Notre Dame’s offense struggled mightily once again but the Irish managed to come away with a 15-12 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday. Tommy Rees, who was maddeningly inconsistent throughout the afternoon, composed himself and led an 85-yard fourth quarter drive to give his team the lead. Pitt’s last gasp drive was shut down by the Lynch Mob, who sacked quarterback Tino Sunseri when it appeared the Panthers had a chance to tie. A successful sneak by Rees on fourth and one with under a minute remaining sealed the win for the 2-2 Irish.
Pittsburgh’s defensive game plan nearly worked to perfection. Multiple pre-snap shifts caused considerable confusion on the part of Notre Dame, and the Panther’s essentially took Michael Floyd out of the game with persistent double coverage. The Irish had no answer until the final quarter, when Rees spread the ball to Tyler Eifert, Roby Toma and Theo Riddick. A six yard touchdown pass from Rees to Eifert with 6:48 remaining erased a 12-7 deficit, and this same pair combined to secure a two point conversion for the final margin.
The game was marred by mistakes and penalties that killed drives and kept the score down. A first quarter sack by Pitt forced a Rees fumble deep in his own territory, and the Panthers capitalized with a 45-yard field goal by Kevin Harper for a 3-0 lead.
The Irish responded on their first series of the second quarter. Jonas Gray took a pitch around right end, eluded a tackle by safety Jason Hendricks, and raced 79 yards down the sideline for a score. Pittsburgh came back with the aid of a pass interference penalty on Gary Gray, but had to settle for another field goal by Harper.
Leading by only 7-6, Notre Dame botched two scoring opportunities late in the half. Rees drove his team into Panther territory only to be picked off by Hendricks at the Pitt 5 yard line. Later, the Irish executed the two minute drill to set up a 39-yard field goal attempt by David Ruffer, but a poor snap and bobbled hold disrupted Ruffer’s timing and he pushed it wide right.
Pittsburgh took the second half kickoff and took advantage of key Irish mistakes to complete an improbable 80-yard drive. A roughing the punter penalty negated what should have been a three and out, and two sacks by Darius Fleming in this sequence went for naught. The Panthers scored on a short pass to Hubie Graham after converting on a fourth and one two plays earlier. Sunseri failed on the two point conversion attempt, so his team led by only 12-7 with 6:36 left in the third quarter.
This tenuous margin appeared as if it might hold up as Notre Dame’s offense continued to stumble. Its two possessions during this period ended with a three and out and a personal foul that negated a pass completion into scoring territory. Fortunately, the Irish defense began to assert itself, and Rees was handed another opportunity early in the final quarter. Rees, who had hit only 15 of 32 passes for a paltry 135 yards to that point, suddenly caught fire. The sophomore was perfect in eight attempts (including the two point conversion) to turn a poor performance into a winning one.
Despite being held in check on the scoreboard, Notre Dame got the better of the trench warfare. The Irish managed 181 yards on the ground and converted all four rushing attempts on third and short yardage. Meanwhile, Pitt tailback Ray Graham ripped off one run of 42 yards but was held to just 47 yards on his other 20 carries.
Let’s review the answers to the pregame questions:
Will Pitt’s variable defensive alignments confound the Irish? Definitely. Rees threw the ball into coverage and was lucky to have suffered only one interception.
Can the Irish keep Graham in check and force Sunseri to the air? Yes. Although Sunseri demonstrated the ability to pick up yards with his legs, he was unable to win the game with his arm.
Will Notre Dame be able to sustain its ground game against Pitt’s tough front seven? As mentioned above, the Irish ground game was solid and the long touchdown run by Gray was critical.
Which team will make the costly mistakes? The Irish left ten points on the board in the first half, and both teams committed far too many drive-killing penalties in this ugly affair.
Will we see growth or regression from Tommy Rees? Both; but a poor first impression was replaced by a strong finish.
Will the Irish special teams turn in a solid, all around performance? The botched field goal attempt was a team snafu. Otherwise, there were no issues and Ben Turk punted reasonably well.
Can Pitt protect Sunseri from the Lynch Mob? Not when it mattered most. Sunseri was 23 of 30 in a flurry of dinks and dunks, but Notre Dame had six sacks and several quarterback pressures.
The Irish won for the second straight week, although the offensive performance was just short of inept and the final score was too close for comfort. This game was won on talent and superior physical ability, but the team does not yet resemble a crisp, well-coached unit. Notre Dame will remain on the road next week for a night game at Purdue, where they once again appear to be the better team. As we witnessed today, however, an advantage on paper is not really as comforting as it should be.
Ed Brazas says:
I don’t understand how a team can be this sloppy 4 games into the season.
Jimbo says:
Simple: COACHING.
aj says:
Are the rest of our QB’s really that bad? Our defence saves our rumps again, and will have to continuously until Kelly admits his mistake, and getsthe rite quarterback in there for us!!
jabe7 says:
Rees has the potential to be great. He may not have the athletic abilities of some but he has that essential characteristic of a great quarterback – unflappable under fire.
Now, I’m not comparing him to Joe Montana and I would not know how Rees compares to his arm strength; however, what I do know is that Montana was the greatest when it came to closing out a game in the final minutes. Rees has demonstrated something of this essential quality, e.g. the TD drive against Michigan in the final seconds! Yesterday, he demonstrated that same ability.
With further coaching and maturity he will learn to “read defenses” better and sense when the defense is closing in on him, thus, avoiding the costly mistakes plaguing him.
Other great quarterbacks who don’t have the running ability that many of you on this board wish for:
Tom Brady, Peyton Manning.
Of course he’s not where we want him to be but he does have that cool and ability to lead at the end of a game. A few more games will give us further hints as to whether he’ll be able to develop into that top quality quarterback we’re looking for. I have a hunch he will!
Jim Kress says:
The comparison with Montana (as a College quarterback) is apt. Montana was a “lazy” college quarterback who played down to the level of the opposition until he had to pull the fat from the fire and win the game. Rees appears to be cut from a similar mold.
