play calling. Again ND should have won this game. And again coaching which includes all those penalties cost ND the game. Only had one time out left at 3:00 minutes. Why? These players are good and have heart.
Got the ball at the 48 with 2 minutes. The play calling went into the toilet. Kelly was like a deer in the headlights. If he wants to take control and win that was his time. Once again. With two minutes to go the offense gained 7 yards. Imagine that 7 yards, sounds like the play callers didn’t have a clue how to advance the ball and win the game. Do something different. A RB swing pass, a screen, a bootleg? There was plenty of time. There was a quick throw to Claypool that worked. Why not keep working that. Or a surprise draw. If it doesn’t work so be it but could be a big breaker.
It’s not Book’s fault look to the sidelines they call the plays. I won’t criticize Book again.
I’ll add this. Imagine the pressure on Book knowing that this team has no running game. So it’s all on his shoulders. That’s the fault of Kelly and Long. And every defense will rush every down since there is no running game. It’s the coaches that are screwing this offense.
So for the rest of the year. I’ll take on anyone who complains about Book. Who put him in this position? Kelly.
Finally, watch the Flea Flicker play. Besides the fact it shouldn’t have been called only two receivers went down field and they were both on the same right side of the field 10 yards apart. Who the hell designed that play? It ended with an interception but Book had few options. Long or Kelly are just incompetent. Watch the play.
These games matter and this is the difference with a professional coaching group and what Kelly brings to the table. I’m sorry Holtz had his faults but he would have won several of these games Kelly keeps giving away.
This is the difference of being an elite team or a Kelly almost good enough team. Argue with me if you want but watch the game first. ND had the superior team and lost.
denominator in all this.
What's crazy is that Kelly thought inserting a MAC talent in Malik Zaire was the solution back then
If personal coaches and NFL coaches and other university coaches could not get high caliber performance from them then why expect ND to do that.
The big problem is elite QBs, the kind who can come in and make an impact as Freshmen, do not want to go to ND regardless of who the coach is.
Defenses, injuries, no Will Fuller, etc
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Lost the BEST WR in the country. Probably the best Big Play WR of the last 10 years.
Lost his #2 WR.
Lost an NFL RB that was one of (probably the best) receiving RB's in the country.
If you just watched ND's offense, and didn't pay attention to results, or Kelly's smug comments at the end of the year, this was pretty simple to see that Kizer play extremely well and improved in year 2.
But they went 4-8 in a year or high expectations, so he takes the hit. Part of it.
You offer reasons for why that might happen other than his individual play, and I think those are valid. But I don’t think that makes a convincing case that he was “better.” And, as I commented below, my impression of him from observation and memory is that he was not “better” in season 2.
I understand why fans say these things, because media hot takes skew opinions.
I just break the game down and make my own opinion.
Kizer was better in year 2 and definitely didn't regress.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion. You’ve made no case for it, though.
a QB competition with a MAC level QB. Gave half the reps away so that Kizer could bot prepare for the season properly
47
39
28
35
50
3 (hurricane)
17
30
27
44
31
27
ND's offense scored enough points that year to have a significantly better season.
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Which is 5 to 7 more wins that year.
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ND scored a lot of points. Kizer was actually more productive in year 2. As was Golson.
This idea that ND QBs regress in year 2 is something that's been made up.
Winbush would be the only legitimate example and that's because a running QB lost two Top 10 OL draft picks and the offense changed.
His completion percentage, yards per pass, and QB rating were worse in year 2. In year 1, he was thrust into it and did well. I expected a step forward in year 2.
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I think ND needs a better OC. Either that or Kelly is still more involved than he should be.
confident ND would win?
To be honest, Tommy Rees is the most recent ND QB that I can remember where that was my gut feel. (Never had that with Zaire, Kizer, Golson, Wimbush. Never really had that with Clausen either.). Before that, it was Quinn
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Watch some cartoons or something.
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As I am copying and pasting here. My take away from that quarter (that's all I analyzed) was the plays were there, but kids didn't make plays, including Book.
Let's break down the plays.
