Conversations with the Coach: Blue-Gold Game

Thanks for the great analysis, Coach. Lynch will have to be game-planned around by every offensive coordinator. He will abuse pro-style offenses in passing situations this year. The last play of the game was just wicked good. The kind of defensive rush that gives the offense one less second has been missing from the Irish for too long. I am looking forward to seeing how he does against Michigan, Air Force and Navy.

Where I like Crist better than Rees is the number of throws including outs and deep passes he can make. I also think Rees could passes in the center of the field requiring more touch. But I agree the offense runs better with Rees in there, though we did not get to see much of both.

Toma is the kind of receiver I hoped Riddick was becoming. To think that Rees is only one year out, that Lynch should be graduating from h.s., and that Spond, Shembo and Moore have three more years is terrific. Add to that, we will have a number of potential stars in the incoming class in the fall. What a competitive atmosphere. Everyone will be pushed.

Thanks again, Coach.

I agree with you about Crist and Rees, Michael. Crist has the stronger arm as well as better presence in the huddle. But, as I said, Rees has proven himself in the clutch. He reminds me of Major Applewhite at Texas. He just wins. It will be fun to see how this competition plays out and how Kelley manages it.

I am excited about the number of talented kids that ND has competing for positions and spots on the roster. And, at least on the defensive side of the ball, this was evident even without the presence of all the seasoned vets that The Irish have returning. I also agree with you that The Irish could use a little more team speed, but I still feel good about the kids that they have out there. I think the defense will be formidable from day one and that is something we haven’t seen in years. I also think that The Irish will take the field each week in 2011 expecting to win. I think the what’sgonnagowrongthisweek attitude we used to see from this bunch is a thing of the past. I can’t wait for September.

How dare you disagree with me Coach! Seriously though, I thought about mentioning Toma but did not in my post-game wrap up. I blame his hair cut.

I think I noticed what you’re saying about the linebackers moving out to cover the receivers, at least I think I did. Anyway, on a couple plays where I was specifically watching the linebackers, I saw Shembo WAY out wide covering a receiver. It must have been one of the trips from the offense.

From what I remember last year…isn’t Diaco very reluctant to bring in a nickel corner? I don’t know if it was due to lack of numbers (we had three experienced corners so it shouldn’t have been) but I don’t remember us ever really bringing in the nickel at all really.

I know Diaco probably would like to have athletic enough outside linebackers to cover wide receivers out wide, but is it smart to cling to that philosophy all the time?

There were a couple plays that still stick out to me that I think we may have talked about last year, specifically against Michigan. After Rees’ interception, there was a TV timeout, and coming out of that Michigan came out in trips left. We had CB Walls on the outside receiver, OLB Brian Smith on the middle receiver, and Te’o shaded a little off the inside receiver.

On the other side, CB Gray was basically covering nobody. Why then…coming out of a timeout didn’t we do something different in this situation, like bring in a third corner? It didn’t seem very smart to have a sluggish linebacker like Brian Smith matched up on a small speedy UM receiver. If you recall, Michigan faked a quick run by Denard Robinson and hit a wide open streaking receiver for a touchdown on that play I described. I believe they ran the exact same play again and picked up another huge gain down to the goal line later in the game with the Irish also keeping a linebacker on the middle receiver.

I disagree about Rees, but that argument is for another time!

Great stuff here Coach!

Blanton didn’t start any games, but played every game as the Nickel back. I think the biggest cause of the scenario you described at Michigan is primarily both the coaches and the players adjusting to a new defense. At such an early game, it’s unlikely that the defense was developed enough to make some of the adjustments you describe. I think we will be much better this year, and if we end up in the same situation with the same kind of personnel that we will be both more athletic and more knowledgeable with responsibilities.

Great stuff. I am sure that Diaco will find a way to integrate Lynch. It will be interesting to see who spends more time on the sidelines as a result. I also really hope that Louis Nix gets into every down shape. He could be a serious force in the middle.

I’m still high on the D. The QB situation is interesting. I just hope Kelly doesn’t get too cute with a “multi QB” system. At some point we’ll have to put together a post on Chris Simms and Major Applewhite. There are a lot of similarities between those two and the Rees vs. Crist situation. It would make for some interesting discussion. Mack Brown played the more talented guy and probably still regrets it.

