Notre Dame (football only discussion)

[sandgk]

Ouch - Kravitz at the Indy-Star on the upcoming Purdue / ND game.

(Focus on the "surprising" 4th best pass defense.)

By the third year, a program should be heading in the right direction. Especially one with Notre Dame's talent, tradition and media stature. Fine, we understand Willingham wasn't a great recruiter, and we understand that Weis' first recruiting class in 2005 was limited by time constraints, but that doesn't begin to explain how utterly inept the Irish have been the first month of the season.
As Tuesday's media get-together continued, it was pretty clear Tiller wasn't going to pile on Notre Dame or Weis, so I asked a general question.
"How many years did it take before you, as a coach, felt like you'd put your stamp on this program?"
Tiller answered, "I think about our third year. Our first year (9-3 in 1997), we were playing predominantly coach (Jim) Colletto's recruits, although we did have some freshmen, like Vinny Sutherland, who made an impact. By our third year, I think all of our (recruits) were playing. But I don't think it was a recruiting issue as much as it was an attitude issue, a belief issue. By year three, I think everybody in the program was convinced that we could be successful."
It's not like Weis was taking over at, say, Indiana University. Or Duke. Or Stanford, the school Willingham took to a Rose Bowl. He took over Notre Freaking Dame, claiming he would work his X's-and-O's voodoo on an unsuspecting college game and out-scheme his team's way back to glory.
Now, just because Notre Dame has fallen on its sword this season doesn't mean Weis is a lousy coach, doesn't mean that the Irish are doomed to be dreadful for the next decade. His most recent recruiting class has been ranked at or among the best in the nation. What it means is that Weis' performance this season has been indefensible. Notre Dame is allowed to have off years, but Notre Dame is not allowed to look this confused, this utterly overmatched.
At least it has the fourth best pass defense in the nation.
If it didn't, imagine how bad it would be.

The rest of the article is also well done.

 

[Dryden]

At least it has the fourth best pass defense in the nation.

Facing Georgia Tech, Penn State, Michigan, and Michigan State? I'd hope so.
That's two first year starters, a true freshman making his first start ever, and Morelli.

When you can run it down the other teams' throat, you don't bother with the pass.

 

[wadc45]

South Bend Tribune: Improved effort aside, ND numbers numbing

Speaking of changes, how will quarterback Demetrius Jones? transfer affect Notre Dame?

Well, he may have company. Rumblings that sophomore tight end Konrad Reuland is leaving the program should be cleared up today. When reached via cell phone Sunday night, Reuland deferred to speaking until today, saying ?I?ve still got a lot to think about.?

Jones, a sophomore from Chicago, has done his thinking and his talking and walked away in classy fashion Saturday, showing up and supporting his former teammates in their 31-14 loss to Michigan State and also making sure to mend fences with Weis. He also took time to allay any concerns Chicago-area linebacker recruits Steve Filer and Darius Fleming may have had about the reasons for his exodus.

In the end, it was a happy ending for everyone, and ideally that?s the way it should be. To this day, Jake Kelchner talks about Lou Holtz?s help in his transfer to West Virginia, not only resurrecting his football career but changing for the better the pitch of his life.

 

[BlockOFanatic]

I just absolutely love the Fact that ND is 0-4 right now.


I hate pretty much 90% of their fans.

 

[ulukinatme]

That South Bend article was pretty good, good to see that Demetrius Jones is doing things the right way here by mending fences and talking to the Illinois recruits to ease any of their concerns for next season.
I was at the game Saturday, and the difference the first half was noticeable on offense. The O-line was more physical, they gave up 4 sacks all game, but thats better than 9, 6, and 8 in the other 3 games. They opened some holes good holes for a change for some positive rushing. If the physical practices last week were a factor in the team play the first half, I'd like to see more of them. 2nd half the offense was back to sputtering, but at least the potential is there. Its interesting to see that more Freshmen and Sophomores are starting to make it to the field, as some were deemed not ready by Georgia Tech but now they've caught up to the Seniors and Juniors.

 

[sandgk]

ulukinatme:

Quick stat check.

What was the ratio of intended pass plays to sacks in the earlier games versus Saturday's?

I have not computed it, but I suspect the heavier diet of running plays against MSU accounts for the majority of the reduction in sacks, not overall improved line play (though it was better than earlier games).

 

[ulukinatme]

Thats a good point, I think I'm just holding on to the improvement in the running game I saw last week I've been waiting for Aldridge to have a good game, and when the O-line was blocking, he did pretty good. He showed some nice runs when he got into the open field, and till Saturday he hadn't gotten the opportunity to make it that far past the line. I think I will have to wait till we're in a heavy passing situation to evaluate any improvements to pass protection, Clausen does need to throw it away sooner though. On more than one occasion this season I've watched him scrambling right or left, looking for an open receiver, only to get sacked from behind.

