Navy Deals Irish Another Embarrassment

Posted on by John Vannie

Navy overcame a 17-14 deficit by keeping the ball for over 20 minutes of the second half to defeat Notre Dame by 28-27 on Saturday. The Midshipmen made a series of winning plays down the stretch while the Irish faltered with critical self-inflicted mistakes. There were only five possessions in the second half, and Navy used their three to score a pair of touchdowns on long drives and then run out the last 7:28 of the game while DeShone Kizer and company watched helplessly from the sidelines. Notre Dame dropped to 3-6 on this joyless season as special teams breakdowns once again contributed to their demise.

Each team looked sharp on its first possession despite the early start time. Kizer threw a 26-yard scoring strike to Torii Hunter, Jr. just 3:30 into the contest. The Middies answered five minutes later in classic fashion – nine consecutive running plays. The Irish came back down the field moments later, but a third and two pass fell incomplete and Justin Yoon came on to boot a 39-yard field goal.

The teams exchanged punts, and Notre Dame missed a golden opportunity when Kizer overthrew a wide open Kevin Stepherson deep down the middle of the field. Navy quarterback Will Worth then took off on a 60-yard romp to the Irish 20, and he scored from three yards out a few plays later.

Trailing 14-10 midway through the second quarter, Kizer willed his team down the field with three strong runs that produced first downs. The drive was completed when tight end Durham Smythe took a short pass and rambled into the end zone for a 17-14 lead just before the half.

The Midshipmen were ready to roll following the intermission and followed their well-conceived script perfectly. Calvin Cass, Jr. finished off the opening drive by taking a pitch from Worth and streaking around left end for a 37-yard score. Notre Dame again responded after falling behind. This time, Kizer teamed up with Equanimeous St. Brown to put the ball in the end zone and regain a 24-21 advantage.

The ensuing series for Navy proved to be decisive. The Irish appeared to have the Midshipmen stopped in their own territory, but they had 12 men on the field when the ball was snapped to the Navy punter. Trading a fourth down and six for a fourth and one, Navy Coach Ken Niumatalolo elected to go for the first down. Worth was successful and a few plays later he completed a nine minute, 16-play drive to go ahead by 28-24 with just under 12 minutes remaining.

Kizer again tried to answer, but the effort fell short in the red zone as three straight passes produced only six yards. Yoon’s 31-yarder closed the gap to 28-27 with 7:28 left, but the Irish would not see the ball again. The clinching drive by the Middies featured two clutch fourth down conversions, the last of which was a 15-yard pass to Jamir Tillman with a minute left. On the whole, Navy was successful on four of five attempts on fourth down and did not punt once during the game.

Let’s look at the answers to the pregame questions to complete this autopsy.

Will the new Irish defensive brain trust have a solid plan against the triple option? The defensive plan was not necessarily bad, but the line just got pushed around by the smaller Midshipmen.

Can the Midshipmen keep Notre Dame from making 40-yard explosive plays? Yes. The Irish ground game was unremarkable, and the one pass attempt to Stepherson was out of reach. Conversely, Navy ripped off runs of 60 and 37 yards.

Will Notre Dame’s special teams continue to be a liability? Unfortunately, such breakdowns are no longer a surprise.

Can Brian Kelly commit to the run and stick with it? He did in the second quarter as the Irish kept the ball for seven minutes and scored a go-ahead touchdown, however Notre Dame was outrushed 325-147 on the day.

Which defense will suffer the fewest missed tackles? Both sides were fairly clean in this regard, with no significant breakdowns. Greer Martini and Julian Love were particularly good for Notre Dame.

Will Adams and Folston match the productivity of Navy’s rushers? The Irish running game was not bad, but the backs were never really allowed to get into a rhythm. Same as it ever was.

Can either defense generate turnovers? Navy had a couple of bobbles, but recovered both. Neither team turned the ball over but the Midshipmen got the better of the fourth down plays.

Can the Midshipmen pull off any trick plays against the Irish? Alas, they didn’t need to resort to trickery. They were the more disciplined and physical team.

Will anyone besides me be watching this game? There were lots of empty seats in Jacksonville, and probably quite a few broken TV screens at home.

As the Notre Dame hype machine tries to generate interest in next week’s Shamrock Series game in San Antonio against lowly Army, it’s time to reflect on the declining trajectory of the football program. It’s painfully obvious that Kelly is going through the motions, and the players can’t keep up the false positive much longer before mailing in the final couple of games. Change is needed, and not just at the level of the coaching staff. The Athletic Director must also answer for the pervasive culture that tolerates this prolonged state of mediocrity.

While it’s arguable that Notre Dame cannot compete equally with programs such as Alabama and Ohio State, that is no longer the point and is simply an excuse-making exercise. What matters is that the Irish generate a product that makes its alumni and fan base proud, consistent with its values as an institution. The current state of affairs is not the best Notre Dame can do by any definition or measure. The objective should at minimum be to field a well-coached team that plays passionately and physically, what though the odds. Those traditions have all but disappeared.

Categories

134 thoughts on “Navy Deals Irish Another Embarrassment”

  1. Felipe says:

    BK outcoached again. It’s getting old.
    And why are ND players dancing after Navy TDs? This team is so clueless. And so is the entire staff. A losing culture and no toughness.

  2. Steve says:

    Absolutely pathetic. The defense needed 2 maybe 3 stops (max) and ND most likely would have won. I cannot believe how lousy the D played.

