What we need to see moving forward...
What we saw Saturday was the potential of this ND team - albeit a rough potential! Nevertheless, it provided a snapshot of what this team can do when all the pieces are engaged and functioning well for large portions of the game. What we need to see moving forward is that potential developed, polished and become the performance benchmark for the team. If so, we can end up not just with a good season but the foundation for a program on the rise. I think we will learn a lot about this team and its coaching staff over the next several weeks....
Replies to: What we need to see moving forward...
We will need the ability to attack downfield to WRs when the short stuff is taken away and running
game is shut down. Probably be under some pressure too. If Pyne can't do that (and I'm not sure he can), then we are in trouble against good teams.
Good D's will shut down the run, keep Pyne in the pocket, collapse it around him, take away the short stuff and force him to try to make difficult throws downfield that require a hell of a lot of zip on the ball, timing and accuracy all the while in the pocket surrounded by people that tower over him. I like Drew Pyne. Drew Pyne is a winner. But I honestly don't think Pyne is good enough to do that. I'm not sure our WRs are good enough for when that happens either. And I'm not sure how you fix that.
I don’t disagree but it is what is. Pyne is what we have and we need to hope he can make enough of
those downfield throws to keep the D honest. Good pocket protection and some good run blocking will also help keep them honest. This is NOT a top 10 team. But if our front 7 on D can step up and we can run the ball, we can have a decent season. Big ifs though.
I agree completely.
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Which is exactly where this team was last year. That was year 12 of the previous regime
If the Freeman Era mimics the Kelly Era for awhile that's fine by me. At least I don't hate the coach, net positive.
Build on this momentum, keep doing what works well
On Saturday, we saw the team finally starting to take shape, and it all started with the offensive line.
The line held its position solidly, opened up some very nice running lanes for the running backs, and pass protected very well. Pyne had plenty of time to make reads, and make the throws. There were only about 2 or 3 times that he faced serious pressure, and when he has time, it does appear that he can make the medium range downfield throws reliably.
At least we stepped up from being purely a dink 'n dunk team, into something that resembles what we were able to do in 2020 with Book at the helm, since we do have some downfield passing threats.
On the flip side of things,
Lorenzo Styles had a decent day, but there were a few times that Pyne missed him being wide open, especially on that play where Pyne short hopped the ball to Mike Mayer. Styles was wide open streaking across the middle, and would have easily scored a TD. There's no doubt that Lorenzo Styles is by far, our WR1, and it's good to see that he's seizing the opportunity.
I just hope that someone can honestly step up and be a solid WR2.
BYU will be a good test. Credit to Pyne, Rees, Estime, and the OL. But UNC’s D is awful.
If Saturdays performance and game plan can be executed against a decent D, we may have a chance not to have a horrible season.
I will give Rees applause for Saturday's game plan. I thought we would have seen more of that earli
ear in the year. That offense will do well against most D's, because there were lots of options available. Sitll need to work on the 2nd level to include some crossing patterns to the WR's, but he took full advantage of the backs and Mayer.
Agreed. Would have been nice to see that kind of game plan earlier.
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Indeed.
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To your point, I have yet to see the rub routes which typically gets a WR open. There was a play in
the first half that made no sense to me from a schematic standpoint. Pyne takes the snap, fakes a handoff and rolls to his right. However, on the left side of the field by left hash, two of our WR's are over there and both do a "down and out" to the left sideline but at different distances. If Pyne's WR to his right isn't open, there is no way he could throw way across his body back from the far right side of the field back towards the other sideline. It just made no sense. Maybe it was a screw up. I will say overall the ND passing routes for the WR's are very plain vanilla.
You mean the one's that are illegal 50% of the time?
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"Rubbin' is racin'."
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it would be great to see the wide view of the game. It's really been the same for years. I cannot
tell from what we can see if it's the routes or the WR. I tend to think a lot of the WR routes take too long to develop.
Will be interesting if turning point of the season turns out to be when Rees screamed at Pyne...
Maybe it woke both of them up.
F-bombs rock!
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They don't call them the F....ing Irish for nothing!
(Removed the "i-g-h-t" as that word is offensive to some.)
Similar/consistent offensive performances against better defenses
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I see no reason why ND can't win out. The pieces are there. .
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You hit the nail on the head. On a go forward. Relative to what we saw
Does the consistency of offensive drives get better? (Drastically more drives of >6 plays or result in points)
Can we consistently move the chains?
Can we consistently run for 4-6yds per carry?
Are we in a favorable 3rd down distance more often than not?
Are we converting a higher percentage of third downs (a percentage that winning teams achieve)?
Are we converting drives to TDs and Field Goals?
Can we play fast, the way the game is played today? But also play slow if needed?
Are we able to beat everyone we should beat? More often than not, understanding that upsets do happen from time to time, but not consistently.
Are the plays and schemes putting us in position to have success more often than not? Do we see the same mistakes over and over or the same drive killers (flaws) over and over?
Yep. Hoping for a trend not an outlier.
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This is what I would like to see... but it does not rise to the level of a need.
I lived thru Faust, Davey and Willingham and survived just fine.
But my hopes are exactly what you outlined.
Re: This is what I would like to see... but it does not rise to the level of a need.
I go back to the Terry Brennan/Joe Kuharich era so I know "survival" as a ND fan too.....I am hoping for one last run with Marcus Freeman!
I stopped watching Faust and Ty. I expect Freeman to be in the playoffs next year.
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Keep in mind that Carolina has a horrible defense. It should have been in the 60s to 14.
The mistakes Irish made against Carolina better be out of their system against BYU, Clemson, and USC. Our passing game looks like will heavily involve RBs and TEs with a few sprinkled within the WR group. Sorry, I'm not sold yet. When will this team actually close out a game without all the drama? When will they play a complete game in all three phases? What is Harry going to do about an OL who can't convert on 4th and an inch? BYU will be their first real test post OSU this season. Are you selling or buying based on what you saw so far and not on emotion. It's nice going into a bye following a road win against a Power Five program. Two weeks to build on that. We will see what kind of HC we have following a bye week.