JTennant

Brian Kelly was taking heat for going for it yesterday.. Like he should be taking heat for being outcoached. They needed a spark and he was just trying to get some cheap points before half.

I thought he made some really bad play calls in goal line situations. I'm one of the resident TR apologists, but this game had some misses in the play calling department. 1.) (early in game) When he emptied out and BYU brought pressure (I think even 6) they could have busted them with a quick Mayer slant. Didn't look like they ran a man beating concept in that situation.. 2.) When at the goal line they called for the screen for Mayer and it seemed like wherever they tried to run a screen it was well defended. I would have liked to see them get the ball to Jaden Thomas or Styles with some rub concept. 3.) They were definitely more vanilla in the middle of the field as well, but I think that's a product of his team executing better so I won't give him too many issues as I guess TR didn't feel the need to mix it up when the line was getting a solid push most of the game. 4.) The pistol zone run for Estime that was stuffed was a goofy call to ram it down their throat without extra blockers. They may have even had bad numbers in the box. Side note hats off to Blake Fisher for delivering a good block on a big run to really salt the game away. My point is that if we're running a tempo check with me offense TR needs to clean up a couple of these things in the goal line that result in touchdowns not FGs. I don't want them to become Jason Garretts Dallas Cowboys.

Not even close y’all! He’s our resident Bill Polian. Talent scout aficionado. Viola.

Okay, so.. that's why I said I'm not going to put too much stock in how the OL does against Clemson because of their talent level. You have a way of trying to debate me and then agreeing with my point? I don't know what you're doing here.. I'm confused. It's important for coaches to get their teams to overachieve from time to time but that's not going to hold the most weight in a coach's grade. I'm not going to grill this coaching staff for taking a top 10-15 roster and getting beat by a top 5 roster especially given how misleading class rankings can be. I said Clemson has a lot of NFL guys..

I based my initial hatred of HH based on what I saw against inferior teams not just what they couldn’t do in the big games. The fact that they’re communicating well and playing fast albeit against bad power 5 is all I need to know to back off my shit talking for now. I’m not going to blast HH if he can’t crease Clemson for 5 YPC and 200 yards I got it bud you’re a stats junky ND averaged X YPC and YPG in whatever season.. that’s not what I’m talking about.

I agree with your agreement hah. What you said is something that was suggested to me by someone on this board years ago that the soft OL play was likely a product of BKs soft offense and I’ve been on the fence about that notion ever since. If that wasn’t you then whoever said it was likely right. Time will tell but these guys look like they’re communicating well and know where to go and they’re playing fast and mean.

I’m not going to put too much stock in the results vs Clemson. They have lots of NFL guys. What I saw from HH during his first tenure here was an inability to run when it mattered against lesser competition. They compiled stats when they were wearing teams out in 4 minute. If they keep dominating lesser competition like this and do enough to keep the elite teams honest I’ll back off my criticism of HH.

VT Sucks and is over-rated once again. Don't we all..

Yes sir. That was 98% my fault.

The fact you're de-facto advocating for Buchner as the starting QB tells me everything I need to know about your "football acumen" QB was a big part of the problem against Marshall. QB was the reason they played keep away from Ohio State. O Line was also poor. I've been a huge detractor from HH and the OL play. That's not a secret. Nice try kiddo, but sit the f*(k down and shut the f*(k up. Edit because I saw your add-on. I didn't try to attack you personally just that it was a bad "take" so I didn't take the "flame" overboard.

I only wanted Pyne because I saw enough of Buchner last year to know he wasn't going to be the guy 😄 I'd argue the money wasn't the driving factor.. If it was, BK would have leveraged other teams vs ND or at the very least went to ND to leverage a pay raise at the next stop. He wanted to go to a program that would let him recruit 5* players and offer everyone on the top 150, and not hamstring it's football players with school and the like.. He lamented the national recruiting grind at ND and is happy to be in a program where you can drive to meet almost every one of your recruits.

I hated that 0-3 moniker. That was a technicality.. Not even in the sense of changing the definition of recession or definition of definition type technicality.. The bowl game doesn't count for all intents and purposes. No other coach with an 0-x start first game was a bowl game amidst a coaching change without some of its players.. So he's 1-2 to start. If ND played Ohio State to open last year then Toledo, ND would have been one play away from also opening 1-2. Granted the ground is much shakier this season, but that's to be expected. Jury's out but I think he has a better than 30% chance getting this thing turned around. He's got a lot to learn so plenty of things to improve upon. The hour glass has now been turned over coach, hopefully you can figure it out before times up or it's onto the next candidate..

Yes. You're correct. They weren't getting push and pass-pro was turning guys loose on almost every series. In zone run blocking, communication can be the culprit from lack of push. if you're not trusting where you're supposed to go you're gonna play hesitant and get slapped around and both turning guys loose in pass pro if you don't know where the pressure is coming from. Many teams get those calls from the QB and or Center and some might even be from the booth. In HH first tenure they failed to get good push against really week teams and that really comes down to trusting the call, trusting your teaching and communication with the other guys on the line. The zone run can be the most effective run play because lineman adjust the blocking assignments based on the front and what side the ball is going to. Power is blocked to a gap mostly regardless of alignment.