JohnND1985 says:
I see no Montana in Rees. Montana didn’t create the problems that he had to come back from. Devine didn’t like him, wouldn’t start him but would bring him in to bail us out. During the ’77 season, Montana did not begin the season as the starter. Devine hated him.
algoldendomer says:
Check your facts, please. Montana’s 1977 starts do not bear out your premise – that he played “down” to the competition:
MSU 16-6
Army 24-0
#5 USC 49-19
Navy 43-10
Ga Tech 69!-14
at #15 Clemson 21-17
Air Force 49-0
Miami 48-10
#1 Texas 38-10
In which one of those games would you say Montana played only well enough to win, pulling it out at the end? I’ll give you Clemson, and that one was in Death Valley and the refs were pitiful.
aj says:
I have a hunch he will throw 3 more picks against SCUM, if he was better, he wouldn’t have to luck out on the last drive of the game. Without his turnovers, we are running out the clock with a 21 point lead, instead of saving our timeouts for a prayerful drive to POTENTIALLY win the game. Pitt does have a great defensive gameplan, credit is due there, but I watched a freshman QB shred an SEC defence yesterday afternoon, A FROSH!!!! Reese is not our future, imo, we should quit wasting time, and get everett in there!!
JohnND1985 says:
LOL!! Great? Not unless he develops the ability to throw the ball 40 yards on a rope.
ND_Irish_24 says:
Although the game had its mistakes, I liked the way Rees found other recievers like Eiffert and TJ. I loved Jonas Gray’s big 79yard TD, finally the run game is working well as it has this year. Are defence has really grown in the past two-three years. I think the reason we won was not only Rees stepping up on the last drive, but our defence putting the game away by stopping everything PITT had. I have the utmost confidence that the Irish not only beat Purdue next saturday but also win the rest of their schedule. GO IRISH!!!!
Donald Kaul says:
I had a terrible feeling from the beginning on this one, but we emerged w/ a W, ran for nearly 200 yards and gave up only 12 points against a coach who I’m convinced is one of the most innovative offensive minds in the game. With this team and it’s fragile psyche, a win is an awesome win. Onward to victory!!
Ska says:
This is the first game of the season ND should have lost. Every play on offense was stressful. Here comes another turnover, by the QB. Everyone in the room winced everytime the ball was hiked to TR.
Defense won the game in spite of the QB awful performance. Do not understand BK fixation on TR as the starting QB. If Crist had a third of the errors of TR, he would be benched in a heart beat. Thank goodness ND won. Kelly really needs to get a D1 QB on the field. Both Crist and Hendrix are far better athletes with more upside. Is TR a great young man? Yes. The best QB ? No.
Is it because Kelly was an undersized dynamo linebacker who sees himself in an under athletic QB? This is truly bizarre. Opposing teams have figured out his cadence and how TR reacts right before the ball is snapped. TR is regressing. This is all on coaching. Coaches definitely are not doing a good job grading QB performance.
JohnND1985 says:
Agreed. If a QB has no ability to get the ball down the field, can’t run and can’t throw under pressure or on the move, it’s time for someone else. We should have put at least 28 on Pitt.
Scott says:
Well, if Eiffert makes a damn move to the ball (I was sitting right above that play at Heinz field) instead of waiting for the ball to hit his hands there is 6 pts (7 pts if PAT is good). If Ruffer makes a FG there is another 3. There were 10 pts left OFF the scoreboard. They convert, ND hangs 25 on Pitt. Am I missing something?
nudeman says:
Rees is, at the VERY BEST, a potential 6.5 on a scale of 10, and that’s only if he improves. He’s about a 4.5 right now. I don’t give a fig about his late game drives. If a pitcher consistently gives up 6 runs in the first 4 innings, do I really care that his ERA in the 5th inning is stellar?
I do NOT understand why BK thinks this guy is “the man”. One explanation we consistently heard was “the ball comes out on time”.
No it doesn’t.
Several throws yesterday were late and soft, including the pick he threw in the red zone (his specialty). Missed a wide open receiver over the middle later with a throw about 4 feet over his head. Easily could have had 3 – 4 INTs.
And you’re telling me Dayne can’t outplay this guy? BS.
Mike says:
Coaching has not fixed:
1) rees’ ability to recognize defense and protect the ball
2) 4 games in have we gained positive yardage on punt returns yet?
3) Gary gray’s inability to turn to the ball
IrIsHMaDmAn says:
Tommy Rees had his bumbling moments today, but was great on the game winning drive, and the defense played fantastic throughout. But I do agree with Ed that there are far too many sloppy mistakes four games into the season. But a win is a win. GO IRISH!!!!!!!
Jimbo says:
An ugly win is better than a good looking loss.
Jim Kress says:
Said Ara Parseghian …
kmjackson says:
Although I was fervently calling for Rees to be pulled in favor of Crist for the whole third and part of the fourth quarter I am not sure Crist has the clutch ability to pull off the last drive to win it as Rees did. Overall this team is really being held back by the quarterback position. Rees is an overachiever at times but is limited (no long balls or running threat) and has been unable to protect the football. Crist seems to go into the tank when there is adversity. The young guns might be too junior to start (although as a sophomore there is no reason Hendrix should not “know” the offense.) We are facing a softer part of the schedule for a couple of weeks, will Rees be able to overcome his ball control issues and a package be worked out for Hendrix/Golson to stretch defenses that are vulnerable to a maneuverable quarterback? The straight Rees solution does not win out in my estimation.
Drasail2 says:
A fair analysis. Bad Tommy today. But did you see Floyd’s world class
block on that run by Grey?
Better to win than be pretty.
Jeremy says:
That was a nasty win, but thankfully still a win. I felt like the team didn’t come out ready to play, after three emotional weeks a in a row, and the confusing defensive schemes just made it worse. One good thing from this win was seeing both offense and defense not give up and take on the “here we go again” attitude that I was certainly feeling. And we only had two turnovers (one less than last week). We are a long way from being a consistently good team, but we have the talent, and we are starting to get more of the mental toughness and focus.
van says:
Wow this game was stressful! Thank you defense for your amazing play not many defenses can stay on the field for 8 minutes on 1 possession and then have to come out there again after two three n outs and not give up any points. Proud of you guys for not giving up GO IRISH!
BruceB says:
This team shows signs of being truly awesome, but then one unit or the other goes on break and what should be blowouts turn into losses or close games. If they ever play a full 60 minutes, they look capable of beating every team on the schedule.
Kevin says:
Yes our defense played well. I am really confused about this team though moving forward. I don’t know what to expect from them. I thought we would destroy Pitt especially with our pass game but we were very ineffective until late in the 4th quarter. Tommy Rees looked confused until the very last part of game. Which is great, ‘m glad he finally came through. Is it just me or does it seem like Tommy plays better when hes in a 2minute hurry up; up tempo type of offense? Maybe Kelly should think about going faster tempo with him the whole game and simulate 2 minute drill. Thats when Rees seems like hes really kicking. He has talent, he just started out flat today. the team in general was flat but I’m glad we won. I hope we win in convincing fashion next week. Go Irish!
