Usually 29 point victories answer more questions than they propose, but last Saturday’s bewildering blowout of Boston College is leaving many Domers scratching their heads. The offense appears to be able to run the ball with authority, but upon more in depth scrutiny, can they do it against good teams? The defense appears to be much improved after relearning that whole “tackling” thing, but have they been tested against an above average offense?

In true ESPN “30 for 30” style, let me ask – “What if I told you..”  (Right-click and open in new tab for dramatic background music)

What if I told you…the offense ranks 5th nationally in rushing offense, 3rd in yards per carry and 3rd in rushing touchdowns – but against Georgia they only ran for 55 yards, 1.5 yards per carry, and one score.

What if I told you…the defense has allowed 18.7 points per game (32.0), 4.6 yards per play (6.0), and 25.5% (41.7%) 3rd down conversion rate (2016 totals through 3 games) – but the three oponents rank 66th (Georgia), 94th (Temple), and 113th (Boston College) in total offense.

What if I told you…last Saturday the Irish set a school record for the first time any Notre Dame Football team has ever had TWO 200 yard rushers (Wimbush & Adams) – but the wide receivers totaled three catches for 11 yards.

What if I told you…Josh Adams ranks 8th nationally in rushing yards per game (147.7) and 2nd in career yards per carry (6.7) – but “third string” running back Dexter (JUICE) Williams has three touchdowns to  Adams’ two.  Williams is also averaging 14.5 yards per carry on just 12 carries this year. Not too shabby for the third running back in the game.

What if I told you…Brandon Wimbush is averaging 6.4 yards per carry and leads the team with 6 rushing touchdowns (ND record for a quarterback is 10) – but he’s only averaging 5.28 yards per pass attempt.

Preseason predictions are often difficult to make, but even three games into the season it’s tough to imagine what this team is going to look like week after week. After running for over 500 yards, it sounds sacrilegious to classify the offense as “boom or bust.” However, when you consider the status of the passing game and the fact that Josh Adams ran for 161 yards in the home opener against Temple, but 11 of his 19 carries went for 2 or fewer yards, it’s not an unfair sentiment.

If the first three games are indicative of what to expect this season…then I honestly have no idea what to expect for the next 9 games. That’s what’s going to make it fun…

Cheers and Go Irish!

The post What If I Told You… appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

South Bend Tribune Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

Spring football is often a time for acclimating young players to the intricacies of a division I playbook. It’s also a good time to emphasize and tweak countless position-specific techniques. New defensive coordinator, Mike Elko, has chosen to allocate a chunk of spring ball to teaching some of the fundamentals. To be more specific – teaching proper tackling.

Missed Tackles

According to College Football Film Room, the Irish missed a total of 106 tackles in 2016 and 112 tackles in 2015. These numbers equate to almost 9 missed tackles per game. Thinking back to last year, far too often the Irish defense was on the wrong end of a potential game changing defensive stop due to a missed tackle. The Brian VanGorder experiment was proof that a defense built on a foundation of scheme will always crumble. Furthermore, the idea of reverse engineering a defense by emphasizing scheme over fundamentals was a critical miscalculation. Fundamental tackling is at the bedrock of all great defenses.

Breaking Down Tackling Drill Highlights

The kind folks at 247 Sports shared a video of a live tackling drill featuring the defensive backs and wide receivers. Jump ahead to minute mark 1:38 for some actual pad popping fun.

