Running game is marginal since O line can’t block at point of attack or downfield. So Cal’s DC will look to pressure ND’s new QB who couldn’t win the starting job and look for turnovers and sacks.
The ND OC won’t be able to make changes since he lacks the players. So as the Cal DC I see no part of ND’s offense that worries me. This should be easier than one of our scrimmages.
Overconfidence is all ND can hope for to win this game.
Freeman failed test #1 in losing to Marshall, so let’s see how he does with this. A couple more losses and he’ll lose the team if he hasn’t already. So job one is to get a W.
moving.
hoping n praying for a 3-4 win season.
The level of football we displayed on Saturday, on both sides of the ball, was very disturbing and does not bode very well for the future of this coaching regime.
I'll keep my fingers crossed and tune in hoping for the best, but I'm not expecting to see much difference. This is what the blind shot in the dark of hiring an inexperienced HC can get you. I like him, I wanted him to succeed, I still do, so badly..but unfortunately I've seen this movie a few times before.
l, but essentially because of the way the O has looked for 2 games. There probably have been two good offensive series across the 2 games, and that is worrisome because there is no way the staff couldn't have seen the deficiencies during Spring and Fall camps. They developed no "scheme" to maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses. Tommy can be a mad wizard on a white board, but it comes down to being able to move the ball in the game. He, (I hope not Freeman), seems committed to running a scheme the team can't run and hasn't produced any sort of meaningful results. If they didn't see this coming...well...that's not a good reflection on any member of the staff.
The defense probably can keep the woeful offense in the game; however, it's not a good enough defense to throw up a string of shutouts. Foskey and Jason A have been ghosts, and I will contend they let a summer of pre-season accolades go to their heads. Foskey is costing himself millions of dollars. The LB's have been poor and tackle like an undersized CB rather than the bad asses they should be.
I really want to be supportive of Freeman, but my confidence is fully shaken. I don't even chalk it up to being a first-time HC. I haven't seen any true head-scratching calls like that of Davie or even during Kelly's first year, but something is amiss. It's only 3 games but his performance is reminiscent of the recently fired Scott Frost; saying all the right things but not getting it done.
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we can't block it to run or pass.
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