Freeman Pushes Notre Dame Defensive Staff in "Uncomfortable" Meeting
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How did this D get by Spring and Fall camp w/o fundamentals & execution skills?
How did this D get through Miami, a bye, then A&M, another week, then Purdue with no fundamentals or execution skills? How did MF not see this before Miami? We were told they were laying waste to our O. Where are Mickens, Al Washington, and Max Bullough in all this?
Only one thing/guy is different from last year.
Everyone on the field save Tae played a lot of football last year and played at a high level against playoff teams.
So, what's/who's changed?
The difference in the way the D is run is apparent to those that have proven to be reliable at breaking down film, think I'll rely on their assessment instead of what MF is telling the media in this case.
We had a lot of turnover. It's CFB, but reloading the entire center of your d is tough
Watts was the most underrated player of this generation. Always there for a timely pick or pass defended. He also was excellent in run support.
For all the talk of "talent" upgrades, there is something to be said for the large number of COVID redshirts getting an extra year. ND is the type of program that probably benefits the most from themat extra year.
Bowen, Rubio, Young, Gray, Sneed, Ausberry, Shuler, Hinish, Hobbs, KVA, Burnham, Moore and
Tuihalamaka played a lot of football and at a high level for ND last year. Traore and Botelho were both playing as well as anyone on the D before they went down.
That's 15 guys back from one of the top defenses in the country. Turnover does not explain the drop off.
Watts, Morrison, Mills, Cross, Kiser, Clark. Losing Mills and Cross showed vs. OSU
Listen, I get that college rosters turnover every year. I expected more from this defense, but they lost some absolutely key veterans who had started dozens of games for ND.
This defense is young.
I hear ya, but Morrison missed half the year with little drop off. Rubio and Hinish more than
held their own as backups and then starters in the playoffs (without the backups that Mills and Cross had to get a blow when needed). Teams aren't gashing ND up the gut all day. Watts is the one huge loss (if teams were gashing ND running the ball I'd say Kizer too, but they're not) but that doesn't explain a complete lack of pressure and WR's running free throughout the defense play after play.
Those 2 problems are mostly experienced, proven players not doing what they did last year. Or even close to what they did last year.
I agree. After the first game, you had a BYE, you think Saban would wait til
After Game3?
The defense was way better last year.
The fixing should have started at halftime of game 1, imho.
If we had a Time Machine, we should have really tried to hang onto Golden, I’m sure they did try, but his replacement should have been a top tier guy.
You need “top 10” coordinators to be a great team.
I wish great things for the team & all involved in the program. Most ND fans wait all year for the football season. I’m disappointed because imho this team is better than their record.
I want to see the team firing on all cylinders.
Just my 2 cents, as always I could be wrong
Exactly.
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