• Rep #1: Devin Studstill lays a solid initial hit on Miles Boykin without leaving his feet awarding a quick whistle from the coaches.
• Rep #2: Nicco Fertitta (personal disclosure: he is quickly becoming my favorite player) breaks down at the point of contact and delivers a textbook tackle with his head correctly on the outer shoulder of Keenan Centlivre. Fertitta is by far one of the best tacklers on the team, and also capable of bringing the boom. Sadly, I must remind you that he will miss the first half of the Temple game due to a bogus targeting call on one of the best CFB hits of the 2016 season (language on the video NSFW).
• Rep #3: Spencer Perry executes a fundamental tackle on Austin Webster. Again, important to note that Perry did not leave his feet and has his head correctly on the outside shoulder of the ballcarrier.
• Rep #4: Captain Drue Tranquil breaks down and utilizes his size to overpower the ever elusive walk-on Chris Finke.
• Rep #5: Spencer Perry breaks down nicely when approaching Kevin Stepherson, but pausing the video at 1:58 shows he commits the cardinal sin of lowering his head, thus rendering him unable to “see what you hit” as the saying goes. This enables the long and talented Stepherson to shrug off the feeble tackle attempt.
• Rep #6: Isaiah Robertson goes low on Mick Assaf and shows good drive with his legs while wrapping up the legs of the ballcarrier. Good work from the early enrollee.
• Rep #7: Donte Vaughn brings down Arion Shinaver in fundamental fashion. Additional promising results from neglecting to lunge and leave his feet.
• Rep #8: Equanimeous St. Brown brushes past a tentative Jimmy Thompson. Thompson engages  St. Brown too high initially and is unable to recover against the more athletic wide receiver.
• Rep #9: DJ Morgan hesitates slightly against Miles Boykin, but is able to wrap up the bigger wide receiver. If you listen closely, you can hear a coach holler, “Don’t stop!”.
• Rep #10: I’m confident that the video captions are incorrect on this one. I highly doubt Brandon Wimbush is participating in live tackling drills. I believe the ball carrier is Chase Claypool, who puts a  shake-and-bake on the would be tackler (I’m guessing it’s Devin Studstill). Studstill commits multiple fatal flaws in lowering his head and leaving his feet. This single rep alone accentuates the fact that live tackling drills need to be performed early and often throughout spring practice.
• Rep #11: Another caption blunder – I’m thinking this is #7 Nick Watkins on defense and Chris Finke carrying the ball. Watkins fails to get his head on the outside shoulder of Finke forcing him to lunge with an unsuccessful arm tackle.
• Rep #12: Julian Love makes the same mistake as Watkins, but is fortunate enough to wrap up his arm tackle on Keenan Centlivre.
• Rep #13: Troy Pride Jr. breaks down too early and gets caught flat footed against Chris Finke, and all it takes is one jab step by Finke to fly by Pride.
• Rep #14: A jersey number 38 showdown of Deon McIntosh and Chris Schilling provides some fireworks with McIntosh opting not to get fancy, but instead lay some lumber as the ballcarrier and smash through Schilling. It will be interesting to see where McIntosh ends up on the depth chart as a high ceiling, versatile, and apparently quite powerful athlete.
• Rep #15: Kevin Stepherson claims another victim in a flatfooted Jalen Elliot.
• Rep #16: In a rematch with Stepherson, Elliot redeems himself by successfully bringing down the ballcarrier in fundamental fashion.
• Rep #17: Equanimeous St. Brown continues his success in the drill – this time against a visibly frustrated Drue Tranquil.
• Rep #18: Nick Coleman, new to the safety position, brings down the much bigger Miles Boykin. Coleman aggressively attacks Boykin’s hips and eventually trips up Boykin proving that the low man usually wins.
• Rep #19: Ashton White’s hesitation allows Chase Claypool to beat him to the the center (red colored) line forcing White to grasp for jersey as Claypool cruises by.
• Rep #20: Nicco Fertitta against Arion Shinaver – “That was textbook” says Coach Lyght…enough said.
• Rep #21: Brian Ball is no match for the more athletic and incredibly intriguing Alize Jones. Brian Kelly commented that Jones is virtually uncover-able in certain areas of the field. Translation – return of the jump ball fade pass in the corner of the end zone.
• Rep #22: Mick Assaf tries to take advantage of the passive technique of Isaiah Robertson, but Robertson again opts to go very low and takes out the legs of Assaf. Robertson will likely need to be more aggressive in the future to take down more elusive and athletic ballcarriers.
• Rep #23: Spencer Perry lacks the proper leg drive to take down Keenan Centlivre.
• Rep #24: Chris Finke does “slippery fox” things and leaves DJ Morgan with his jock in his hand. Against Finke and other agile ballcarriers, Irish defenders need to be as aggressive as possible while not overcommitting and leaving themselves susceptible to a stutter step.
• Rep #25: Deon McIntosh makes an early cut and lowers his shoulder against Devin Studstill who makes great first contact, but McIntosh’s impressive leg drive is able to power through another quick whistle.

Overall the tackling drills are obviously needed and welcomed. From the short, yet revealing, video it is apparent that the Irish defense needs to continue to hammer home fundamental tackling. This includes not leaving your feet, seeing what you hit, being aggressive yet under control, and wrapping up after the initial hit. Hopefully, we get to see another video of similar tackling drills displaying many improvements before spring ball is over. Thanks again to Tom Loy of 247 Sports for sharing the video.

Cheers and Go Irish!

The post Spring Ball Miracle – Tackling Becomes A Priority appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly looks back at an official during the Notre Dame-Texas NCAA college football game on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, at Darrell K. RoyalÐTexas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. South Bend Tribune Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

Tuesday March 7th marked the annual Notre Dame football spring press conference.  The flood gates opened and the tweets of beat writers flowed into our twitter feeds. For many of us, this press conference is an overdue needle feeding a Domer junkie’s vein. Many beat writers commented about Brian Kelly’s perceived change in demeanor – keyword “perceived.” Kelly spoke at length about the institutional changes and changes within his own personal responsibilities that have taken place since last year’s deflating debacle of a season.

These changes, taken at face value, all appear to be positive steps in the right direction. However, this is said tongue in cheek with cautious speculation, because what national college football program doesn’t make considerable changes after an underachieving 4-8 season? More importantly, what are some of the changes taking place?