  3. Uncle Ralph the Old Rattlesnake says:

    Yikes! Just a season under a bad sign. I hope Commenters don’t beat down on the players, who haven’t given up.

  4. The Hawk '65 says:

    More stupid play calling again. How could Kelly go for the field goal instead of the TD knowing that our defense had not been able to stop Navy and its time of possession football. Lack of discipline, chronic for all of Kelly’s teams so far, again evident for all the other mistakes made.

    • Hoss says:

      It was stunning. There was 7:30 left and Kelly thought they were going to get the ball back; I wondered if he had been watching the same game I had.

  5. Thomas Creevy says:

    Another pathetic Play Calling performance…we were also out coached in every department again today….

    There was no way that Navy’s defense could have stopped ND if we just took what they were giving us…instead we ran some higher risk down field passes that were badly thrown and we were forced or chose to kick field goals…..this is in addition to more back breaking mistakes on special teams…plus we can’t stop anybody on 3rd or 4th and long……

    As such, we got what we deserved…another heart breaking loss..Very, very Sad!!

  6. Doc says:

    It’s over. I knew Navy could run out the clock. I like Navy’s offense. I like Navy’s coach. Please do not vote for Clinton. I beg you!

  8. NDguy says:

    Fire Kelly
    Fire Kelly
    Fire Kelly!!
    How in the hell is ND going to beat an Alabama or Ohio State for the national championship if they can’t beat Navy or any of the other loses on their schedule. Jim Harbaugh has Michigan playing at a very high level in two years. Kelly has had seven!!!!!! Fire Kelly PLEASE!!!!!

  9. Twofornd says:

    Kicking the field goal the way the pitiful Defense was playing was nothing short of a cowardly, gutless, and ignorant wish for something that woill never happen. I do believe Kelly has some mental issues and should not only be fired but examined. Swrabrick and the enrire outfit needs to go ASAP. I am a life long fan that will never watch another game as long as Fat Face is the Coach.

    John

    • serreno says:

      I don’t expect this administration to fire anybody. But…Please…Les Miles does not like Notre Dame and he really is not that good of a coach. Let’s go get someone who is a proven winner and pay him. I like the man in Ohio…but that is just me.

    • Terry says:

      With all of that talent at LSU, just imagine what he’d do at ND, and he couldn’t recruit 80% of the quasi-literate talent he pulled in at LSU.

  12. Wayne says:

    As stated by this wonderful website, the program (lack there of) is not disciplined. It takes discipline to
    A triple option team as well coached as the Navy Academy. But, hey the University has a new deal with
    vivid tickets. The University has lost discipline as well, so doubtful the football team will be more than a
    Tradition any more.

    • calhoun says:

      Yes, the author of the substantive article understands better than most than any change in the trajectory of the program must start with the separation of $warbucks from his current position. The catastrophe that is now ND Football starts with $warbucks. If you want a couple more revenue streams coming out of the athletic department, $warbucks is your man. If you want a team that can be beat the Tide, the Wolvervines and the Buckeyes, you dont build a team around men whose resume were crafted at Grand Valley State. Kelly has never worked with or for a high level program. Regrettably, it must be now said that is that remains true even today. Yet, Kelly has out moved $warbucks twice–at hiring and when he tooled $warbucks into the current long term contract with his “im flirting with the NFL move” That along signaled $warbucks had no Plan B and that $warbucks knows he can not deliver an Elite Coach. Now the ship may have sailed and ND may truly no longer be able to attract elite coaching, the reputation of the program now being so tainted.

  13. Dylan Barmmer says:

    Notre Dame is now 48-4 in its last 52 meetings with Navy. Brian Kelly has lost two of those four games (in seven total tries), and Charlie Weis lost the other two.

    Kelly is also 2-5 against Stanford in seven tries. Both wins were also narrow, near-miracle victories.

    One could argue that Kelly and his staff have been out-coached in all but two of this year’s nine total games (Nevada and Syracuse). And that in those other seven, he/they have been badly outcoached.

    Mistakes that are glaring don’t seem to get fixed or corrected or firmed up from week to week.

    ND is 3-8 in its last 11 games overall, with many players regressing or stagnating, and very few ascending or improving, it seems.

    How more of this do we have to see? It’s time for a change!

  15. Jake says:

    Vannie,

    BK is a terrible coach.. Horrible game plan once again.. I predicted the loss once again.

    Bad, bad football!!!!

    • Uncle Ralph the Old Rattlesnake says:

      And boring. When Lou was losing (his first season, all those close ones) the team was exciting as all get-out, and showed huge promise–very disciplined, very aware, very tough.

  16. Opie says:

    Swarbrick has to fire Kelly. He doesn’t really have a choice. Losing this many games is unacceptable. ND grads shouldn’t wake up on Saturday mornings with a sense of dread, especially when playing a team with 0 NFL quality players. I mean, what are your feelings about next year? Is there any chance we’ll have a season that is better than mediocre? No. We’ll bring in yet another top 20 skill set Freshmen class, and then underperform on the field once again – partly due to being out-coached (like we were today). The reason that Swarbrick can give for the firing is that Kelly is damaging the brand. I’m sure Kelly has a big buy-out clause, but at some point ND is losing money and reputation by keeping him.

  17. Don says:

    Another pathetic performance by a terribly coached team. I’m done after supporting ND for 50 years I can’t take it any more. The last 30 years have ruined what was once the best college football program and Kellly and staff have finally buried ND. I won’t waste any more of my Saturdays watching this sad program. Good by Irish and may you Rest In Peace

  18. Kevin says:

    Fire Kelly he has obviously reached his ceiling. ND is a laughing stock in CFB. Embarrassing season is putting it mildly at best.

