Well I don't know what to think about this game. The Aggies have opened as about 3 point favorites. I'm shocked that they aren't 14 point favorites. They are 3-0 and playing at home in one of the toughest venues to win at in college football. We are 0-2 and a bad 0-2. We have no offense as has been discussed. The Aggies defense will have a short week preparing for our offense, they actually don't have to even prepare all they have to do is just stay healthy this week and work on the base defense. They don't have to do anything special. Now the Aggie offense according to my Aggie nephew is non-existant also. So I've commented that this could be a 0-0 game in regulation. We do have the edge in the kicking game I think as both our punter and field goal kickers are Jr's and are the strength of this team. I don't know about the Aggie punter but I think they are in trouble with the field goal kicker, or at the very least he's not very good. I will be at the game this weekend, although I may need a oxygen mask and a small observatory to see the game from my perch high in the stands in the top of the 5th level of what the Aggies call the Zone. We'll see what the heart of this team is made of...this situation is very similar to the 97 situation where we went into Baton Rouge another "Pit" that visiting teams wilt in and we were underdogs and I doubt if any Irish fan believed we would even be competitive much less win the game. So miracles do happen. Go Irish Terry
Terry: I think the "heart" of this team is great; I think the University does these student-athletes a great disservice by providing a head coach who just doesn't get it. His game plan--if you want to call it that--was to take no chances on offense and hope to get a good punt return. This is what ND football has become under BD. These kids deserve much better. Stephen
I'd have to interject that our offense is there - every other game. Against OSU, with the exception of ND transfer Jamaar Taylor, ALL the receivers forgot how to catch. We lost a TON of yards, and a turnover (which led to OSU's only points) because of it. When they are catching, we move the ball fast. The running game is coming along, but is not "there" yet. The defense answered the call in spades last week. The defensive line finally lived up to what we expected - consistantly penetrating the backfield to blow up plays . I don't know what to expect. We are having trouble at ILB, and some at OLB If ND is smart, they will put Holiday in, and go with the option. I don't think out LB's would be able to handle the discipline required to hit all the assigments. It will probably be a low scoring game, unless our WR's demonstrate early they are going to catch this week. If they do, look out... ------------------ Gig'em Fightin' Texas Aggies Scott Durden
Terry, All I can really say is we will not get trounced, we will just get beat. We have enough defense to keep it close but not enough offense to win. I hate writing stuff like this. You and most everyone else from the old prodigy days know how much I wear my ND heart on my sleeve. It really hurts to see what it happening now. I use to think of Bob Davie as a good person but now can't even say that. He should have resigned immediately after the msu game for the good of the team and the university. The longer he goes without resigning now, the more I will remember him as someone who did harm to a university and a tradition I truely love. Tim
Well Caryle Holiday is going to get the start vs the Aggies. I guess Bob Davie must read this board, since Scott suggested that the way to get to the Aggie defense was to run a lot of option. As the #2 QB Carlyle has been popular of course, even though he's really only had one good series. In his two series vs MSU he looked confused to me, now Rogers didn't help him any with the play calling though. So we'll see how he does with a week of getting all the snaps in practice with the 1st team. I think Davie had to do something. It's clear that Rogers can't call a game at this point to give Lovecchio a chance to win. He apparently has to have a QB who can make something happen when his lame play calling goes south. Hope Holiday follows a long ND tradition and wins his first start. That would be sweet. Terry
So we're down to playing the "first start" card with the QBs... Haven't we been here more times under BD then ever before or is it just me? I think Holliday gives us some exciting options athletically, but whether or not we will try to gamble and take advantage of that is another thing... I'm guessing: 50% fake option..really just the power running game. 25% QB keeps from the shotgun 10% of Matt Lo going in to hand off 15% of the worst pass routes you've ever seen designed.
