Frankus

ND is faced with a completely different college football model, where a5 Star freshman recruits can become instant millionaires just by signing and all college football programs can bring in as many transfers as they want, with the top programs (see USC) adding guaranteed money to the pot to get elite transfers. We just saw Marshall beat us by using the transfer portal to quickly upgrade its talent. We had more talent and depth, but not by much, particularly in the skill positions. NCAA football is now like the NFL and unless there’s federal legislation that states can’t overturn, the old model is not coming back. So, if Notre Dame wants to be a top 10 program with the new model, they have a Devil’s Bargain: Either pay Top 5 recruits to sign and continue being a 40 year decision model, or sign transfers and force underperforming players to transfer. I suspect the first option is the most palatable, but I suspect Notre Dame would prefer federal legislation to put the genie back in the bottle. It’s not going to happen. Why? Free market capitalism is sacrosanct in America and now college football has been captured by it. Some laud this triumph. I suspect Notre Dame is horrified. If Notre Dame stands pat living in the old model out of a sense of moral superiority, they will be finished and might as well become Harvard. Or, be satisfied being Navy. But let’s be clear about one thing: Notre Dame will take very large sums of money for buildings and the endowment from shady people- see Ed DeBartelo. So, not adapting to the new college football model out moral superiority would really be that they simply don’t need football anymore and don’t care about their fan base. We’ll see what happens, but I’m not optimistic. Three of Freeman’s 5 Star recruits are already gone to places that WILL pay them. If ND doesn’t adapt immediately in the next year, it’s going to say a lot about how much they value football success.

Pine better be able to throw an accurate deep ball, because this offense is entirely dependent on executing them to score. He may be an upgrade to Buchner in that area. We'll see. It's going to be interesting see if they make any schematic changes. I doubt Pine will be keeping on option runs, which further weakens our already weak running game, but again, perhaps they'll keep the QB run and then it's onto Angelli if Pine gets hurt. .

I agree. Fischer, not experienced but highly regarded, is particularly bad. He was getting pushed into the backfield badly. The other guys generally held their own, but didn't dominate. That being said, unblocked run blitzing safeties and corners often made tackles in the backfield, before the play even got a chance to develop and Estime and Digs are nowhere near as fast and talented as Kyren Williams. Also, on a passing play Marshall ran a dual linebacker blitz. Correl did a great job picking up one, but Diggs gave an incredibly weak effort and Buchner got slaughtered. Kyren Williams would have stopped that linebacker in his tracks, because he was tough as heck. On all levels there's weaknesses on this offense.

We are ranked # 110 in the nation in rushing yards with a team who doesn’t scare anyone with it’s passing game. Thankfully we have a good enough defense to keep us in games, but they can only do so much.

Rees is entirely predictable based on personnel. Here’s an example: One personnel group is two tight ends in the backfield with a running back Estime. The play call is a slow developing run by Estime up the middle. The defense, seeing this heavy personnel, adds a fast safety to the end of the D line. He’s unblocked by design and tackles the running back before he can even get going. This happened the entire Kelly era and Rees continues to do it. 2nd and 10. Here’s another. Two tight ends on the same side and Estime, who always runs when he’s in. There’s a weak side run. The defense blitzes the weak side corner who makes the tackle. Defensive coordinators know Notre Dame has a slow developing run game in it’s two tight end l/big back personnel group and attacks it with speed. It’s like shooting ducks in a barrel.

If this was true Tyree would be a featured player in the game plan. He would be running sweeps, catching play action screens, rocket screens, swing routes, flair routes and Texas/Angle routes. All of these runs and passes utilize Tyree’s speed and are short, easy to execute passes. Instead, we got a heavy dose of slow developing inside zone runs against a stacked box and TE and receiver patterns. Sound familiar? Tommy Rees is a system playcaller, not a personnel playcaller. It’s all he knows. Lou Holtz was an option offensive coordinator, but he inherited passing QB’s and Tim Brown. Did he run an option attack? No, he built his offense around Tim Brown who won the Heisman Trophy. In his 10 years, Ara Parseghian rann three separate offensive schemes to fit his personnel. I know it’s unfair to compare him to two highly experienced coaches, and Rees shouldn’t even be in the position he’s in, but he’s not utilizing his talent, which is why we just lost to Marshall. Unfortunately, we also have a first time Head Coach. So, the likelihood that anything is going to change is probably small. There’s been a lot of comparisons of what it feels like watching this team. Sadly, at least in the 4th quarter, this team reminded me of the Gerry Faust era. I hope we’re not headed there, but we have very little experience at Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. It could be a very bumpy ride.

Lenzy once and Styles twice we’re wide open for long touchdown throws. Buchner underthrew Lenzy, though I think Lenzy should have adjusted and caught the ball anyway. Both of Styles passes were well overthrown. Perhaps Buchner can become a more accurate deep ball passer, but he’s not at this time.

It’s not Rees’ job to reach out if he needs a better QB. He needed to sign one if his evaluation was that Buchner and the QB room was inadequate. That’s what Riley did at USC, but of course we’re talking two different extremes of experience, reputation and qualification.