  19. Kevin says:

    Maybe ND Administration will finally do something when they can’t sit back and count their bowl payout dollars. What a sad joke it has become. The only thing my school is interested in is money, sad but true. “Play like a Champion Today”? yeah right. We play for national titles? What a joke that sounds like. Stop the flow of money and good things will happen for ND Football, keep the money flowing and get used to this crap

  20. Tony Dambra says:

    When the $ stops flowing into their coffers things will change. Low ratings, loss of recruits, questionable renewal of the NBC contract. The Admin will act only when they have to. Spend whatever is needed to make us contenders. If it takes $10,000,000 do it!

  21. mrm says:

    Kelly needs to go. The fundamentally sound team beat a more talented team. 12 men on the field, not once but twice. 1st and 10 in the red zone, illegal procedure, not once but twice. 1st and 20! Red zone problems
    continue. Have we fallen to 2nd in winning percentage to Michigan?

  23. flirish says:

    What is going on with special teams. not just the 12 men on the filed, how ab out kick off returns and punting. just awful. terrible play calling again. abandoned the run game as usual . this is a total joke. Kelly its out coached by everyone we play. I believe he is actually worse right now than the last coach. He is seven years into this with his guys. the inability to improve the special teams or to develop a running game tells us that this guy is a really bad coach.
    I am not sure why so many ND. beat writers support him.
    He has to go. there is not a single kid on the Navy team that was good enough to be recruited by ND yet the entire game was in question from the opening Navy drive.
    A Kelly trademark is the horrific decisions and lack of execution of the offense when we need a critical drive and again today that was apparent.
    JS should be fired if he keeps Kelly–they both should go if he doesn’t fire him.

  24. Fitz says:

    Sick and tired of being sick and tired. Out coached, again. Kizer was good but not good enough, again. He missed some big throws that could’ve changed things but there again, it’s not fair to hang all of our hopes on his shoulders alone. The special teams error and the defense unable to get Navy off the field played a much bigger role. Putting it all on Kizer has been the case all year and consistently he’s been a big play or 2 of shy of getting it done.

    Kelly simply had to go it, for the TD in the 4th quarter and not kick the field goal. I mean, the writing was on the wall! 9 out of 10 coaches i’d wager, in that exact circumstance would go for it. Whatever happened to Kelly’s “get used to it,” comments from early on. Promising to throw the ball, aggressive play calling and go for it on 4th. And then here comes a time when he really needs to go for it and he 2nd guesses himself and kicks the field goal. It’s like even he doesn’t trust himself.This is the guy that was calling 4th down and long pass plays in a hurricane a few weeks ago and you kick the field goal today?

  25. D K Owen says:

    I wonder who the new special teams coach will be?

    The defense was out of position most the game. I see the players jumping up and down on the sideline, all 6 or 7 of them, that did not seem to help. Team spirit comes from the inside and is built not displayed for the coaches

    That team has some real leadership issues on both sides of the ball, special teams needs to be in there as well. I can’t believe Kelly will be back next year!

  26. Tim Jr says:

    It truly is a sad state of affairs when we are continuously and consistently unprepared, out-coached and repeatedly make the same mistakes over and over! The luster and the brand of a quality program at an incredibly good school have been diminished beyond recognition. I feel very sorry for the players who are trying to do their best and the students who have been steadfastly supportive. It is time fora change!

  27. Fed up says:

    I have been a subway alum for 41 years and have had enough of the mediocrity of the football program.Brian Kelly is a great coach for Cincinatti and Central Michigan but is way over his head at ND.
    I am thinking that Jack Swarbrick and Kelly must be related because any athletic director worth his salt would kick Kelly’s ass to the curb.I could write a novel on what I see wrong with the Irish from lack of coaching to players who who haven’t done a damn thing all year, and for those players who are upperclassmen, I would sit their underachieving asses on the sidelines in favour of freshman and sophomores. I used to plan my Saturday’s around watching Irish games for the past forty one years , but I am hard pressed to give a rats ass what they do from this point forward till they hire a coach who can coach at a big time level, as well as a coach who holds the players accountable like Dantonio, Saban and Harbaugh.

    • Ed says:

      Given Kelly’s previous comments about “his guys” vs the previous coach’s, it’s clear to me that Mark Dantonio was most likely responsible for Kelly’s success at both Central MI and Cincy.

  28. irishhawk50 says:

    Sad to note that this is the easiest schedule ND has faced in many years and this is the result. Even BVD found a way to beat Navy!

  30. James Bankes says:

    I have been an Irish fan since 1949 when I was a little kid. Never faltered in my support. But the Fighting Irish have disappeared. The tradition has fallen to its lowest depths. To have any hope we need new leadership.

  31. bob johns says:

    Give me a brake with the whole cant compete with Alabama, Ohio State bs. Notre Dame can compete with anyone if they had people at the top who knew what they were doing. And it might be nice if the school gave the football program a chance to compete,since the only reason anyone has ever heard of this small catholic school in the midwest is because of the football program. Enough with the oh thou the odds bs too its not 1940 anymore ,when does someone at this school get angry. Oh one more thing its time ND joins a league for real, playing Navy and Army on the the first two weeks in November is a joke. There is nothing wrong with playing in a league ,in fact I think it would help ND as far as schedule balance and adding a much needed dose of toughness to a football program in great need of it!