I don’t think we’ll see much of Lynch this season in our 3-4 fronts. In 4-3 though, it’ll be very hard to keep him off the field. The converse is true for Nix; Kelly will probably save his reps for our 3-4 fronts on 1st and 2nd down, mainly. I don’t see him getting used much in our 4-3 looks.

As long as the multi-QB thing is limited to Hendrix/ Golson in the red zone, I don’t see it causing many problems.

I don’t think the B&G game shed much light on the Crist v. Rees thinigs; but that’s a debate for a different thread.

I didnt think Lynch would be a starter, or at the very least, EJ and KLM were standing in his way, and maybe he’d be a #2 or 3- but that BG game against the starting OLine, was astonishing- i was astonished!

The special teams (Brindza and Tausch) were very exciting- Ruffer now holds the consecutive FG streak, but until Tausch misses an attempt, I think his streak will start back up- he was 15-15 or 14-14 before being sidelined for Ruffer, Brindza is able to put it through the uprights on kickoffs, which is something I cannot wait for- touchbacks??? I cant remember the last time I have seen a touchback for ND

The offense has so many good problems going for them-I really like Hendrix over Rees; and Crist to start I think is the right move- I just hope he can keep from getting injured- I think DD can fit in for Mike Floyd , hopefully he gets a game or 1/2 a game suspension, i think they can do without him for the USF game.

I really cannot remember the last time I thought that it was going to be the defense that wins us majority of our games- aside from USC I dont see another team on this schedule that can hang with us on each of the three phases of the game, Michigan blows on all phases- MSU has a decent D, Stanford is good all around but with a new coach against CBK…I’ll go with CBK

Only mistake you made was when you said that neither Rees or Crist moved the offense. On the first drive Rees took the blue team down the field well and if not for a dropped pass by Massa it would have been a TD instead of a field goal. The pass by the way was perfect and it hit Massa in the hands. I guess the wet ball was the culprit.

@ Johnnie:

Rees also threw the only pick, and was lucky not to have ended with 1-2 more.

Good observations by all you guys. We can discuss this until the world looks level. Two considerations here: The QB situation and Lynch’s potential to be a viable contributor to the 2011 team. I have to ask again, what did Rees do for The Irish in November when everything looked so bleak? Lots of room for discussion here, but I have to go with the guy that got the job done. Not only did he get it done, but he did it when all the chips were on the table and the world looked black. It doesn’t matter what happens in the next four months, the team will remember what Rees did, and where his performance brought them. ND has a winner now, with lots of good talent, coming off a great run at the end of 2011 and a crushing defeat of Miami in the Sun Bowl. It will be difficult to erase that accomplishment from people’s memory banks. The players especially have that engrained in their heads. Everything else aside, it will be up to Kelly to acknowledge that accomplishment, or go in another direction. It doesn’t matter who does what in fall practice.

I saw what Lynch did in the Spring Game against the ND starting O-line. I watched it with my own two eyes. So did Diaco. If I am Diaco, Lynch is on the field any time the opposition has to pass block. As of last Saturday, he is ND’s best pass rusher. He is a factor that I believe will warrent a double team on every play. I will leave it at that for now. I don’t think there is another meaningful thing that I can say just now.

Coach

With all due respect, Most Learned Coach—now I can say whatever I want and it will by definition be respectful—you’re nuts. Seriously, Coach, you’re the man, but Rees over Crist? I think Murtaugh and others have put those shenanigans to rest. Rees got the Roethlisburger treatment. I’m not saying that he was assaulted in a bathroom. I am saying that he was dropped into the loving, trusting nest that is a great defense, sound to quite sound special teams, a productive run game, and a good O-line. Did Rees look like a winner against SC?! I posit that he did not, kind sir. But for his four turnovers, we win that game 30-0. Rees has his strengths, don’t get me wrong. Complete unflappability, fair decision-making, and decent accuracy are not to be taken for granted. But Crist carried this team of freshly-minted cadet RKGs—admittedly to mixed results—while Rees was carried by a crack brigade of battle hardened, elite cadre of green beret RKGs. Remember our D against SC? This is pretty much off topic, but man they were beautiful.

Pardon my impudence for questioning the coach, but I just turned 30 so I got my AARP card yesterday and now I’m questioning my elders.

