It’s rare that the IBG gets a bye this early in the season, but the rest is quite welcome. Three games is a good sample to look on what Notre Dame football has done and what is still to come.
As a reminder, the IBG members (comprised of NDNation, UHND.com, The Official ND Blog, and The Subway Domer) will each ask a question to the panel. We will answer our questions three four and link everyone’s answer to our questions.
Let’s get to it!
My question (you might remember this from my HLS TV discussion with Molly): What’s your temperature after this game? Happy because a win is a win or upset with poor play against or are you somewhere completely different?
UHND’s never been so happy to be mad.
NDNation is slightly worried about one thing.
The Subway Domer is hot with desire.
Aaron’s feeling pretty good over at the Fighting Irish Blog.
(Aaron Horvath, Official ND Blog) As we head into the bye week, the Irish are 3-0, averaging over 30 points per game, while allowing just over 10 including shutting out Michigan. If I were to tell you that those three facts would be true prior to the season beginning, would you have taken it? Through 1/4 of the year, how do your expectations of this season match up?
Obviously, I would have taken it. There’s no Irish fan that wouldn’t.
That being said, the Irish are mostly well beyond what I expected. I say mostly because I didn’t not expect the defense to play so well, especially against Michigan; however, I didn’t expect our run game to struggle. Further, where the hell is the read option attack now that Golson is back? I think he’s only taken the ball himself three or four times total on such plays.
What I did expect for certain though: Golson’s good. REALLY good. Frustrations with the lack of a read option attack aside, Golson has been great this season. I feel like we have a something really special in him and I’m talking Heisman special. He’s that good.
(Mike Coffey, NDNation) At the first bye week, who is your MVP on offense and on defense so far?
Offense should be obvious based on my above answer: Everett Golson. If you want a non-layup answer, give me Will Fuller who has made quite the impact thus far in the season and turning into one hell of a playmaker in the absence of DaVaris Daniels.
On defense, I’m going with Cody Riggs with an honorable mention to Jaylon Smith. Riggs has done a great job holding down his corner spot, especially against Michigan and he can return punts–rejoice!. Normally, I think Jaylon would be the obvious answer here, but he hasn’t made as major of an impact thus far in the season. There’s no doubt in my mind though that we will look back at the season and see Jaylon standing tall in the end though.
(Frank Vitovitch, UHND.com) If there was only one thing that the coaching staff could address and fix during the bye week, what would you want it to be? What happens if the staff isn’t able to correct that one thing between now and two weeks from now?
READ OPTION. Seriously, please give this to me. With Everett and the abundance of talent at RB, there is no reason why that shouldn’t be a staple of the Irish offense. I don’t know why we are shying away from it right now or if Everett just isn’t trusting himself to pull it down himself, but that needs to change immediately.
If that doesn’t happen, we will probably see a lot of what we have seen: a struggling running game and an offense that is dependent on Golson to extend passing plays to either scramble or find someone 10 seconds in. I mean, that can definitely work, but I just see this huge potential of a massive weapon not being used right now. Use it!
(The Subway Domer) BYE week means SCOUT week. What games are you looking forward to watching this week? Do you have any non CFB plans for Saturday?
Sadly, I will be in a plane for most of Saturday. Work sent me to training in Oregon and the company I’m with this week said to expect to be here until 5pm at least in training that day. That means there are no convenient flights back to Texas that day, so I’m going to spend my Saturday in complete college football oblivion.
Seriously, if this wasn’t a bye I would be so pissed that watching ND would be in danger.
I’m hoping I can get home for the night game between FSU and Clemson. Beyond that, I’m hopeful I’m not stuck in training too long Thursday so I can catch Auburn and Kansas State. War Eagle y’all.
Ryan Ritter
Texan by birth, Irish by choice.
Born and raised in the great state of Texas, Tex is a first-generation Domer and a former student manager. After graduation, he left the cold winters of South Bend behind and returned back to his home state with a computer engineering degree in tow. Missing the daily grind of working football practices and talking football with fellow Irish fans every day, he took to blogging, a path which eventually led him to Her Loyal Sons. Continuously diving into stats and game film, Tex strives to break down every aspect of Fighting Irish football--even though it's determined to kill him.
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Could be worse bro, work is sending me to BIRMINGHAM tonight. There are practically 0 direct flights between Dallas and BHM. The only one on SW leaves at 2 but that’s too tight for my demo so I have to go AA and stop in Houston.