    • Exit77 says:

      Fully agree.
      There is tepid support of the football program
      Building stuff isn’t support

      Ball players 1st
      Academics close 2nd.

      Orlando pace great person, great football player
      C student, not forced to be brain child in his 4 years at OSu

      Pretty please – read this main building
      Cs for attendance

  32. Zach says:

    What do you guys think about Lane Kiffin? He is young. He is a football nut, honestly he is the type of coach that if he gets a winner together, he could create something big. We saw what he did with Wood and Lee at USC and Henry and Cooper at Alabama, Notre Dame fans would never wonder “why is that amazing player not getting the ball” with Kiffin.

    The only question marks are on defense with Kiffin. We all know what a bad defense will get you. It didn’t go well at USC but I’m sure his dad is fully retired. Also he has been under Saban for a few years and I’m sure he has learned the importance of defense. So what do you guys think?

    • Dylan Barmmer says:

      I think he’s a very good OC.

      I think he’s not a good head coach. At all.

      I think he’s just as bad as Kelly is at passing the buck and refusing to be accountable when things go south. Maybe even worse.

      I think he whines and pouts as much as Kelly. If not more.

      And I think there’s ample evidence to back all of those thoughts up, if you look around the internet and research his history as a HC – UT, USC, Raiders.

      • Zach says:

        That’s fair, but his attitude only matters when you are losing, and it’s arguable that the Raiders and USC (when Lane was there) were impossible situations to win in. A lot of the other coaching possibilities are guys who are unproven like the Herman, or washed up like Les Miles.

        Also the Houston coach would never fit at Notre Dame. Notre Dame will never be able to get the type spread offense talent can compete at a high level year after year.

        I think Kiffin can recruit, he’s young, and has “take no prisoners” mentality as a coach, people have that about him unless he is winning for your team.

      • Steve says:

        Kiffin is one of those guys who is a good coordinator but lacks the leadership skills to be a HC. You could probably say the same thing about Weiss who had some good seasons with the Patriots. I definitely think he would be a good choice as an OC. Orgeron now the interim HC at LSU would be a good choice for DC and perhaps a head coach. Probably the type of coach that would work best to get the program back on track would be someone old school like Dantonio, but I don’t think he would leave MSU unless he was fired.

        • Terry says:

          Weis was a last second hire. ND thought they could get Urban Meyer who had been assistant @ ND and had a clause in his Utah contract enabling him to jump to ND w/o paying to get out. ND thought they could get him so they dumped Willingham. Meyer took a look at the ND roster (early 2005) saw the 2007 season (3-9) coming and chose Florida.

          Weis was a last second hire and a huge mistake – he had never been a head coach and to go from being an offensive coordinator with Tom Brady there to HC @ Notre Dame was a huge, illogical step.

          We’ve got the talent, we need someone to step up and take charge. Kelly is in WAAAAY over his head and that has been apparent for at least 3 seasons now.

          There HAS to be an up and coming coach or assistant coach out there who is up to the task.

          • Terry says:

            WHOOPS – please eliminate the word “NOT” from the last sentence in my post.

            Mille pardons – the dunce cap arrived a moment ago.

  33. Conners dad says:

    Why would any upper echelon recruit even consider playing for Kelly, hes lost yes lost, does not have a clue anymore . I cannot imagine committing to any Kelly coached team it just wouldn’t be a sound decision. The damage hes done this year will hang with us for years to come . Make your move now Starbucks because your going to be mentioned in all of this dark history,

  34. irish88 says:

    Natural born losers. From the AD through the coaches and to the players. With their unmotivated effort, they continue to embarrass and humiliate all of those who through blood, sweat, and tears built this program into the most proud program in college football. We’re up to 20 straight years of pathetic coaches who excel at inspiring losing and gradually chip away each week at whatever is left of more than 100 years of greatness. Tick, tick, tick…

        • irish88 says:

          When the talent gap is as significant as it is between Notre Dame and teams like Navy and Duke and Notre Dame loses, there is no disputing that the player effort wasn’t there. Players with that much talent can will their way to a win against teams like that any day no matter how bad play calling or anything else is. When we hand Navy the ball with more than 7 minutes to go and they’re able to run out the clock (something our offense hasn’t been able to do for years under Kelly), it’s obvious which team has more heart, leadership, and killer instinct.

  35. Ranger Up says:

    It’s the coaching stupid (Jackass Swarbrick). What an embarrassing game and season. Things will never change with Kelly running the show.

    Navy doesn’t have one 5 star player but what they do have is heart, discipline, and the will to win. I’ll take these young men over the 5 and 4 star no heart, no discipline, and no will to win Irish squad.

    Kelly is simply worthless and weak.. Go Army.. Ranger up

  36. The Hawk '65 says:

    Without its past football success, Notre Dame would today be a small, obscure Catholic college located in an undesirable part of the country. Football made Notre Dame what it is today. Without its national brand and recognition from football, we wouldn’t have become a top-20 academic institution with top-notch students and faculty, excellent non-football men’s and women’s teams, and a $9 billion+ endowment. When I was at ND in the early sixties, the football program was in the doldrums. However, despite his strivings for academic excellence, Father Hesburgh recognized that we needed to revitalize the great football programs of the past to get the attention of the nation again to help meet all his goals for the University. That was accomplished with the hiring of Ara, Dan, and Lou, as Notre Dame grew in stature in all respects with these coaches. It’s time again for the Board and Fr. Jenkins to recognize the importance of football to ND and hire a strong coach.

