive game plan did nothing to put them in a position to be successful.
I just want to point out one thing that I was really upset with Wimbush about…the play late in the 4th where he could have easily put his shoulder down and gotten the 1st down to keep the chains moving but instead tries to make an even bigger play trying to get to the outside. This was such a crucial play in the game and I went furious yelling at the TV about it. I just read on another site Wimbush addressing this exact play in one of his conferences and how he blames himself for not being aware of the chains and implications of not getting that first down. I was really glad to hear him take ownership of that and grow himself as a leader in that aspect. Football is just as mental as it is physical and I think that one play and Wimbush knowing how huge it was now is going to make him a better leader going forward understanding those small things make huge differences in the game.
That was my exact same opinion on that particular play…put your head down and drive to the first down yardage. Given the point in the game, the team’s leader needs to know the situation and make good decisions. What I saw from Wimbush during the game was not leadership…it was fear. Every head shot of Wimbush showed a young man that appeared glassy-eyed and wondering, and certianly was not prepared well enough to lead his team. If the offensive leader of the team displays these traits, they trickle down to the rest of offense, as it appeared to. Acknowledging that the O-line played terrible, I also thought Wimbush when he had opportunities to make plays made poor decisions on reads and executed poorly. His passes were way off even when he did have a little time to throw. The other thing that bothered me is his mechanics. He did not look good back there when throwing. If as Kelly has indicated this is the best QB to run his offense, that really scares me about this offense.
NO! NEVER PUT YOUR HEAD DOWN! ARE YOU CRAZY? I HOPE NO COACH EVER TOLD YOU THAT.
1. It’s a spectacular way to get hurt…BADLY.
2. You can no longer see your opponent or where you are going, in case your opponent screws up and misses the tackling opportunity.
LOWER YOUR HIPS AND DIP YOUR SHOULDER.
Thank you for passing this on to your young boys who may decide to play football someday.
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
As a “Senior” Alum I can tell you that the ticket problem has been going on for a long time. Staff and faculty – not all of them, but a lot – would buy season tickets at a very discounted price and then give them to their children to sell to get some quick cash back in the day. Today, in the world of “brokers” -the politically correct term for scalpers – the problem is worse. Any Faculty, Staff, or Alumni who are selling their tickets for profit should lose their right to buy them, period. There are many, many alumni and fans who would love to go to a game but have to enter a lottery or be at the mercy of mercenaries. This is a systemic problem that must be rooted out once and for all.
THANK YOU PERRY! The problem was NEVER with the contributing alumni. Yes, there have been a few jerks, and probably always will be a few, but the key thought is this: very few compared to University employees!
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
As a loyal supporter, this individual is disappointed that the University no longer cares about the common fan. My husband and I are just common folk, we save all year long to go to a game/weekend getaway. The current costs are WAY out of our budget range. And after 30+ years, this will be our first one without an ND game.
AJ,
I’m not exactly sure when the University did care about the common fans, other than to market caps, sweatshirts, jerseys, etc. to them, but at least the University used to be able to inspire millions with its unique spirit. I see that fading fast now after 35-40 years of putting money above almost, but not quite, everything. And the sea of red camera shots by NBC probably accelerated that even more. You cannot worship both God and money…you just can’t.
Bruce G. Curme
La Crosse, Indiana
Years ago, a student working his way through ND called me, an alumni, for a donation.
I told the student when ND starts charging tuition to worthy students based on their family income,
then I’d donate. I encouraged him to suggest that to his supervisor. The student thought it was a great idea, especially with ND’s millions in their endowment, millions more from rich alumni, and all that NBC money flowing in, and assured me he’d tell his supervisor.
Each time I get called, sometimes several times a year, I tell the student calling about my idea,
and each student thinks it’s a great idea, and promises to tell his/her supervisor.
Needless to say, the idea hasn’t caught on, resulting in me saving thousands of dollars not donating
“Follow the money” is alive and well when it comes to American politics and college football, and ND
is no exception. Getting money from those with the most without extracting dollars from the most ardent but less wealthy fans might actually give the team loud enthusiastic support at home games, and allow non-wealthy ND fans to experience a ND game day they could better afford.
So when I got the chance to walk the walk, I did.
I got my name drawn at a local club drawing and couldn’t go to the Georgia game.
I was encouraged by several local “fans” to sell them.
“You could get hundreds of dollars for each of the two”, they assured me.
So I gave them to a friend who’s a rabid ND fan who couldn’t afford the tickets, especially a scalper’s price. He took his son with him to the Georgia game, and I assure you they didn’t wear red!
I didn’t ask him for the money I donated to be in the drawing, money that was going towards a ND scholarship for a worthy local student, aware how one gets his money and how he uses it is often a true test in determining the worth of his character.
If only the ND administration who set the outlandish prices for each game, especially the ones vs. quality opponents, had the same attitude.
I know! Not a chance! But at least I did my part when I had the chance.
Maybe you’ll get your chance to do the same.
AWESOME, Michael. But I think what you wrote above probably sounds like Chinese to the SELLOUTS and Administrators out there.
