Notre Dame scored touchdowns on each of its six first half possessions and rolled to a 59-33 hammering of Air Force on Saturday. The teams combined for over 1100 yards of offense, but the Irish played mistake-free football and made enough plays on defense to settle the issue early. Two late touchdowns by the Falcons after Brian Kelly had cleared his bench made the final score appear more competitive than it was in reality.
The Irish jumped out to a 14-0 lead before Air Force knew what hit them. After Michael Floyd’s acrobatic catch at the pylon capped a successful opening march, Jamoris Slaughter forced a fumble on the Falcons’ first play from scrimmage to set up Tommy Rees and the Notre Dame offense with a short field. Rees and Andrew Hendrix alternated at quarterback with Rees finishing the ensuing drive by hitting Tyler Eiffert from six yards out. Although Air Force answered with a field goal, a long kickoff return by George Atkinson set up the Irish at midfield for a four-play blitzkrieg. Robby Toma hauled in his first ever touchdown pass and Notre Dame led by 21-3 only 11 minutes into the contest.
Air Force settled down and began to execute its offense in the second period. Quarterback Tim Jefferson ran it in from three yards early in the quarter, but a blocked extra point left the score at 21-9. The Falcons compounded this special teams gaffe by failing to execute an onside kick. Bennett Jackson recovered for Notre Dame and the Irish were only 38 yards away from paydirt. It took only five plays for Jonas Gray to pile drive into the end zone for a 28-9 advantage.
Slaughter forced his second turnover on the next series, as he tipped a Jefferson pass and kept it from hitting the ground for an interception at the Falcon 44. Cierre Wood slashed in for a score six plays later and there were still six minutes left in the half.
The Irish defense appeared to stop Air Force on the next series, but Coach Troy Calhoun reached deeper into his special teams bag of tricks and pulled out a fake punt. The play worked to perfection and the Falcons were able to continue the drive to a successful conclusion. With its lead cut to 35-16, Notre Dame got the ball back for one last possession before halftime after reaching the end zone on the previous five.
A long burst up the middle by Gray was stretched by 15 yards due to a horse collar penalty, and the Irish were quickly back in Air Force territory. Rees managed the clock while continuing to move the team, and a few plays later hit Theo Riddick as he streaked across the middle. Riddick eluded the Falcon secondary and scored with only 32 seconds remaining. A perfect half by the Notre Dame offense resulted in a 42-16 advantage at intermission.
Air Force tried to get back into the game when the teams returned to the field, but its first two possessions were killed by long penalties and resulted in punts. The Irish also were penalized and had to punt on their initial drive of the third quarter, but Hendrix came on to lead a 64-yard march to give his team a 49-16 lead. The teams exchanged field goals as the game moved into the fourth stanza, and Hendrix took over for good after a Falcon punt with about eight minutes left.
Hendrix’ reputation as a running threat was validated on the next play from scrimmage, as he took off up the middle on a designed play for 78 yards until he ran out of gas on the Air Force two yard line. Atkinson came on and dove over the pile three plays later for a whopping 59-19 margin.
The Falcons put a bit of a damper on the festivities by scoring twice in the last six minutes against the Irish scout team. The most important outcome for Notre Dame with a bye week on the horizon was to ensure that its starters left the game in good overall health. A few questionable blocks by Air Force during the course of the game might have caused an injury to an Irish player, but they appeared to escape significant damage. Defensive end Ethan Johnson (ankle) was held out of the game altogether, and this was undoubtedly the correct decision.
Let’s review the answers to the questions we asked in the preview:
Will Notre Dame show discipline in their pursuit of the Falcon ball carriers? The Irish handled the interior runs by the quarterback and fullback, but were continually beaten to the edge for long gains by the outside pitch man.
Can the Irish capitalize on scoring chances with touchdowns? I would say so. They scored TDs on six of six chances in the first half and eight of their first ten.
Which team will run for more total yards and yards per carry? Air Force ran well but did not have much to show for it on the scoreboard until garbage time. They did grind out 335 rush yards in 56 carries for a six yard average, but Hendrix led Notre Dame to a 269 yard ground attack in only 28 carries for a 9.6 yard average.