      • Exit77 says:

        Duke and navy players don’t have to be poster boys like
        “The nd qb”
        And hbo specials bs

        You know, they can be normal and non hyped

        Stanford northwestern Duke navy players don’t have the stress of pub to worry about
        They also have a history of being the underdog contender which makes you loose as an athlete

        We’re all permeable membranes and you don’t think nd players play tight Bc they see all the pub surrounding this program. I don’t think si wrote the savior of Palo Alto when harbough made them a winner but si was pretty quick to cover us in tyrones start

        It’s a combination of things but without question there are reasons our players play tighter than those other academic equivalent schools

  38. Jerrod says:

    The only reason ND went 10-3 last year is they had a once a decade WR and a once a decade LB. Without those two, they would’ve been 8-5 as usual.

  40. Boone says:

    Get the Navy coach or the Temple coach before Penn State grabs him. Mighty Temple almost beat ND last year in Philly. Oh, and Temple uses an I formation from the one yard line! What a novel idea. Not our overmatched, intransigent, genius coach. I can remember my sophomore year in 1971 when we were 8-2 and we thought it was the end of the world. Father Hesburgh must be rolling over in his grave. Notre Dame our Mother, please fire Brian Kelly and Jack Swarbrick and reassign Father Jenkins.

  41. FTDNDMBA says:

    Is there a clause in Kelly’s 5 year contract that reduces his compensation if the Irish establish a running attack? Or, has the NCAA threatened sanctions if ND recruits a fullback? Finally, does Kelly have a phobia about occasionally putting the QB under center after a huddle? Or, does the NCAA threatened sanctions over those these two throwbacks as well?

    The only bowling the Irish should do this year is with a ball with 3 holes.

  42. irish rifle says:

    A few observations re another very frustrating loss:

    1. The call for 12 men on the field when Navy punted the ball was a bush league call. Who made the call? It clearly was not the official on the ND sideline. I did not see any flag. Studstill appeared to be off the field by the time the ball was snapped. That ticky-tack call clearly cost the Irish the game.

    2. Where was Jarron Jones? Was he hurt? I did not see him in the game for a single snap. Not having your best defensive lineman on the field was a devastating blow to the Irish.

    3. DeShone Kizer did not have a good game, despite stats that would imply the contrary. He made numerous low throws, but was bailed out by his receivers who made the catches. However, they were deprived of the opportunity to gain additional yards because of those low throws. Kier also air-mailed several throws.

    On ND’s last series of downs in the game, Kizer made two terrible overthrows on 1st and 2nd down. He then threw a poor pass well behind Kevin Stephenson on 3rd down that Stepherson somehow managed to catch, but it prevented him from gaining a first down.

    Earlier, Kizer badly overthrew Stephenson, who was 10 yards behind the linebacker. Even a ball considerably underthrown would have resulted in a TD. A top QB must make that throw.

    4. Irish defense could not make the stops on 3rd and 4th down. Pass coverage in those situations was atrocious.

    5. Agree with other posters that the Irish should have gone for it on 4th and 4 instead of kicking the FG, given the defense’s inability to stop the Goats the entire game.

    • Steve says:

      Agree with 4. Really, there were ‘non-stops’ by the defense on perhaps 2-3 3rd and 4th downs that determined the game. The ‘O’ scored most every time they had the ball. If they had the ball in the last two minutes, I am quite sure they could have easily driven to a comfortable range for Yoon. That’s what you get when you have a really terrible defense.

    • strangebrew says:

      On #1 – Kelly still had all 3 time-outs at that point. Why not use one then instead of hoping he sprints off the field in time?

      I hope Kelly wasn’t too busy nit-picking Kizer for using the wrong tone on his snap count at the time. Outside of the QB position, Kelly doesn’t seem to have much of a grasp on his team.

  43. Sarah says:

    R.I.P. , Irish football. I’m going to miss you but it’s too painful to watch. Until BK moves on, I am done. I was at this game and witnessed no enthusiasm or spirit. It was obvious they were going to lose.
    I was embarrassed to be wearing ND garb.

  44. Early80sIrish says:

    Hey…everyone needs to relax…we have the best “sideline dancing” 3-6 team in America!

    Seriously, who is the assistant coach in the neon yellow shirt who appears to be leading a “Zumba” Class with a dozen Irish players just after Navy scores?
    Someone needs to pull this guy aside….but that takes leadership and that starts at the top….BK was caught on camera dancing on the sidelines last week because
    he was 2-5 and “in the process” of beating a pitiful Miami team.

    Someone said it best above…it’s an attempt to manufacture spirit…I’d call it “faux enthusiasm”.

    We may beat Army and then Va Tech and USC will romp…and 4-8 it will be. A few months will pass….and then we will get a fancy letter from the ticket office to buy
    a seat license for $15k and box seats for $500 each….per game. ND has truly upped the ante in the past few years with game ticket prices…..I love ND and will always return for at least one game per year. However, if ND does not place
    a “product” on the field, they will lose the “subway and ever loyal fans”…many of whom populate this site and cheer on the team with passion.

    This season should not be happening in “Year 7” of a coaching reign….not with this easy of a schedule

    I think ND Admin has some thinking to do and decisions to make.

  45. Irish tool says:

    I’d go with “Navy Deals Irish _Yet_ Another Embarrassment”.

