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QUOTE(Wedge @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 12:18 AM)
I'm pretty sure it'll be the Arkansas/Florida winner in the Sugar Bowl.

 

ND has a ways to go. There's some nice skill position players, but Willingham has left us woefully thin on both sides of the line.

 

Your lack of speed is a MUCH bigger problem than the line play. Michigan and USC were just so much faster, it was like a men's vs. women's game almost.

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QUOTE(Heads22 @ Nov 26, 2006 -> 11:48 PM)
The ISU coach picture is a clusterf***. There's stuff going around with our AD saying our new coach's name hasn't been said in the media. Sites have reported its Kelly for sure, but there's some deafening silence, and other sites have made partial retractions.

 

Kelly is a strange choice. he is an east coast guy with very little ties to the Big 12 region.

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QUOTE(IlliniKrush @ Nov 26, 2006 -> 09:54 PM)
I'm basically going against your earlier statement that says Smith is the better pro prospect than Quinn. I'm using opinions that are better than either of our opinions to make a case.

 

Smith is a pro prospect of some sort, but evaluating the guy more on wins/losses and 'leading a championship team' is not the criteria to really use here.

Which is exactly why I mentioned his cannon arm, his ability to stay in the pocket, his completion rate, his touch on the deep ball, his vision on the field and then finally his ability to use his legs.

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QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 01:38 AM)
Your lack of speed is a MUCH bigger problem than the line play. Michigan and USC were just so much faster, it was like a men's vs. women's game almost.

 

I'm not sure we lack speed as much as quality defensive coaching. Trust me, we have fast guys in our secondary... but if you're fast and running the wrong way, you're just getting to the wrong place quicker. Up front is where it starts and we just don't have guys that can beat their man and get pressure in our front 4 or front 7.

 

I'm hoping Minter is fired and we pick up either the former Miami DC or Trent Walters from the Eagles.

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QUOTE(Wedge @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 10:54 AM)
I'm not sure we lack speed as much as quality defensive coaching. Trust me, we have fast guys in our secondary... but if you're fast and running the wrong way, you're just getting to the wrong place quicker. Up front is where it starts and we just don't have guys that can beat their man and get pressure in our front 4 or front 7.

 

I'm hoping Minter is fired and we pick up either the former Miami DC or Trent Walters from the Eagles.

The secondary is extremely slow, and should be apparent by now. I have mentioned it before and all ND fans could come up with is that Zibikowski is fast. If he is the speed and quickness you hang your hat on, then it will be a long game. They just do not have the team speed to keep up with teams like Mich, USC, OSU.

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QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 11:57 AM)
The secondary is extremely slow, and should be apparent by now. I have mentioned it before and all ND fans could come up with is that Zibikowski is fast. If he is the speed and quickness you hang your hat on, then it will be a long game. They just do not have the team speed to keep up with teams like Mich, USC, OSU.

 

And yet we had the team speed last season to beat Michigan, keep close to USC, and pretty close to OSU. Trust me, it's not just speed.

 

Was Urlacher slow under Jauron? Why does he seem to play faster now?

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QUOTE(Wedge @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 12:58 PM)
And yet we had the team speed last season to beat Michigan, keep close to USC, and pretty close to OSU. Trust me, it's not just speed.

 

Was Urlacher slow under Jauron? Why does he seem to play faster now?

When were you keeping pretty close to OSU? They ran all over ND. Apparently the 14 point margin is close to you? Do you remember the scoring?

10:02 Ginn 56 yard pass

14:16 Ginn 68 yard run

02:21 Holmes 85 yard pass

1:46 Pittman 60 yard run

 

293 yards rushing

342 yards passing

avg ypp 9.6

 

 

 

Their secondary, this year, does not have the speed to keep with the two good team they have played so far this year. They were overrated at the beginning of the year, and still are now.

Edited by RockRaines
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QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 02:01 PM)
When were you keeping pretty close to OSU? They ran all over ND. Apparently the 14 point margin is close to you? Do you remember the scoring?

10:02 Ginn 56 yard pass

14:16 Ginn 68 yard run

02:21 Holmes 85 yard pass

1:46 Pittman 60 yard run

 

293 yards rushing

342 yards passing

avg ypp 9.6

Their secondary, this year, does not have the speed to keep with the two good team they have played so far this year. They were overrated at the beginning of the year, and still are now.

 

True, they gave up big plays, but if you review the tape I think you will find it was due to blown coverages and players out of position rather than having a horrendously slow secondary. The best case I can make is that UM's defense when from looking slow and bad to looking fast and good. I don't know much of the players involved, but the biggest change was probably having English as the coordinator.