Completely agree on culture, development and I'll even argue BK gets the nod for depth in terms of what he left MF. My point was based on personnel the cupboards were surprisingly full for BK and surprisingly barren for MF The reality is MF inherited a fringe playoff caliber team and BK inherited a team that was near it's lowest point in 20 years. I truly believe that BK knew he wasn't going to be coaching ND this season and that's why it's reported his representatives reached out to UF before making contact with LSU. I think that showed itself in recruiting and why they're going to need to go into the portal to plug some holes for next season.

Shit dude, I love these uni's. IMHO should be the full time gear for ND. Away should be all whites and should have some alternate pant combos gold/green etc

Yeah I agree, but I thought he would bolt for the NFL. The day he left for LSU I thought he was gonna leave for Oklahoma just in a gut feeling there was too much shuffling around. It was reported that his representatives actually reached out to Florida so that was another level of being one foot out the door IMO.

Brian Kelly inherited a team littered with NFL talent.. 10-12 guys who got drafted or ended up in camp via free agency. Its not an indictment on Kelly but he left this team with more questions than answers and I’m gonna guess that’s because he had a foot out the door all Last year. you could argue this team is deeper but Brian Kelly should have inherited, easily, Way worse of a roster if you compare the rankings and talent etc.

I love having the names on the back. Couldn't give 2 shits what color the jersey is. Light Green, dark green light blue dark blue, white with green numbers blue numbers trimmed in gold Although I would like to see them do a light blue jersey throwback. Also feel like the Indianapolis Shamrock uni should be the full time uni with the ornate patterns, dome stitching on the helmet blue facemask with the monogram on the helmet.. that shit was fire and represents the university well. So I guess I do care a little.

Just calling that shit like I saw it. I'm not saying they're back, or HH is the greatest OL coach, but I saw great improvement and better performance against a solid power 5 team that's averaged top 50 recruiting rankings over the last 4 years where as we saw much worse performances against much worse competition in the first tenure here. The fact that he did it with much scrutiny and noise around the program taking over for an atrocious OL coach gives me optimism. I let the door open to this in my first assessments years ago, but also admitting I might have been wrong about him being an over rated piece of hot garbage shit bag OL coach, go irish.

I’m with you rocket but when Pyne had his head back/down after those first few drives I was honestly ready for Angeli and I’m on the patient side. go over there and break a table and a head set or two but get that sh*t outta your system. someone needs to kick him in the balls an hour before kickoff of the next game. im looking forward to seeing the development of this program through EOY before I hold any judgement on MF. If his inadequacies are limited to a non seemless handoff of a well tuned football program I can live with that. Even if it means a 6-6 record. week to week improvement and a plan going forward with goals checked off is what any AD needs to see going forward. Nebraska wanted to see Scott Frost post Taylor Martinez and they saw what they needed to see and moved on..

I’ll give credit where credit is due. I thought he was basically an incompetent frig as an OL coach during his first tenure. im glad to see HH lines reach into the bag and run the ball at will.. regardless of perceived competition. Push can be related to its competition. Cohesion was irrefutable as these guys for the most part knew who was doing what and where to go.. for that I applaud them. Will they be able to man handle more capable fronts? We’ll see.. mixed in power, inside zone and some split zone concepts to get easy completions to Pyne.

He didn’t look convicted nor was dressed in UM garb so we’ll see.. I think he is all ND so long as ND can perform in the field. ND starts getting railroaded and he’ll start doubting his choice..

Bruh we might as well bring Aaron Taylor on now. they’re both meh but at least we get the homer element

Dude honestly gonna flame you here. Pyne threw 2 touchdowns against a better roster than Buchner did against Marshall then Ohio State after overcoming some clear nervous issues as a backup and you got the nerve to proclaim Buchner is the better QB?!? GTFO this take is bush league at best.

Pyne had 5 series of Shane Falko in him and he settled in ok. this is a 7-5 team with Pyne and these WRs with Buchner this is a 2-10 team. Buchner is an option QB with below average elusiveness and average 40 time Pyne might not be a better QB when you go down the attribute column as you would in a video game but when you align with the scheme elements this team in is comfortable with IE mixing in power and inside zone with split zone passing looks Pyne is it.. If you’re trying to run a spread zone read scheme in the sun belt or FCS school than Buchner might be your guy. im not trying to be facetious or troll for any other effect that to communicate my position that Buchner is not a big time power 5 QB at any school, and Pyne could be a serviceable QB at many other power 5 programs albeit not an ideal situation. the best thing for this team is that Buchner got injured and Tommy doesn’t have to spend his first year as a stand alone OC polishing Brian Kellys Turd. TR will need to earn his keep but I think he’s up for the challenge and will prove himself a worthy LV going forward as he develops and recruits better than BK’s limitations.