Chris, what word best encapsulates your feelings on Young Aaron Lynch? What word cuts to the core of innermost self vis-a-vis Mr. Lynch? Amazed? Nay, surely I jest. Ah ha! Would it be… Is it… Yes… Astonished! I like your enthusiasm, kind sir.

Question for you, Coach. I know you didn’t coach a 3-4, but tell me if this sounds right.

One of the advantages of the 3-4 is the difficulty it creates for the opposing offense to make its run fits; thus, ND shows a lot of 3-man fronts on 1st and 2nd down. 3-4 DEs are primarily supposed to control their gaps, allowing their athletic LBs to make plays. Thus, size and strength are higher priorities for a 3-4 DE than speed.

I read lots of predictions that Lynch is going to surpass Ethan Johnson on the depth chart and become an every down DE for us by fall. This seems extremely unlikely to me given that EJ has 40 lbs on Lynch and is significantly stronger to boot. Critics bag on our two current starting DEs for an inability to “get to the QB”, but that isn’t really what they’re supposed to do in a 3-4 look, is it?

Anyhow, I agree with you that Lynch will likely be on the field for every obvious passing down, and he’ll probably be part of most 4-3 looks as well. But he doesn’t look like a 3-4 DE yet, and won’t until he puts on more weight and learns to control his gap.

MoTS- We need to get you banging out posts. Your style is second to none. In this Crist vs. Rees debate I often ask myself why it is that I tend to favor Crist despite the Rees W’s. I think it really comes down to an NFL combine type comparison.

Crist is a 5 star kid that has the measurables, can make X throw, and says and does all the right things. He literally looks like he should be playing QB at Notre Dame. He’s a lot like Brady Quinn in that respect.

Rees lacks the measurables but appears to have the perfect mix of intangibles. Is any discounting of Rees’ success just our way of mentally coping with the fact that we could potentially take a kid that Kelly presented the Sun Bowl game ball to last December and sit him on the bench for the next 3 years? I don’t think the debate is cut and dried.

WJ- Your basic assessment of 3-4 DE assignments is spot on. If you want a quick review click on “Authors” at the top of the page and read the 7 posts by “LB Coach.” He’s a different coach that spent a little time explaining the basics of the 3-4 to us a little over a year ago.

Great discussion all around.

Coach- Thanks again for taking the time to share your observations with us.

I think Lynch will play more often in addition to obvious passing downs if only to keep the other team on its toes and utilize his high motor and apparent high stamina. Yes, we’ll keep Johnson in there to control his gap most of the time and let Te’o murder souls, but Lynch has to get in there too.

In regards to Rees, there are just too many constraints to his game. In a way, the quarterback position is unique in it’s possibility to get away with those constraints, but it’s also the one position on the field that you hate to be so limited.

For example, we can say Rees can’t do A, B, and C because of physical limitations (and the other quarterbacks can), but if he’s continually moving the team down the field and scoring points it doesn’t really matter does it?

Still, the physical limitations are very hard to ignore.

Here are the facts: Rees does not run at all, he has poor accuracy and arm strength down field, and he turns the ball over the most.

I’ve said before if he is going to win the QB battle and bring home victories for Notre Dame, he will have to be historically accurate for an Irish QB. The comparisons have been made before, that he’ll have to be like Colt McCoy and complete 70% of his passes and simply screen and slant teams to death.

Being like McCoy is probably Rees’ ceiling in this offense, but even McCoy had better accuracy down field. Plus, Colt ran for over 1,500 yards in his career, scored 20 times on the ground, and led the Texas in rushing his junior year. So, if we’re lucky, we’ll get a poor man’s version of McCoy in a severely shrunken down play book at Notre Dame.

I just don’t see how or why this offense should play with such an obvious and large crutch at the most important position on the team. Like I said, maybe he simply has games like he did in the Sun Bowl, but I think if he starts we’ll see a lot more pedestrian efforts like we did against Utah and when we play the really good teams, efforts like we saw against USC.

The question I keep asking myself is: Rees can’t run, is not a deep ball threat, doesn’t use half (or more) of the playbook, and turns the ball over more, but he should start because….?