Will Jefferson be a 70% passer against the Irish defense? Although the Irish managed only one sack, Jefferson connected on just 50% of his throws (12 of 24).
Can Air Force do anything defensively to disrupt Rees and Notre Dame? I was concerned that if the Irish reached 60 points the Falcons might call in an air strike.
Will the Irish sort out their kicking game and overall special teams play? The Irish showed signs of life by blocking a PAT, recovering an onside kick and springing Atkinson for a couple of nice kickoff returns. Kyle Brindza also recorded a few touchbacks. The successful fake punt by Air Force was the only blemish on a decent performance, and the Falcons get extra credit for a well-choreographed dance routine prior to each kickoff.
What will Bob Diaco be saying on Sunday morning?
a) I’m really proud of the great effort by our defense. Nah. The stat sheet still reads 537 yards and 33 points surrendered.
b) We struggled at times but were able to get the job done. Yeah, this will do.
c) Would you like fries with that? No, but there were moments when it seemed appropriate. Besides, the Irish still have to play Navy.
Notre Dame moved to 4-2 and will have a week off to attend to midterms and generally healing of the game’s bumps and bruises. This second straight turnover-free outing has yielded 97 points and over 1000 yards of offensive production, so there is plenty of reason for optimism as the team prepares for the second half of the season. Tough games against USC, Wake Forest and Stanford are on the horizon, but anyone thinking ahead to a possible BCS opportunity should know that it’s best to take them one at a time.
martinjordan says:
Great offensive explosion against a depleted Air Force defense but few answers for the option attack.
aj says:
Great win!! Godspeed Air Force seniors, make our country proud!!
bdhopper28 says:
Very well stated. For 60 minutes, on a Saturday afternoon, the academies need to be treated as the enemy. (something Weis needed to be reminded of) But when the dust settles, honor them, thank them and wish them safety. Thanks for the big picture reminder, AJ! Go Irish!! Burn down Troy!
terry says:
They did what was expected – they beat the stuffing out of an inferior team. Well done.
The rookies got some time, Hendrix got some time. Looks like Crist is toast and Golson will be red-shirted.
Southern Cal. in 2 weeks.
As the late Al Davis would say – just win, baby.
Mike R says:
I don’t agree that “Crist is toast” although I know what you mean in the minutes-played sense. But it appears he’s the opposite of a Tate Forcier with the concomitant pouting and towel-over-head isolation. Crist is participating by being ready and aware and he’s setting a great example for team building, from what I see on TV. And he had something that made Coach Kelly decide to start him at the beginning of the season, and that is on tap now and perhaps for NFL consideration. In short, he appears to be acting like a man, a true sportsman, and a real Notre Dame man.
Michael Floyd is as dominating as an end as Andrew Luck is as a quarterback. I can’t think of any other players in college football this season in “skill positions” who are so transcendent.
