Well, if Eiffert makes a damn move to the ball (I was sitting right above that play at Heinz field) instead of waiting for the ball to hit his hands there is 6 pts (7 pts if PAT is good). If Ruffer makes a FG there is another 3. There were 10 pts left OFF the scoreboard. They convert, ND hangs 25 on Pitt. Am I missing something?

I was at the game. A huge momentum swing occurred with the roughing penalty after a big 3 and out on first series of second half deep in Pitt territory. The defense was very high after the stop, and after the penalty came back out without energy, and Pitt went right down the field. First of all, I don’t think it was a 15 yd penalty, it appeared that Collingsworth landed under the punter without touching him, and the punter fell on him. We can blame the kid, but the bigger question: why call a punt block when we will be getting the ball with a short field and momentum? I think it was a poor call by the coaching staff. One can only speculate, but the game may have been much different on that one play, I sensed big ND momentum, and perhaps a bigger point difference maybe even a blowout. The defense should not have gotten so emotionally high after the stop or low after the penalty. The coach should not have taken a stupid risk on a punt block call at that time, and the kid should not have run into the kicker. But, they finally overcame that momentum shift, and got an ugly win with a very good drive and a better defensive stop at the end of the game. Better than a loss.

Crist is not the answer, his reads are slower than Rees’, too afraid to make a mistake, and holds the ball too long. Stick with Rees, keep getting better at preparing the kids emotionally as well as physically, and at making less coaching mistakes. There is enough athletic skill to win a lot of games. Go Irish.

Doesn’t Kelly understand that Rees doesn’t have the arm strength to throw out-routes.. He’s a pick-six waiting to happen every time he throws that type of pass. Irish have a better chance with Crist.

I think the Pitt game was the worst for the offense despite the W. They make me sick to watch.

Right now, Rees is the 21st most effective passer in the NCAA and he’s not playing cupcakes. I would stay with Rees. He’s not perfect, but he is very effective. Given the defense we have, Rees will do the job.

With respect to your comments on the defensive secondary, I think I agree. We seem to be able to get to the q, but when we don’t there are too many open receivers. We have to fight that. And, yes, punting — it is awful.

– Is it really a surprise that teams are going to have a game plan to take Floyd out of the game? We apparently had no immediate answer and adjustment to this?
– Are we ever going to let the quarterback run? The ND offense is specifically designed to for the quarterback to read the defensive end and occasionally take off. How long will we run an offense at less than 100%
– How did we wind up with the worst punter in Div 1 football?
– Does Kelly really think that having an out of control screaming meltdown on the sideline each week it is a good way to teach and develop quarterbacks? (I think this is much of Dayne Christ’s problem)
– Why can’t ND run a well executed screen play? (either to a wide receiver or running back)
– Why if we run a hurry up/no huddle offense do we seem to have insufficient time to get off most plays??
– Why have we not seen Everett Golson for a least a few snaps so far as a change of pace and to give something for future opponents to worry about and prepare for??

I know we won the game but for me the questions are starting to pile up.

Brian

Check your facts, please. Montana’s 1977 starts do not bear out your premise – that he played “down” to the competition:

MSU 16-6
Army 24-0
#5 USC 49-19
Navy 43-10
Ga Tech 69!-14
at #15 Clemson 21-17
Air Force 49-0
Miami 48-10
#1 Texas 38-10

In which one of those games would you say Montana played only well enough to win, pulling it out at the end? I’ll give you Clemson, and that one was in Death Valley and the refs were pitiful.

But since Crist is viewed at least in part as a “failed experiment,” I think it is harder for him to get his foot back in the door, and it will require a colossal and prolonged screw-up by Rees (or an injury) for Crist to get back on the field.

I’m not necessarily saying Crist is the answer. I’m saying we’ll probably never find out if he is or not, as long as the defense keeps bailing out Rees.