Well we'll get our fill of Service Academy option offense the next 2 weeks starting with Navy this weekend in Jacksonville. Gip are you driving over for the game? Navy has found a QB who is good at running the ball and pretty good at throwing the ball as well. They as always have a FB who seems to carry people for a few more yards after you think you have him corralled. They are averaging almost 300yds/game rushing. They are as relentless as ever it seems. They will cut block as always and we have to hope that between them and the Army next week we don't lose our DL's to leg injuries. Irish need this game badly, to continue to claw their way back to respectability. Not many ND coaches have 2 losses to Navy on their resume' Charlie Weis is one of them as is Joe Kuharich and Terry Brennan. Kelly's loss to Navy in 2010 was awful, Bob Diaco had no clue on how to defend the Academy. We looked like a HS team. Van Gorder was hardly any better, as in both times he faced them they put up plenty of offense on his defense and it was our offense that bailed us out. We now have a new DCoord, a lot of freshman playing behind he front 7, none of the starting LB's except Onawalu has faced the Navy as starters. We certainly have he athleticism and speed in the LB's/DB's to handle them but they have no experience and they need that to realize how you have to trust your assignment and make the plays. On offense we have to score almost every time we have the ball, we need to do what USF did to Navy get out front big and in our case keep it going, but at least force them to come from behind . I think the team might have turned the corner, and I see a win here 45-21 or something like that. But I won't be shocked if Kelly gets his 2nd Navy loss. Navy is a good football team.
Was originally going to go with my bro.-in-law who lives in the Sarasota area but he changed his plans. Just as well. That's a long drive to watch stupid football.
I was tempted to go to San Antonio for the Shamrock series game with Army but it's a long drive and it's an afternoon game so I wouldn't be able to play golf and make the game. Last time we played Wash State I went and got in a round of golf at a really nice course on a beautiful day and went to the game that night.
Martini and McGovern have a shot at playing vs Navy. I think we will be ok if McGovern doesn't play, but Martini seems to shine against triple option teams and he'd be missed. Also Daniel Cage is a day behind those guys in the protocol and that puts him at risk for missing the game. He will definitely be missed, he's giving Jarron Jones quality backup minutes. Tranquil is another guy who seems to understand how to play the triple option and might be moved down to LB if they go to the 3-4 front.
I didn't know that the Irish have played Navy every year since 1927, this is the 90th game in a row. No interruptions. But the Irish have never played Navy at their home in Annapolis. It's always been at ND or at a site of Navy's choice with a larger seating capacity.
Definitely more $$$. Army does it too. The Aggies had a series with them a few years ago and we were stoked about going to West Point. Their stadium is right on the Hudson and very cool. 6 months before the game they changwd it to the Alamodome. :cry:
ND <t>You lose to a bad Duke team at home and now to Navy...this is as bad as it gets.<br/> I see 2 maybe 3 de-commits coming this week.</t>
ND <t>It's just embarrassing now. We will end the season 4-8. You can't find any reason to justify that. This is worse than a Charlie Weis season. We we go bad we go all the way bad. <br/> <br/> This season was already a bust for me. I'll find other things to occupy my time besides college football the rest of the season.</t>
we just lost a game in which we punted once. I didn't even feel Navy out played us. We just lost. Like a coin toss. It just happened. We are inventing ways to lose games at this point....
When Kelly opted for a FG with 7:30 left and still one point down, I turned to my son and said " We may never touch the ball again". Out played and outcoached.