NDMIKE says:
Here is the breakdown on the Air Force game:
Quarterback – Tommy Rees was exceptional against Air Force. There were very few missed throws, or poor defensive reads; couple that with no turnovers and Rees has played his best game to date. Grade A
Offensive Line – The offensive line was magnificent all game long! Tyler Eifert’s pass catching was exceptional. Grade A+
Running Backs – Cierre Wood was great again in picking up blitzes. I continue to be impressed with Wood’s blocking. We know he is a very good runner, but his blocking will get him into the NFL. Jonas Gray is running with speed, power, and finesse. He is becoming an impressive running back. Grade A
Wide Receivers – Michael Floyd’s run blocking was exceptional. It was great to see Robby Toma score a touchdown. Grade A
Defensive Line – The defensive line was gashed for 365 yards in rushing by Air Force. My fears about a Diaco defense defending the option poorly came to fruition. Air Force ran all over Notre Dame’s run defense. I had many comments about how this year’s run defense is different, but the facts are it is not good against option football. Air Force had 5 fourth down conversions. The line did not apply very good pressure on Air Force’s passing game either. Grade D
Linebackers – Manti Teo was fantastic again, and Carlo Calabrese joined Teo with his good play. Dan Fox is just average at this time. Prince Shembo was very quiet as well. Air Force ran for 365 yards against this linebacking crew. Grade C
Defensive Backs –Blanton was fantastic in both the passing game and running game. Jamoris Slaughter had his best game as a Notre Dame safety! His tipped ball and interception while on his back was a great play. The pass defense overall though was only below average at best. By my count, Air Force had 11 first downs from their passing game alone. Grade C-
Special Teams – The special teams had their best game of the season. Brindza was good on his kick-offs. Ben Turk rarely had to punt so we did not notice him. There was a blocked extra point, and Notre Dame defended the fake field goal by Air Force. If it were not for Air Force’s first down on their fake punt, it would have been very solid performance. Grade B
Offensively, this was as impressive an offensive performance by Notre Dame in the last twenty years. Defensively, it was a huge step backwards though. Notre Dame never stopped Air Force for any length of time during this game. Notre Dame must score another 59 points against Navy, or we run the risk of losing that game. USC is next. This year’s USC game should be one of the most exciting games in years for Notre Dame. This game is reminiscent of the 2005 game against those proven cheaters of USC. I for one cannot wait!
radi-skull says:
I disagree with placing the rushing yards on the dline. They all byt took awy the fullbackas 1st option.most yards are because the lbs and secondary couldnt contain the edge
Jimbo says:
Good win for the Irish but the yards given up on the ground has to be a concern for the defense.
irishhawk50 says:
I think the Irish are really rolling now,what I had expected to begin the year.The defense against the triple option is still suspect, but unlike the Navy game they seem to have stopped the plays up the gut and the quarterback option, now if they can just stop the pitch out from gaining 9 yards each time!
I hope some of he doubts about Rees are fading. I think is better than most here give credit. Hendrix also showed another wrinkle with his running plus he was 4 for 4 passing, but Rees is the man. A week off to rest and prepare to crush USC!
Domerdad says:
It was great for Hendrix to have an opportunity. I can’t wait for Hendrix and Golson to run the offense. GO IRISH!
borromini says:
Yeah baby…59 points…it’s been a long time coming.
austinirish says:
A lot to be happy about, but the D was hardly dominant.
Dave88 says:
Great win and great offensive performance but it seems a Diaco defense really struggles mightily to slow down option and misdirection offensive attacks.
bdhopper28 says:
Lots of complaints about the defense. Here’s a quick reminder: Yards don’t win football games. Points do. Have the first two games of the season been forgotten already?! The Irish dominated in yardage gained, but fell short in the most important stat of all…POINTS!!
I’ll take “bend but don’t break” all day long. I don’t care if the D gives up 200 yards or 600 yards, as long as they keep the opponent out of the end zone and win on the scoreboard, these Irish Eyes will be smiling!
Don’t forget, with about 6 minutes to go, the score was 59-19 while ND’s 1’s were still in the game. With that in mind, is yardage and the fact that almost every team in the country that faces a gimmick, option offense, struggles and gives up yardage, really something to nitpick and complain about? If you answered yes, check the Win/Loss totals over the last 15 years of Irish football and ask yourself the question again.
DOMINATING WIN BY THE IRISH! KEEP ROLLING!
Dan says:
Couldn’t have put it better myself. Sure there are things to improve on but this game was domination and ND fans should be happy and excited for what they saw yesterday
teo says:
I cannot top what you just said, bdhopper. Thank you.
I would just add that offensively, we look tough to defend. There are so many weapons — good tight ends, great receivers, fundamentally sound running backs — and a backup q with good speed. 59 points against anybody is an accomplishment. Air Force, though, coming into the game was a pretty decent team.
Now it’s time to enjoy the bye week before getting ready for the Trojans.
Jason says:
Totally agree. You nailed it. I couldn’t care less about how many yards and tricky offense like Air Force gains on us. The simple fact is we mauled them when it counted and the 1st team held them to 19 points! That is the only stat that means something at the end of the game as far as defense is concerned. God Bless the Service Men we played Saturday because their future is much more important than the 60 minutes of football they played Saturday. I love the fact that each of their jerseys had FREEDOM on the back in place of their names. GO IRISH.