Kevin says:
I am a big Tommy Rees fan so I hope he continues to get better each week!
Jimbo says:
Unfortunately the problem is he is not getting better each week. Just look at his turnover to TD ratio since he has started at ND including last year.
JohnND1985 says:
I agree. I have only seen him get worse. Only a very good defense and a very good running game have saved him. Crist wouldn’t play any worse and can get the ball down the field. Just imagine being able to get Floyd the ball all over the field instead short outs, short crosses and bubble screens.
irishhawk50 says:
Upon further review ND’s effort was not as bad as it seemed. Pitt’s defense did a good job and their team was better than I thought, but the Irish fought through which is the important thing. The defense hung tough, although Gray still looks lost. Rees once again came through when he had to, this time, unlike against Michigan the defense stepped up. Again too many errors (by the way if you watch the review, the call on Collingworth should have been 5 yards not 15), but the Irish showed winning character, a big plus. Still a way to go, but progressing.
Jb13 says:
I agree. What is up with the qb play? Michael Floyd being double teamed should fall right into what we want opposing defenses to do, so other wideouts can get the matchups we want. Our QB(s) should be able to shred these secondaries to pieces with the Floyd double teams, and the running game that we have had working for us so far this year. I don’t get how the qb’s can be this bad.
Squeeze77 says:
I beg to differ on the issue of special teams. Brindza booted one out of bounds to give Pitt great field position leading to one of the early field goals. The roughing the punter call was potentially a 14 point turn- around as we had them deep.
Scranton Dave says:
Can we now admit that Rees is terrible? Dont let one drive let you guys forget 3 quarters of awful. Rees isnt the guy, and if he wont go back to Crist, then he needs to give Golson or Hendrix a chance.
JohnND1985 says:
Rees is only good when not pressured, can stand in the pocket and through underneath the coverage. If he has to move, gets pressured or has the short routes taken away, he’s awful. He doesn’t have the arm strength to extend the field or to throw certain routes.
C Mac says:
And what’s his record as the starter? Oh, that’s right, 6-1.
Ryan says:
Floyd has to get the ball more. Is Rees that fragile to prevent Crist getting a few snaps? Crist has the better arm…
Jim Kress says:
Crist panics under pressure and loses his ability to make good decisions. He’s aptly demonstrated than on numerous occasions. If you want a QB change, go with one of the younger guys – but be prepared for a lousy season while they get on-the-job training.
JohnND1985 says:
Rees panics under pressure more than Crist does and makes worse decisions. He just has a facial expression that’s more acceptable to the masses. Rees has poor arm strength. I coached a girl in interhall football that had a better arm. She could throw 40 yds on a rope rolling to her left. First, Rees looks like he’s about to fall when they roll him to his left. Second, he can’t get anything on the ball rolling right or left.
irish angst says:
An ugly win is better than an ugly loss. But this was ugly. Mistakes, sloppy play, and this offense will never work without a quarterback who can run it.
GoIrish661 says:
The rush DEFENSE was great, the pass DEFENSE was so so. For the most part, they made stops when they had to. Rees, I love the kid, but he looked far from sharp. If they were playing teams that were much more talented, their struggles would be much more understandable. The fact that they look so damn sloppy against average teams is incredibly frustrating. Barkley is going to shred that secondary If they don’t figure it out soon. In the end, a win is a win I guess.
Eric Loprete says:
Tommy Reese is the best quarterback in the past 15 years for Notre Dame, I’m going back to the Pat Dillingham days, he’s beaten USC, Miami in a bowl game-the only other quarterback besides jimmy clausen to do so, He’s beaten two ranked teams and has a chance to beat two more by seasons end, as a starter he is 6 and 2, this kids great and i think we should feel lucky we have him. What you have to understand is patience, he has already done so much as a sopohmore imagine, if you will what he will have accomplished as a senior.
JohnND1985 says:
He’s not even the best QB on the team this year. Both Quinn and Clausen were far better. So was Ron Pawlus. Rees is a weak armed turnover machine.
Dillon Domer says:
ND_Irish_24, please send me some of whatever you’re taking . . . it must be good. Yes, a win is a win, especially on the road; however, this was another miserable performance by the offense. For 6 months, Kelly told us how close the quarterback race was – so close in fact that a starter wasn’t named for the USF game until a week before. Crist gets two quarters and then gets benched, yet we’ve watched Rees cost us two games with his turnovers and nearly another one today. Unless Crist has completely come unglued as a result of being benched, I truly question Kelly’s decision to continue playing the occasionally good, but consistently inconsistent Rees.
Regarding coaching, Kelly cost us at least 7 points in this game as well. Calling for a punt block when they are kicking out of their own endzone – why? We are not Virginia Tech and don’t make a living blocking punts. We were poised to get the ball in Pitt territory, and because of poor coaching, Pitt gets the ball back and drives and scores. I also question why we didn’t commit to the running game more today. Yes, we 180 yards of rushing, but 80 of that was on one play. The inherent weakness of the spread offense is exposed in the red zone when the field is compressed. Run the ball coach – run the ball – especially after I saw Jonas clip off that run – pretty cool to see him pull away from the DB’s.
Purdue is not a fundamentally sound team, nor are they a well coached team. Ross Ade is a small, non-threatening stadium. If we don’t hang 45 points on them and hold them to under 20 – it could be tough sledding going forward.
ND_Irish_24 says:
Well I guess we could be 4-0 if we played LA TECH or Central Michigan like Alabama or Michigan, but we actually play a Legit schedule unlike the “BIG” dinasties -_- I do agree that Rees is not the best QB we have though. Watching Golson play in highschool made me happy because I know good will come. As for the thing i’m taking its called gold and blue through and through. GO ND!!!
Eric M. says:
What happened to the well tuned team that we saw play the second half of last season. TR should have picked up where he left off after the Bowl win, and so should have the rest of the team. Same players, same Coaches.
Can’t figure it out. Neither can Coach Kelly I guess.
Mack says:
Yet another horribly stressful Saturday with our Irish. I am speechless at the sloppiness of this team. Would love to see the outcome of a game without all the penalties and turnovers!! I personally feel that there is alot of talent on this team; but have become very concerned about the discipline. I like BK, but penalties are indicative of a lack of discipline…and that is coaching! Hoping to see 4 great quarters of football next week against Purdue and a significant win. GO IRISH!
