/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67658045/_K6E0022-2.0.0.jpg)
Welcome to another Bagpipe Monday on One Foot Down! Friends, last Saturday we spent a little less than 3 hours watching one of the strangest games in recent memory as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish beat the Louisville Cardinals 12-7. Strange — but also a win, so the whole thing just hits different.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/8129389/BagpipeMonday.0.jpg)
I mean... the team played really well. The Irish defense held a dangerous Louisville tam to 219 yards and 7 points, while the Notre Dame ground attack racked up 232 yards and a touchdown.
Just good old fashioned football y’all.
If there was one thing the Irish MAYBE didn’t execute so well, it was in the passing game. Ian Book was 11-19, and... I can’t.
I tried — I really did. I was trying to have some fun in this post (and maybe see who was going to actually bite on the tone) but I just can’t do it. This is serious business, and there is something seriously wrong with Notre Dame’s passing game.
- Is it Ian Book?
- Is it a lack of playmaking receiver play?
- Is it Tommy Rees and his playcalling?
- Is it karma from back when Notre Dame couldn’t run the ball or play defense?
Or maybe it’s a combination of many things, which makes the prospect of improvement even more daunting. It means that perhaps it won’t come together all at once, but over the course of a few weeks (if at all).
Regardless of how Notre Dame fixes things, we can all agree that they are going to have to improve if there is to be a serious run at the college football playoff (which likely runs through Clemson — twice).
Can they begin to improve this week against the Pittsburgh Panthers? Is that a real possibility, and how can they go about accomplishing that improvement?
Will it even matter if Notre Dame only gives up 7 points to Pitt?
Poll
Can the Irish improve the passing game this week against Pitt?
This poll is closed
-
56%
Yep — can only go up!
-
13%
Nope — this is a much better defense
-
16%
I mean... will ND even try to mix things up?
-
13%
RUN THE T FORMATION RTDB
Contemplate those questions and whatever else while you vibe out to one of my guilty pleasures this year.