Scranton Dave says:
I still dont like Rees. Any QB with a pulse would have a good game against that overmatched defense. All he did was play pitch and catch with short passes to wide open WRs and TEs and watched them get yards after the catch. He had all day to throw as Air Force got almost no prssure on him. I’m glad he didnt turn the ball over but he will struggle against any decent defense and I bet he struggles against USC just like he did last year. I wish Kelly would make Hendrix the QB and chances are Hendrix or Golson will be the QB next year.
Omalley says:
A couple of thoughts from watching the game from the end zone.
1. We were consistently outnumbered on the edge and our fill players from the middle took poor angles. We are screwed against Navy if this is not corrected.
2. We saw a piece of Kelly’s running game with the zone read with Hendrix. We also saw some play off the jet sweep as well. Soon that will be combined and give people something really tough to prepare for.
3 Our offense was flawless yesterday. The score was no fool’s gold!
4. Now we know what Michigan and South Florida would have looked like if we had not turned the ball over.
5. The stealth flyover was the balls!!!
Frank says:
Lots of good thinking here, though I also wonder about blaming the D-line when the big gains were made on the edges.
Some “balanced” remarks:
*AF whipped us on the edges, BUT we stopped the first option through the middle which we have not done against Navy in the recent past.
*On the edges, their backs ran in space–where were our guys?–, BUT when we reached them the tackling was good.
*We don’t yet stop the option well, BUT we play only two option teams and coaches have to be wary about getting teams able to defend any one style of offense and diminishing some of the skills needed to stop the others.
One further thing: Did their first team score against our bench in the last minutes? Or was their bench beating ours? (It wasn’t their first string quarterback.) Anybody keep track of AF’s personnel well enough to answer that question?
Scott says:
Kelly had cleared the bench by the time Air Force scored those last two TDs.
Fitz says:
Pretty much exactly what I predicted. A Dominating offensive performance that made it the case even if Air Force was able to move the ball and score some points there is no way they could’ve outscored us. Rees and Floyd were flawless. Was awesome to see Hendrix as a running QB threat. We have a one, two punch at running back now, do we have one at QB as well? I think so. In spite of some success by AF I don’t want to be too rough on the defense here. I think the stats are pretty misleading. Yes, at times AF was able to move the ball between the 20’s and the 3rd option was often there. But our defense would often bend but not break. They forced some key turnovers. And in truth held AF to just 19 points. Let’s face it, AF was never really in this game. Those 2 late scores in the final minutes were against 3rd and 4th stringers. Heck, it might as well have been the defensive players relatives out there at that point. It was still a smart move by Kelly. Why risk getting someone hurt for a slightly prettier scoreline? We still won by 26 points regardless. Who on Friday would’ve heard the offer of a 26 point victory and refused it? Just one thing left to say. Bring on USC! Go Irish!
Coach says:
Airforce still had too many open receivers for easy completions?
Mike says:
Omalley, you are aware that Air Force beat Navy last week. So I don’t get how you can say we are screwed against Navy. Just another example of a fan who will nitpick at everything. This was a 40 point game until our 3rd team Defense came in. And oh ya, our 3rd team D would not have prepared against the spread all week!
Coach says:
The main thing is we’re 4-2 and playing well, I would however prefer to see us with a QB (Hendrix or Golson) who can and will run with the ball as well as pass, it will give our opponents one more thing to have to deal with.
Scott says:
4-2 and playing well. I agree. In the last 4 wins, ND is beating its opponents 36-17. That is more like ND football! If you factor out the 3rd team D, ND realistically beat Purdue 38-3 and Air Force 59-19. So, take that into account and, in the last 4 games, the 1st team is beating its opponents 36-14. GO IRISH!!! BEAT U$C!!!