    It’s a failure of the English language that there aren’t more ways to emphasize “another.”

  47. NCHDomer says:

    It seems pretty clear that Kelly has lost the team and the coaches.
    Everyone phoned in their performance today.
    Team will likely beat Army and then lose to Va. Tech and get embarrassed by USC.
    The only question in my mind is whether the AD is let go at the end of the season as Kelly surely will be.
    Votes of confidence for a 4-8 coach are meaningless. The team is a joke and all of
    the coaches must be looking for their next coaching job. I still think the talent level has gone up but
    the coaching remains mediocre. There is no way the school is trying not to be a top football program.
    The problem is they can’t find the right coach because they don’t know how to judge coaching talent.

  48. serreno says:

    Please…I hope you have the opportunity to watch the game currently on…Alabama at LSU. The score is 0 to 0 and nearing the end of the first half. Watch this game and look at the players and coaches. On both sides this is what we are not. We cannot compete with teams like this. Alabama in the NC game and last year the horrible loss to Ohio State. We are light years away from this. So…we have to have someone who can take us to this level of play and what we have right now just simply cannot.

  49. Boone says:

    What is Lou thinking? Publicly he would never criticize but I bet he would question some of these boys’ manhood in the locker room back in his prime. Another thing, remember the students started the Lou cheer for Lou so this “imitation Lou crap” at the end of the third quarter for the last 20 years post Lou is disgraceful to the man. It’s the Lou Cheer band and students!! So don’t use it for any other coach. Make up something else. Even Bob Davie would at least have a decent defensive team on the field. Yeah I’m obsessed and unhappy. Now for my walk. Bye.

  50. flirish says:

    I have planned my Saturdays around ND football since 1978. I have never missed a year going back for a game –I live over 1300 miles away and usually get to two or three home games and one away game. But no more. I find the coach harder to root for than the past three. I have always thought he was a bad coach. ND needs to lose it NBC contract
    the school in rolling in money each year and doesn’t need to earn it. the administration is ok with mediocrity because the cash keeps coming in from NBC. If NBC took the contract back for lack of a reasonable product ND would be forced to either win or join a conference. Short of that, I really don’t think Jenkins cares and for sure JS doesn’t care. The past four coaches are a result of a lack of commitment by the administration to go after a big name and pay a lot. the only thinning that can reverse this is to take the money away and force the school to earn it.

  51. ccb says:

    Kelly needs to be let go.

    However, you better make damn sure there’s a significant upgrade available!

    Otherwise, it’s Davie, Willingham, Weis, Kelly, =______(fill in the loser’s name)

  52. Hawkeye says:

    ND football is a joke. A bunch of underachieving 4 and 5 star athletes being outplayed by kids who will never see the NFL. Navy alumni go on to protect our nation. ND alumni go on to cry about another year without a national championship. It’s been close the 30 years since ND has been significant. Want some cheese to go with that wine. I love it.

  53. Ellen Bush says:

    Two things must happen- Kelly Fired and Swarbick Fired. Team is pathetic.an embarassment,to the ND family. And please no politics in these comments.not the time or place.

  54. Paul says:

    I doubt I will see ND win a championship in football in my lifetime and on average I probably have 30 more years to live. And ND wont see me buy another football ticket the remainder of this decade nor waste another Saturday watching a bunch of prima Donna coaches and players get abused by 2 star and lower players.

  55. Exit77 says:

    Serreno speaketh the truth.

    The only tough looking thing on campus is the big steel water tower behind the fire station and I’m like 99% sure there is a plan to hide it by building a luxury box where pear Brie flatbread can be served to a “fan” in cashmere who has never played a meaningful down of a contact sport

    Another piece on evidence is that bk was given the gag order to not chew out the sensitive players
    Ask a naval cadet if he breaks down when securing the hill and his CO gives him a little jawing

  57. Fitz says:

    If Texas lets Charlie Strong go this year honestly i’d take him. I know he’s had his ups and downs but hes a defensive mastermind and a great recruiter. I live in Louisville and watched him build this program back up to relevance, even prominence.

  58. GOND88 says:

    The AD said the program is in good health because there’s wide smiles and back slapping at the training table and the players are affectionate towards Kelly. Never mind that we’re 3-6 and likely headed for a 4-8 finish.

    One big thing we learned: ND needs a head coaching change at the end of the season.

  59. serreno says:

    After 7 years and this is what you get! Every week it is this way. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if the Army game came down to the wire. I hate saying this but in a way I hope the Cadets beet the Irish and the Irish lose out. The Admninistration is not going to fire BK this year in my opinion so the embarrassment has to be significant closing out the year and it certainly is. Next year…the expectations will be high and I doubt BK can reach them. Then the Administration who have given us Davie, Willingham, Weis and now Kelly can go and hire another experiment coach for ND. Maybe there is a real reason the “great ones”… the ones you don’t have to sweat out building a winning program, don’t want to coach there anymore. Notre Dame football as we remember is now irrelevent!

  60. frank says:

    I live Notre Dame-My first game 1952–I have missed very few-Our fans are not the same-moderate expectations-we play sandlot football- “go-long” no toughness- short yardage and we have to pass? It breaks my heart every day.