We’ve talked about the intangibles and the moxy and all that in the past, but after watching the BG Game, I did not see a hyper-accurate quarterback who makes amazing decisions and won’t turn the ball over. Not that the decision to start Rees will come down to the spring game, but nevertheless, his performance certainly didn’t exude any confidence that things will be much different in the fall.

Obviously Crist wasn’t sharp either, but we know he can run a little bit, can throw down field, and opens up the playbook in ways that are not possible with Rees. I’m not crazy confident with Crist, but all of the hard evidence suggests he’s just as accurate as Rees (while attempting more difficult throws) and won’t turn the ball over as much. I mean, if Crist was lingering with a 58% completion rate and Rees was over 65% then I think the pendulum starts swinging in the young man’s favor…but that isn’t the case.

I wasn’t going to get into this discussion, and look what you guys made me do!

Hey, fellas! I apologize for not getting back to you guys last night, but I’m too old to stay up until 2:00 A.M like you guys trading ideas, questions and witicisms. But I’m back on it this morning.

I think the Crist/Rees debate is a very healthy one. However it ends up, Kelly will have to manage the situation skillfully. I’m like Whiskey, I just hope he doesn’t decide to do the dumb, dual starter tandem thing. You guys are welcome to disagree with me because that is the fun of a discussion like this. It wouldn’t be as fun if we all agreed on everything all the time. That being said, if I am coaching the team and we’re opening the season next week, I’m going with the guy that closed the 2010 season for us in such brilliant fashion. At that point, the position is his to blow or Crist’s to win back. That’s not a bad place to be. It will all work out the way it is supposed to, again, if the Kelly handles the situation skillfully.

Whiskeyjack, I am afraid I have to go with Whiskey and defer to Linebacker Coach’s expertise with the 3-4. Any opinion that I might offer concerning the ideal body type and skill set for a 3-4 DE would be just that, my opinion. I find all Xs and Os issues interesting and I will try to leave a meaningful comment on what I saw from ND on Saturday concerning their DEs and defensive front in general.

I already commented on ND’s defensive adjustment to multiple wideout formations. They will definitely walk OLBs and even ILBs out to play underneath coverage vs. those slot receivers. When that OLB walks out on that receiver, the rest of the defensive front slides in that direction creating a 4-2 look in the defensive front. That, aparently, is the base adjustment to these multiple wide-out sets in the Diaco 3-4. I don’t know enough about a 3-4 to say for sure, but that is what I see when I rerun the plays and draw what I see. This adjustment is challenging for a DE. Depending on whether the front slides to the right or to the left, the DE may find himself playing a 5 technique, on the outside eye of the OT or he may be playing a 3 technique on the outside eye of the guard. So, sometimes those DEs are playing inside and responsible for B gap and sometimes they are playing outside, responsible for a very wide C gap (on the split side of the formation) and responsible for quick pass rush. This requires a lot of versatility on the part of a DE. On Saturday, Lynch didn’t care where the front called for him to line up. He schooled everybody that lined up in front of him, whether he was in a 5 technique or a 3 technique. Actually, I thought he was a more effective pass rusher when he was in a 3 technique and lined up on NDs starting offensive guard. I guess what I am saying is that lack of size does not seem to be an issue for this kid vs. the pass. That being said, I agree with all of you that, vs. the run, he has a ways to go.

I enjoy your comments and questions. I also agree with Whiskey that MoTS should be a regular staffer on this site. You have a very entertaining style.

Coach

@ whiskey: LB Coach’s knowledge just blew my mind. I feel the learn! Thanks for pointing them out.

Re MotS: You won the internet once, but it begs to be won again. I second those calling for you to write articles here.

Another question: do you think we’ll see more “true” 4-3 fronts on obvious passing downs? Our basic 4-3 obviously involves sliding Fleming/ Williams/ Filer down on the line. I’ve read some convincing posters who feel that, given the influx of talent we have on the D-line now, we can maximize our pass rush by pulling Calabrese in favor of a 4th lineman, which would put us in a more traditional 4-3.

For those that don’t know MoTS is actually an actual member of the OFD team though we have typically only been successful getting him to knock out IBG posts a few times. One of these days his life will settle down a bit and he might be able to chime in more regularly. Until then he remains a champion commenter. He has definitely won the internet.