Loooooong island Dan says:
I was only about to catch the game on TV from 10min left in the 3rd and on. ND looked great, even the 2nd, 3rd strings, and scout team. Obviously the last 14 points AFA scored does not mean much except on paper. Offense was running smoothly. I like that we can show more of a duel threat with the addition of Hendrix, but Rees is still the best for the TEAM. 8-1 as a starter. When was the last ND QB that could stand up to that stat? Not Quinn, LeVecchio was close, but it was Kevin McDougal as a senior in ’93.
Looks like ND 1st string defense gave up about 330 yards. 272 was on the ground. They could have done a little better in that category since it was on par with AFA average rushing yards per game this season. Although I will trade the yards for forced turnovers and fewer points any day. Defense helped close this game in the first quarter because of the turnovers and the “bend but dont break” as bdhopper28 mentioned.
Cannot wait to watch the replay on VS or UHD this week to see what I missed. Still holding 9-3 with caution to the downside at 8-4 if we do not take ALL of our opponents seriously. ND is notorious for losing games that we should not down the stretch.
Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame!
Kevin says:
I can’t believe some of you with the commenting about not liking Rees? How can you call yourself Notre Dame fans if you arent even behind the QB? I want you to name me the last time Dayne Crist put up 59 points against anyone? Case Keenum, Landry Jones arent very efficient runners but yet they lead their teams to undeafeated records so far. Oklahoma is up for BCS Title game if they keep it up. You do not need a running QB to win football games. just a QB who knows how to lead. Yes its nice to have a change of pace, but if our QB keeps winning and playing like he does, I want nothing to be changed with our offense. If we can score 59 points in every other game with Rees I will take that every single day of the week.
Sterling James says:
Hendrix has an canon for an arm, can run fast and is an accurate thrower. Enough said.
Should we expect more Hendrix as the season moves along?
Brad says:
Boy did I like what I saw out of Hendrix the few snaps he took. Who says we don’t have QB depth, especially when Golson is out of his redshirt season!
Scranton Dave says:
Hopefully Rees will be the 3rd string QB next year. he is just a caretaker with no arm strength that beats up and bad and overmatched teams. He was horrible against Pitt and almost single handedly lost the USC game last year. I hope I’m wrong, but its likely Rees struggles against USC again. yesterday was way more a product of an opponent that was overmatched, the team understanding the offense, the great OLIne play, and the great skill position play. Rees is just along for the ride, and if Kelly played the more talented QBs, the offense would be even better.
Scranton Dave says:
Kevin- I am a Notre Dame fan, and a diehard one. I want the best players out there that give us the best chance to win BCS Bowls, which is the stated goal. Tommy Rees can do well against overmatched teams, but against a top defense, he will struggle big time. I hope Hendrix or Golson has what it takes, cause I know Rees doesnt.
Scott says:
You know Rees doesn’t? Glad you have such a great eye for talent. And, what is it that you do for a living again?
irishhawk50 says:
I can’t believe all this anti-Rees flack from some ND fans. The kid is a proven winner and leader, traits more important than arm strenght and running ability. He was thrust into the game last year when Crist went down and has done great things. He was just a freshman then and he is still learning and getting better each week. He has made mistakes, but learned from each and will be hard for anyone to beat out. Kelly makes mistakes, like opening with Crist, but he learns from then. I think both Kelly & Rees will lead ND back!
Frank says:
Perhaps I’m wasting your time, but I’m still wondering if anyone knows the answer to the question:
“Did their first team score against our bench in the last minutes? Or was their bench beating ours? (It wasn’t their first string quarterback.) Anybody keep track of AF’s personnel well enough to answer that question?”
james e murphy says:
Why is Bob Diaco still there?
Zach says:
Rees is a good QB, but he could not hold up against teams we hope to be ranked with, like Bama or LSU. His arm strength is average at best. His decision making is worse. I don’t want to talk about his athletic ability, Dayne Crist should be starter.
Kelly keeping him in scares me. Look at OSU, they played Terrelle Pryor as a freshmen instead of the QB that had “next”, and it worked out. Right now OSU has a senior “game manager” but they start a freshmen. They do this for two reasons, first he is the best player and should be in, second if he can perform at his best OSU can beat any team.