Mark says:
Boy I tell you this is a hard team to watch.At times they blow me away and at times they regress.Hard to put my finger on it.At least we did get a win.I still dont get the penalties.I have never seen a Notre Dame team penalized this much.Putting Dayne Crist in the game might or might not help.There is progress in the ground game.Aaron Lynch is going to be awsome.He already is.I did see the secondary especially Gary Gray get burned by not turning around and a Pitt receiver dropped a pass that should have been caught between two Irish defenders.We have to fix the kicking game.We really cant punt or return them very well.Little mistakes like a bad snap during the field goal.I have a feeling this team will end up about at best 8-4
Aaron says:
Well it was UUUUUGGGGLLLLYYYYY! But a win is win! At this point I’ll take a win! Hopefully the play calling and looking to other receivers besides Michael Floyd will improve as the season goes on!
scott says:
The little things are killing this team, Jonas runs for 79 yard TD and we have tons of momentum. But then the freshman kicker kicks it out of bounds, they get it on the 40, the 40!!!! Giving them a very short field and 3 points. Missing the 40 yard FG hurt too with the bad snap. Seems to me these kids are playing with the “fear of God” in the back of their mind and not showing their true potential. How does Rees lock in on MFloyd for the whole 1st qtr?? Do we not have TJ and Riddick that the coaching staff told us were sooooo good?? I think Hendrix needs a shot bad as he can run when things break down, we have lost 2 games to QB’s that can run.
squeeze77 says:
Agree with scott. Rees tucked the ball only one time. Hendrix or Golson would have torn the Pitt . There was consistently 10 yards of open space in front of him when he would roll out.
Mike says:
Amazing that 17 games in and BK has not developed a quarterback. Also the special teams play was horrendous once again so I don’t know what game the writer was watching. Brindza had a kickoff go out of bounds, roughing the kicker that jump started Pitt after the D stuffed them to open second half. Goodman let’s a punt go that rolls another 25 yards and Turk still inconsistent, another muffed chip shot field goal. BK needs to develop a QB and coach up the special teams or there will be at least two more losses.
Will credit Reese for last scoring drive but this team needs to shake the spider webs soon.
Eric says:
Reese is the best QB how quickly some fans on here turn against him. I am proud of the way the Irish where able to win because after all a win is better then a loss! GO IRISH!!!!!!!!
ksgarner says:
I agree with Eric. This was only his 9th start and we act like he’s a senior. Games like this certainly give us pains in our collective chest, but it’s just the steep part of the learning curve that he’s got to go through. He’ll be fine, hopefully the staff can work with him a lot and Purdue will be a little less dicey.
JohnND1985 says:
I’ve never thought he was very good. If we aren’t going to play Crist, he’s nothing more than a stop gap until Hendrix or Golson is ready. Rees looks completely lost most of the time.
BigE says:
Yes it was ugly and yes I will take the win, but a defensive blueprint was made was made for the rest of our opponents. What took so long to get Eifert involved in the passing game. I have been really disappointed in Riddick after so much build up on his athletic ability.
NDMIKE says:
Once again, another Notre Dame Football game filled with mistakes and turnovers.
Quarterback – Tommy Rees now has 9 out of the teams 15 turnovers to start the season. The interceptions are related to Tommy Rees consistently staring down receivers. He does not see the field very well nor does he read defenses very well. This is the mark of neither a championship quarterback, nor a winning quarterback. Tommy Rees has been fortunate that the defense continues to either prevent scores or keep the other team to field goals on Tommy’s turnovers. Even on the game winning drive, Tommy Rees threw the touch down to a double-teamed Tyler Eifert. It could just as easily been intercepted but it was not. The blue print is now clear on how to slow down an offense run by Tommy Rees. Double and triple team Michael Floyd and Tommy Rees almost comes up empty in moving the team. I realize flip-flopping on your starting quarterback is not the recipe for winning football, but something has to be done regarding Notre Dame’s quarterback play. If not Crist, nor Rees, the answer may lie with Hendrix or Golston.
Running Back-Cierre Wood continues to play well. I am particularly impressed with the manner in which he picks up the blitzes, and how he blocks on pass plays. Jonas Gray’s performance was very good. His 79-yard touchdown run showed power, elusiveness, and speed. It was a great touchdown run.
The offensive line had an average day for them. I was very disappointed in Braxton Cave’s holding penalty on a running play that was moving away from his man. Then with :35 seconds left in the third quarter, Notre Dame completes a critical 25-yard completion to Tyler Eifert for the first down. There was one problem though; Zack Martin commits an awful hands to the face penalty costing Notre Dame about forty yards in field position. The only outstanding player of the offensive line was Tyler Eifert. Tyler Eifert is playing like an All American. I specifically watch him on pass protection, and his blocking is very good. He is a weapon in the passing game!
Defensive line had a great day against the run. Freshman, Stephon Tuitt made some good plays against Pittsburgh run game, and Darius Fleming was very good with his pass rush. The linebackers were led by Manti Teo again. Manti Teo seemed to be in on every play around the line of scrimmage. I was very disappointed with Dan Fox’s tackling though. Fox missed too many tackles, especially when he could have had tackles for loss. The defensive backfield was average as well. Zeke Motta and Gary Gray are absolutely terrible in finding the ball on pass plays. There were two dropped passes by Pittsburgh that could have been big plays, simply because Zeke Motta and Gary Gray cannot find the ball. Finally, there was one major flaw in the run defense that really worries me. Notre Dame’s run defense could not stop Pittsburgh’s occasional triple option play. With both Air Force and Navy on the schedule, I hope Bob Diaco will be up to the task of defending against those teams. It has me very worried.
Last and least, is the Not-So Special Teams play. Each week it is a contest over which facet of special teams will play worse. Today it was the punting game. The roughing the punter penalty was maddening. Pittsburgh is kicking from their end zone with the worst punting game in the FBS. Notre Dame should be able to “fair catch” the ball in essentially scoring position. So Notre Dame thinks this is their opportunity to try to block a punt?! That is horrible coaching. Because of this gaffe, Notre Dame applied no punt rush on Pittsburgh when they have a terrible snap late in the game, and the punter is fumbling around with the ball on the ground. Then there was another missed field goal due to a poor snap. Kyle Brindza had a mental mistake on a kick-off out of bounds. There was a very high snap on a fourth quarter punt that would have been an outcome changing play for Pittsburgh.
Overall, I am grateful for a win! Notre Dame needs to focus on just one game at a time. Every time I hear a prognostication about Notre Dame running the table for a BCS game, I vomit in my mouth. The focus should be to improve week to week and nothing else.
