Game Week +1 – Nostrum Damas

Discussion in 'On The Field' started by Godz40acres, Aug 28, 2016.

  1. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    In the PC Charlie said ND had the "most physical" defensive line that the Horns will face all year. That has created a minor rumbling of anxiety from the depths of my football soul. With the youth of our O line (esp center) and the O line's nagging injuries, and our QB situation, this cannot be good news.

    Gilbert's offense is going to have to get the ball out of our QB's hands quickly, or I fear turnovers and sacks, and stuffed runners. I need to be talked off the ledge. :brickwall:
     
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  2. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    There, there, caryhorn....


     
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  3. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    This is very likely as I'm sure they have some sizable, strong players. The run may be tough sledding, but DL pass rush won't be as imposing as last year.

    I'd be more worried about confusion with LB stunts against our youth as they seem to bring heat from there often.

    Up front they're breaking in two new starters to replace the best DL they had by far.

    They lost a 3-year starting DT and 2-year starting DE to the NFL...

    DT Sheldon Day (4th round) - 43 games, 141 tackles, 7.5 sacks
    Senior Year: 45 tackles, 15.5 tfl, 4 sacks

    DE Romeo Okwara (UDFA) - 37 games, 114 tackles, 12.5 sacks
    Senior Year: 49 tackles, 13.5 tfl, 9 sacks

    Both of those guys owned their position for a while. I wouldn't expect a similar level of domination from their replacements right out of the gates.

    Those two were the top sack leaders of the defense, accounting for 13 of 24 sacks.

    The 2015 sack numbers by player...9, 4, 3, and 8 guys with 1 sack. 9 and 4 are gone, and the guy with 3 is a LB. No returning DL had over 1 sack.

    Assuming a significant DL pass rush drop-off in Week 1 is not unfounded.
     
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    Last edited: Aug 30, 2016
  4. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    O mama!!! I feel better already!!
     
  5. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    I am also worried about confusion, LB stunts, disguised coverages from D backs.

    In fact, I guess one could say that there's not much about this game that doesn't worry me.

    I want my mama!! (the one Godz found for me above) :yes:
     
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  6. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    UT's DBs

    Cornerback

    This position will define much of the defense’s effort in 2016. Having good corners enables the staff and personnel to apply pressure in much more creative ways without the constant worry of getting beat outside. The current personnel includes Holton Hill, Davante Davis, Kris Boyd, Sheroid Evans, and Eric Cuffee. That’s quite the cornerback depth chart! These players will be tasked with matching up against some very good receivers in both man and zone schemes. They will also be asked to play with physicality and aggressively attack ball carriers outside on perimeter runs. It’s a tall order, but the above players are prepared and ready to do battle.

    Nickel

    Nickel is one of my favorite positions to follow, as it usually features Texas’ most versatile defensive backs. Fans will remember Quandre Diggs in 2014 and Duke Thomas just last season. This player must be a physical presence, as he’s deployed as a hybrid linebacker-defensive back. The nickel has to be tough against the run, but also possess the feet and requisite speed to cover some of the most dangerous receivers in the league, slot receivers. This season, the players battling at this position are PJ Locke, Antwan Davis, Chris Brown, and it’s even been mentioned that Brandon Jones has seen some time at nickel. The staff does some interesting things with this position, so it’s important to have as versatile a defender as possible. I believe current front-runner PJ Locke is that defender. Locke is a big hitter and it’s likely that quarterbacks will not like being given ‘keep reads’ when this young man is radar-locked on them, BOOM!

    Safety

    The prospect of Brandon Jones and DeShon Elliott playing alongside each other is, well, a dream. Currently, both Dylan Haines and Jason Hall man the two safety positions. Behind Haines is Kevin Vaccaro, a free-wheeling undersized big hitter. Haines plays the position well, but tends to lack the physicality and sometimes the athleticism desired in such a rangy position. Perhaps Kevin gets some time in Haines’ stead against certain personnel, we’ll see. Hall doesn’t seem to have an issue with physicality, but instead can find himself out of position or compromised in coverage. His best deployment to date is as a box safety, playing as an extra linebacker of sorts. Furthermore, It wouldn’t surprise me if the staff grooms another corner in the same vein as Duke Thomas last season, to play a strong safety position against certain spread passing attacks. Of course, it all depends on match-ups.