Performing is the key. A Dayne Crist top performance, will beat a Rees performance any day. That’s what it boils down to, you don’t beat good teams with average QB’s, emphasis on QB. Kelly has done well on everything but this but it’s the most important thing. We are better than USC and we can play with Stanford but not with Rees at QB.
Danny says:
So consistency doesn’t play into your decision as to who starts? It’s just who is capable of the ultimate performance? Don’t expect to be an ND football coach anytime, because Coach Kelly needs consistency if he wants to remain head coach. Consistency which Dayne Crist severely lacks.
teo says:
Zach
I agree with y our comment that “Performing is the key.” This is exactly why Rees is the quarterback. As a freshman, Crist saw no action. As a sophomore, he played 39 minutes, going 10-20, with 1 TD and 1 INT. Those are hardly incredible numbers for a guy who is such a great performer, but unfortunately, we lost him for the season in the Washington State game. As a junior, he started the first nine games. He beat Purdue, but lost tight games to Michigan and Michigan State. Then he started against a Stanford team that annihilated the Irish, 37-14, last year in South Bend. He couldn’t get the Irish into the end zone until there was 6 minutes left in this blowout. Likewise, he threw key interceptions against a decent Navy squad in the Meadowlands.
I agree that Crist looks like he should be a better quarterback than Rees. He seems to have a better arm. He definitely scrambles better. But given how he’s performed in big games, it’s ridiculous to say that Crist is clearly superior. He throws interceptions and misses guys who are open. And he doesn’t beat anyone who is good.
So, if it’s all the same — both guys are okay, but neither definitely plays error-free football — I’ll take the guy who wins games. Rees has a pretty strong record of games he’s started (8-1). And he’s very efficient, delivering what was the winning drive against Michigan had our defense made one play in that ridiculous 80-yard nightmarish 30-second response; beating a good MSU team and throttling both Purdue and Air Force.
Performing is the key. Make no mistake about it. And Rees performs.
Zach says:
When I say performing I don’t mean what Rees has done, but what he is capable of doing in the future. He can throw the ball 25 yards down the middle, 13 yards up sideline to sideline, and lob the ball 35 to 40 yards out thats it. He can’t make and does not attempt any other throws. Now keep in mind that Rees can not make big plays with his feet. He may be good against weaker teams but he will struggle against teams with better talent and coaching.
Like my example of Braxton Miller the better talent at OSU and at his best (whenever he gets there) can take his team further than the more experienced senior. Keep in mind Bauserman was passed up by the freshman Terrelle Pryor. They went with Miller because he is the future. So instead of Miller starting next year with no real game experience they started him this year. Bauserman is gone after this year and he can’t get it done anyway.
This is what scares me about Kelly’s choice for quarterback this season. If Golson is the future and the one that will take ND to a championship he should be in now. If he starts next year he won’t look good no matter how much talent he has. Plus next season will be tough, Golson can’t go in there cold.
Golson should be in, if you don’t believe me go to youtube and look at his senior season high school highlights. Check out the first pass.
teo says:
But just above this you say that the starter should be Crist. What gives?
I think you don’t know what you’re talking about. Rees is currently rated 20th in the country in passing statistics, with 23 pass completions per game. There is not another sophomore or freshmen ranked higher (unless you count Louisiana Tech’s quarterback and Middle Tennessee’s quarterback). His passing efficiency rating of 142 is solid — 47th in the country — but is not in the Andrew Luck/Landry Jones territory of 180+. But it is in the Kirk Cousins (MSU), AJ McCarron (AL), Jarret Lee (LSU) area. For a sophomore, his numbers are impressive.
What scares me most about your comment is that Golson should be in now because ND cannot compete for a national title this year. It’s nuts. The kid is not ready (and no high school video will convince me otherwise). That is why Rees is playing and why Crist is the backup.
Kelly’s job, primarily, is to return Notre Dame to its rightful place in the college football landscape. We need BCS games and we need national championships. But, mostly, we need to win week-in and week-out. We need to get used to that feeling — that sensation — again. And the only way that happens is by playing the best kid at each position. Rees is the best quarterback we have right now. Golson may adapt — he may catch up to the speed of the game by next year — but right now Rees is there. That’s why Rees is playing.