Jb13 says:
It just seems like Rees and christ ate both both looking for a home run every play. They dont seem to go through their progressions well. And it seems like they are pressing to make the big play instead of just taking what the defense gives them.
fredfarrell says:
Soo ND is 6-1 with Reese or 61/2 -1 if you count his performance in 2nd half vs USF. And he had ND up with 30 sec to go vs Mich….and he is “terrible?” Where have you guys been for the last 15 years..Compared to what I’ve been watching of ND performance over that time period…he ain’t terrible. He is just into his sophmore year. Yes he has a bad case of interceptatheria, but his immune system ought to take care of that with a little time. What ND quaterback in recent history do you remember who could play a couple of quarters of crappy ball and then have the cool to come back with an 8-straight-85-yd drive + two point play to WIN? Clausen was valiant in one losing effort after another. The guys respond to Reese
Terrence says:
I don’t understand all this talk about Crist. If he gets sacked, pressured, or picked, he won’t be able to hit the broad side of a barn the rest of the game. Tommy may make mistakes, but he can come through under pressure, which Crist CAN’T! I do think Rees makes way too many mistakes, but please, no Crist!
JohnND1985 says:
People have such short memories. Crist played well in every game last year except Navy. Without him, we don’t win Pitt, aren’t in the Michigan or MSU games and maybe lose to BC. He through for over 300 against Stanford without any running game and no defense. Crist gave us the lead with a perfect pass to Rudolph against Michigan. Down 4 on his own 5 with 3:41 left in the game has to put some pressure on a QB. Seems Crist came through there.
domeranian says:
We were lucky to get a win. We had one good drive, one good run for 79 yards and a field goal. Given the individual talent levels of each team, we were obviously outcoached. I assume that this game film will be viewed carefully by future opponents. We better have some adjustments made by the time we play competition with similar talent.
Part of the problem is physical limitations of our QB. Tommy Rees seems like a gamer who plays his best football at the end of games. While that’s thrilling and commendable, it’s not something you want to bet on throughout a long season.
He made some good throws, but also made many poor throws. That interception was ridiculous. I think he wasn’t tall enough to see over the line and just tossed it up late without seeing the defender. He often locks onto the first read and can’t make the type of progressions that one would expect from a BCS contender. The commentators even said that he might have been instructed to throw it away if the primary is covered. He doesn’t seem to have the arm strength to make opponents think twice about press single coverage. He’s just not a great fit for Kelly’s system.
I think Kelly should have Hendrix run a few plays just to see what we’ve got. If that doesn’t happen, then I think that Hendrix should transfer after this year for his own good.
Jb13 says:
Bottom line is the fact that both qbs misread plays. I like Rees and crist, but they miss too Many reads and they force too many throws, in crucial situations. I understand Rees is still learning, but come on man, this is the fourth game and they’ve had 15 turnovers. Rees ought to understand the value of not turning the ball over by now. He lost 2 yards on scramble outside of the pocket instead of tossing the ball into the stands, seriously!! How do you do that when you are the starting qb for a FBS team? The qb decision making is just plain pathetic. In all honesty the td pass to eifert was thrown into double coverage and should have been deflected, or worse picked off. I’m glad we won, but I am SO FRUSTRATED with watching this team fail to reach their potential. So on a final note, come on Tommy, lead us to a convincing victory over the Boilermakers.
Scott says:
Well, another strange week of Irish football.
I like the fact that this team doesn’t fold. We can talk all day about the abysmal and confounding mistakes that the team makes (and we should), but I have to commend the coaching in the sense that the player don’t quit like we’ve seen in previous incarnations of Irish football.
This game felt strange even before kickoff, and as the day progressed, it began to feel like Navy or Connecticut or Syracuse. I’m glad to see the way the Irish shut Pitt down in the fourth quarter.
I’m hearing a lot about this Rees v. Crist conversation, and I have to admit I’ve been wondering about this a lot myself. I think we have to trust the coaching decision on this and remember the underlying makeup of each of these quarterbacks. Crist’s body language on the sidelines is not one of a player who wants to play. He does not show and eagerness to get back out. Crist has shown a lack of clutch and perseverance that is necessary for Kelly’s offense.
Knowing what we know about Rees, did Kelly make the switch too early? From the outside looking in, yes, but I argue that Kelly has determined that Crist’s mentality is not something that can be corrected and is completely detrimental to the team.
Rees makes way too many mistakes. Way too many. But, I have to admit, that whenever he comes back on the field for the next series, you’d never know he had just thrown an interception. On that final drive yesterday, it sure didn’t seem like Rees was having a miserable game, he put it behind him. He commits horrendous errors, but he knows how to win. (Even in the Michigan game he gave them a chance).
To call for Golson or Hendricks is a move of desperation. What if they don’t work out? Then you’ve sacrificed your season and all trust in your quarterbacks.
To say Kelly hasn’t developed his quarterbacks? Do you remember Rees in the Michigan game last year? Do you know of any other school who’s top quarterback suffered season ending knee injuries back-to-back, then returned with a tick in his confidence? Kelly has the team is moving (slowly) in the right direction.
JohnND1985 says:
Crist is a good team player. He wouldn’t make any overt actions on the sideline to indicate that he wants in. That would be bad for the team. However, the reporting is that he’s itching for a real chance. Purdue would be a great time. We should be able to beat them with anyone at QB.
teo says:
But it’s not the same. We want to win — every game. To do that, we need a starting quarterback — someone who practices with the team as a starter and someone who shows up and starts. Crist should have been given more than one half. There is no question about that. He was jittery and he made some bad passes, but every quarterback’s opener can be erratic.
That said, at this point, with Rees having won two straight starts, and executed two great last-minute drives, it makes more sense to me to leave Rees in and let him play. He’s earned it by making sure that we’ve won games we’ve needed to win. And, despite the TOs, he should have won the Michigan game.
JohnND1985 says:
I still think we won despite Rees. One day a defense is going to get really smart, bring everyone close to the line and dare him to beat them over the top. Unfortunately for us, he doesn’t seem to have the ability to do that. I wish he did, but you can’t coach arm strength.
martinjordan says:
Through 4 games last year ND was 1 and 3 this year we are 2 and 2. Last year ND had committed 9 turnovers in its first for games and taken the ball away 6 times this year it’s 15 and 5. In 2010 ND had fumbled 7 times and lost 4 while the opponents had fumbled 3 times and lost 2. In 2011 those numbers are ND12/8 and the opponents 3/1. A year ago ND had 19 penalties and the opposition 29. This year it’s 30 to 39. That’s two extreemly sloppy Septembers in two years. The only difference this year is that Notre Dame hasn’t played anyone good yet.