    This season, the Texas secondary will not be starting with their backs against the wall or be as limited with respect to the various coverages they are capable of executing. I expect Strong and Bedford to ratchet-up the pressure on opposing quarterbacks, utilizing a terrifying mix of cover-3, man, and zone-blitz schemes.

    [TFB]
     
  7. mchammer

    mchammer 10,000+ Posts

    Didn't John Bonney and Antwuan Davis start last year at corners? This year, you can barely find them on the depth chart.
     
  8. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Strong has said that Antwuan has had a very good camp, so I expect we'll see some of him as throughout the season.

    OTOH, Bonney has barely been mentioned by the staff, so I expect we'll not be seeing much of him anytime soon. Personally, that suits me fine. He seems like a good guy, just not a good player in the system.
     
  9. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

  10. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    The Two 2-Quarterback Systems

    Before we go equating the situations at Texas and Notre Dame, it’s worth noting that for every similarity between the two systems, there’s just as significant a difference. Let’s break it down.

    Similarities
    • Moving past the obviousness of the fact that both teams are playing two QBs, the situations are similar in that these are both competitions that extend back to the spring, and both coaches essentially threw up their hands and went with both.
    • Just because both teams will play both quarterbacks doesn’t mean that’s going to be the way it is all season. Both Strong and Kelly have seemingly indicated that they are going to ride the hot hand and will pick whoever plays better. They just want some in-game action to really separate between the two.
    • Swoopes is experienced and has a lot of playmakers around him that fit with his abilities as a dual-threat. Buechele is young, exciting and played circles around Swoopes during the spring game. As for Notre Dame, well, if you’re on this site, you’ve heard plenty for both Zaire and Kizer.
    • That being said, there were clear favorites to start. For Notre Dame, it was Kizer, the guy with more eligibility and more starts to his name.
    • For Texas, it was Buechele, even more so.
    Differences
    • Strong seems to envision a system that doesn’t split touches evenly, but instead favors one QB over the other. As he said, “whoever the stater is, is going to be the starter.” That’s hardly crystal clear, but it does indicate that there is definitely a 1A and a 1B. Kelly, on the other hand, has had Zaire and Kizer split reps 50/50 in fall camp and will likely do the same, at least early on, against Texas.
    • Notre Dame could get creative with how it deploys its two-QB system. As Kelly said in a press conference, he would “definitely consider” putting both Kizer and Zaire on the field at the same time. Strong has given no such indication.
    • While the Irish coaching staff is in the enviable situation of having two top-flight QBs who could start for just about any team in the country, Texas seems to be choosing the lesser of two evils, or at the very least, the best of a bad situation. Whereas Kizer and Zaire have both had on-field success, Buechele is completely unproven and Swoopes has been a punching bag throughout his career.

    Advantage

    Ultimately, it seems as though Texas is dealing with a situation more similar to Notre Dame circa 2012 than the present day. I think Strong’s eventual strategy will more closely resemble what Kelly did then: Start the young guy, but keep the upperclassman as an option to insert in high-pressure situations, especially in the first few games of the season.

    Kelly, meanwhile, has an entirely different problem: How do you keep two elite quarterbacks happy, and how do you effectively use both of them? As many people have already noted, it’s a higher risk, higher reward situation. If he can pull it off, and that’s a big if, Notre Dame would be an offensive juggernaut this season.