Bruce G. Curme
La Crosse, Indiana
Been there, done that many times in many ways, Mike. I still take “locals” I meet in Northern Indiana to a game on me if I find out they’ve never been to one in their lives before…most recently I took six guys from DeLams tavern here in La Crosse to the Virginia Tech game. One of them once installed sprinklers in the Library, St. Ed’s Hall, and I think the Church at ND during a long renovation, but he’d never been to a game. He had been to Nam, though! BTW – the only other tavern in La Crosse is Krueger’s Korner Klub. I don’t drink there.
BGC
I didn’t like losing, and I didn’t like some of the things that others have pointed out (Wimbush’s performance, for example). I also see a whole lot of fussing on the part of Notre Dame fans, and don’t much like that either. Interestingly, I see just as many Georgia fans fussing about how close they came to losing. Both teams are pretty much on the same trajectory, years of disappointments, and hordes of people with the attitude that if only the team did it MY way, everything would be fine. I doubt it.
All the “sea of red” stuff, fans selling off their tickets for a grand apiece and all, has a lot of its basis in fans having lost faith in the team. If you’ve lost faith in the team, you have no business bellyaching about the fans who sell their tickets. The only difference between you and them is that they had tickets to sell and you didn’t.
I saw a lot of things that I liked, personally. If we had played Georgia last year, the score would have been something like 52-27 in favor of Georgia. This is a much better team than last year — so far. I still say Brian Kelly gets his year before I decide he’s not up to the job (if he loses three out of the next five, I might change my mind, though). I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next four games.
To those fans who are in the habit of complaining about the team: if you think your complaining is having a positive effect, you’re dreaming. If you think it doesn’t (or don’t care one way or the other), then you’re not a real fan. Come back and tell everyone what a fan you are when we start winning again.
Bob, do you really think the ONLY difference between some of us and the SELLOUTS is that we do not have a ticket! Really? C’mon man – the faulty idea that “true patriots must never criticize their country or the behavior of some of their soldiers” went out of vogue with the Southeast Asian War Games 50 years ago when such thinking had serious consequences. I hope it has not been replaced by some weird kind of “true fans never criticize their coach or their players’ execution” formulation about criticism which has little or no lasting consequences one way or another compared to the practically indelible damage to the University the NBC shots of the stadium crowd last week had. Shall we ban Monday morning quarterbacking, along with talking about My Lai? Wow.
Yes, some of the criticism is nutty and counterproductive, and maybe even “false flag.” But some of it is right on the money.
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
“Funny,” Marvin intoned funereally, “how just when you think life can’t possibly get any worse it suddenly does.”
“We can’t all, and some of us don’t,” said Eeyore. “That’s all there is to it.”
“Can’t all what?” said Pooh, rubbing his nose.
“Gaiety. Song-and-dance. Here we go round the mulberry bush.”
Exit 36…”And each time I fall so far below some previous hell so as to make looking up at that hell seem as if it had actually been a heaven by comparison to my new surrounds.” The archbishop.
Breath…we don’t need to be obscene ourselves to fight obscenity.
Bruce G. Curme
La Crosse, Indiana
Oh, and to suggest a reason that Dexter didn’t get any touches: He’s only ever been a dynamic runner when there’s clear daylight for him to run at. My guess is he still can’t make his reads. I mean, he can probably do it better than Wimbush, but…
Well you’re blind dude….
Well then let the sightless seer take you tenderly by the shorthairs and show you the way.
There’s currently a conundrum vexing the football coaching world surrounding the differences between pro style blocking theory and zone blocking theory. The position most affected by this is the running back. In pro, the running back has a designated hole that he is taught to commit to in faith that it will open. The cardinal sin is to bounce out of the hole just before it opens, demonstrating a lack of confidence in your OL that is usually reciprocayed. Only when a back gets very experienced is he allowed to go all barry sanders and get improvisational. The zone, however is the mental opposite. Backs are taught to run in a general area, or zone, to feel the movement of the line, and react to the movement of the linebackers. This is why training is usually done with linebackers using different colored helmets. Dexter, who’s a great athlete has very little experience with zone, which is more challenging to learn, especially when pro has already been ingrained. So, I’m not knocking the guy. Just pointing out a well known deficiency in many running backs. A really good example, if you’re interested is Arian Foster. A guy that wasn’t expected to amount to much in the NFL. But, because he had been trained since boyhood in zone running, and landed at a zone team, became an amazing player while “slow and overweight”.
Some 10 years ago, one of my brothers, the supreme Notre Dame fan in all Southern California approached the local Notre Dame Club to incite the crowd at the pep rally the night before the game. He was upset with prior rallies that were dull, listless. He is just a subway alum and promised to leave out unappropiate language. He was turned down with the excuse “we are more than a football school” Its no wonder we are losing as a way of life now.
Greg, For a long time pep rallys were completely orchestrated by the Department of Development and quite different from the ones I remember as a youth…all possibility of any spontaneity was ruthlessly stamped out by the chief choreographer…the guy wouldn’t even let us bring a Irish Terrier to an outdoor rally once! So I stopped going. But for the Temple game my brother and I decided to go, just to see what was up. And to our surprise, it actually resembled a good, clean, fun pep rally again (with some neat high tech additions). The students actually looked like they were having “fun” as I understand it. So maybe your brother should try again…maybe Development has finally gotten its jackboots off the necks of the Clubs too!