1 and 10 - Run right for 4 yards. Jones is a little tentative or it could have been a 5 to 6 yard gain but nice play to open the half.
2nd and 6. Pass to Jones falls incomplete. So this is the area Book struggles the most. The DE are fanning wide and deep. His drop is too deep and he doesn't step up quick enough. Jones was open and the correct read, but the poor drop and step up causes Book to double clutch and deliver a bad ball. Jones also has a poor effort on the ball. Should have been a pitch and catch first down.
[IMG]
3rd and 6 pass dropped by Finke. Interception. Book makes the right read. Finke has to make the catch in a big game.
1st and 10 - RPO. Book pulls and passes to Keys in the flat. Bad read by Bool. UGA had 6 in the box vs 6 blockers. The Run read is on the DE and he doesn't crash. The PO is on the Safety and he doesn't crash. That is an AUTO handoff. He pulls and throws instead for 2 yard gain. Easy 5 yard or more gain if he makes the right read. There was also CB blitz on the backside. If Jones gets room to cut back it could go a long way.
1st photo shows 6 in the box.
[IMG]
2nd shows DE staying wide and Safety not crashing. You also see the CB blitz on the backside.
[IMG]
2nd and 8 - book incomplete to Kmet almost an interception. Book locks in on Kmet and doesn't move off him. Either a very poor pre snap read or he was getting a little nervous and wanted to find something comfortable. Problem is, Safety rolls to the right which leaves Claypool one on one on a go route. Claypool one on one has to be an automatic throw.
[IMG]
[IMG]
3rd and 8 - crossing route to Keys. Short of first. This actually looks like a creative screen call as all WR's are looking to block and Keys actually works back to the LOS instead of drifting vertically. I think Kmet should have stalked the safety instead of the LB. That keeps Keys from being able to get up field and they work him to the sidelines short of the first. I like this play down the road but a bit conservative call here.
[IMG]
1st and 10 - Jones not quick enough through hole. Swift gains 5 at least here and if he breaks a tackle, another handful.
[IMG]
[IMG]
2nd and 8 Trap play for 6 yards. Jones does a good job bouncing it out. Nice play
False start - just can't do that in this spot.
Time out - really unacceptable. Have to get play calls in sooner
3rd and 7 - book to finke short of first down marker but incomplete. Not much to do on this play. Getting in 3rd and long against UGA is a bad recipe. Not much was open.
After review here are my thoughts.
Book has to get more comfortable. You can't succeed at QB if you don't want to work the pocket.
The RB situation hurts. ND was getting some push but Jones can't do much with it. Put Swift on ND and the game plan changes.
Finke has to play better or they need to move in another direction.
BK and Long at some point have to take a designed shot in that quarter. Can't leave it to Book to make the read. The defense was sitting on routes.
Clearly we showed it huh?
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Love you to death, but you dont have to keep reminding us you were there....we get it, you went to the game
Who cares if you were there......like that makes any difference at all
We played them close, we could have won, but I still believe they are the better team and so does 95% of the country
speed and talent. I really don’t believe UGA has that much more starting talent except for the RB’s and of course at QB. And that’s a lot. But if you look at that game, UGA backs were marginal. Kmet killed them. And if ND had a deep passing game who knows.
Mistakes by ND, like the Finke inception and others put UGA on top. The ND defense held their own against a SEC powerhouse. It was a lack of offense that cost ND the game. So if you believe 95% of America thinks that UGA is better than ND fine. But ND had that game in hand and lost it.
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ND was in the game until the end and lost. But I don't see how anyone can conclude "ND had the superior team."
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have been. Sorry if you’re sick of hearing it. But if you sat next to me with our daughters in UGA red, even though we love them, we would know that ND blew that game. Give me some time, I’ll get over it. But the money it cost, maybe not.
Yes, I had to sit in my family room and watch it side by side as well. Trust me though I dont lose any sleep over it.
I have been around ND football now for about 43 years (knew I was going to ND when I was 16).......I don't let their mediocrity affect me anymore like most on this board seem to do.
That being said, I still think they can go 11-1 this year even with Book as the QB and no running game. That is how weak the schedule is shaping up.
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