    [Slap the Sign]
     
  11. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Nostrum Damas Death Chart

    [​IMG]
     
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  12. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    ND Defense:

    7 new starters total
    5 new starters in back 7
    3 returning sacks on starting DL
    3 returning INT's in starting back 7

    Compared to returning Texas stats:

    Cottrell-Boyette-Ford-Hughes = 15 returning sacks on DL
    Jefferson-Wheeler-Davis-Hill-Locke-Haines-Hall = 11 returning INT's in back 7

    Just saying :hookem:
     
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    Last edited: Aug 30, 2016
  13. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller



    I could barely make out what Gilbert had written on the notepad next him:

    "Talk fast. Keep it short."​
     
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  14. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Quick Takes

    The Good:
    Notre Dame comes into this game with a strong advantage in the trenches. Their offensive line is again one of the best in the nation, and the left side might have the best duo in college football. The Irish will also play two quarterbacks in this game, but both Deshone Kizer and Malik Zaire look to be better options than the Texas duo. Notre Dame is also experienced on the defensive line, and they should have the edge over a young Texas offensive line.

    The Bad:
    Notre Dame was weakest in the secondary coming into this game, and it was made worse by injuries and suspensions. Starting free safety Drue Tranquill brings about the same criticisms from the Irish fans as Dylan Haines inspires in the Austin faithful. Devin Studstill will man the other safety position, and while his future looks very bright he’s still a true freshman starting his first game on the road. Tight End Alizae Jones was lost to grades before the season which puts a big hole in the Notre Dame passing game.

    The Uncertain:
    While Kizer and Zaire are both talented quarterbacks, there are always challenges when you have two players battling for the starting role headed into the season opener. All indications are that Kizer should separate as they go into the schedule, but they will have to work these issues out early on. Notre Dame also has an issue with proven playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. Their top returning skill player (Torii Hunter Jr) logged 363 yards and two touchdowns last season. Brian Kelly recruited a ton of talent in his past classes, but none of them have proven it yet in extended action.

    What’s at Stake:
    The Irish are after a playoff berth, and a stumble in Austin could throw those aspirations out the window. Like many other programs, Notre Dame recruits heavily in the state of Texas, and the opportunity to put on a show in front of the state’s best prospects can only help them going forward. For Texas this game will set the tone in what amounts to a pivotal season for the program. A win over Notre Dame could cement a starting quarterback and ignite the team to play above expectations. With many of the top targets on their board expected to be in attendance, this could also boost recruiting considerably.

    [HS]

    See @Brad Austin's post above for a counterpoint.
     
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  15. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    In Kelly's presser he states clearly that he "has never suspended a player for first offense drug possession." Then he states that the four players who were charged with drug possession would not be suspended by him for the TExas game. Then said that the ND administration would make their decision, which could change that. But I don't think they'll be suspended.

    I think CS's rules are different. Doesn't CS have a "no tolerance" policy; wherein a player is suspended for the first offense?
     
  16. ViperHorn

    ViperHorn 10,000+ Posts

    Letting anyone skate on a first possession charge only invites a second possession. Strong's position is the correct one for the team, the school and the individual.
     
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  17. OldHippie

    OldHippie 2,500+ Posts

    Most interesting to me is that Gilbert said they had not yet decided who would be in the press box and on the headsets with him during the game. I guess that's not such a big deal as I had thought.
     
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  18. Driver 8

    Driver 8 Amor Fati

    It's basically saying that it's ok to do it once. Why is it ok one time?
     
  19. JustWin

    JustWin 250+ Posts

    Devil made me do it the first time. Second time I done it on my own.
     
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  20. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    More Redshirts: Earlier this week we noted that WR Reggie Hemphell-Mapps is expected to redshirt. A source confirmed a couple other redshirts that are expected in DB, Eric Cuffee and OL, Patrick Hudson.

    On Hudson I was told that while he is extremely strong, he has some work to do on his overall footwork.

    [TFB]
     
  21. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Tyrone Swoopes: I spoke with a few people this week and this is what I’ve been told.

    Texas is splitting their team period into “halves” and in the “first half” Swoopes is with the first team and in the “second half” Buechele is with the first team.

    Also a source noted that when they install a new plan, Swoopes gets the majority of those reps.

    I asked how Swoopes looks this week and was told he looks “aggressive”.