Relinquishing the Entire Offense to Chip Long

The infamous “play calling committee” or the “three headed monster” that was allegedly running the offense last year is no more. The three people being Brian Kelly, Mike Denbrock, and Mike Sanford. Kelly is the only remaining coach from last year’s failed committee and Tuesday he made a concerted effort to explain that the offense will no longer be managed on a committee basis.

Chip Long will be in charge of the offense – not just in title but also in day to day operations including game day play calling. Many among Irish nation have long called for Kelly to hand over the keys to the car and it appears that Long is positioned comfortably in the driver’s seat. To the skeptics, these comments will fall on deaf ears and any stagnation within the offense will be due to Kelly’s inability to stick to this plan. To the optimists, this change provides an air of much needed humility, and frees Kelly to become more of a CEO-type head coach where he can focus his individual efforts on all three phases of the game – rather than stubbornly micromanage the offense.

Brian Kelly says the offense is Chip Long’s to run. Long will be the offensive coordinator in name and practice. Tempo a priority.

— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) March 7, 2017

VIDEO: Brian Kelly, on why he's handing the keys to Notre Dame's offense to Chip Long. https://t.co/OxDke09ADv pic.twitter.com/MIvYTsY0Gm

— Mike Vorel (@mikevorel) March 7, 2017

Spending More Time With Players During Offseason Workouts

Kelly normally did not attend offseason workouts prior to this past offseason. However, he found a common theme within his player exit interviews last year – a need for him to be more involved in all aspects of the program. To paraphrase, he cited his increased role in morning workouts and credited new strength and conditioning coach, Matt Balis, for “creating an environment where we could create the traits necessary for excellence.”

Kelly had not previously been at 5:45 a.m. workouts. Made decision to do that this year based on 93 exit interviews with players.

— BlueandGold.com (@BGInews) March 7, 2017

Implementation of a Personal Daily Yoga Regimen

This is no joke. Old Purple Face has taken up a daily yoga routine, and has dropped 15 pounds and one pant size since last December, according to an interesting Sports Illustrated piece by Pete Thamel. Admittedly, I have never personally partaken in yoga exercises, but those who do explain that its benefits are both physical and mental. The SI piece also touches on Kelly’s added efforts to connect with his players on a more intimate level. Thamel elaborates with an anecdote, “He (Kelly) sat down at the daily team breakfast table with Hammann, the senior walk-on who happened to order the same thing. That sparked a conversation, something that Hammann says he’s had a lot more of with Kelly since last season ended. Sheepishly, Kelly admits that last year he may not have been able to recognize Hammann if he walked by him in the hall.”

The staff, institutional, and personal changes that have taken place over the last 6 months are encouraging for Irish fans. However, the harsh reality is that – from an outsider’s perspective – all will have been for nothing unless these changes transmogrifies last year’s team into a championship caliber machine.

Cheers and Go Irish!

The post The New And Improved Brian Kelly – Has He Learned From Past Mistakes? appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Sadly this streak – along with Mike Brey’s career best 9-0 start to the season – came to an end against Villanova in a frustrating 74-66 loss. An additional streak was also snapped as Bonnie Colson also failed to continue his streak of double-doubles, which ends at 6 games, as the power forward finished the game with 11 points and eight rebounds.

RECAP

Notre Dame had Nova on the ropes and led by as many as 11 points in the first half with a chance to extend the lead, but couldn’t keep the Wildcats off the offensive boards.

Villanova out rebounded Notre Dame 33-25 for the game, many of which lead to second chance opportunities and helped Villanova claw their way back to a five point deficit by halftime.

Martinas Geben showed continued improvement from last year and contributed heavily in many aspects that won’t be found in the scorebook. Geben was crucial in the pick and roll game while giving the Irish a much needed inside defensive presence. He finished with five points and three rebounds.

Ultimately, down the stretch the Irish couldn’t manage to slow down Villanova’s Josh Hart, who lead all scorers with 37 – half of his teams total points and a career high. Nineteen of those points came in the first half, with Hart added 18 in the second. Villanova also converted at the charity stripe making 20 of 22 free throws compared to a measly six for six for the Irish.

MATT FARRELL SHINES IN HOMECOMING

Matt Farrell / Courtesy: The Comeback

Notre Dame started fast out of the gates, much in part to Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. native Matt Farrell. The junior point guard had quite a Jersey homecoming in the Prudential Center, aiding the Irish to an early 8-2 lead. The 6-foot-1 point guard opened the game with eight of the Irish’s first 13 points.

Additionally, Farrell made or assisted on Notre Dame’s first seven of eight field goals. Farrell, along with senior Steve Vasturia, lead the Irish with 18 points, adding six assists and one steal.

Early into the second half Farrell got into foul trouble, picking up his third of the game, thus relegating him to the bench. In these minutes his calming presence was sorely missed.

College Basketball pundit Jay Bilas had high praise for Farrell:

Notre Dame's Matt Farrell may be the most improved player in the country. Legit.

— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) December 10, 2016

DISAPPOINTING GAME FOR V.J. BEACHEM

Notre Dame’s V.J. Beachem (3) takes a shot during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Villanova Dec. 10, 2016, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

V.J. Beachem was never able to get going at any point throughout the game, failing to connect on any of his five long range attempts. As a team, the Irish were only 6 for 22 behind the arc – far worse than the their 43 percent average for the year.

Beachem finished the game with only four points, despite averaging almost 17 per game entering Saturday’s contest. The senior didn’t help the cause, forcing up a difficult one legged fade-away that came up short late in the game during a crucial possession. Any one of the missed threes could have provided a momentum shift in the second half, but Villanova was fortunate that Beachem simply didn’t have it going Saturday.

Looking ahead, the Fort Wayne forward will need to bounce back quickly as the Irish will take on 18th ranked Purdue one week from today’s game.

It’s always frustrating to lose close games, especially to the No. 1 ranked team in the country, and excessively especially when it looks like Notre Dame beat themselves.

Rest assured Coach Brey and the Irish will learn from the tough loss and lean on the experience gathered in future games against top teams in the country.

Cheers and Go Irish!

The post Irish Come Up Short Against Defending Champ Villanova appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Here are a few things to consider in light of Saturday’s big match up:

“World Beaters”

Mike Brey and the Irish are currently 7-4 when facing the defending national champions. Not to mention they have rattled off four straight against defending champs. This is a fairly remarkable statistic, but don’t take my word for it. It’s unquestionable that Notre Dame is capable of beating anyone on any given night, especially considering the offensive weapons they have at their disposal (four players averaging double figures).

Well, @PeteSampson_ was right. It was an unbelievable stat. After further review, @NDMikeBrey is 7-4 against defending champs with @NDmbb

— Alan Wasielewski (@NDmbbSID) December 7, 2016

Here are @NDmbb's four straight Ws over defending NC:
Duke – 3/10/16
Duke – 1/16/16
Kentucky – 11/29/2012
UConn – 1/29/2012

— Alan Wasielewski (@NDmbbSID) December 7, 2016

The Irish Are Villanova’s Second Formidable Test

As previously mentioned, both ND and ‘Nova enter Saturday’s contest at 9-0. However, the Wildcats are only able to claim one quality out of conference victory, which was a three-point win against 18th ranked Purdon’t Purdue. One would presume the defending national champs would open the season without a loss considering their schedule has consisted of IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania – seriously that’s a real school), Lafayette, Western Michigan (ROW THE BOAT – sorry, force of habit), Wake Forest, University of Central Florida, College of Charleston, Penn, Saint Joseph’s and LaSalle.

On the flip side, Villanova will be the first ranked opponent the Irish have faced all year. This isn’t to say they haven’t been battle tested, having posted two quality wins in November against Big Ten foes Northwestern and Iowa. Neither Northwestern or Iowa are of the caliber that Villanova is, but it’s reassuring to see Notre Dame fare well against other quality programs.

Notre Dame Leads the Country In Assist/Turnover Ratio

Credit: Matt Cashore / USA Today

Much of the success the Irish have had in the last few years (back to back Elite Eight appearances) can be attributed largely in their ability to share the ball effectively. Through nine games, Notre Dame leads the country posting a 2.34 assist/turnover ratio – far and above the second best ratio of 1.88 achieved by UCLA. Comparatively, Villanova also takes care of the ball ranking 21st in the nation with a 1.45 assist/turnover ratio. This statistic is often an indicator of a well coached and selfless team. Look no further than Notre Dame’s rout of North Carolina A&T last Sunday as the definition of an unselfish basketball team, where the Irish “doubled up” the Aggies on the scoreboard with a score of 107-53 while posting seven different players in double figures – a new Notre Dame basketball record. If the Irish are going to pull the upset on Saturday, it will likely take a similar amount of contributors in the score book.

Bonzie Colson

It would be criminal not to mention the incredible impact Bonzie Colson is having early this season. He’s become known now as one of the most efficient power forwards in the country, despite being listed at 6-foot-5. To put that into perspective, three guards on the team are listed as taller than Colson (freshman Djogo Nikola 6’7, sophomore Rex Pflueger 6’6 and senior Steve Vasturia 6’6). Nevertheless, this hasn’t stopped Bonzie and his nearly 7-foot wingspan from averaging a double-double. Bonzie has busted onto the national scene, averaging 17.1 points per game, 11.1 rebounds per game, a 50 percent field goal percentage, and a phenomenal 91.7 percent from the free throw line. His game doesn’t start and end in the paint either. This year he has added the three-point shot to his arsenal offensive firepower – shooting 42.1 percent from behind the arc. He’s also been the subject of a feature piece in a recent Sports Illustrated article. Bonzie will need to continue his streak of double-doubles if Notre Dame hopes to continue its streak of victories.

Don’t plan on going out for a Saturday lunch, unless it’s to a sports bar – which I fully endorse. Tune in at noon to watch the Irish attempt to claim the title of “world beaters” for the 5th time in a row.

