🏈 Post on irishenvy w/ regards to ND weakness

[planomateo]

Here's a post which lists out the ND weaknesses - believe this is an Irish fan posting this. I thought it might give some of you a better look at ND. I've read some things about their secondary and having to move people around along with converting guys from RB to deal with injuries - they've been playing the whole season, so they have been learning all season.

http://www.irishenvy.com/forums/notre-dame-football/79094-alabama-good-bad-57.html#post860198

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1. Punt Return Team - The return man, Neal is quick but rarely gets any protection from the gunners coming down field. ND is ranked around 86th in Field Position Advantage due primarily to the poor Punt Return game. Best hope for a return is a big kick that out kicks the coverage.​

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2. Red Zone TDs - RZ Scoring is good but not great. ND is ranked 75th with a .79 Scoring Rate. UA is ranked 15th at .89. ND converted 46 of 58 opportunities but 19 were FGs with only 27 TDs (19 Rushing/8 Passing). This was the primary reason for the number of close games this season. The Defense was DOMINANT in the Red Zone the Offense wasn't. ND has several big receivers but the End Zone Fade was not the money play it should have been to either of two BIG TEs or the WRs. They made some but the timing or touch with a rookie QB wasn't what you would have with a 3rd or 4th year QB. ND's passing game was more effective outside the Red Zone with more field to work with.​

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3. Youth.​

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A. Rookie QB never played a down before this season but he's 10-0 as a starter and has played in 11 games in his career. A long way from the experience level of A.J. McCarron. Golson's got a very strong arm, can make all the throws, and is very mobile. He's short at 6-0 behind a tall OLine. He struggled early in the season with reads, taking sacks versus the out of bounds throws, and going through progressions. But he improved in decision making as the season progressed. The additional 6 weeks between the last game and the NCG should benefit him more than anyone else. After 3 years McCarron has his reads, progressions, and timing about as good as it's going to get. The pre-bowl period was also half a season for Golson to get his head more in the game. His arm and feet were always there. His backup Jr QB Rees is 14-4 as a career starter, 2-0 this year. More experienced and quicker "read" on the field but lacks Golson's arm strength and isn't mobile at all. The additional 6 weeks should also give Golson time to get back in sync with WR Daniels who was injured for the last couple of games of the season but still posted the 3rd most receiving yds. Likewise the added time should help with the timing of the long ball to Fr WR Brown who is probably the fastest receiver and a true home run threat. Golson and Brown connected once for a 50+ yd play but missed closely on another 5 or 6 opportunities when Brown had his man beat. IF Golson and Brown are in sync and/or Golson gets in sync with the tall receivers in the Red Zone, look out! But much work needs to be done in those areas before Jan 7th.​

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B. Young Secondary playing before their time due to preseason injuries but have played well. Despite UA's OLine and RBs, I expect Saban to try to negate ND's Front Seven by using the experienced McCarron to go after ND's DBs. CB Russell is a true freshman. He arrived on campus as a RB but injuries to upperclassmen necessitated his move to corner. He will make mistakes but has excellent speed and recovers quickly. He can run people down from behind. So. Farley was also pressed into service due to injuries. He's also a first year player seeing duty last year only as a scout team WR. Backup CB Brown is a soph but saw his first action in college this season. Backup S Shumate is a true freshman and a big hitter and should see significant PT at Nickel.C.​

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First Year Place Kicker The record setting Sr. kicker went down for the season in the opening game. His soph replacement did exceedingly well for a first time kicker. He handled kickoffs last year but not place kicking. Some fans here will grumble about him as he's missed 8 kicks for the season but he's ranked 3rd in the nation in FGs and more importantly he's been money under pressure playing in OT twice and providing the margin of victory in 5 of ND's 12 games. He's also set ND records for Most FGs in a season, 23, Most FGs Attempts in a season, 31, and Most Points Scored by a kicker 95. His long for the season is 52 yds. He was 8-11 from 30-39 yds, 3-7 from 40-49 yds, and 1-1 from 50+. He was 8-11 from 30-39 yds, 3-7 from 40-49 yds, and 1-1 from 50+. His 74% accuracy rate is one of the best in ND history.​

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Its interesting that he says "ND's passing game was more effective outside the Red Zone with more field to work with. From the numbers I ran, they scored 31% of their passing TD's outside the red zone. I still haven't watched any tape on ND yet - do they not stretch the field? Everything I see says ND isn't a big play team.