I completely apologize to everyone in the Department of Development, and to their families. The term “jackboots” should never be applied to good hardworking people. I’m sorry. I lost my ancestors’ “British Cool.”
Something in the Southern California post above reminded me of an old wound from years ago when I was still involved with my Club, the Notre Dame Club of La Porte County (founded by Frank Leahy as the Notre Dame Club of Michigan City). It was from the beginning years of Developments grand plans to redistribute, reprice and remarket ND tickets. The final flower of that plan just bloomed last Saturday at the Georgia game.
No excuses though. My choice of language was flat out wrong, and unfair. I apologize again.
Bruce G. Curme
La Porte County, Indiana
The customer is always right, and everything is for sale for some price.
Customers of Georgia football wanted to buy the tickets much more badly than customers of ND football wanted to keep them. Go figure.
I felt like Kelly coached in the 4th quarter not to lose instead of to win. Sitting on a 2 point lead against a good team is just stupid.
John,
GA’s offense was completely one dimensional. Their offense basically did nothing the whole night. Neither did ours. You can’t blame Kelly for anything from this aspect of the game. Our defense was stopping them so why force things on offense when you don’t have to. Some other poster in a different article even had the nerve to say that Kelly should have gone for it on the 4th down when ND was down by 1 instead of kicking the field goal late in the game. Kelly made all the right calls this game.
Absolutely embarrassing! The amount of red on television was sickening. If you sold you’re ticket, you’re no longer allowed to complain about this program again. A large loud home crowd would’ve been nice to try and rattle. True freshman QB.
Plus it was a huge recruiting weekend. What do you think all those kids thought? Wow ND home crowds are sell outs. If ND misses on some kids this weekend, I would absolutley blame the crowd and the people who sold their tickets. Go away and find a new team.
*Your
Maybe selling your ticket was the greatest sign of protest a Notre Dame fan could have displayed. How else do you communicate to the BOT and powers that be that your sick of the direction of the program and sick of the losing? My refusing to donate the $500 to the Sorin Society really isn’t going to go noticed. Embarrassing the University on NBC after having them spend $400 million on ND Stadium and the school not being able to make any of the money on the secondary market that might get some people’s attention.
Frank, you wrote another good one. But I need to finish one of your sentences…”revoke their season ticket privileges” FOR LIFE, with NO EXCEPTIONS, NO ‘CIRCUMSTANCES’, AND NO APPEAL…in short, to paraphrase an old Western…”we ain’t gonna be understanding and we ain’t gonna try again – YOU JUST LOST YOUR TICKET PRIVELEDGES FOR LIFE. And if we catch you selling for other ticket holders as well, essentially acting as a broker – YOU ARE FIRED AS WELL.
As for my (and others) harsh criticism of Mr. McGlinchey…well he’s a big boy…I’m betting he’s the kind of guy who can take it and make something of it. He’s already taken the first step, as you noted.
Thanks again Frank…you did write this one, right?
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82
Sorry, Bruce, but those days are gone. There used to be a close sibling of that policy in place. People wouldn’t put their seat numbers on secondary sales sites to avoid being caught scalping.
Then the University sold out.
The partnership with Vivid Seats encourages resale. No bias as to whom or where. ND football is now only a money making enterprise. “For a few extra dollars, Touch the sign!”
What the current stewards saw on Saturday was not red, but green. It’s the color of the Money they’ll make by raising ticket prices for premium games in the coming years, and selling them to the visiting public.
I, for one, cannot blame reselling “fans”/entrepreneurs for following the University’s lead and making themselves a buck or two.
Notice the absence of CAPS in this post. I’m no longer angry, just sad. In a way, I envy your remaining passion. Mine is gone.
For what it’s worth, I’ll be there for the Miami OH game. If for no other reason than to prevent one more red shirt, but I wish I believed it made a difference.
Your ND football program, and mine, is in deep hibernation. It will only awaken after Jenkins, Jack, and Kelly are gone.
They will be, someday. Then we can do a damage assessment, and right (or raise) the ship.
Bill Broderick ’95
What stinks is this game did not have to be a loss. One point. Reminds me of the BB loss against Kentucky in the Elite 8 3 years back. One more score. I’m still having a hard time wrapping my brain around ND people selling their tickets to Georgia fans. I read Bruce’s comment about why that is and if true maybe ND needs to translate how they distribute tickets. I can tell you on TV it looked like a Georgia home game. Shameful and embarrassing
Analyze how they distribute…stupid auto correct
How about dedicating a section to “Brian Kelly once again can not close out an important prime time game against a ranked opponent? This loss was more on coaching or lack their of as it was from poor execution from the players. In my opinion this loss turns up the heat to EXTRA HIGH on the hot seat for coach Kelly.
I think I’ve seen enough of those already, thanks.
A point loss to Georgia does not, I think, turn up the heat on BK as you put it, especially if it is the only loss heading into the bye week before USC, as I strongly suspect it will be.
Bruce G. Curme ’77 ’82