Cheers and Go Irish!

The post “World Beaters” Try to Remain Unbeaten Against Champs Villanova appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) carries the ball as Stanford Cardinal linebacker Kevin Anderson (48) defends in the fourth quarter at Stanford Stadium. Stanford won 38-36. Matt Cashore/USA TODAY Sports

Heading into Saturday’s game, Stanford is 3-2 on the year with a huge emphasis on the two losses after getting waxed in back to back weeks by Washington (44-6) and Washington State (42-16). This implies that as bad as Notre Dame has looked six games into the season, the Cardinal is very beatable. Consider the fact that Stanford’s version of Captain America (aka Christian McCaffrey) is not 100 percent while their secondary is suffering from injuries as well.  (That secondary is ranked 95th in pass defense.)

Looking Back & Looking Ahead 

Notre Dame’s previous six opponents (Texas, Nevada, Michigan State, Duke, Syracuse, and NC State) have a cumulative record of 15-16 with four of those wins attributed to victories over the Irish. None of these teams are currently ranked in the top 25.  

Notre Dame’s upcoming six opponents (Stanford, Miami, Navy, Army, Virginia Tech, and USC) have a cumulative record of 21-8. Miami is currently ranked 16th, Navy cracked the polls at 25th (coming off a top 10 program defining victory against Houston), and Virginia Tech sits comfortably at 17th.

It’s difficult to be optimistic when looking ahead at the schedule as it currently stands. However, a win against Stanford going into a bye week could provide a unique springboard effect for Notre Dame moving forward. With the opportunity to build on a potential win this Saturday, rallying to a 7-5 record is realistic – projecting two victories against the military academies, splitting the Miami & Virginia Tech games, and finishing with a win against a Southern Cal team who is also desperately trying to avoid imploding.

A loss against a battered Stanford would throw this Notre Dame football team into a smoking hot tailspin going into the bye week. It is conceivable to think that this scenario leads to not only a bowl ineligible season, but perhaps Brian Kelly’s worst season as a head coach. Kelly’s worst record in one season came in 2004 during his first year at Central Michigan where they went 4-7. Pending a potential loss on Saturday, it’s difficult to muster the confidence to foresee more than 2 wins left on the schedule – projecting losses against Miami and Virginia Tech, splitting with the military academies, and a dumpster fire toss up finale with USC. This ultimately leads to either a 3-9 or 4-8 season.

An Essential Win

Stop me if you have heard this before, but Saturday’s matchup is pivotal for Notre Dame and remainder of the year as well as providing positive momentum heading into 2017. Years removed from this horrid season people will look back and say that this Saturday’s game with Stanford proved to be the point where the Irish got the bus turned around and headed in the right direction. Or, conversely, this was the game where the wheels fell off, leaving the team stranded with little to no confidence with the most difficult stretch of the schedule looming.

Cheers and go Irish!

The post Stanford Game Provides Fork In the Road For Irish appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

While the Irish are moving forward with Greg Hudson as interim defensive coordinator, Hudson is likely a bandage on a salt-filled wound. Pending a turnaround of historic proportions, Hudson won’t be leading the defense in 2017.

So who will?

PREREQUISITES FOR PICKING A DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

The following shortlist/wish list was comprised under the two following premises:

1. Nobody with a resume that has a large emphasis on NFL experience.
   Bill Connelly, a college football junkie and overall statistics wizard, shares this prerequisite when hiring new coordinators.
   He writes: “Rule 1: Don’t look for NFL experience…On the defensive side, the percentages are similar. Of the 34 coordinators with recent top-10 defenses, only eight had NFL experience, and only four had more than three years in the NFL: Vance Bedford (2014 Texas, six years), Dan Quinn (2012 Florida, 10 years), Todd Grantham (2011 Georgia, 11 years), and Clancy Pendergast (2013 USC, 15 years).”
   Using this information, Connelly concludes, “Successful NFL-to-college transitions are the exception, not the rule.” After the VanGorder experiment went down in flames, Irish fans would agree. Football is football, but Saturday and Sunday are two massively different beasts.
2. Nobody tied to the Brian Kelly coaching tree.
   Yes, this rule is largely due to VanGorder’s long standing ties to Kelly and his dismal lack of success. It’s also because one of Notre Dame’s most successful recent hires is Mike Sanford, the current offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Sanford is a top offensive mind and phenomenal recruiter, who reportedly chose Notre Dame over Ohio State. Notre Dame has the ability to lure coaching talent to South Bend. There’s no reason a qualified person needs a tie to Brian Kelly or the university.

Ohio State’s Luke Fickell

Credit: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Fickell has been a Buckeye from birth.

He spent his entire playing career in Columbus, where he played at DeSales High School and later at Ohio State. He has served as an assistant coach at Ohio State for over ten consecutive seasons. His only coaching experience outside of Columbus was a one year stint at Akron in 2000 as the defensive line coach.

