Some thoughts on yesterday:
The coaches sat down with Love and told him to get back to running north and south.
3rd down play calling in the 4th was excellent
Carr will learn from yesterdays int
I watched a lot of ball yesterday, ND D flys to the ball better than anyone around the line of scrimmage
I realized this when Price was a freshman, he has great vision
The angles that the LB’s take on QB scrambles is great coaching
27 and 34 love to hit
ND needs to destroy Pitt
Replies to: Some thoughts on yesterday:
The excellent blocking by our receivers downfield continues to impress and help our RB Duo put up
Big numbers.
You are right on about this.
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Right? For decades now when you see an ND RB on a big run there’s often a WR throwing a good block
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Getting well deserved recognition this year...
Good points. Love looked like a first round back last night not a hurdling showboat
He and Price played great. Cant overstate how impressive they both were.
Agree on Pitt. Likely the hardest game left on the schedule and they’ll be ready to play.
Maybe??? Love just dies not recognize how powerful he is running north south. He’s a beast when
Doing so
Watch the tape #4
North and south
Oh he does. I noticed how he finished runs when he was behind Estime. He has it all.
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First game in a while where he was patient hitting the hole. Coach has been working w:/him
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Gonna say it now before anyone is surprised. Pitt scares me
Pitt is better than you think.
On the road.
Week after Navy where we will be beat up and inevitably they’ll take out someone’s ACL.
Pitt coming off a bye.
Ya, that game smells.
I'm still not over Palko .
Palko was tough and Pitt will come out hitting hard. We will prevail. CJ is a difference maker in
that he complements our great running backs with his normally accurate passing. And now the gloves are off.
When was the last time ND had a season ending injury playing Navy?
When was the last time ND had a season ending injury and who were the opponents? Though every opponent should be respected, Pitts wins have come against Duquesne, Central Michigan, BC, FSU, Cuse. The hard part of their schedule is coming up. IDK. If we can't beat Pitt on the road then maybe this playoff talk should cease and desist. Just my opinion.
There have been plenty of non-season ending injuries
A lot of players were out for a week or two with sprained knees, ankles, etc., after the Navy or Air Force games.
The last time I can recall someone ever getting lost for the season, was in 2014, when Joe Schmidt was engaged with a blocker, and another Navy player dove at his ankles.
The only reason why it wasn't called a chop block, is because the first blocker had released his hold on Schmidt literally a fraction of a second before the diver broke and dislocated his ankle.
Navy was notorious for doing that, and would hold onto the defender (almost never getting called for it) so that the defender couldn't avoid getting chopped down by the diver.
This was a similarly scary play to the one that took out Eric Jones in 1991, when we played against Air Force. The only thing holding Jones' foot to his leg was the skin, given the severity of the break.
Thankfully, now that the rules for cut blocking have changed, that took a lot away from Navy's forte.
OK. If rules have changed, nothing to fear playing Navy. You're talking injuries from years ago.
Paul Johnson once challenged anyone to show evidence there were more injuries occurring against his Navy teams than against anyone else. He had no takers. Not sure if the cut block has been completely eliminated but I even remember Stanford using it back in the day. That was also brought up by Coach Johnson. I don't believe we've had season or non season ending injuries playing Army or Navy in a while. Somebody fact check me if I'm wrong.
Cut blocking is still allowed
The big difference here, though, is that it has to happen between the tackles, and within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage.
Also, if you are not a lineman, you have to target the defender between 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock (position wise). This prevents the dirty trick Navy used, where the second blocker (the diver) would target you at the ankles or knees from the side.
If you're the defender being blocked in such a way, you can usually see the diver coming from the front, and adjust your footwork to avoid the worst of it. If the diver were coming from the side, it's much more difficult to see, and also to disengage from the first blocker if he holds onto you.
To be clear, I have no issues with cut blocking done cleanly. This is where the blocker will aim his shoulders at the defender's hips, or even upper thigh.
Sure, the defender takes a few more bruises this way, but there's no more danger of your knees and ankles getting wrenched or broken, compared to what you would see from blocking above the waist.
Bobb (yes, spelled with two b's at the end) McKittrick (San Fran 49'ers offensive line coach for 21 years) taught his linemen how to do clean cut blocking, and they did it with excellent technique, while not destroying the opposing defenders' knees and ankles.
Don’t know
And yes, ND is much better than Pitt but any given Saturday. ND fans aren’t football people so you guys don’t understand this, but every win is earned. Those that played understand this.
Pitt is a baaaaad spot. ND will need to play good football or it will be a dog fight.
Good thoughts. And the upcoming Bye week is well timed.
Catch some rest before final five games to close out season.