Notre Dame (football only discussion)

[OSU_Buckguy]

The argument goes (and there is a grain of merit) that Ty really didn't let recruiting go until the last two years and that it is these two classes - CWs upper classmen - who are weighing the team down.

willingham's recruiting classes showed little variance. this is a poor excuse from the domers. one could flip this around and claim that the first two seasons under weis were the residue of ty's good coaching. now we're seeing chuck's residue... and it smells like mildew.

edit: mildew and, of course, cheeseburgers.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

That sums it up pretty well, it's like this class has been ignored and no one has really worked with them. This sounds mean, but they look like a bad comedy movie out there, what's next? One takes the ball and runs the wrong way? You see lots of teams with lack of talent, however, they still perform on the field, they can still manage to get first downs and the occasional touch down, but this team doesn't seem to know what to do, top that off with lack of motivation and they look beat up. Now you have basically the worst possible situation that you could have, and Weis isn't helping. He's willing to take all the credit when they win, but when they lose he needs to make people compete for their positions as if it's a problem with the players, not a problem with the staff.

Exactly.... I'd say it's partly because teams with no talent, still play as a team and have a unified goal of which they are instructed. It would appear that is not the case in ND. I make this assertion basically because of Weis' comments which have always been centered on himself... things like "we'll have a schematic advantage" Weis, I think, honestly believes HE is the program, and it doesn't matter what the kids know, so long as they do what he tells them. So... he doesn't worry about building a solid base, he simply hands em a play book and expects the to execute. Much like you'd anticipate from professional football players. But... these are not pro players. Likewise, and this is probably too bold, as I have no particular insight in to this, it would seem Charlie and company have had a failure of design for purpose.. meaning, the kids don't understand why they're doing what they're doing... on a particular play.. etc. They don't see the larger picture, I guess is what I'm trying to say... know the strengths and weakness of a play or a D... except for where the play is designed to go.

 

[BB73]

This sounds mean, but they look like a bad comedy movie out there, what's next? One takes the ball and runs the wrong way?

Since they have negative rushing yardage, Charlie was indeed installing this approach during "boot camp" on Sunday morning. He learns from the team's mistakes.

 

[Muck]

Normally when I read this board I am impressed by how knowledgeable most posters are. But this thread disappoints.

I have been reading the Notre Dame boards and we are missing the point. Notre Dame lost several talented players from last season.

Unlike most college teams who keep the same kids year after year only replacing them as their talents wane, Notre Dame had several of their players leave as soon as they completed their eligibility.

The OL in particular has been ravaged by losses. The average Big Ten team only lost two starters from their OL last season. Notre Dame lost three. You can't recover from something like that in just one year.

Not to mention that Ty left the poor Notre Dame program high & dry with less than the full complement of 85 scholarship players.

Everyone knows you just cannot win without a full 85 players on schollies.

PS - Count the number of scholarship players Ohio State has this year.

Imagine if you would that Jim Tressel lost virtually an entire class. Let's say the class of 2003. Could he even field a football team four years later in 2006, let alone make a run at the Big Ten title or the NC?

 

[Muck]

they're currently filming the next installment of Indiana Jones.

Indiana Jones and the Replacement Hip OF DOOM!

 

[NFBuck]

Bottom line is, Chuck's teams are getting continually worse. The 2005 team defeated scUM, played "The Greatest Team Ever" to the wire and was pretty competitive all season (with exception to tOSU). 2005 saw them blown out in their three biggest games and beat up on a bunch of creampuffs (LOL!11!!). Now it's 2007, Weis has had time to bring in his own recruits and coach up the "garbage" Ty left him, and they're a comedy troupe. Weis is a fraud. He made his bones in an elite NFL organization under the guidence of maybe the best coach in the NFL, now he's coming apart at the seams...maybe literally. Get it?








Get it?




























Charlie's fat you see.

 

[Best Buckeye]

 

[sandgk]

Not to mention that Ty left the poor Notre Dame program high & dry with less than the full complement of 85 scholarship players.

Everyone knows you just cannot win without a full 85 players on schollies.

PS - Count the number of scholarship players Ohio State has this year.

The other interesting thing is to think on depth within the ND squad -

Use their eligibility chart at Scout (IrishEyes) and look at each year from 2002 till present day. The severe asymmetry in their recruiting begins after Weis takes the reins of power. It becomes worse in 2005, then worse yet (viz-a-viz the asymmetric distribution of scholarships for 2009) in the following year 2006. My point is this - that kind of thing, following the large incoming class of 28 - from whom some were red shirted - does not fit any bill that should be tied to Willingham's tail. Something else went on: either players transferred, which we know happened; or, players were run off. This "Willingham mess" is in part a numbers game that is used to crucify the past coach in lieu of the present staff's ills.

 

[NFBuck]

ND working with Jones on transfer

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Notre Dame might release Demetrius Jones from his scholarship after all, as long as the sophomore quarterback transfers to a school that is not on the Irish football schedule.
Jones, who started the season opener, quit the team last week and told reporters he had enrolled at Northern Illinois. Continued...

SI.com - NCAA Football - Change of heart: ND will release Jones - Thursday September 20, 2007 9:14PM

N_tre _ame appears to be relenting a bit...but the list will not include No. Illinois.

 

[Best Buckeye]

Now why would they restrict him? no reason for it

 

[NFBuck]

Now why would they restrict him? no reason for it

Doesn't seem to be much reason in anything they do.

 

[bucknut11]

Now why would they restrict him? no reason for it

If he's already enrolled at NIL (which it seems he has), they can provide a list of "exception schools," saying he can go anywhere but them. Even if that list would only have one school on it, they'd still be screwing him over, but at the same time lessening any criticism they may receive for not letting him go at all.

 

[BB73]

Since autumn semester/quarters have by now started almost everywhere, NIU is probably the only 1-A (FBS) school that he could be eligible for in 2008, since he neeeds to sit out for a year after he enrolls at another 1-A (FBS) school.

What's ND' problem with him going to NIU, if their reasoning is that he goes somewhere that ND doesn't have scheduled? I don't see NIU on their future schedule.

future_schedules. ntre ame

So ND may just be making a ploy just to fend off some bad PR, because unless they allow him to go to NIU, they're basically restricting him from playing 1-A (FBS) football in 2008.

 

[Mike80]

Since autumn semester/quarters have by now started almost everywhere, NIU is probably the only 1-A (FBS) school that he could be eligible for in 2008, since he neeeds to sit out for a year after he enrolls at another 1-A (FBS) school.

What's ND' problem with him going to NIU, if their reasoning is that he goes somewhere that ND doesn't have scheduled? I don't see NIU on their future schedule.

future_schedules. ntre ame

So ND may just be making a ploy just to fend off some bad PR, because unless they allow him to go to NIU, they're basically restricting him from playing 1-A (FBS) football in 2008.

Well if a team as bad as NoD wants to make a point of not releasing this kid from him scholarship and ends up keeping that on the books for him and not another player that might actually help that pathetic excuse of a football, I'm ALL for it.

It sucks for Jones, but NoD being horrible this year and then tying up scholarships on players that aren't even enrolled in school is absolutely CLASSIC.

 

[BB73]

SportsCenter said that there are 83 teams that are averaging more total offense per game than ND has gained season-to-date.