  61. Joe Libby says:

    Notre Dame has to make a hard accessment of both Coach Kelly and the talent of the players. Starting with Ciack with Kelly. His coaching philosophy has always been based on out scoring the other team. . He has discovered this year that defense matters. There are two major questions Sawbrick has to answer. First, can Kelly regain his confidence and second, do the players have faith in his leadership

  62. rfm says:

    Ladies and gentleman. The embarrassment that has become ND football lies squarely on the BOT, and Jack. ND is gone. This is the new norm. We are disgracelully disneyified, and not relevant. We do have a great ranking on USNWR though… You see the only people that really care are the alumni, and we dont matter

  63. manager says:

    i have been a Notre Dame football follower for over 50 years – i attended the game on saturday vs. Navy – in fact 50 years with my father we attended the Notre Dame/Navy game in Philadelphia – this has been unraveling for awhile – lack of basic fundamentals – discord among the players and coaches – watering down the culture and makeup of the program – a complete spin with the fans thru the media. i sat behind the Notre Dame bench on saturday – pockets of players spread out – no sense of team – dancing and other show boat antics on the sidelines during the game – when Navy scored – etc. The team has a wake up call – get back to basics – get rid of the inmates in the program – re-establish standards and hold all accountable. It will take a little time but if not done i am afraid the results will be enormous.

  64. Mark says:

    From a distance, do we not recal Fr. Jenkins attitude toward football? Am I incorrect in remembering that a few years ago he was accused of talking about deemphasizing the importance of the gridiron at ND? If my. Emory is correct, this, thenis the result: an AD who has no previous athletic dept. admin history and a coach from lower level football. I agree with the earlier post that reminds all that this small, Or Theron Indiana Jesuit university gained its’ stature thru football, funded its’ growth thru football and will return to. Sing a small Jesuit college once again unless the vehicle on which its’ stature grew is resurrected.

  65. John says:

    I think Swarbrick is doing a good job. AD is bigger than football. Other programs are doing well. Facilities are getting better.

    Keep Kelly. Recruiting is better than previous coaches (how many players from last year were signed by NFL?). We are young this year. He has tweaked his staff, his approach over the years. I am willing to be patient. ND for life…Go Irish!

    • Jim Kress says:

      “Monk” Malloy vowed to destroy the ND football team. He was vastly successful. Jenkins has just perpetuated the devastation.

      The ND Administration despises football and, behind a false mask of concern, celebrates every loss.

      Until the BOT and the Administration see the Univerity destroyed by a loss of support, due to their embrace of their goal of mediocrity, football will still be a vestigial part of Notre Dame.

  66. Sean says:

    That’s is it for me . No more merchandise, no more over-priced tickets. Now is the time for wealthy alumni and do their share by putting pressure on the leader of this disaster- Jack Swarbrick.

  67. Tommy boy says:

    Anyone else getting overtaken by spam ads whenever they’re on this website? They aren’t pop ups and there’s no way to go back to ndnation without completely closing the window.

  68. Denverjoeirish says:

    Gone are the days of Ara and Tom Clements defeating Bear Bryant and Bama, or Montana and Company taking Earl Campbell and Texas to the wood shed (I was at the Cotton Bowl that day). I doubt I’ll see that brand of ND football for the remainder of my lifetime. This program has lost its identity and I fear the damage is irreversible.

  71. Aaron says:

    Another Saturday
    Another ND blowing calls
    Another self imploding ND Football game
    Another result in an embarrassing loss
    Another reason to pack in the season

  72. serreno says:

    Quit watching the games…quit going to the games…don’t buy anything they are selling….write the President and the BOT and NBC (ask them to cancel)….boycott everything….it is the only thing people care about. Their wallet. I am sick and tired of people cramming crap down my throat that I don’t like. The powers that be have shown the faithful Irish fans and alumni they don’t care about the football program. If they did care…they would go out there now and say enough of this…and find a coach like they did in 86 when they brought Lou Holtz in. If we got together as a group…a unit we could change many things not only at ND but in our country which in case you haven’t noticed is going the same way as Notre Dame and even worse. It is an epidemic affecting every institution in our country and every facet of life that use to be wholesome and good. It is called liberalism and it destroys everything over time in its path and I don’t really care whether you believe it or not. It is the truth. The kind of Notre Dame football we all love and long for again is just to be put on the endangered specis list.

  73. flirish says:

    to the person above who says Kelly is doing a better job than Weis at recruiting:
    Kelly has recruited better than the last coach? are you for real?? nonsense? Get a grip on reality :the last coach may not have been a good coach but lets face it –he started with nothing. He needs to be credited with turning recruiting around at ND and the fact is his recruits are much better in the NFL than Kelly’s by a long shot.
    He did that with more restrictions on grades, a less tolerant Res life, no training table and remember when Weis came in the Gug was not completed. His first year his office was in the ACC. Also the last coach graduated a higher percentage of players and had far less criminal activity on his team.
    I am not saying he was a great coach but he laid a foundation for our current terrible coach –even though Kelly can’t capitalize he was given way more than Weis was given.
    Look at the Weis guys in the NFL–may are doing great. Other than Fuller, and Martin (excluding the tragic injury to Jaylon Smith) the other guys in the NFL that were recruited by Kelly are doing OK but not great. Kelly capitalized on Weis recruits all the way to the National Title game and even the year after with kids who committed to play for ND when Weis was in his last year.

  75. Bernie says:

    In order to win you need to be able to ball. Kelly’s offense is soft. Line up under center near the goal line and use power. Also under Kelly QB’s have not gotten better but worse.

  76. Gene says:

    Seems as though Notre Dame is more interested in trashing their once beautiful stadium with a building project than putting a competitive football team on the field. Also it may be time to drop the outrageous ticket prices they charge to watch an inferior product. I guess it’s all about the $$$$$$ now. How sad.

