All Things Notre Dame - The Clashmore Mike Memorial Thread

[Hannibal]

Preliminary reports of ND playing the 2015 Stanford game in China...

LOL Wut?

[Clashmore Mike]

LOL Wut?

Yeah...I don't know.

I was going to try and come up with some witty/clever analogy about ND getting a jump on the Chinese market before Delaney or the SEC...but I can't.

[lineygoblue]

I didn't know the Chinese were fans of ND football ...

.... wait a minute ... shame on me ....

[Clashmore Mike]

Wow...perhaps ND was right not to listen to me and hire Paul Johnson. Georgia Tech is on the verge of losing to Middle Tenn...

...don't get that at all.

[iam416]

Something modestly germane to a remotely germane topic of this summer: San Jose shutout might Navy, 12-0, and it's vaunted Anchors Aweigh! offense. The Spartans did this without a bye week and, presumably, without playing triple option offenses on a regular basis. Stunning.

Man, I love the single-sample needle.

[Clashmore Mike]

Heh...thought something like might be coming.

I'll just point out a couple things...

A) Never claimed that the option was "vaunted" or necessarily difficult to stop, just that it took a different approach to preparation than almost every other offense in CFB.

B) SJSt. is a pretty decent team. Upper echelon of non-BCS this season.

C) Don't know how much you pay attention to ND. This team still has alot to prove to really be "back", but I would think even skeptical observers would have to admit that the turn around on defense is legit. It's the same defensive staff that didn't prepare properly for the option in '10 and got their asses kicked silly.

[iam416]

The defense is much better. I don't think they've played any particularly good offensive team, yet, but they look the part. Back 7, I think, will hurt them in some upcoming games.

The offense is a bit of a morass, but at least they have reduced backbreaking turnovers.

10-2 is a realistic hope for ND fans. That probably means a BCS pasting unless draw an ACC, Big East or mid-major. B10 would fit the bill, too, but I don't see them getting a second.

[Clashmore Mike]

That's pretty spot-on...can't disagree with any of it.

I think Saturday will tell us alot about this team. I would hope Kelly used this bye week to rest his defense and throw down the gauntlet on his veteran OL (I wonder how much we are missing Warriner?). The potential for improvement is drastically limited if those guys can't generate some rushing yards...on the flip side, the potential for improvement is drastic if Golson can play the game without not having to perpetually win the game.

Alot of ND fans from Ohio claim that Golson reminds them of Miller last year...

[Clashmore Mike]

Miami is a team where we'll simply have to score points...don't want a shootout, but a TD and two FGs won't cut it. ND had its work cut out for them over the bye...we'll see.

[iam416]

I'm not sure about Miami. It's hard to get past the thrashing KSU laid on them. Their rally against GT looks entirely unimpressive and NCS was drilled by a Vals team that is clearly mediocre, IMO, and inched by a bad UConn team.

I haven't seen enough of Golson to compare him to anyone. I do know that Miller was generally horrendous last season with a few moments. Also I *think* he was was the worst-coached QB in the entire country. Combined with the fact that he was a true frosh, the results were predictable. Last year should have been a redshirt year.

Miller is a great -- and I think I actually mean great -- between the tackles runner. His reads are coming along in the run game and the passing game, but he still has miles to go. In particular, it probably hurts Stoneburner because Miller never progresses in his reads to him. But, he's getting better -- he has a good arm and has been relatively accurate.

WRT Warriner, OSU's OL is playing pretty well. It was nice to seem them kill the game off against MSU. And run for 200+ yards. Especially at the end when it was pretty much a giant "fuck you, we're running Braxton off tackle" play. However, OSU's prior OL coach was, I think, lacking. I have no doubt Warriner is a giant relative improvement. How he rates in absolute terms, I dunno.

[Clashmore Mike]

From what I saw against MSU, I thought Miller was spectacular. Watching that game it became clear to me that our running game might improve if Kelly ran Golson a bit more, regardless of OL performance. Tough call...Kelly is walking the razors edge with regard to QBs this season.

I don't have any direct insight into a Golson/Miller comparison, just found it interesting that some Ohio guys (whose football knowledge I trust) made the comparison. Otherwise it's the over-zealous asshats who claim Golson is the next Tony Rice vs the asshats who think he's Carlyle Holiday reincarnated.