Fickell coached under Jim Tressel until 2011 where he resumed the role of interim head coach after Tressel’s resignation. During the 2011 season, Fickell amassed a head coaching record of 6-7, but was retained on the staff as co-defensive coordinator following the hire of Urban Meyer in 2012. While his record as a head coach is underwhelming, one could also argue it is a poor sample size.

His production as co-defensive coordinator speaks for itself. Over the past three seasons the Buckeyes have ranked 42nd (2013), 11th (2014), and 8th (2015) in the S&P+ overall defense rankings (a brief introduction to the S&P+ rankings system can be found in a previous post here, and here as explained by the mad scientists behind the system). This is Fickell’s first year as the sole defensive coordinator. Potentially bringing in over a decade worth of winning culture is alluring, but what would it take for the Irish to pluck the loyal Buckeye from Urban Meyer? Likely a lot of cash and a desire for change.

Clemson’s Brent Venables

Credit: Getty Images

Similar to Fickell, Venables also has coached under highly successful head coaches.

From 1999-2011 he served as linebackers coach, defensive coordinator, and associate head coach at Oklahoma under Bob Stoops, and since 2012 he has served as defensive coordinator at Clemson under Dabo Swinney. In 2006, Venables was a finalist for the Broyles Award, which is awarded to the country’s top assistant coach.

Over the past three years the Clemson Tigers have ranked 12th (2013), 2nd (2014), and 4th (2015) in the S&P+ overall defense rankings. This defense is a large reason to Clemson’s recent ascension up the college football mountain. Would a lateral move from Clemson to Notre Dame make sense for Venables? Over the past few years he has been rumored as a potential candidate for a number of head coaching jobs including Miami, Kansas, Arkansas, Kansas State (his alma mater) and Texas Tech. Once again, this hypothetical decision could come down to a desire for change and a hefty sized contract.

LSU’s Dave Aranda

Credit: USA Today Sports

Perhaps the hottest name in college football, Aranda finds himself in a peculiar position in his first year at LSU with the recent firing of Les Miles. The firing has led to Aranda’s “promotion” to associate head coach.

Aranda has shown the ability to produce top 15 results in lightning fast time. In 2012, one year as defensive coordinator at Utah State, the Aggies boasted the nations 7th best scoring defense, 13th in rushing defense, 8th in pass-efficiency defense, and 14th in total defense.

Aranda moved on after one year to coach at Wisconsin. Under Aranda, the Badgers ranked 10th (2013), 29th (2014), and 7th (2015) in the S&P+ overall defensive rankings. The three years spent at Wisconsin was his longest consecutive tenure within one program, thus demonstrating he is fully willing to make a move for greener pastures. However, would Aranda consider Notre Dame? Yet again, perhaps it’s not the pastures that are in need of being greener, but instead the more green ($$$) that needs to be passed down.

These three coaches are all brilliant college football minds and would provide a much needed instant upgrade to the Notre Dame football staff. Any one of the three would also be a huge splash hire, proving that the university is committed to ponying up the dough to acquire these kinds of assets.

Without any concrete information, this list is purely conjecture and wishful thinking. But, rest assured, Notre Dame has already made phone calls in the hopes of luring a top notch defensive coach to South Bend.

Cheers and Go Irish!

The post Our Defensive Coordinator Wish List appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Notre Dame’s Nick Coleman (24) brings down Nevada’s Hasaan Henderson (12) during the Notre Dame-Nevada NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. South Bend Tribune Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have failed to develop an identity three games into the 2016 season. Or, as Brian Kelly insinuated, the Irish have an identity – but it isn’t what most would like it to be. In the coach’s words, the Irish are sloppy.

“The entire football team, and my coaching staff in particular, is in a position where they have to coach better. I’ve got to coach better…We’re sloppy as a football team.”

They’re sloppy on offense. The Irish receivers drop balls that hit them in the hands. The offensive line is missing pivotal blocking assignments. Players are coughing up the ball trying to gain additional yards.

They’re sloppy on defense. There’s a downright unacceptable amount of missed tackles and an equally unacceptable amount of blown coverages. There’s no quarterback contain and sub-par athleticism.

They’re sloppy on special teams. There’s a lack of consistency in the punting game. They’re turning the ball over. There’s unnecessary penalties that have negated scores and decent field position.

AUTOPSYING A SLOPPY DEFENSE

The most maddening facet of the team remains the desolate defense. Once again faced with the challenge of coaching up young players due to attrition and injury, the coaches are teaching sloppily. One doesn’t need to look further than the Twitter-sphere to conduct a post-game autopsy of the Brian VanGorder defense:

• Two teams have allowed four plays of 60+ yards this season: Appalachian State and Notre Dame (via @JJStankevitz).
• Notre Dame ranks 103rd in defensive passing efficiency, 99th in defensive rushing efficiency and 102nd in total defensive efficiency. The Irish are 89th in 3rd down defense, 104th in 4th down defense and 93rd in red zone defense. There’s 128 FBS teams. (via @EHansenNDI).
• Notre Dame is currently the only Power 5 program that has failed to register a sack this season – one of two FBS programs in this category. (via @PeteSampson_).
• Against Texas and Michigan State, the Irish defense allowed 10 red zone trips – nine converted touchdowns (via @PeteSampson_).
• In the past 5 games against Power 5 opponents, the Irish defense has allowed 23 red zone trips – 19 touchdowns and 4 field goals (via @PeteSampson_).
• In the past three games, Notre Dame has allowed eight scoring drives of at least 75 yards (via @BGI_CoachD).