On that note I need to get back to writing posts myself! Murtaugh anc Collins have definitely been picking up my slack the last few months. Day jobs………

WJ- No worries on those LB Coach 3-4 posts. He was kind enough to break down the 3-4 for us when Kelly brought Diaco on board last year.

Great discussion.

Whisky:
You are correct, Rees did throw the only int. But I give a little of that credit to Lo Wood. He was on the underneath receiver and he reacted pretty quickly in order to get back and get in the passing lane to make that interception.

Bottom line: I think we are in pretty good shape on defense, even though we still have a lot of improvement to do. I look forward to the season.

The Crist/Rees debate I am sure will last long into the season, but I will still add my thoughts: Rees did not turn the this team around last year and will us to win. Our defense did: specifically, Robert Blanton’s blocked punt against Utah followed by a dominating defensive performance against an admittedly overrated Utah team, and our defense took control for the rest of the season, shutting down army and USC and forcing several picks against Miami. The most points we gave up in a win last year was 20 to Western Michigan. The least amount we gave up in a loss was 28. Even in the USC game, Hughes marched down the field to win. I don’t remember seeing Rees march the team down the field when we really needed a score in any of the games. I am all for the letting the one who leads the best start for us, but I haven’t seen either one of them show they can make it happen when it counts. Without that, you are left with Crist being more talented. Maybe Rees will become that player, but I didn’t see it last year.

Any chance LB Coach will chime in ever again with another article on our defense? All of his posts where before the fall and I’m interested to see what he thinks about the Bob Diaco version of the 3-4 and how he thinks the returning players need to imporove in the coming year. That kind of stuff.

Thank you, gentlemen. I’m so flattered that I’m thinking of a new title—THE Mouth Of The South, or tMotS. Like The Ohio State University, but without the cheating and perpetual overatedness.

Like Ruth calling his shot, and Ali calling a Liston knockout, I pledge to WhiskeyJack that I will win the Internet again. But I need to second Whiskey’s sentiments—Murtaugh and Collins are rocks. They’re like Mozart, and Mozart’s friend. No, they’re like Butch Cassidy and… Mozart. You try and hurt Mozart, you’re gonna get a bullet in your head, courtesy of Butch Cassidy.

Home renovation and trial are currently taking precedence over posting. I’ll soon get into the mix. Now it’s better to leave the people wanting more, like Costanza.

Tommy Rees could also be compared to Kevin McDougal (as well as Major Applewhite). I have to disagree on the Colt McCoy comparison.

McDougal’s only year was 1993, a senior, and completed 98 of 159 passes, had a 61.6 %age completion rate, 7 TDs with 5 Ints, rating 151. He just won, almost leading ND to the NC that year.

Rees last year (in six games) completed 100 of 164 passes, a 60.9% completion rate, 12 TDs and 8 Ints, rating 132. Pretty good for a freshman. He lost to Tulsa on the last minute interception into the wind, but won the next four.

But nobody wins without a great defense which McDougal had and Rees had in the second half of the year. With a good defense, a QB needs to manage the game and minimize mistakes.

My take on the QB situation after the BG game is this. If the season started tomorrow, Crist is your starter, with Rees his backup. If Crist were to go down in a game, Rees would come in due to his game experience.
 I think Kelly would quickly try to get Hendrix ready to take over. With Ree’s limited mobility and arm strength, playing Hendrix would allow Kelly to install a more diverse package on offense.
With months to go before the season starts, I think Rees and Hendrix will be 2 and 2A by then. If Kelly inserts a package for Hendrix or if he comes into a game(s) in mop up duty. Thus gaining some experience. Hendrix will be your backup.
At this time, I think if any, Hendrix is the most likely to usurp Crist from his starter’s roll. Arm strength, running ability, a years knowledge of the system and importantly, toughness, make him a formidable QB.
Crist is the starter, Hendrix the backup, gaining experience in a limited roll early in the season.

Ryan- Hard to say on LB Coach. I’ll ask him if he wants to share his thoughts with us again before the season kicks off.

tMoTS- We will all be looking forward to it.

Michael- I like the McDougal comparison. He remains one of my favorite ND players. Like you said, he just won.

At least this QB situation leaves us with something to debate all summer….

MotS,

Obviously we prefer Lennon-McCartney. Michael is the walrus. Goo Goo Ga Joob.