Comments on: Irish Comeback Goes Wide Right

By: jimnd65

jimnd65 — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 15:41:16 +0000

Has anyone compiled statistics on the number of injuries ND has suffered this and previous years? I think the number would be out of the norm vs. other high profile programs. Not sure why this is, but it must point back to training/conditioning. Any thoughts?

By: jimnd65

jimnd65 — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 15:36:58 +0000

In reply to flirish. Has anyone compiled statistics on player injuries at ND as compared to other high profiled programs? I think we have experienced more injuries (not just this year) than, perhaps other teams combined. Not sure why this is, but have to believe something is amiss in training/conditioning area(s). The sheer number is just too great to ignore.

By: Mike Coffey

Mike Coffey — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 14:09:50 +0000

In reply to PC.

It may be “normal” to go to the backup QB, but that assumes the backup QB has experience as a holder. The first time Zaire ever held for a placekick in a game was against Northwestern.

If you’re asking me “what exactly is Kelly to do”, my answers, in order, would be (a) have an actual special teams coach instead of a glorified GA, (b) make sure the person holding for placekicks has the requisite level of experience, and (c) don’t react to one or two bad holds by Smith by completely swapping him out for someone else.

By: PC

PC — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 13:59:00 +0000

flirish- If you think that Weiss had the overall team speed Kelly has recruited I will respectfully disagree. I see an incredible difference in the game breaker type talent and the secondary has vastly improved under Kelly. They used to be beat at will by any passing team. This doesnt happen nearly as frequently. He has even had some players leave early which is definitely a sign of recruiting more type talent.

Mike Coffey- Are you really blaming Kelly for this holding problem? I know there young student athletes and I dont like to ever bash kids but what Brindza has done is flat out imploded. Couple that with the original holder who couldnt catch a ball and place it down and what exactly is Kelly to do. Its very normal to go the the back up QB to hold so he figured he had to do something. Did you want sure hands Golson holding? Sometimes you just run into bad luck and there is no answer for that.

By: Mike Coffey

Mike Coffey — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 02:43:47 +0000

In reply to Fitz. Perhaps not. But it certainly IS his fault he had a left-handed holder with all of two games of holding experience in his career out there for that kick

By: flirish

flirish — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 02:18:28 +0000

a lot of interesting comparisons but a major inaccuracy in recruiting info. Kelly has not recruited better than Weis. Weis was not a good head coach at ND but he inherited a depleted and down group of recruiting years. He turned that around for ND and actually put ND back on the national elite with recruits. Most of Kelly’s best players until this year were Weis guys. If you look at who he has actually brought in and who is and will be in the NFL, as of now he is not in Weis’ league

By: Fitz

Fitz — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 01:46:01 +0000

Is it Kelly’s fault that a once potentially all american kicker missed a chip shot? This sucks right now but just gotta live through it. It’s Notre Dame. We’ll be back! Now let’s beat USC! A year is always better when ya beat USC.

By: mike in california

mike in california — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 23:32:57 +0000

In reply to PC.

PC, you’re way off base.. The national title appearce was a fluke (barely surviving a bad Pitt/Purdue/etc.
A very sloppy bowl win last year against a very poor Rutgers team.. Horrible special teams.. Bad
call playing.. Flat performances against poor competition.. Arrogance..

What’s there to like? And yes, most teams can consistently play AGAINST US (NO EXCUSE for teams
like Syracuse, Navy, Tulsa, UCONN, to be even in the game with us)..

I agree with Vannie.. Time for a Jim Mora Jr type of coach!!!

Respectfully,

Mike in California

By: ND Chicago

ND Chicago — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 22:19:33 +0000

In reply to PC.

My post never mentioned Willingham because he only coached 3 seasons. Don’t forget, Kelly’s teams are playing 12 regular season as opposed to 11 for Davie and Weis. You have to stop living in Fantasyland and thinking that 2012 was anything other than a fluke. It was a good team that needed a lot of good fortune to go undefeated, but nowhere near great as evidenced by the humiliation in the NCG and subsequent mediocrity since then. I realize that you think the Pinstripe Bowl and Sun Bowl are great accomplishments that should get Kelly a gate named after him at ND stadium, but that’s not why he was hired. It’s so funny to hear the Kelly defenders’ logic that it’s not his fault because if that ref hadn’t made that bad call against FSU, and if Brindza could have just made a couple kicks, and if we just quit playing Navy, and if we didn’t have any injuries or suspensions this year, and if the holder didn’t drop the ball, and if Golson didn’t turn the ball over so many times against ASU, and if Kelly didn’t have his head up his ass and just kicked the extra point we’d be 11-0 right now…You are what your record says you are. Many of us feel ND football is something special and should aspire to be among the best as they historically have been; then there are those who feel like as long as they win 7-8 games a year and play in the Pinstripe Bowl it was a great year. Obviously, I know what camp you’re in. We’ll just have to agree to disagree.

By: PC

PC — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 17:33:17 +0000

Vannie- I respectfully disagree that he only recruits better then the previous three coaches. Up until these last few games, I think they protect home field much better, show they belong against the better teams much more consistently, and I typically see a coach that is confident he can win at ND more then those other three. Now if you know we can get a Saban like dominant recruiter/game day coach then let’s do it but if all were going to do is attract the tier 2 coaches then I’ll pass and stick with what I have which is a much improved coach then the 3 previous guys. Again proper perspective- if I said 5 years into Kelly Era one nat’l title appearance, a few bowl wins and a team that generally proves they can play with most teams consistently you would’ve taken it and said it was a big improvement from where we were.