  77. marleyman says:

    If you remember, it was the Navy loss that was the “nail in the coffin” for Weis. Wishful thinking?
    Did you see the pathetic press conference? Demoralizing!

  78. WeAreND says:

    Well I am finished watching them this year. Kelly has to go but won’t and we are starring at an utterly embarrassing 4-8 season. I haven’t seen the young players make significant improvements and I actually think Kizer has regressed. His instincts seem to be getting worse, he has become a check down passer and someone who very little feel for when he to take some cracks down field and when he should tuck it and run. I know its a weak draft class but he hasn’t performed like a first round pick.

    • Terry says:

      He’s a head-case, and you’ll never know what he could have become, because I think Kelly gets so into his QBs’ heads, that they can’t function properly. They’re like computers full of viruses, and I don’t think he’ll have an NFL career because he’s damaged goods.

  80. Felipe Cardenas says:

    Why are NDNation and other ND blogs the only ones talking about replacing BK? No one else is even going there. Mike & Mike this morning were like “just a tough year for Notre Dame.” Hire Navy’s coach for god’s sake.

  81. Terry Hutton says:

    We need to hire Chris Peterson from Washington without delay. His resume is unreal. If it means firing Swarbrick then so be it. Pay what it takes to get Peterson.

  82. Terry says:

    As aforementioned, Kizer isn’t fully functional anymore. He consistently short-hops or overthrows simple sideline or flare routes, and he disintegrates on 3rd down in the 4th quarter when we really need a 1st down. I think Kelly has really destroyed his confidence, and the only way to resurrect his career would be an offensive genius to take over for Kelly next year. Gruden would be the only solution for ND. I remember watching like 8 runs in a row, and settling for a field goal; which I liked the runs, but if you mix in a pass there, you will get 6, and not have to settle for field goals against Navy, lol! To guarantee Kelly’s firing, I think he needs to lose the last 3, which is probable because Army plays hard and is better than in years past, VA Tech is tough, and USC has gotten better and had faced the best team in the country in Alabama, so they learned how to compete. I think if he loses all 3, there’s a 75% chance Kelly will get fired, 2 – 50%, and 1 – 33% chance, but it shows you how bad of a football environment ND has turned into.

  83. Felipe Cardenas says:

    Gruden has a cushy job and will never coach at ND. Please stop bring him up. It’s not happening. Ever. And USC will destroy us in LA.

    • Felipe Cardenas says:

      *bringing. This is a poorly coached football team. One that was thoroughly outcoached and outplayed by the Naval Academy. I told a buddy of mine after the MSU loss that this team would lose to Navy. Because we couldn’t stop a terrible MSU offense. It’s sad when the biggest hits of the game are delivered by the other team’s undersized players. Meanwhile in Ann Arbor…

  84. Drasail2 says:

    Nice Summary as usual.
    Reading through the comments above…the only point I have to make is that as ND fans sometimes I think we’re watching the game without perspective on the throes of other programs. Alright how many here want to swap for Dantonio, Snoops, Shaw or Miles. Is the answer Lane Kiffin…Orgeron? How do we know that works for the University of Houston or the Navy will work at ND? Is the ND mystique enough to achieve SEC class domination (Alabama shut out for three quarters can win anyway)? At the beginning of the season the 10th ND Nation poll has the statistical average as a 8.9 wins with like nobody (selection bias) predicting a win by the Middies.
    https://ndnation.com/archives/5704
    Unfortunately predicting the next few games is likely to be easy.
    Kelly’s main achievement is restoring relevancy and there are some good wins. But we are still barnstorming (no conference) like the Harlem Globetrotters and the mandate for this has got to be a winning spirit. He needs to fix this above all else.

  85. serreno says:

    This year…next year…I say open up the checkbook and go get Meyer. Everywhere he goes he wins. Two National Championships at two different schools now…Florida…Ohio State (and two big time programs that demand a winning program..so you know upfront he can handle the pressure). If he came to Notre Dame and coached there and won, he would be the only coach in history to win national titles at three different schools. He is young enough and after he won here, he might take his chance in his later years and win a Super Bowl and be declard the greatest football coach of alltime.

    Plus, he has already coached at Notre Dame and loves the Irish and is…Catholic! Finally, it would cost the university less money with Mayflower…which I am afraid the administration at this time would consider a “deal breaker”. The west and east coast..and south…. is just so far. You see…it would cut into their white wine budget too much.

  86. Doc says:

    I have commented in the past only on football .There is a imposter Doc who is getting into politics.It is no me .The Real Doc

  87. Paul says:

    Where else can you be a complete flop at your job, get paid big bucks and be guaranteed to return next year? We are ND!

  88. Sarah says:

    The only way to change this downward spiral is for fans to stop donating money, stop attending games, and stop buying the ND logo. Money talks, and sad to say, ND loves money.

  89. Mikeyoc83 says:

    Re: ND mystique, it does not exist. Arrogance does. This year, I am sleeping thru the 2nd half, DVRing it and watching later. Strongly suspected we’d lose to Navy. Maybe the anticipated destruction in LA will have the same result as the Miami game at the end of the Faust era.

    The dancing on the sidelines is embarrassing. Want to have fun? Kick your opponent’s ass. I won’t hold my breath.

    I’m told fans were throwing stuff on the field after the Navy game. This is where we’re at.