Notre Dame
Passing = 69% (9 of 13) of passing TDs are scored within the red zone.
Rushing = 82% (18 of 22) of rushing TDs are scored within the red zone.

 

[TerryP]

Here's a post which lists out the ND weaknesses - believe this is an Irish fan posting this. I thought it might give some of you a better look at ND. I've read some things about their secondary and having to move people around along with converting guys from RB to deal with injuries - they've been playing the whole season, so they have been learning all season.

http://www.irishenvy.com/forums/notre-dame-football/79094-alabama-good-bad-57.html#post860198

---

1. Punt Return Team - The return man, Neal is quick but rarely gets any protection from the gunners coming down field. ND is ranked around 86th in Field Position Advantage due primarily to the poor Punt Return game. Best hope for a return is a big kick that out kicks the coverage.​

​

2. Red Zone TDs - RZ Scoring is good but not great. ND is ranked 75th with a .79 Scoring Rate. UA is ranked 15th at .89. ND converted 46 of 58 opportunities but 19 were FGs with only 27 TDs (19 Rushing/8 Passing). This was the primary reason for the number of close games this season. The Defense was DOMINANT in the Red Zone the Offense wasn't. ND has several big receivers but the End Zone Fade was not the money play it should have been to either of two BIG TEs or the WRs. They made some but the timing or touch with a rookie QB wasn't what you would have with a 3rd or 4th year QB. ND's passing game was more effective outside the Red Zone with more field to work with.​

​

3. Youth.​

​

A. Rookie QB never played a down before this season but he's 10-0 as a starter and has played in 11 games in his career. A long way from the experience level of A.J. McCarron. Golson's got a very strong arm, can make all the throws, and is very mobile. He's short at 6-0 behind a tall OLine. He struggled early in the season with reads, taking sacks versus the out of bounds throws, and going through progressions. But he improved in decision making as the season progressed. The additional 6 weeks between the last game and the NCG should benefit him more than anyone else. After 3 years McCarron has his reads, progressions, and timing about as good as it's going to get. The pre-bowl period was also half a season for Golson to get his head more in the game. His arm and feet were always there. His backup Jr QB Rees is 14-4 as a career starter, 2-0 this year. More experienced and quicker "read" on the field but lacks Golson's arm strength and isn't mobile at all. The additional 6 weeks should also give Golson time to get back in sync with WR Daniels who was injured for the last couple of games of the season but still posted the 3rd most receiving yds. Likewise the added time should help with the timing of the long ball to Fr WR Brown who is probably the fastest receiver and a true home run threat. Golson and Brown connected once for a 50+ yd play but missed closely on another 5 or 6 opportunities when Brown had his man beat. IF Golson and Brown are in sync and/or Golson gets in sync with the tall receivers in the Red Zone, look out! But much work needs to be done in those areas before Jan 7th.​

​

B. Young Secondary playing before their time due to preseason injuries but have played well. Despite UA's OLine and RBs, I expect Saban to try to negate ND's Front Seven by using the experienced McCarron to go after ND's DBs. CB Russell is a true freshman. He arrived on campus as a RB but injuries to upperclassmen necessitated his move to corner. He will make mistakes but has excellent speed and recovers quickly. He can run people down from behind. So. Farley was also pressed into service due to injuries. He's also a first year player seeing duty last year only as a scout team WR. Backup CB Brown is a soph but saw his first action in college this season. Backup S Shumate is a true freshman and a big hitter and should see significant PT at Nickel.C.​

​

First Year Place Kicker The record setting Sr. kicker went down for the season in the opening game. His soph replacement did exceedingly well for a first time kicker. He handled kickoffs last year but not place kicking. Some fans here will grumble about him as he's missed 8 kicks for the season but he's ranked 3rd in the nation in FGs and more importantly he's been money under pressure playing in OT twice and providing the margin of victory in 5 of ND's 12 games. He's also set ND records for Most FGs in a season, 23, Most FGs Attempts in a season, 31, and Most Points Scored by a kicker 95. His long for the season is 52 yds. He was 8-11 from 30-39 yds, 3-7 from 40-49 yds, and 1-1 from 50+. He was 8-11 from 30-39 yds, 3-7 from 40-49 yds, and 1-1 from 50+. His 74% accuracy rate is one of the best in ND history.​

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Its interesting that he says "ND's passing game was more effective outside the Red Zone with more field to work with. From the numbers I ran, they scored 31% of their passing TD's outside the red zone. I still haven't watched any tape on ND yet - do they not stretch the field? Everything I see says ND isn't a big play team.

