Didn't score a point against Alabama, at home.
Burrow was basically Book on the stat sheet.
They were a good team, not great.
They were in need of a new offense. They hired Joe Brady. He modernized the offense.
The QB got confident. The talented WR's fed off that. The running game opened up. They became maybe the best offense I've ever seen at the college level.
Guys that were good players, became great players.
Amazing what a good hire can do.
ND's in the exact same position (I know, probably not as much talent overall). Can Kelly make the right hire? This is his opportunity to change his legacy at ND.
Here's to hope.
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Their receiving corps. is outrageous. Their running back is world-class.
Their quarterback only rose to the level of the best collegiate season ever...
To Hope...
LSU and their fan base were having the exact doubts and conversations ND fans are currently a year ago.
Pretty darn good but not good enough to catch Clemson and Bama. Still probably behind OSU even if we take a step.
No one was saying their WR's are outrageous and that they have a "world class" RB. I just looked at a top 100 preseason prediction for players, not a single LSU offensive player listed.
Insert new OC. Suddenly guys were put in better position to make plays. Suddenly they looked Tremendous and World Class. Joe Burrow went from projected 6th round or worse draft pick, to the #1 overall pick.
ND doesn't lack talent. Is it 2019 LSU talent, again, probably not. LSU just went 15-0 and throttled everyone. They were historically good.
No one is expecting ND or any team to take the leap LSU did, that's improbable.
But can ND get a coach that gets significantly more production out of its parts? I think so.
And if they do, who knows, maybe ND has a shot to be the best team in the stadium on that day 13 or 14 times in the next few years.
When a year ago everyone was content to another Clemson vs Bama 2019 match up, no one expected what would happen last night. That should give every team hope.
I was saying that in no way do I see things developing to that level. What happened there was magical. It created quite possibly the best football season for a team in the history of college football.
Plus Ed O (and his now vaunted assistants) ran the gauntlet and won 7 games versus Top 10, dethroning the undefeated national champion in the process.
I think Kelly would've crapped himself in 6 games out of 7 in that type of scenario.
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He has hired outside guys. Some worked, some haven't. He's also kept guys too long. The past 11 years really don't matter though at this point. Here is the opportunity. He doesn't have to fire anyone. He can bring in an outside OC, great. That OC can bring in a few of his guys and BK can hide behind that. This is Kelly's best opportunity to bring in a big name OC that can change the tune of his coaching tenure.
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They certainly answered the call last night.
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Not sure of the exact date, but you did, indeed call it for the Bayou Bengals, when the rest of us were calling for the Tide (like myself) or those other Tigers.
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gave up on in favor of Mike Glennon. When the NC State fans saw what Wilson did at Wisconsin, O'Brien was toast. Glennon was fine and has taken snaps in the NFL, but Wilson has continued to grow into a perennial NFL MVP candidate. The situation here is flipped: BK didn't give up on Book, and Jurkovec has transferred.
Is it possible Book could make that leap? Doesn't seem liklely, but who knows? I agree getting a strong OC or QB coach who can elevate his game seems like a key.
Obviously it would be nice.
Book needs to get back to being extremely accurate like he was in 2018. That's a lot on him, a lot on the OL, and a lot on the system.
Book needs an offensive system that stresses him pushing the ball down the field more and a system that puts the WR's in a lot of one on one situations which are extremely favorable in modern day football, especially against college DB's.
Book needs to be a student of the offense and game and is able to get in and out of the right plays that put his guys in a position to succeed.
Book needs to become more comfortable in the pocket and realize how to buy time without ducking and running.
If he goes those things, Book will be a really good college QB and with the talent ND has on the field, they will score a lot of points against the majority of teams and it will give them a much better chance to score against the elite teams.
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ND has, in Lea, a top 5 DC. I also believe ND has the necessary talent at the skill positions everywhere but RB to play with anyone. Until the OL plays better, well, it's been discussed.
Shot. Loyalty is the gift and the curse.