While I like the idea of starting CH, don't be fooled into thinking this will significantly change team performance. There are a number of deep deep problems, starting with the offensive line and ending with our defensive backs. Have we stopped one crossing pattern yet? A poster on another bb detailed all the mistakes we made last Saturday after watching the tape in slow motion (this guy really is a masochist) to make the point that it really wasn't BD, but the players. Well hello, its coaching or lack there of that produces players that make mistakes or miss assignments. It all about coaching. Stephen
Amen on those pass routes. I can't remember when we had and offense that actually ran some decent pass routes. Lou was really no better than Davie/Colletto/Rogers in this respect. I can't believe our recievers are that bad that they can't get open with some good routes. Terry
It will shock me if ND wins Saturday at A&M as I think the program is lost under Davie. With a veteran club no way they should be playing like they are after last year.
Notre Dame/A&M game is of course going to be a Regional telecast this weekend. So most of you won't be able to see the game. Yet another reason to get DirectTV with ESPN Gameplan. Oh yeah...I've got TIVO now...way cool! Terry
Well not everybody agree's with Scott. A visit to Texags.com showed quite a bit of feeling that the Aggies will win big, and that the LB's are not a problem. Here's a post from somebody called BigAg95 posted 10:22 AM, 9/25/01 Farris is always good for an opposing TD. But I do like our chances of shutting down ND if they run the option. I would be more worried about our LB's being picked apart by a short inside passing attack than by the option. The reason we have had poor outside containment is because our OLB's have been selling out trying to get to the QB (with little success until OSU). If the QB is going outside, I expect that is where our OLB's would go also. We will also have a MLB spy on Holiday anyway if he is running the option. I hope the Aggie football team is overconfident given the Irish record so far. Terry
T A&M and everyone else will simply jam the box with bodies until we prove that we can throw the ball down the field. That means crossing routes and some deep routes. It means flanker screens and throwing to the tight end and all kinds of neato stuff that Rogers has never heard of... Im not optimistic.
JO'Co, is right. I love the option but there is no way we will be successfull consistantly with the option until we establish that we can PASS the ball more than 8 yards on a regular basis. Terry is right also, we haven't had any SERIOUS passing plays in our offense dating back to and including Lou's days. I'm not sure if Holdiay is the answer but for some reason I'm glad he is starting. I've already chalked this up as a loss so what the hell, could it get any worse? Maybe I shouldn't have said that. At any rate either he or Clark will be the starter next year under our NEW coach so win or lose you might as well let him get some experience. Terry, it looks like I have lucked out on the regional coverage of the game sat., I got the ND game as my broadcast here in El Paso sat. I've got the ESPN/Gameplan package on cable and the Northweestern/MSU game sounds like and interesting game now. I'll watch for you in those 50 yd line and 20 rows up seats at College station! Tim
Terry: Question about last week's game: Did Terrence Howard play? I don't remember hearing his name called. If he didn't play, do you know the reason? Stephen
I am totally dumbfounded by ND's losing streak.....I really thought they had a better offensive line and receivers....but they seem to lack any spirit....I just dunno if its coaching or bad karma but they are always walking around with their head down. I am gonna have to take A&M ------------------ Gonzo
A minor prediction here: Assuming ND throws enough with Holiday for this to be a possibility, CB Sammy Davis will "bait" CH into an INT. He has done it twice already this year, and a RS fish at QB is ripe for the "picking"! BTW, Texags.com is notorious for a lot of things, and smart football talk isn't often one of them! Try 12thfan.com, they are better. Expect 87000 "friends" to welcome Holiday back to Texas... ------------------ Gig'em Fightin' Texas Aggies Scott Durden
Mike, The tickets that the Ags sent us, are barely in the stadium....but then unlike the magnificent edifices at Austin and South Bend the Aggies put most of their seats in the "Zone" tiered 7 miles high. The nifty marketers that they are they don't even call it the endzone, they named it the Zone and most Aggies don't even know they are sitting in the endzone. Some even prefer it! Terry Terry
Hey now, you need to back off the Zone! I'm one of those that prefer the view, but I'm biased by having armchair seats on level with the second deck. The top of the Zone can be a little intimidating... Couting rivets on the bottom of airliners is scary work! For the record, only 28% of Kyle Field's seats are in the Zone... ------------------ Gig'em Fightin' Texas Aggies Scott Durden