COACHING STAFF CHANGE IS IMMINENT

Despite the abysmal performance the above tweets so eloquently describe, Brian Kelly maintains that a coaching staff shakeup is not in the cards. When asked if there is confidence in defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder and the overall scheme Kelly replied, “Oh absolutely. Yeah, without question, that’s not even part of the conversation.” Surely there exists an adequate answer to the question without sounding completely delusional.

Maybe the question should be rephrased, “What is the level of confidence in Brian VanGorder’s ability to coach and teach his confounding, inefficient, lackluster, disappointing, underachieving scheme…?” For obvious working relationship reasons, reporters are encouraged to refrain from such blunt questioning. However, make no mistake. Due to the inability to change, coaching staff change is imminent, regardless of how often Kelly shields them under a stubborn facade.

“The coaching staff must learn to adapt to the personnel at their disposal. Otherwise, fans can expect more of the same – busted coverages and missed assignments, which put the Irish on a path to a painfully mediocre season.” Less than two weeks ago, I wrote these words (perhaps echoing the many fears among the Irish faithful). And, sadly, the leadership within the Irish football program is making these words seem awfully prophetic.

With their College Football Playoff hopes essentially derailed, making some changes soon may ultimately be the first step to getting the train back on the tracks.

Cheers and Go Irish!

The post “Sloppy” May Be Football Team’s True Identity appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Credit: Associated Press

Will Fuller’s NFL rookie campaign began Sunday and he picked up right where his Notre Dame career left off. He showed why he was correctly assessed as a first round talent recording five receptions on 11 targets for a Houston Texans rookie debut record of 107 yards and one touchdown in the Texans’ 23-14 victory over the Bears.

Fuller’s speed was on full display, especially on his touchdown, which came on a screen pass that Irish fans are all too familiar with. He could have had an even more impressive NFL debut, however he dropped what would have been an 83 yard touchdown late in the first half. Unfortunately, drops continue to hinder the talented wide out and are also something Irish fans are all to familiar with. All in all, Fuller’s first NFL game was a success as he continues to utilize his elite speed to take the top off of defenses and be a consistent threat in the screen game. Fuller will look to build on his early NFL success this upcoming Sunday as the Texans take on the Kansas City Chiefs.

RIDDICK IS CLUTCH IN LIONS’ WIN

Theo Riddick helped buoy the Lions to a win against the Colts on Sunday in a career game. Riddick rushed for 45 yards on seven carries and one touchdown. Two carries came in clutch time to help set up the Lions game winning field goal. He continued to be a huge threat in the passing game out of the backfield, notching five receptions on five targets for 63 yards including one for another touchdown. He and former Nebraska Cornhusker Ameer Abdullah are becoming a deadly one-two punch at running back.

Versatility remains Riddick’s most admirable asset, as he is proving to be one of the best third down running backs in the NFL. He benefits from mismatches against linebackers in the passing game and is quickly becoming one of Matthew Stafford’s most reliable targets in the absence of recently retired Calvin Johnson. In his three years with the Lions, Riddick’s production has ascended year over year from a lonely four receptions in his rookie season, to 34 receptions in 2014, to 80 receptions last season. The 2016 season started out with a solid three year $12.75 million contract extension for the Notre Dame alum. On Sunday, he demonstrated that he was worth every penny.

Cheers and Go Irish!

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Notre Dame defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder yells from the sideline during the Notre Dame Blue-Gold Spring football game on Saturday, April 16, 2016, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. South Bend Tribune Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

Much has been discussed, written, and analyzed of the 50-47 loss Texas handed Notre Dame this past Sunday. Many have called for change among the defensive coaching staff as it relates to the 50 points a young Texas team hung on the Irish defense.

Ironically, the change that is being clamored for is due to the inability to do just that – change. In the ever evolving landscape of today’s college football, it is more important now than ever for coaches to adjust, adapt, and yes – change. The evolution of the spread offense, read option, and dual threat quarterback are prime examples of how defenses around the country have been forced to adapt in order to defend the relatively new, innovative, fast paced offensive systems.

In regards to Notre Dame, changes must be made in one way or another if the Irish hope to salvage the 2016 season. Look no further than the recent game at Texas as an example of the failure to successfully adjust and adapt.