Notre Dame
Passing = 69% (9 of 13) of passing TDs are scored within the red zone.
Rushing = 82% (18 of 22) of rushing TDs are scored within the red zone.

I've not paid that much attention to their offense in the tape I've watched. I've only begun to look at their offensive production casually.

I can't say anything about big plays, but I can say when it comes to passing TD's they don't have much success against ranked teams. It caught my eye earlier today that they've only had two passing TD's all year versus ranked opponents: three games, two with a passing TD.

Four rushing TD's total against ranked combined with the passing gives us six total TD's against ranked teams.

All that said, which really doesn't say anything until it's looked at in context...

Two of the rushing TD's came against OU in the fourth quarter. There was one big play—a completion of 50 yards to Brown—that led to the first. The second was after a late turnover.

Riddick's longest is 55, followed by Browns at 50.

Eifert is, from what I can tell, their big play guy in receiving. He's got five or six games where he's pulled in a 30+ yard reception.

BUT, we come back to the big plays against ranked opponents and you don't see explosive plays. One against OU, one against Michigan, and we're done.

 

[Irish#1]

ND isn't a big play team by nature. They will get Davarius Daniels back who is the #1 WR in terms of stretching the field whch will help. He missed the last third of the season with a broken collarbone. Brown has legit 4.3 speed, but he is a true frehmen. Golson has went deep to him three times this year. The first time Golson missed him pretty good. The second was off Brown's fingertips and the third was the completion against OU. They're still working on their timing. With Eifert, Jones and Daniels on the field Golson is more apt to go to them.

The secondary is young and learning, but has come a long way this year. The did a great job of keeping Lee and Woods in check. What impresses me most about them is they are very good tacklers. YAC is pretty much non-existent.

 

[UAgrad93]

ND isn't a big play team by nature. They will get Davarius Daniels back who is the #1 WR in terms of stretching the field whch will help. He missed the last third of the season with a broken collarbone. Brown has legit 4.3 speed, but he is a true frehmen. Golson has went deep to him three times this year. The first time Golson missed him pretty good. The second was off Brown's fingertips and the third was the completion against OU. They're still working on their timing. With Eifert, Jones and Daniels on the field Golson is more apt to go to them.

The secondary is young and learning, but has come a long way this year. The did a great job of keeping Lee and Woods in check. What impresses me most about them is they are very good tacklers. YAC is pretty much non-existent.

The part about handling Lee and Woods is shall we say MISLEADING to say the least! ND faced those two with a Redshirt Freshman pulling the trigger as opposed to a 4 yr starter. That is the big difference! Now, Barkley did digress this season, but I would have rather had a salty veteran slinging the rock rather than a redshirt snot nosed kid who was holding the clipboard all season.

 

[TerryP]

ND isn't a big play team by nature. They will get Davarius Daniels back who is the #1 WR in terms of stretching the field whch will help. He missed the last third of the season with a broken collarbone. Brown has legit 4.3 speed, but he is a true frehmen. Golson has went deep to him three times this year. The first time Golson missed him pretty good. The second was off Brown's fingertips and the third was the completion against OU. They're still working on their timing. With Eifert, Jones and Daniels on the field Golson is more apt to go to them.

The secondary is young and learning, but has come a long way this year. The did a great job of keeping Lee and Woods in check. What impresses me most about them is they are very good tacklers. YAC is pretty much non-existent.

Just building a bit on what uagrad said...

I don't see the game against USC as a good indicator either.

Along with the QB change as mentioned, the thing that struck me is how few attempts USC made in the passing game against ND. (I'd say I don't know what Kiffin was thinking, but who does and when have I ever known...) USC was still a little less 15 yards per completion while attempting just a few more attempts than Navy.

(Side note: If there was an offense that was all over the map this year it was USC. Out of the 12 games they played, only two had balance.)

 

[cartag]

I doubt very much that IrishEnvy is a Notre Dame fan site. But I could be wrong.

 

[252BAMA]

I doubt very much that IrishEnvy is a Notre Dame fan site. But I could be wrong.

IrishEnvy is very much a ND fan site. Click on the link.