Can we run the ball at the start of the season, or do we drop the first two again?
I have to admit, I've got a LOT of medical issues going on (don't get old) so I don't get to follow the latest ND news, but my feeling is without Love and Price, this years team will struggle. To be fair, ND was certainly blessed with Love and Price - a truly once in a generation backfield combo. Right now I'm not sure we have a similar group who can 'punch the ball' forward - repeatedly. I think, for at least the first couple of games, we will stumble. Then of course, when we struggle running the ball, we become a one dimensional team & our vaunted Offensive Coordinator gets cute. Nightmares from the past reawakened!
Thoughts??
Throw your empty's
Replies to: “Can we run the ball at the start of the season, or do we drop the first two again?”
ND is playing Wisconsin and Rice, not Miami and A&M.
Take a pill.
We’re fine up front offense will be fine
(no message)
ND's is 3-5 over the last 4yrs. after the 1st 2 games. Just be ready to play!
(no message)
Our OLINE will be better, our RB's will be deeper, ND's pounds the ROCK
(no message)
I think we leaned too much on Price and Love in the first game
I get it. You are starting a new quarterback on the road at the U in prime time, but we let the Miami D load the box and not pay for it. I think the offense was more about not letting Carr get overwhelmed while featuring the best two running backs in the nation. We will struggle some, but I like the talent we have at running back and our O-line. There needs to be high expectations at the onset, you can’t feel your opponent out and hope you prevail. Freeman needs the coaches to be at their best as well. One game at a time. Predictions mean nothing, we have to show we are contender and play with a chip on shoulder every play.
Not at all! Care ran the ball more than BOTH backs and threw 30 passes
Love having "only" 10 carries was the issue
agreed. Leave No Doubt
(no message)
Except ND didn't use Love/Price enough in the Miami game and Miami didn't start loading the box
until the 5th offensive series after ND started using their RB's and gashing them.
Denbrock outsmarted himself and assumed Miami was going to load the box.....they didn't until ND forced them to.
Denbrock's other mistake was having Carr throwing quick, easy throws vs letting the kid play. 10 of the first 12 plays were passes and all were of the short, 1 read variety.
I get doing that for 1 series to get the kids feet wet, but Denbrock did it for 4 series without Miami loading the box. Very Brian Kelly-esque.
Absolutely right on and Carr still almost pulled out the game.
(no message)
agreed. Denbrock WAY too vanilla, LOST those 2 games. Let Carr wing it. Mix in Love and Price...
believe, BELIEVE, believe...
A great Oline can make an average back look great.
ND has a great Oline and AW and NJ are not average backs.
Wiscy and Rice will be licking a lot of wounds after playing ND.
Or a bad Darius Walker look serviceable
(no message)
Please, Darius Walker had great vision and was a good receiver too.
(no message)
Walker was a good collegiate back
The lines blocking for him were decent, but not in the same category as what we have today, or during the Joe Moore era.
Walker was a smart runner, and had a very good initial burst, which allowed him to hit those holes quickly.
He was a much better collegiate back than Ryan Grant was, even though Grant had the superior pro career by far.
He was also a very good back in the passing game. His pass protection alone would have flipped the 2007 Navy loss, and maybe one more. I still remember a Navy defender jumping over a true frosh Armando Allen on a pass rush, and engulfing Evan Sharpley in an instant.
He was an excellent fit for the Erhardt-Perkins offense, especially since collegiate defenders don't have the overall speed that NFL ones do.
The way I see it, it's similar to the NFL careers of most of the RB's from the Brian Kelly era (Kyren Williams being the exception). Nice collegiate stats, no notable NFL stats on a consistent basis.
I talked to Darius at the Spring game years ago after his playing days were over.
Nice as can be. It must be a Notre Dame thing with our guys.
Similar experience as well
He's a class act, and a very intelligent fellow.
I'm especially happy for him that he got hired on as a broadcaster for ESPN.
(no message)
Aneyas Williams is more than a solid back. Great receiver, blocker and runner who can take it to the
house. If you remember last year the line was the main issue early against Miami, along with not taking the kid gloves off of Carr. He almost still won the game for us. Against A & M our defense lost confidence and could not tackle but we moved the ball well despite the at best, awkward play calling as the end of the first half when we had an opportunity to take a two score lead. If our line meshes well early which all teams seem to struggle with early, we will be fine. Don't forget first game offensive line woes happen to almost everyone and that includes our opponents who also don't have the defense we do.
Williams is gonna have a great year.
(no message)
If this team were to lose to Wisconsin AND Rice...the season would be over.
(no message)
Losing to Rice alone would be too much to overcome
(no message)
CFP committee and ESPN are looking for an excuse. Losing to Rice at home inexcusable.
Lessons learned from NIU. MF will take this game seriously I do believe. Irish have no room for error. All these network twits and analysts already have their talking points written in anticipation. ACC Network will run last season's game on a week long loop leading up to the game.
Consent Management