I don't want to build Miami up into something they aren't. I do think that Morris is a legit QB...thought that about him when he came in as a freshman in the Sun Bowl two years ago. He’s been lighting things up and you know they have speed at WR. Per your previous, this is the offense that will test ND’s secondary. Miami’s defense hasn’t shown a lot…if there is a game where we should be able to move the ball and score, it’s this one…of course that’s what I thought about the Michigan game.

[iam416]

Yeah, Miami should give ND's back 7 a test. Fair enough.

I wish OSU didn't have to run Miller 20 times a game, but they don't have the gamebreakers, yet, to ease that load. Not sure if ND needs to run Golson like that or not.

Miller, as a HS QB, was really, really good. He almost single-handedly won the D-1 state title, losing out to a fantastic St. Ed's team. He was a legit 5*. I know UFM wanted him bad at UF before Saban ripped his heart out and left him for dead. I just don't know enough about Golson to make the comparison.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see how ND progresses. One would think Stanford is a good matchup for them -- much like MSU. Their DL should be able to control the Stanford offense. OU will obviously be a real challenge, as will USC.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if they're undefeated going into Norman.

[Clashmore Mike]

Congrats to the Wolverines and Buckeyes…condolences to the Huskers. I can admit that Purdue may not be all that I thought a couple weeks ago, but I still think they are at least decent. From what I’m seeing the difference is a fairly dramatic improvement in Michigan’s defense…which makes me feel better about our lackluster offense two weeks ago.



Obviously I’m thrilled with ND’s performance…saw exactly what I wanted to see in terms of what was becoming a glaring weakness. The young secondary was exposed early on and we dodged some bullets, but we adjusted and held our own from the 2nd qtr. on… Golson took a huge leap forward and we saw why his ceiling is so much higher than Rees…I think Kelly & Co. put together an excellent game plan for Golson to succeed, with lots of misdirection, rolling out, and designed carries. The kids showed the ability to adjust and audible for the first time this season.



Simply put, the 2nd half was as complete and dominant as I’ve seen Notre Dame play in 15 years. I know Miami’s defense leaves a lot to be desired…and they shot themselves in the foot a couple times in that first half with drops and stupid penalties…but we needed to see a dominant offensive performance on the ground. If we couldn’t do it against Miami, there wasn’t any reason to expect it against Stanford. Now it’s just a question of consistency...we'll see...



Hilarious how the bitching and moaning about the uniforms disappeared on the ND boards.


Gameday is coming to South Bend for the first time in forever…Weis had banned them a couple years ago.

[Jeff Buchanan]

........ but, yeah, the uniforms.

This is freaking ND. You don't take those helmets and screw with them. You don't screw with the jerseys and the pants. If fans and alumni ever see M's winged helmet screwed with for marketing purposes, Brandon will feel the anger ..... in the department's bank account.

It was a nice win. Don't screw it up. Kelley is getting a test now. Can he manage success at a high profile program like ND's? This isn't Cinci.

[Clashmore Mike]

........ but, yeah, the uniforms.

This is freaking ND. You don't take those helmets and screw with them. You don't screw with the jerseys and the pants. If fans and alumni ever see M's winged helmet screwed with for marketing purposes, Brandon will feel the anger ..... in the department's bank account.

It was a nice win. Don't screw it up. Kelley is getting a test now. Can he manage success at a high profile program like ND's? This isn't Cinci.

Heh...Swarbrick has already come out and said that future "shamrock" uniform designs won't include such drastic moves with the helmet. Rumor has it that even Fr. Jenkins had to address the issue directly with Adidas after there was a minor revolt within the clergy on campus.

I don't like it, but there were bound to be ruffled feathers and bruised egos as Jenkins and Swarbrick dragged this program from the 1970's into the 21st century. I wouldn't give up the new student/athlete complex, early enrollment or a football training table (all within the last four years) just to keep traditional uniforms for one neutral site game. But they did go too far with that helmet...and they know it.

Upcoming modernist/traditionalist battles include jumbo-trons and synthetic field turf in the stadium...