Scranton Dave says:
Zach- Great post, one of the best I have ever seen on here. I’m glad at least one poster is thinking the same thing I am.
Danny says:
His post is one of the most flawed and one-sided posts I’ve seen…
Danny says:
You guys act like Rees has reached his peak, he continues to improve, he’s still only 19 or 20 years old.
Other QBs with poor arm strength: Tim Tebow, Terelle Pryor, Kellen Moore. Pretty damn good college qb’s. Rees isn’t auditioning for the NFL, he’s trying to lead ND to a BCS bowl. And so far, he’s doing a pretty solid job, as neither of the losses were his fault…
Scranton Dave says:
He had a hand in the Michigan loss with his 3 turnovers. he wasnt alone in fault but he gets some of the blame.
Scranton Dave says:
I feel like I am repeating myself for the millionth time, but a lot of the credit for Rees record is the defense and running game jelling and getting better when he happened to step in. Do you guys think we wouldve beaten Michigan or Michigan St last year with Rees? Offense wasnt the problem in either of those games. I also guarantee that the weak armed and immobile Rees would have done worse against Stanford ( Stanford was awesome last year by the way) than Crist did.
teo says:
How could Rees have done worse against Stanford last year? Did you see that game? We didn’t score until there were 6 minutes left in the game. It was a bloodbath.
Like I said above, I think Crist should be better. He certainly has a better look of a quarterback: he’s bigger, stronger, quicker (by a lot) and seems to have a cannon of an arm. But he loses. And when you have a repacement who looks worse in every way but who wins all the freaking time, you take the replacement. Rees.
And as for the “credit” for the defense, how did that defense do after Rees executed an incredible scoring drive into 116,000 in Ann Arbor?
Rees would be 9-0 as a starter but for that defensive response (but you’d still be raving about Crist’s strength).
George says:
What do you mean would Rees have won last year against Michigan or Michigan St…he was a freshman. Not very many freshman have the experience to beat two top teams in the country last year. Your one sided view is not very creditable. I think he is doing what any quarterback should be doing and that is learning. 8-1 is not bad for such a bad quarterback.
Colin says:
No good deed (game) goes unpunished! The kid throws for 261 yards, 23-32 passing, averaging more than 8 yards a throw, 4 touchdown passes, and a 181.6 passing rating with no pics and no turnovers. I think Tommy Rees’ sister needs a log-in on this website so she can knock the stuffing out of some of the HOME FANS! Come on! Am I taking crazy pills? If he played the entire game his numbers would have been insane! Probably tack on another 100 yards throwing and a touchdown or two. He’s only lost one game as a starter. ONE GAME! Anyone calling for Crist might as well call for Joe Montana. They have the exact same chance at getting into another ND game. Support the kid, for crying out loud. He’s in the midst of leading us to a BCS bowl game from the ashes of a 0-2 start.
VanGuyJG says:
I think some people are missing the point in the Rees/Crist/Hendrix/Golson debate. It’s not bashing Rees to point out that he’s immobile and weak-armed. He is. However, I do believe he gives us the best chance at winning RIGHT NOW. That being said, the argument for getting Hendrix/Golson into games is that their physical skill caps (and Crist as well, although in my opinion he’s already proven too inconsistent) are so much higher than Rees that they should eventually take his starting spot and need to get game time so that they aren’t thrown in cold against a high-level opponent. The argument for starting a QB based on poise, confidence and leadership (qualities that Rees possesses in spades) assumes a relatively equal level of physical ability. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, for instance, are two of the best QB’s of all time based on their leadership and the confidence their team has in them, but they’re starting with a good physical skill set and the “intangibles” are what makes them better than guys that can run faster or throw harder. Rees can certainly learn better decision making, and he seems to have the confidence of the team, but he’s likely already at his physical skill cap, and if Hendrix/Golson can hit his level of leadership and team confidence, then their physical skills make them better options, most likely sooner rather than later. I don’t think they should be given the job out of hand, Rees has earned it and it should only be taken away if someone clearly beats him out performance wise, but I won’t be surprised in the slightest if Hendrix gets more and more playing time and is the de facto starter by the bowl game.
