Thoughts on the Notre Dame game

[JHallCanes]

I was mainly concerned with how quickly an entirely new defense and new DC would gel. I knew we had talent and what I think is a good DC but we don’t get much legit practice time anymore

I am beyond impressed. They clearly have been putting in work

 

[canecountry3]

Bain and Mesidor will be monsters on the edge and both could get 10+ sacks.

Bain got all the flowers for the pick but Damari Brown made it happen. K Scott showed incredible athletic ability getting up for that ball as well.

The run itself sucked, but when that Pierce kid turned on the jets down the sideline, Thomas came in like a missle and blew him up before he scored. They scored anyway but that play doesn't happen last year at all with Harris or Powell pursuing.

Trader had a big block on a run and celebrated it. Liked that - be involved without getting the ball.

It's nice that the players on the field look the part, it is even better that they seem to play how they look - big, fast(er than last year), and punishing.

 

[U_Canes]

Yup, I took Dawson's Monday presser comment about ND's secondary: (paraphrasing) "I thought they were really good before the game, and as the game went on I thought they were even better" to actually mean, "those guys are good, but holy **** the refs are letting them get away with murder (and I'm going to consider that fact when calling plays up 2 scores in the second half)"

Personally I think he was overthinking things, but in the context of that game it sure wasn't crazy to lean on the run when we were up in the second half with a WR rotation of 2 portal additions playing their first game & 2 true freshmen, along with a portal QB playing his first game in Dawson's system

I would just add I think it was also an indictment of what we thought of Carr. He came out the 2nd half with pressure to respond and looked shaky.

I think we felt confident, the more we shortened the clock, the fewer possessions the more pressure it put on Carr to beat us. And they didn’t want to risk a turnover and taking the pressure off.

He played better than I expected down the stretch. And we also had some bad breaks with a missed PI and a hold. But our passing game was kinda a bust when we did pass late. 2/6 and also had a hold and a sack iirc.

 

[Novacane32000]

At one point in the game, Beck was 12 for 12. He was in an absolute groove, and then we went up 21-7, mailed it in. "they didn't trust our passing offense yet", is just complete dumb rationale. Spend the entire offseason waiting for this particular QB, give him $4m, watch him make 12 straight completions, go up 21-7, have a chance to make an emphatic statement on national tv against CFP finalist, 25-3 as a starter, and in the conversation with the best QBs in the country..........

but go "into a shell late in the game"? Spare me. It's Mario and Dawson.

We threw the ball 31 times and ran 37. A decent balance, especially when you are winning the whole game.

 

[TaylorWalls]

It was a great game, but let's pump the breaks. It was an absolute toss-up game, at home, vs a first time starter. We always play our best football early in the season. Long way to go.

You left out the part about them being the defending national runner-up and a top 6 team. If we're in "toss up" games against playoff locks, I'm okay with that.

 

[P-Tizzle]

We threw the ball 31 times and ran 37. A decent balance, especially when you are winning the whole game.

that's not the argument. The argument is after Miami went up 21-7, the offense became mundane. Everyone has already admitted that even D$ the author of the post.

 

[The canesman]

I thought the team played a perfect first half. Thought the conservative play calling in the second half let ND back in the game. A few mistakes here and there but over all an improved team discipline wise. I don’t think there was a penalty in the first half. This team will get better and beating ND out of the gate is a very positive thing going forward.

 

[QuattroCane]

I was talking to a buddy this morning, and we both felt this was one of the first times in forever that we looked like one of, if not the, best teams playing.
I struggle to think of three teams that looked better or more complete. We have lot's of room to improve, but...

 

[LMCane]

who was it that busted the coverage

on the only really huge back breaking play by the Irish?

 

[ZeroBeachCane3]

 

[Ghurd8]

Great stuff from D$ as always. I'm where I was last year with Cam & that O: enjoy it while you got it. I KNOW our recent history. I know we can lose games we shouldn't. But I'll say the same thing about this team that I said about Mali: you know it when you see it. We may have flaws. We may find a bad matchup. Instead of worrying about what may go wrong, I'm just excited to wake up on GameDay knowing my team can compete with anybody.

 

[Hufftwoseven]

Hypeeeeeeeeeee!!! Optimism through the roof!!

It sounds a WEE BIT DIFFERENT coming off Carter Davis’ foot

Someone gif this clip^ someone put it on a shirt!!

 

[Novacane32000]

Said before the game ..not worried about ND in Aug...they were overrated as ****.
The worry is anyone in November.

Hopefully ,we were way underrated and ND was rated just right.

 

[canes1239]

who was it that busted the coverage

on the only really huge back breaking play by the Irish?

Toure

 

[U_Canes]

I like the way our schedule plays out. BC should give us time to fix some things and get the younger guys some PT.

USF should be a win. But Brown and their offense will give us a different look which should be good prep for UF and FSU the next 2 weeks

 

[JD08]

I expected Malachi Toney was being a tad overhyped, but ****. Imagine getting your first TD being against Notre Dame in the first game of the season when you are only 17 and should still be in high school. Color me impressed.

 

[C A N S]

The team looks right but at some point Cristobal will actually have to try to win a game in a close spot. My worry is that his inherent conservativeness will lose us a game or two that we'd otherwise win.

I'm glad we won Saturday but any coach with a modicum of aggressiveness would have won that by 30+.

 

[skyman]

It wears on defenses over time. Marty Brown proved that he was our biggest coup of the second portal window. I thought it would be impossible to land him given the depth in the room, and Cal and Nebraska were close

Pretty sure I saw taxes was reason he picked us? Think I read it on another board but found that funny..

I really liked how Heatherman simplified the coverages and let their athleticism take over. Less thinking more reacting.

I dont know how many legit QBs we will play but that will get us picked a apart.. Hopefully we do some more stuff but giving any decent qb same simple looks over and over will get us dog walked up n down field at some point.

 

[JHallCanes]

I expected Malachi Toney was being a tad overhyped, but ****. Imagine getting your first TD being against Notre Dame in the first game of the season when you are only 17 and should still be in high school. Color me impressed.

Kid is so **** smooth out there it’s crazy. He’s still such a young kid hopefully he holds up over the long term of the season. That’s my biggest concern after watching Restrepo down the stretch the last couple years. You gotta just be physically built a bit different to take that punishment

But for now, yeah I get it

 

[Novacane32000]

that's not the argument. The argument is after Miami went up 21-7, the offense became mundane. Everyone has already admitted that even D$ the author of the post.

The running game was working-why go away from that when there is not a safer play in all of football.

The only play I had issue with, was the run up the gut on 3rd and 4 right before the go-ahead FG.

I expected a short pass from Beck to put the game away. But a lot could have gone wrong-the least of which being an incomplete pass that saves ND a time-out and gives them 1:30+ on the final drive with a time-out in their pocket instead of 60 seconds and no timeouts.