    Was also told that Sterlin Gilbert has been really working to get Swoopes to play “backyard football”, to trust himself and just make the throw. One source said, “he’s telling Tyrone to throw the ball out there and trust the receivers to go up and get it”. Swoopes has notoriously struggled with hesitancy in pulling the trigger…patting the ball and not throwing guys open. They continue to push him to “just throw it”. And at least based on what we are hearing from practice this week, he’s doing that more and more.

    Related to the note above, they are also impressing on him the need to trust himself. Source said, “they’re telling him if he’s unsure of something then just hand it off or tuck it and run”. Again, trying to take the “thinking” out of it and push Tyrone to believe in his abilities and play on instinct.

    My personal feeling is this is exactly the kind of message Swoopes needs to hear. And hearing that he is playing “aggressive” in practice is a positive sign. Whether that aggression shows up on Sunday remains to be seen. But I will say that even for those who believe Swoopes was always a good practice player (an assertion I personally disagree with having seen him with my own eyes in practice multiple times in the past) few would argue that he was ever “aggressive” with his passing attack in practice.

    [TFB]


    -------

    This boggles what's left of my mind. Having to constantly tell an experienced senior QB – as late as Fall Camp! – to be aggresive, trust yourself, trust the receivers, stop holding the ball, etc. should hoist every red flag ever created.

    Oh, well, too late.
     
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  22. BevoQ

    BevoQ 250+ Posts

    Still does not mean he starts. I hope they are working their *** off with him because there is a real possibility that Ole Swoopers will have to start a few games this season if Shane gets banged up. To neglect to really push Swoopers in practice to take that step would be really poor coaching. Sounds like
    Shane needs less tinkering and tooling.
     
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  23. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    UT QB starter revealed!

     
  24. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

  25. caryhorn

    caryhorn 5,000+ Posts

    This^^^ is a very good point.
     
  26. easy

    easy 2,500+ Posts

  27. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    [​IMG]
     
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  28. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    How To....

    How to beat Notre Dame: At least for Kickoff Week, you have to attack the Irish deep. DC Brian VanGorder is now in Year 3 of his system, and after middling returns the previous two seasons, it remains to be seen if this unit can turn a corner after the departure of so many key pieces from last season's defense. – Fortuna

    How to beat Texas: Against Texas, you’re going to load up to stop the run and dare quarterbacks Tyrone Swoopes and Shane Buechele to beat you in the passing game. Getting off to a fast start and early lead against the Longhorns will pay off, too. Texas is 0-11 in games when its opponent scores first under coach Charlie Strong. The Irish put all the pressure on Texas right away in last year’s meeting, and the Horns simply couldn’t handle it. – Olson

    How Notre Dame beats you: Quarterbacks DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire are good enough to start at most other schools, and they will certainly present a number of challenges – with their arms and their legs. The problem, of course, is that there are virtually no proven pass-catchers outside of Torii Hunter Jr. Expect the Irish to rely on the ground game plenty behind what should be another strong offensive line, especially with Tarean Folston and Josh Adams proving to be very talented backs. – Fortuna

    How Texas beats you: First-year offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert is the wild card in all of this. Will his scheme click right away? We do know he'll prioritize the run game and lean on powerful backs D'Onta Foreman and Chris Warren III to set up the rest of the offensive attack. Texas' defense wants to blitz like crazy and has some rising stars in the secondary, starting with sophomore cornerbacks Davante Davis and Holton Hill, who can stifle the Irish passing game. – Olson

    [E$PN]
     
  29. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    BVG's defenses struggle against all offenses that cause his players to make adjustments. He runs a pro style D that is way too complicated for college kids. What BVG has yet to realize is these kids have classes, exams, HW, etc. They aren't professionals who have one job, study the playbook.

    Max Redfield, (who was just dismissed) had the famous quote about BVG's scheme, "learning Mandarin was easier than his defense." (And yes, Redfield learned Mandarin at ND.)

    Brian Kelly said in an interview that Jaylon Smith's job was the eraser, to clean up everybody else's mistakes. That's a waste of a great player. BVG has wasted some great players with his scheme. Most think it is make or break for him this year.

    [Per a nd poster on another site]
     
  30. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

     
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