Loooooong island Dan says:
NDMIKE. Spot on conclusions. It was a disappointing win, but a win is exactly what the team needed. Tommy only turned over the ball twice, but he had an off day. I believe this season is particularity plagued by bad bounces, but that is why I have a love/hate relationship for UND football. There has been A LOT of hate on this forum towards Gary Gray, and I have been apart of that. His name did not get announced much in the Pitt game. Like a post from last week, that means he had a great game, but he needs to find the ball in the air (only complaint). Our special teams are indeed “special”. The exception is Atkinson. Once again if we fix the turnovers, penalties, and “special” team play we have a shot at a BCS bowl game (not the championship).
In conclusion,
Most positive: Road win on the ropes. Tommy is a clutch QB. Final drive against MICH should confirm that.
Most negative: Silly mistakes. Turnovers, penalties, and bad bounces. It is a game of inches.
BK outlook: The only time I questioned his decision making is the 4th and 1 at the end of the game. Gamble won and kudos to the kids that made it happen. BK IS THE COACH AND DESERVES HIS POSITION. Until 3-5 years from now when we can make a sound conclusion.
Old Notre Dame will win over all
Terry says:
ND was not prepared for this game. Pitt is a horrible team, but they were much better prepared for this game. ND was lucky
teo says:
And Pitt is not a horrible team any more than 4-0 South Florida is a horrible team.
live in reality. Parity is here.
Tom says:
This same team would be 0-4 under the last 2 coaches, Kellys team has not given up in any game this year and never gave up after a bad start last year. I feel like once he gets a full team of his recruits in he will do well, I felt the same way with the last coach but something seems different this time around.
Tom says:
Just win baby and we did. Our defensive secondary is AWFULL asusual. If Pitt had a QB we would have lost by 30. Still a fan and always will be. GO IRISH
Dan says:
A lot of you keep forgetting that the types of teams we play week-in and week-out aren’t cupcakes. I can almost guarantee that this same performance against a Western Michigan or a San Jose State would’ve netted us at least 20 or more points in addition to what we scored. Whenever you play quality football teams, it becomes a chess match. Pittsburgh’s defense schemed about as well as you can scheme for the type of offense that Kelly runs. The running game was successful, but that type of defense is designed to disrupt the timing of the offense. That’s precisely what it did – the O-line had false starts, holding penalties, personal fouls, and Tommy Rees couldn’t find an open man to save his life because Michael Floyd was dealing with double coverage all game. Pittsburgh executed their scheme to perfection yesterday, and it was up to Rees to grow up and instead of staring down his big target Floyd, look for other options and READ the defense, just like any good quarterback should do.
He did that on the final drive. And ultimately guys, that’s what matters – will your quarterback take care of business when it matters? Despite everything else going on in the game, will your quarterback be there when it HAS to happen? The game isn’t won in the 1st quarter, or the 2nd quarter. Football is a 4 quarter game. There is no relaxation period. it’s the reason that a Texas Tech was able to come back from 38-3 a few years back on a Minnesota. It’s the reason Michigan came back from a 24-10 deficit against us two weeks ago. It’s the reason that A&M lost yesterday AT HOME, after being up 20-3 at half-time.
There were growing pains (as there always are with relatively new starters), and Rees showed that yesterday. He also showed the result though (the last drive, going 8/8 and a touchdown pass) when it mattered.
And to address a lot of your “what-ifs,” well what if you give these guys a chance and stop being so pessimistic about everything? How about you realize that the college football landscape is more competitive now than it has ever been and top quality programs need consistent direction in leadership to move forward? Why did Alabama go away for so long? How did they come back? How about for Oklahoma? Texas? Ohio State? I can go on and on. So give it a rest. Kelly is guy. It’s just a much tougher road for him because we don’t start out the year with Wofford or Portland State on the schedule. Chill out.
Dan says:
Kelly is the guy*
teo says:
We won. It was not pretty. It was not fun. But it is a win.
I just have one comment on Rees, who executed yet another late-game drive: he has the mental toughness to be a great quarterback. But too often, he throws into coverage when other receivers are open. And while the sacks aren’t on him, the fumbles are. He’s gotta do a better job of holding on to the football. He has to do this.
This is Rees’ second year on the team — and only his seventh start. He’s learning — and he needs to learn more. But he has a good arm and can move the ball under pressure.
Montana had 25 interceptions at Notre Dame. It’s hard to believe, I’m sure, because everyone who watched him seems to think the guy never made a mistake. But he progressed. Rees is learning, too. That said, the holding penalties and the (sometimes) related personal fouls have to stop. We need to do a much better job of making sure our offense keeps the ball moving.
GO IRISH!
Jed says:
I’m sorry for all of you who weren’t satisfied by this win, but this is the kind of victory that we needed. The offense wasn’t clicking and the defense rose to the occasion to keep us in the game, then the offense drove it down the field to take the lead. The defense held and when we got the ball back we held it for the remainder of the game. Great teams get one or two wins like that a year. We haven’t seen that in a while.
One other comment I will make is that I had to mute the sound because ABCs crew has nothing to offer to the telecast. I guess I’m spoiled by Mike Mayock. Urban needs to get back into coaching and Spielman needs to find other work.
nb says:
Penalties, turnovers on a regular basis and a secondary that either misses assignments or fails to see the ball even though they may be next to the receiver. Coach Holz aske Kelly on ESPN what he was doing in practice to fix it and got only a vague response. However, Holz made the point. It is a coaching issue more than a player issue. That is not to say I have lost faith in the coaching staff.
The talk of playing a tough vs. easy schedule misses the reality. Neither USF nor Michigan were “tough” opponents – particularly Michigan. Denard throws not less than 6 “hail Mary” passes and completes them all with our secondary watching the receiver make the catch – while being in position to either intercept or deflect the pass. These teams are in the Top 25 courtesy of ND’s inability to consistently score in the redzone and an inability to hold a big lead due to a secondary that is not up to the task. Please don’t tell me that there is no one behind these guys. What happened to the “Next Man In” philosophy? If Crist can be benched after a half for someone on pace to set the turnover record for quarterbacks, surely we can risk playing underclassmen in the secondary. They cannot be worse than what I have witnessed.