If Tommy was hamstrung by a Kelly Qb, why didn’t he bring in an experienced transfer?

I can tell you it was even worse at the game.

Chris Tyree, by far Rees’ most potent weapon given that Buchner can’t throw the ball accurately down the field, got one touch in the first half and only 5 the entire game. This is a guy that can turn a 5 yard pass into 15. Is a threat to turn the corner on a sweep. Can take a kickoff all the way. He and Styles are by far the fastest and most potent weapons on the team. He should be getting 15 touches per game. Instead Rees is running Estime and Diggs (who is neither fast or powerful) up the middle in slow developing plays and throwing 5 -10 yard stop patterns to wide receivers that’s actually 35-40 yard throws. That being said, this is not a tough defensive football team. In crunch time Marshall’s skill position players were breaking tackled and fought harder. That’s where Freeman needs to focus, since that’s where he does have experience. I doubt he’ll do much on the offensive end scheme wise. He was a risky hire having never been a head coach and has no experience evaluating and taking over an offense. He could get on Hiestand to toughen up the O-line, but the O scheme is the same old slow developing run scheme, only now we have a rookie QB that can’t throw accurately downfield. They’ve got a BIG decision to make if Buchner is healthy. Run him 10-15 times a game to upen up the option game and roll him out for quick release passes, or stick with hoping he can be an accurate downfield threat and throw long 10 yard stop patterns. My guess is that nothing will change and we’ll still see a lot of empty backfields and rotating packages. It’s all Rees knows. I hope I’m wrong.

I can’t wait to Herat what version of “get used to it” Kelly will trot out. One thing is certain: He’ll blame everyone but himself.

You mean “kill Rees for running the same damn system “. With the personnel he has, a shallow receiving corps and a agile running QB who doesn’t have a huge arm, Rees should be using a two running back attack where he can run power inside with Estime and use Tyree(our best home run weapon) for sweeps, screens and check down throws when blitzes happen. Instead, we got the same old predictable running back “package” rotation and lots of predictable play calling. Having linebackers constantly having to worry about Tyree’s multiple threat AND Estime’s power also frees up Mayer. It was obvious that OSU knew how predictable Rees is, which is why they blitzed with impunity and never got burned for the gamble. Rees is a system guy, not a personal guy. Since you disparaged my age, I won’t give you a Notre Dame history lesson on how a Notre Dame coach changed offenses to fit his personnel and won separate National Championships running completely different offensive systems.

It’s hard to pass on 3rd and 10. How many times was Ohio State in that situation. I’ve watched the entire Kelly era where 3rd and 10 was a staple of the offense. Rees continued the tradition tonight. Furthermore, compare Ohio State’s Oc resume to ND’s. Their guy has 19 years experience as a coordinator and 37 years coaching. We’ve got a Brian Kelly novice.

Name me a game where we committed to the run in the entire Kelly/Rees era?

I watched tonight. We have a QB that can run , the best TE corps in the country and ran Brian Kelly’s offense. Why? We’ve got a novice Kelly acolyte running our offense. Freeman needs to make the tough call and get someone better in 2023. Hopefully, he’s got to leadership skills to go against the Kelly/Swarbrick legacy.

We’re going to crush Marshall and it’s going to be meaningless.

Bad OL? We’re loaded with talent and have one of the best OL coaches in college football. Rees NEVER committed to the run, which is vintage Kelly ball, which is all he knows.

I don’t think Freeman is going to fire Rees this season. But if he’s going to take us to the next level, he’s got to pull the trigger after the season and get a Golden like coordinator. My guess is that he’s got to stand up to Swarbrick and take total control of the football program.

We scored 10 points. If you’re satisfied with that I don’t know what to say. The D played great. If the O played up to a comparative performance level we would have won. Al Golden is miles ahead in experience and talent compared to Rees. It showed plain as day tonight.

Nonsense. We have a ton of O line and TE talent. We had a great drive with Estime in the 1st half. Tricky Tommy didn’t capitalize.

I didn’t call anyone a loser. I think Rees in an unqualified Offensive Coordinator for Notre Dame. He’s a fledgling Kelly acolyte who put up 10 points tonight. I get it that beaten down ND fans are satisfied with that and moral victories where we beat the 17 point spread. I’m not. We have a tremendous amount of offensive line talent and tight ends. Any drive that ends in 3rd and 10 is the result of a shitty offensive coordinator.

For frigs sake. You’re worried about Marshall? My God, it can’t get any less confident than that. If we don’t destroy Marshall we hired the wrong guy.

You’re satisfied with being “competitive“ in losses? A perfect example of the weak defeatism of a (young) beaten down fan base. Hopefully, Marcus Freeman isn’t a weak rationalizing loser.

Marshall? Swarbrick has dumbed down the schedule that a monkey can win 9 games. Thankfully, after watching the press conference, I don’t think Freeman is going to be satisfied with Rees looking good against Marshall.