Then again, maybe Rees will physically develop over the course of this season and next spring (he is still young) and will come out in the fall with the physical tool set to zip balls to receivers crossing the middle, throw the ball downfield with some zing over the heads of the safeties, and with at least enough mobility to make a LB miss or the strength to get the ball off with a defender draped on him. I hope so. He seems like a great kid and who doesn’t like to see the underdog win.
Scranton Dave says:
A lot of you Rees supporters are not acknowleging our points about our worries that Rees will struggle against better defenses. Yes, he had a very good game Saturday but Air Force defense was clearly overmatched. USC will tell a lot. If he has a very good game against them then I will come around a bit. You guys like to talk about Rees record, but the last time they faced USC, we won the game in spite of him, not because of him.
Colin says:
Well Scranton Dave, I’m rooting for you to come around a little bit then! And we’re all rooting Blue and Gold, Baby! Bring on the Trojans! Come on now Tommy! Its also worth noting that last drives, and big spots under the pressure of a great opponent and the clock, define a players ability to get gutsy, to dig down and deliver. Tommy has had some very nice looking last drives – one of which was against the trojans last year and one in week 2 this year that the D gave away. The kid is cool under fire, and I dont think he feels fear out there, something Dayne looked consumed by week one.
teo says:
While I think it’s a valid point that we beat USC despite the 18-year-old Rees’ mistakes (4 turnovers), it’s also clear that at this stage, Rees deserves the support of the faithful. He’s 8-1 as a starter. He’s had a few decent weeks of late and has shown an ability to put together important drives at key moments.
Many are questioning him because sitting behind him are three very good quarterbacks. Crist, as I’ve noted above, looks like he should be better. But he has not delivered. Golson and Hendix are quicker and, all things considered, appear to have more raw talent than Rees. But as we’ve seen with Crist, that is not the only arbiter for a decent quarterback. You have to know defenses, blitzes, coverage both on the line and at the receiver level. It’s a really complex job. Rees is learning it and we have to live with his mistakes.
But, I would say that Rees is steadily improving. The thought of moving him for another quarterback, who would then have to learn the coverages, the blocking schemes, the defenses, the pass routes, etc., is not appealing. Let’s try to win out.
Mike W. says:
I don’t know what to do waiting an entire week for Notre Dame football after watching the Air Force game. It’s like pausing a good action movie in the theater and telling you to come back in 2 weeks to watch the rest.
Scranton Dave says:
I dont know what wouldve happened if Kelly stuck with Crist longer, but its not like he was a 3 year starter. Crist has the tools, but obviously Kelly wasnt comfortable with him. I feel awful about it cause by all accounts Crist is a great kid and a great ND man.
Scranton Dave says:
USC looks pretty good tonight. Other than Kiffins goofy fake FGs on 4th and Goal from the 8. I hope the Irish are ready! They should be.
Irish/knight says:
Finally!!!! God Bless all those Air Force players but finally the Irish we have craved to see has arrived! Go Irish pound Troy!!!
teo says:
It’s early in the BCS standings but one thing is certain: we’re not respected at this point in the season. Perhaps we don’t deserve to be ,I don’t know, but it seems that the country still thinks we belong on the outside of the Top 25.
We played two teams in the top 25: Michigan and Michigan State. We should have beaten Michigan by three TDs and we blew out Michigan State. “Should haves” don’t matter much in college football, though. And more than the Michigan loss, the South Florida loss is killing us. If you look at the two other teams with two losses, they were beaten by strong teams. We can’t say that with respect to South Florida, now 0-2 in the Big East.
So, we have to hope that Michigan State beats Wisconsin. We’ve got to take care of the ball — and business — this week against Southern Cal. And we have to dominate week in and week out until we get Stanford. I know we’re on the mend but it’s an uphill climb to get to a decent bowl this year. Fortunately, we play Southern Cal at a point where we’re playing good football. Let’s get this win and move on. Go Irish!