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Comments
From pee wee football to the NFL. If you put the ball on the ground, in all likelihood you will lose;
Plain and simple.
234-1-0 could have been 300-2-0 if Bell catches the wide open bomb in the second half. At the start of the season, I had Dillon pegged as the breakout star of 2024 so disappointed and perplexed.
We should have expected to have to pass in order to run. ND's DBs are one of their strengths and because they can defend 1:1 (and our WRs lack separating ability), ND is free to load up the box vs. run. Which is why the TEs should have gotten 20+ targets. There is no way in hell that ND's LBs could cover Delp and Luckie (which also keeps the safeties back). That was the obvious mismatch on the offensive side of the ball. 2 TE package, Send the WRs long to clear the flat and let Delp/Luckie simple "down and out" them to death (or quick seam routes). To whichever one does not get safety attention. No "layering" of passes blah, blah, blah. Also consistent with Gunner's ability to roll out and move the pocket. Bobo's so-called game targeted Delp and Lawson a combined 4 times? Go position group by position group (our offense v. their defense): where's our advantage? TE vs. LB. It's been there all year. I know Delp/Luckie aren't Brock and Big O, but they are as good a TE pair in the country.
@BigFan
I concur about using the TE's. I remember at one point in the 2nd half asking myself, Why haven't I heard Luckie's name called and wondering if he was hurt? We did nothing from an offensive scheme to slow their smaller but quicker defense down. Knowshon Moreno had an interesting take on the running attack. He said because we were so much bigger up front that we should have just ran straight downhill on them instead of trying to run outside the tackles. THat way they couldn't use their quickness but would have to use brute strength against our much lager O-line?
Would love to see Conner grade the coaching staff by positions for the year and not tossing lollipops. Don't think it's going to happen. Can't bite the hand that feeds you, but the players are fair game.
I know you are trying to be kind, but you cannot give these types of grades for failure and the team did not win. Here are the better grades.
Offensive line: F
QB: C
Wide receivers: F
Running Backs: D
Defensive line: B+
Linebackers: B
Defensive backs: C
Special Team: F
Coaching: D
We beat ourselves last night.
Stockton was B+, offensive line got whipped over and over, Frazier ran th ball with authority but didn’t get enough touches, looking for receivers who can catch th football, Kirby got out coached.
Notre Dame less talented but wanted it more. Offensive Line coach subpar.
I'm very concerned that we're watching the ruination of college football.
I agree with what you say, but…
As much as I love, respect, and like Kirby…I think he must give consideration to dumping some of his coaching staff. When the offensive line sûcks, it's on the coaches. When the wide receivers can't get open and can't catch the ball, it's on the coaches.
Kirby made a couple of coaching errors in the Notre Dame game. One was not doing a good risk:benefit analysis right before halftime.
Why do we have someone kicking off why can't put the ball in the back of the end zone every single time?
I agree with you.
However, there were times when we were able to run the ball. There were times when we should have been trying to run the ball and didn't. You are right though; we should have expected to have to pass in order to run.
Brooks Austin, on his YouTube film breakdown show, recently outlined an offensive game plan which was better than Mike Bobo's plan against Notre Dame.
Frankly, given the time we had after the SECCG and the facts we should not have tried to use Gunner as if he were Carson. Carson was gone. Gunner's skill set is a bit different, but we used him as if he were Carson. This is either on Mike Bobo or CMB's boss.
I am very disappointed with our offensive line and our coaches.
Go, Dawgs!
Your QB has to have an internal clock, there was a reason Beck got rid of the ball with 3 to 4 seconds. Gunner needed experience he did not have and that is not his fault. Beck has not been given the credit he deserve for the job he did this year working under these conditions. Receivers that cannot separate or catch and an o line that cannot run block or pass protect. Add to that coaches that put him in harm's way with little or no gained benefit. People complained about the defense, but it was the offense that did not do its job. ND scored 7 points last night from a fumble on a short field. The defense did a decent job. Kirby needs to do a deep dive into his game prep.
That's Exactly the kind of running I was expecting and begging for more of… downhill, wear them out, eat clock, methodically put up points. Each series, I groused the same thing to my wife. Yet it never came, and the flow of the game was simply handed over to ND. You'd expect the old school "strategy" of run it down their throats until they prove they can stop you" is on page one of the Kirby/Bobo playbook, but apparently not.
On a separate note, not sure if y'all heard it in the pre-game hype footage— it was so brief and embedded in a bunch of other rapid fire clips— but you can hear Luckie say to Gunner as he enters the Texas game, "If you trust yourself as much as I trust you, we're gonna be fine" (or something along those lines). What a cool, mature thing for that young man to say in the heat of the moment. I've been liking Luckie's upside since we signed him, and liking it even more now. Go Dawgs!
@khummel
I believe that was Delp saying that. BUt yeh, it was cool.
Went back and watched the replay again to make sure I wasn't misremembering, and I wasn't. On the **** sack right before the half Gunner was hit before I could count 3 seconds. It wasn't on him and his internal clock. It was the tackle all but whiffed on his guy.
I'm fine with all the grades except the O-Line — that should be an unequivocable F — and, oddly, Special Teams. By putting out an F, it gives no credit for Woodring at least making his one field goal attempt. Maybe a D-, if there is such a thing. I think Stockton played an OK game, especially considering the circumstances, but I'm not in the camp to anoint him the offensive savior. There are a lot of things he need to do better, and they won't all be solved with just more game experience. But, he is not why we lost.
Mighta been. I recalled #7, but my recall ain't as sharp as it used to be. Go Dawgs!