 

Also, if you actually review the Michigan tape from this year, you would find that a number of those points were give up as a result of turnovers rather than a slow secondary. Sure, Manningham made some great plays, but it's not because we've got guys with cement shoes. Our guys keep up, they just don't make good plays on the ball. I don't think that's on account of them being horrendously slow. It's more on account that we have guys with poor coverage skills single covering very dangerous receivers (i.e. D'Wayne Jarrett, Smith, and Manningham were all left with single coverage often). Additionally, our line gets fairly poor pressure, leading to more blitz. This means less linebackers to cover the middle of the field, meaning less help for the secondary.

 

We've got guys back there that are talented and fast. There's no excuse for as poor a defense as ND had this year and a lot of that has to fall on Minter. Remember, guys can look slow (especially in the secondary) if they play tenatively. Never once in the UM or USC game did I think that our guys were getting run around. It was bad cover-play, we can't follow receivers in and out of routes and guys bite or trip on double moves. Guys are left on an island too often and don't get proper safety help since we don't have a real FS (Zibby and Ndukwe are both closer to SS).

 

As an example, the Bears have a pretty solid secondary, but could you imagine how bad they might look if they were saddled with the front seven of a team like the Raiders? That secondary looks a lot better because of the awesome 7 players in front of them. Likewise, ND lacks quality linebackers (Crum can play the run, but none of them can really cover) and lacks depth at DL for a good rotation (which is important. Those guys look completely gassed at the end of games).

 

I know it's easy to see long yardage plays and big score differentials and to chalk it up to team speed, but if you look at how highly ranked a lot of ND's players were coming out of high school I just can't believe that speed is the only problem. A chunk of it has to be scheme and poor cover fundamentals.

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Heads was that a happy Gene f***in Chizik???

 

I'd think you would like that choice. Chizik is very highly regarded.

 

QUOTE(WhiteSoxfan1986 @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 12:29 AM)
I think it will be the Rose, because they will most likely be losing both USC and OSU to the Nat. title game, so they will get the first 2 at-large choices. Not exactly sure how it works when the Rose loses both teams. Maybe they will have to choose Michigan or ND, but I think they can take both.

 

The Rose Bowl gets to pick both of its teams before any of the other bowls pick their second teams. The conference champions are locked into each, so the Rose Bowl will fill up their 2nd slot before the other bowls get the chance. The Sugar Bowl gets next pick.

 

I'm betting the Rose Bowl picks LSU to play Michigan. I don't think a Michigan-Notre Dame rematch is all that attractive. The conferences and Notre Dame can provide input in avoiding potential rematches from the season or from last year's bowl games. They aren't required to, but if ND or Michigan don't want the rematch, they essentially have the ability to nix it. Besides, LSU-Michigan and Florida-Notre Dame are much better matchups. I don't think ND fans would mind heading down to Bourbon Street.

 

As far as the Notre Dame BCS bid goes, one must consider there are not many other options.

 

The last at-large spot will go to either Notre Dame, Va Tech or Rutgers/Louisville (the 2nd place Big East team). There are no other options.

 

Now, look at those teams and tell me any bowl committee in their right would not choose Notre Dame. It's not all about what happens ON the field (though one could make the argument ND would still be the choice), it NEVER has been, even before the BCS.

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I'm surprised no one has mentioned that Alabama fired Mike Shula today. Defensive Coordinator Joe Kines will serve as the interim Head Coach until a national search is complete and a new Head Coach is named.

 

The rumor mill is about as wild as it can get. I've heard at least 6 different coaches named as "done deals" already today.

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QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 04:13 PM)
Was Spurrier one of the done deals?

 

Why of course! All kinds of rumors flying about the deal getting done with his agent Jimmy Sexton on Saturday, which is why they waited until Sunday to decide to make things final with Shula.

 

Of course, the radio folks in South Carolina are saying "no freakin way".

 

You hear anything? lol

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QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 05:11 PM)
Pretty much the same as you, a bunch of names being thrown against the wall to see if any stick. I've heard everyone from Nick Saban, to Steve Spurrier, to Tommy Bowden, to Mack Brown(lol).

 

 

Hadn't heard Bowden or Brown today, but Saban is hot, saying he will bring along Jimbo Fisher who is apparently not happy at LSU. Also heard Rich Rodriguez will coach his final game for WVU this weekend and then announce. Let's see, who else....

 

-- Grobe (sp?) Wake Forest's coach

-- Schiano (not as a done deal, but as a real possibility)

 

 

Can't remember the others off the top of my head.

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QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 05:43 PM)
I know he's not the sexiest pick, but I think Grobe could put something special on the field at Alabama. He's a hell of a coach and has a style that would fit the SEC to a T.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head with him not be a sexy pick. I don't think the Alabama fan base (I refuse to call them the Bama Nation) is ready for someone like him. They want a name, someone to give them instant hope. Losing to Auburn 5 straight years is no acceptable. Fans here are damned near on suicide watch.

 

I'm not sure a more dedicated, passionate fan base exists.

Edited by Rex Hudler
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