Two scheme takeaways from yesterday
1. You have to run RPO. It’s borderline unfair. You’re setting yourself back if you don’t execute this play.
2. If you have a capable QB, you have to run zone read. It makes running the ball so much easier.
If you do one or both of these effectively, rushing the passer becomes so hard. Want to know why OSU was able to hit so many deep balls?
They play fake almost every pass play, freeze everyone looking for RPO or zone read. Allows the receiver to get a step and the QB can sit in the pocket until WR clears. Which yesterday was 60 yards a few time. Incredible to have that much time.
ND isn’t doing either effectively and will have to figure this out if they want to take the next step.
Replies to: Two scheme takeaways from yesterday
It also makes no sense to have Mayer just running shallow horizontal routes.
OSU used Ruckert by attacking the middle of the field vertically, it wasn't like Fields through those 60 yards, but it was great play design but having him run shallow crossers and corner routes is doing him a disservice. He's 6'5" and can run. Attack vertically with him.
Agree, feel like Mayer's evolution needs to be diverse
I was actually hoping we'd see him split outside against Alabama. Give him some jump balls and back shoulders where he could box out a smaller defender.
Move McKinley inside and maybe get him matched up on a LB or Safety.
The Pats used to do this a lot with Gronk.
The passing routes are puzzling at times. I saw multiple times last night our receivers running the
same route across the middle but 5 yds apart. Tough to tell who the pass is intended for not to mention you are throwing into a crowded area.
Stretching the field was definitely missing in this years offense for whatever reason.
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Agree.
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The absence of the zone read during Kelly’s entire tenure is a head scratcher. The only time I reca
ll it really be used was the bowl game with zaire.
It's puzzling. Book had the athleticism to be effective running it
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Didn’t they run it with Kizer some?
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Not a ton but some. It wasn’t a key component
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Yes he did.
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Totally agree. They need a QB willing to throw the ball too. I don’t know if it’s just physical
Limitations, lack of confidence, not seeing the field...all of the above..:but Book had open receivers yesterday. On at least two plays McKinley had beat his man deep. Lenzy beat his man on one that was noticeable. The pick he threw on the pass to Mayer would have been a nice gain had it not been under thrown. Need someone that doesn’t hesitate to pull the trigger and actually gives his receivers a chance. You NEED to hit big plays if you’re going to beat elite teams. Trying to grind away at the opponent and wear them down works great when you’re athletically superior but against the elite teams it simply isn’t going to work. They should know that given what their own defensive philosophy is.
The OLine mostly played well yesterday.
You definitely have to push the ball in modern football
On Book's INT I "think" he got caught in the middle because Mayer got held. Haven't rewatches to verify. Should have been an easy penalty though on Bama.
Think he was gonna throw it, saw the hold, wasn't gonna throw it, but then did and wasn't committed. Hard to explain but one of those body/brain mix ups.
That was one of the particular plays I mentioned that might have made a big difference. No one was
behind Mayer it appeared and Book should have made sure only the receiver had a chance for it. If he gets it over defender it was a potential big gainer.
Book’s a smart kid aware of his limitations, can’t blame him, it’s on Kelly
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Oh, I’m sure he is. It does boil down to either coaching or recruiting. Either
he hasn’t been coached up well enough or his physical limitations aren’t conducive to playing the position at an elite level. Not his fault. The coaches could have recruited better, taught better, or gone with someone else.
It starts with a QB, Kelly is not recruiting them, expect more of the same for the next few years
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Agreed. They should look to sign an elite QB every year.
If the current staff can't, or won't, do that, find someone who can.
It's not like ND hasn't been able to in the past.
What’s stopping them?
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I have no idea.
Kelly isn't known as a tenacious recruiter, so that doesn't help.
Brian Kelly history with QBs, start with going with Zaire over Golson
then Zaire over Kizer in 2016, and Book over Wimbush.
Fathers of QB recruits look at that as a red flag that a coach would rather go safe then develop a QB and won’t let their NFL payday go to die
Keep posting. I appreciate what you bring to the board.
Actual knowledge, and not just gnashing of teeth. There's plenty of that
Thanks, I enjoy talking foorball
But I can get frustrated like everyone else.