 

[ysubuck]

Is Demetrious Jones allowed to "allay the concerns" of ND recruits?

On another note, does anyone really think that ND can go from being this bad, to any good by next year? Or even the year after?

 

[NFBuck]

On another note, does anyone really think that ND can go from being this bad, to any good by next year? Or even the year after?

No. Teams don't suddenly get this bad without either a serious lack of talent or a serious lack in coaching. Yeah, they're young. So is tOSU. Also, it's not like they're getting blown out this season by USC and LSU. Ga. Tech, PSU, scUM and MSU. Not exactly murderers row this season, yet they've been severely whooped each game. Weis has brought in one of the nations top recruiting classes the last two years, yet they can hardly move the ball or stop the opposition from moving the ball. What's wrong with that equation? Simple math.

 

[Saw31]

Is Demetrious Jones allowed to "allay the concerns" of ND recruits?

On another note, does anyone really think that ND can go from being this bad, to any good by next year? Or even the year after?

No. Teams don't suddenly get this bad without either a serious lack of talent or a serious lack in coaching. Yeah, they're young. So is tOSU. Also, it's not like they're getting blown out this season by USC and LSU. Ga. Tech, PSU, scUM and MSU. Not exactly murderers row this season, yet they've been severely whooped each game. Weis has brought in one of the nations top recruiting classes the last two years, yet they can hardly move the ball or stop the opposition from moving the ball. What's wrong with that equation? Simple math.

While I agree with your post generally, it's going to be very hard not to get better...I mean, the bar isn't set very high at the moment. Positive rushing yards after the first three games would be an improvement after all...:p

 

[Steve19]

Is Demetrious Jones allowed to "allay the concerns" of ND recruits?

I guess the real point is, how could he honestly do so? If these recruits are stupid enough to play for this coach, then they deserve what they get.

 

[BrutusBobcat]

I was discussing Ntre ame's situation with a GT fan who, after hearing me blame Weis for all of NoD's issues, wanted to know why. Putting a little reflection into it, I think the main reason he's been a failure is player development.

As an assistant in the pros, he worked in a world where it's less about developing a player to fit your system and more about obtaining players who already do. Yes, you bring rookies along for their first couple of years, but most NFL teams are dominated by veteran players of 3-6 years experience in the league. When they improve, it's by increments and not by leaps and bound. Weis doesn't seem to have a handle on how much players grow and change in college, both physically and in their skill sets. Starting a very raw freshman at QB is exhibit A of this.

Note also that Brady Quinn didn't appear to improve measurably or become more effective under the "offensive genius" Weis than he was under Willingham. That's a red flag right there.

A second problem for Weis is that his experience in developing NFL offenses is much less useful in college. The players are at a different level, and may not understand the assignments of more complex schemes as quickly and easily, and may not have the skills to execute them as well. As an example, let's take a timing route that an NFL QB and receiver have worked on repeatedly over several seasons. The receiver is so skilled and practiced that he can run it and step in his same footsteps every time. The QB is so practiced that his delivery can put the ball in the same spot with the same velocity at the same instant in the route. Weis worked with some of the very best football players on the planet in the pros. College kids can't do the same things as consistently, and Weis has not yet adjusted to what they can and can't do.

Finally, I think he lacks the father figure/mentor persona that a good college coach needs. Former players of great coaches love their old coach. From Woody's boys to Bear's boys to current-day Tressel kids and Petey's #1 guys, there's an aspect of college football where you have to be the kind of guy that your players would walk over hot coals for if you asked.

Another interesting thing about Weis is that you never hear about him visiting other universities to learn what they do. If he were smart and less arrogant, he'd pick a school that's not on his usual list of opponents, like Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU or West Virginia, and go watch practice.

Unless Weis changes radically as a person and as a coach, I don't think that he's going to be a success at the college level. His approach clearly doesn't work, and he's rapidly wrecking their program.

 

[NFBuck]

Note also that Brady Quinn didn't appear to improve measurably or become more effective under the "offensive genius" Weis than he was under Willingham. That's a red flag right there.

This is the only part I disagree with. Quinn was infinately better his Jr. year than he was as a Soph. How much of that was Weis is pretty unclear now. Maybe it was just that Quinn fit better in Weis' system, or maybe it was just a young QB maturing.

 

[zincfinger]

[Aldridge] showed some nice runs when he got into the open field

Isn't that bound to be true pretty much by definition?

 

[BB73]

This is the only part I disagree with. Quinn was infinately better his Jr. year than he was as a Soph. How much of that was Weis is pretty unclear now. Maybe it was just that Quinn fit better in Weis' system, or maybe it was just a young QB maturing.

I agree, NF. When Quinn started his junior year I thought it was just ND hype that got him Heisman consideration. But he earned a 4th place Heisman finish that year.