Irish Illustrated’s Pete Sampson offered this interesting stat: Against Notre Dame’s 3-man defensive line, Texas rushed 38 times for 214 yards, or 5.63 yards per carry. Against a 4-man line, Texas rushed 11 times for 38 yards, or 3.45 yards per carry. Hindsight is 20/20, but why the Irish ever went back to the 3-man front in the second half may forever remain a mystery.

I have never been a defensive coordinator – nor do I pretend to be – so forgive me for what may appear as a naive interpretation of the “VanGorder Experiment.” To the common fan, the easiest change to make on defense would be to “simplify the scheme.” This is, and remains, the platitude that Irish fans continue to cling to. It wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to suggest that the complexities of Brian VanGorder’s NFL-esque defensive system have become counterproductive to general defensive goals.

Sadly, these complexities continually appear to be far more complex to our own defense than to the opposing offense. The current defensive scheme can be easily characterized by numerous busted coverages, players “overrunning” the ball carrier, failed blitz attempts, and quite simply poor tackling. When these miscues develop into patterns, rather than isolated incidents, you end up with historically poor results as summarized by long-time Notre Dame Football beat writer Lou Somogyi at Blue and Gold Illustrated:

The 132 points Notre Dame has surrendered in its last three games — a 38-36 loss at Stanford, a 44-28 defeat to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl and the 50-47 setback in Austin — set a school record for the most over such a stretch. Those 132 points yielded come out to an average of 44.0 points per game. The previous record was 129, or 43.0 per game, in 2014.

Unfortunately, that also occurred during VanGorder’s first season at the helm when Notre Dame lost 55-31 at Arizona State, 43-40 at home to Northwestern in overtime, and 31-28 versus Louisville. That’s not even including a 49-14 drubbing at USC in the regular season finale, or a 49-39 victory versus Navy the week before traveling to Arizona State. When you add those five games up, it comes out to 43.5 points per game, just short of the current 44.0 number through the past three contests.

Once again, a healthy dose of “simplify the scheme” would appear (on the surface) to be a potential cure to the poor defensive performances. If not a cure, perhaps simplifying a defensive philosophy rooted in NFL teachings could provide a much needed cough drop to the current disease defense.

Perhaps a simplification would allow for less scheme teachings and more fundamental tackling teachings, thus providing better results considering the original tally of missed tackles against Texas reached an inexcusable 24. Maybe even a Bob Diaco “bend don’t break” style defense would more justly fit the current defensive personnel. Comparing the Diaco era versus the VanGorder era provides for a nostalgic juxtaposition:

• Yards allowed per game: 343 (Diaco) vs. 393 (VanGorder) +50
• Points allowed per game: 19.0 (Diaco) vs. 27.1 (VanGorder) +8.1
• ND Offense points per game: 27.1 (Diaco) vs. 34.0 (VanGorder) +6.1 – essentially BVG has the luxury of a 6 point cushion that Diaco wasn’t fortunate enough to have.
• 2012 defense allowed one touchdown drive of over 75 yards (Diaco) vs. 2015 defense allowed 26 touchdown drives of over 75 yards (VanGorder) – also the Irish defense gave up four touchdown drives of 75 yards or more against Texas. (Stats courtesy of @NDMcFLY  & @PeteSampson_)

While these statistics may be superficial, they do make an ND fan appreciate the old adage: “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.”

The upshot is that the coaches can’t lose sight of their overall goal – to put the players in the best opportunities to succeed. This beautifully simple idea has been conflated and overshadowed on defense over the past three years by perplexing gap assignments, stunts, blitzes, and coverage responsibilities.

Looking back at the 2015 team, the lack of success on defense is maddening, especially after considering five members of that defense are currently on NFL rosters (Jaylon Smith, KeiVarae Russell, Sheldon Day, Romeo Okwara and Matthias Farley). Yes, the 2014 and 2015 defenses suffered unprecedented injuries, but would that not then prompt a coaching staff to change and/or adapt their complex philosophy to fit a young and inexperienced personnel? One could argue it certainly would not hurt.

This change needs to be made in order to put the current personnel in the best opportunities to succeed. Drue Tranquil and Avery Sebastian are very talented safeties who lack the physical traits necessary to succeed given their current responsibilities within the current system. Their backups, true freshmen Devin Studstill and Jalen Elliott, also can’t be expected to fully grasp the complex scheme when no one has truly demonstrated a distinct understanding in the three years of its implementation.

The last three years have been a clinic on how to handicap above average athletic talents due to strenuous mental expectations. It is expected that the defense “play fast.” But in order to do so requires less thinking and a more natural read and react style of play. In order to put the players in the best positions to succeed, the coaching staff must adapt and change their philosophies to fit their current personnel.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” – Charles Darwin

The coaching staff must learn to adapt to the personnel at their disposal. Otherwise, fans can expect more of the same – busted coverages and missed assignments, which put the Irish on a path to a painfully mediocre season. If the coaching staff can’t make a philosophy change, the only other feasible option is to change the philosopher.

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