Like him or not, Crist deserved more than one half. Rees has enough turnovers to last a career – and bailing the team out of hole he created does not constitute validation of him as the qb. Crist throws one interception in the endzone and is banished? I remember him bringing us back against Michigan last year. That one game showed a toughness that should have earned him another chance his senior year.
I see more talent and some improvement on this team as compared to previous years. I don’t see a team on the verge of greatness, much as I would like to believe it. There is a saying that you make your own luck. Similarly, you also make your own bad luck. Rather than embracing the challenges for 4 quarters, the Irish seem to be waiting for the other shoe to drop – and it usually does. There are no “gimmes” on the ND schedule. Not because of the opponents. Rather, because of us.
mark says:
Just be very thankful you played a really bad team on Sat., a real team would have put you 1-3 you Irish nation all know how lucky you were today, wake up, BK is a little politican, he will make everything seem ok. Thank God it wasn’t LSU, Ok, Stanford, USC. Today. If you Irish fans can find hope after this one, I’m drinking what your drinking!!! They will have to join a conference soon and then it all comes crashing down.
teo says:
First off, somebody of LSU’s background would have demolished Notre Dame yesterday. That is true. But, we didn’t play LSU. We played Pitt. And we didn’t play that well, for sure, but we played well enough to win and in college football that is the goal.
We will get our chance to play Stanford and Southern Cal later this year. And next year, we get OU, so Kelly will have to get the mojo going. But beating Michigan State by 18 points last week and beating Pittsburgh this week are steps in the right direction. This is a program that is on the rise.
Rees isn’t a good quarterback yet. He turns it over too often. But has the potential to be a great quarterback. I mean, did anyone really think that we were going to lose when Rees came out on that last drive? No way. He is just a tough kid who puts mistakes past him and look to find the best open receiver at all times. I do wonder, though, with running backs we have, why we aren’t running the ball more often and more effectively. I suspect that this will come soon.
As for joining a conference, we’re seeing how that is working out for TCU in the Big East and for the various other teams in the Big 12 and the Big East. The Big 10 didn’t want us decades ago when we were a smaller Catholic college and their university presidents disliked us for that. Now they want us because of the massive revenue we bring in each year.
No thanks. We’ll stay independent for now.
Scranton Dave says:
Tommy Rees is the best QB we have had in 15 years? What on Earth are you people watching? He stinks, and the only reason Kelly wont pull him is his ego.
JohnND1985 says:
That or some really bad pictures.
Dan says:
Wrong. The reason Kelly won’t pull him is because he believes Rees is the best option to lead the team to victory right now. Crist hasn’t shown enough for him to think otherwise. You think that Kelly doesn’t want to utilize the wealth of talent that he has? Ridiculous. He put in Ethan Johnson after his injuries because EJ showed that he was the best option at his spot. Darius Fleming is another example. Did you not notice that Crist started the year? Did you notice how uninspired the team seemed behind him? What an ignorant comment.
JohnND1985 says:
First Dan, you obviously don’t have any sense of humor. Second, by playing Rees, Kelly has shown that he is a poor judge of talent. Third, we haven’t seen enough of Crist this year to make any judgment that he can’t get the job done or play better than Rees. As far as EJ isconcerned, he has played well, and so has Fleming when he hasn’t been undisciplined and held containment. Also, we’ve been rotating all of the D linemen and all of the linebackers, even Teo has come out for a breather on occassion. Over the last two years, Crist’s play has been better than Rees’. Pulling Crist at the half of USF was stupid. Now Kelly has painted himself in a position where putting Crist in the game looks like he’s indecisive, but playing Crist is better than playing Rees. Crist doesn’t turn the ball over as much, can get the ball down the field farther and is more mobile. The team looked pretty inspired during the 1st quarter of USF. Maybe dropping catchable balls got them down.
JohnND1985 says:
Yeah, they were so uninspired on that 1st drive v. USF that they took the ball to the one. It wasn’t until receivers started dropping passes that the offense seemed “uninspired”. Because of his premature removal of Crist, Kelly’s painted himself into a position where he looks bad if he pulls Rees, so he won’t. Sounds like an ego problem to me. If Kelly thinks that a rag armed immobile QB gives us the best chance to win, he is either a poor judge of talent, or he has nothing but rag armed immobile QB’s. Since Kelly went for the TD last year against Tulsa instead of the easy field goal, I would say that the ego assessment is anything but ignorant.
austinirish says:
Terry above had it right – we were not prepared. We were outplayed in many ways though most of the game, and yet we found a way to steal a victory. If you’re not prepared, and you’re outplayed, and yet find a way to win, that may not be the mark of a great team, but it’s the mark of a team that can be great. When we’re 10-2 no one will dwell on how ugly this was or how lucky we were.
Colin says:
BIll Parcells said it best – “There is winning, and then there is misery.” Irish fans might not be elated with that one, but we’re certainly not miserable. 2-2 and a win streak has begun.
Come on Irish! No looking back!
Kevin says:
I can’t believe that some of you are actually saying that South Florida, Michigan, and Pitt are bad teams? These teams that ND plays are not bad teams. Michigan and south Florida are both 4-0. You can not be 4-0 and be a crappy team. Pittsburgh came out and played their best game of the season against ND period. ND played their sloppiest game on offense this year I think. Add the 2 together and thats why the game was so close. Pittsburgh is a well coached team. I don’t get how some of you guys want Crist in when his starting record isnt nearly as good as Rees. Rees wins games period. He may start off crappy, but he knows how to finish games. and thats what we need. A QB who can lead us down with 2 min left and WIN. I don’t care if Crist can throw a football 80 yards and is 6’4. If a QB was based on just physical tools then Jamarcus Russell should be a Super star in the NFL. Remember him? He was a bust in the league and he could throw a ball very far as well. Kelly isnt using either Hendrix or Golston because he wants to save their redshirt and eligibility for next year and years to come, when he builds his recruits at full speed. I agree with this. I would like to preserve Golston and Hendrix for as long as we can because they will be great for years to come. I predict next year we will have a 2 qb system, maybe 3, with Rees, Hendrix and Golston for change of pace. They all have their great strengths and can contribute in situatuons. But Michigan and South Florida keep findng ways to win, and win big, so until they keep losing no one can say that they are poor teams. ND plays one of the hardest schedules in the nation, no cupcakes for us. Purdue is probably our biggest cupcake and Big Ten teams play Purdue every yr as one of their regulars.
Andrew says:
If Rees was named the starter in game 1, and played the way he has, I think Crist would have seen some time in the Pitt game.
But since Crist is viewed at least in part as a “failed experiment,” I think it is harder for him to get his foot back in the door, and it will require a colossal and prolonged screw-up by Rees (or an injury) for Crist to get back on the field.
I’m not necessarily saying Crist is the answer. I’m saying we’ll probably never find out if he is or not, as long as the defense keeps bailing out Rees.
Brian Mack says:
I agree that Notre Dame was NOT prepared for what the Pitt defense thru at them and to me this reflects on the coaching. I have been up to now a huge Brian Kelly supporter but I am seeing things each week which are forcing me to be loose confidence:
– Is it really a surprise that teams are going to have a game plan to take Floyd out of the game? We apparently had no immediate answer and adjustment to this?
– Are we ever going to let the quarterback run? The ND offense is specifically designed to for the quarterback to read the defensive end and occasionally take off. How long will we run an offense at less than 100%
– How did we wind up with the worst punter in Div 1 football?
– Does Kelly really think that having an out of control screaming meltdown on the sideline each week it is a good way to teach and develop quarterbacks? (I think this is much of Dayne Christ’s problem)
– Why can’t ND run a well executed screen play? (either to a wide receiver or running back)
– Why if we run a hurry up/no huddle offense do we seem to have insufficient time to get off most plays??
– Why have we not seen Everett Golson for a least a few snaps so far as a change of pace and to give something for future opponents to worry about and prepare for??
I know we won the game but for me the questions are starting to pile up.
Brian
nb says:
A lot of good, insightful and respectful comments. Fun to read. Comments about whether Crist would be playing more had he not been named starter are very interesting and seem on point. Team moved right down the field with him as qb in USF game. He didn’t fumble at the 3 yard line and have it run back for a touchdown. That changed the game. He still is best option at qb in my opinion. Can’t agree with comments that team doesn’t respond to him or that he has bad body language on the sidelines. What kind of body language should a starter have when he is benched in favor of someone who has 9 turnovers to his one? Also found interesting the comments about how tough ND schedule is. Michigan is 4-0 on the strength of beating ND and those other college football powerhouses – Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and San Diego State. USF put 70 points on Florida A & M and then beat the other powerhouses on its schedule – UTEP, ND and Ball State. So far, a 4-0 winning record by those opponents is not impressive. Maybe they will prove to be very good teams. However, ND should have beaten both teams by 3 touchdowns, particularly MIchigan, which ND dominated for 3+ quarters. And if USF doesn’t score on the 97 yard fumble return, that game isn’t close either. I agree with the comment that questions are beginning to pile up with respect to this team. Running backs and defensive line are pleasant surprises. Thought the secondary had turned a corner against USC last year but no evidence of that this year. Under Ara and Lou you could see overall progress from year to year. In recent years it seems that when progress is made in one area, the team regresses in other phases of the game. No sense that everyone is getting better, as a whole, from year to year. Finally, lack of talent does not seem to be the problem anymore – except with respect to the punter, field goal kicker and punt returner. ND is no longer getting out-muscled. That is a good thing. Just need better ball protection and the team could become very good. Anyone scout the Interhall teams for a punter? Just kidding.
teo says:
Right now, Rees is the 21st most effective passer in the NCAA and he’s not playing cupcakes. I would stay with Rees. He’s not perfect, but he is very effective. Given the defense we have, Rees will do the job.
With respect to your comments on the defensive secondary, I think I agree. We seem to be able to get to the q, but when we don’t there are too many open receivers. We have to fight that. And, yes, punting — it is awful.
Fitz says:
An ugly win if I ever did see one! But hey a win is a win is a win. Chalk this one up to our defense. They were put in bad positions time and again, but still stood firm. This was undoubtedly Tommy Rees’s worse game yet under center. I admit there was a time in the 4th quarter when we were still down 12-7 when I was questioning Brian Kelly’s choice to give up on Crist so quickly after just one half of football. But I had to eat my words as Rees put together a perfect 8 for 8 drive and a 2 point conversion when we needed it the most. Kinda like the last drive against Southern Cal last year and Michigan this year. Last minute game winning drives is the hallmark of great ND quarterbacks. I’m not saying Rees is great yet by any means but to already be 6-1 as a starter he could well be on his way (how long did it take Jimmy Clausen to win his first 6 games?). To me the player of the game, at least offensively was Tyler Eifert! Who needs a guy like Carlson when we have Eifert? If teams are gonna dump so many DB’s on Floyd, Eifert could have a monster year. Happy to see Jonas Gray run like a beast too. I think Rees will pick it back up this week against a weaker Purdue defense. Go Irish!
Drew Allen says:
Tommy Rees is horrible and i’m one of the people that wanted him to get a chance… I believe Rees has 9 tunovers and 6 of them in the redzone compared to his 8 TD’s. He is slow with a weak arm… Bring back Dayne Crist… he was benched after just 1 INT… I don’t get it?
Doesn’t Kelly understand that Rees doesn’t have the arm strength to throw out-routes.. He’s a pick-six waiting to happen every time he throws that type of pass. Irish have a better chance with Crist.
I think the Pitt game was the worst for the offense despite the W. They make me sick to watch.
FJ Murray 79 says:
I was at the game. A huge momentum swing occurred with the roughing penalty after a big 3 and out on first series of second half deep in Pitt territory. The defense was very high after the stop, and after the penalty came back out without energy, and Pitt went right down the field. First of all, I don’t think it was a 15 yd penalty, it appeared that Collingsworth landed under the punter without touching him, and the punter fell on him. We can blame the kid, but the bigger question: why call a punt block when we will be getting the ball with a short field and momentum? I think it was a poor call by the coaching staff. One can only speculate, but the game may have been much different on that one play, I sensed big ND momentum, and perhaps a bigger point difference maybe even a blowout. The defense should not have gotten so emotionally high after the stop or low after the penalty. The coach should not have taken a stupid risk on a punt block call at that time, and the kid should not have run into the kicker. But, they finally overcame that momentum shift, and got an ugly win with a very good drive and a better defensive stop at the end of the game. Better than a loss.
Crist is not the answer, his reads are slower than Rees’, too afraid to make a mistake, and holds the ball too long. Stick with Rees, keep getting better at preparing the kids emotionally as well as physically, and at making less coaching mistakes. There is enough athletic skill to win a lot of games. Go Irish.
Drew Allen says:
austinirish – you are nuts if you think this team can run the table… I hope you are right but i don’t think it’s possible without making the switch to Crist.