Bob Stoops , Brian Kelly and Notre Dame

[bamaga]

Looks like the old Media Darling just re-entered the building. I thought, like many, that OU would run them out of the Building. But Alas, no. Did I put to much faith in (not )Big Game Bob? Dispatching Notre Dame was to much to ask for Stoops, I should have known better. this Sooner team is like so many in the past. You bloody their noses a little, and they will fold. I would think Sooner fans would demand better. Would at least want some of the bravado their coach seems to speak with , but doesn't teach.

The Fighting Irish have surprised me a little. They just may be legitimate. Maybe they are hard nosed enough to win tough games against good opponents and bad ones alike. I have to hand it to Brian Kelly. He was an offensive coach at Cincy . they ran the spread and outscored their opponents. I guess you have to when you don't have enough talent to be good on both sides of the ball . Notre Dame was good on offense the last fe w years but lousy on defense. Because of that, Notre Dame has recently concentrated on recruiting defensive players. Brian Kelly has adapted his coaching philosophy to the talent he has available . No more slinging it 40 to 50 times a game like Cincy did , more ball control and play good D. Although I hate Notre Dame with every fiber of my being, I have to give credit where it is due. Brian Kelly has done a tremendous job. Now we have to put up with the insufferable Granny Holtz

 

[TideEngineer08]

Don't judge me, but... should Alabama make it through the rest of the way and make the NC game, I'm pulling for Notre Dame to be our opponent.

Just like we owed Texas when we played them in 2009, we owe Notre Dame. We owe Notre Dame in a major way and I would love nothing more than to see Alabama beat them down in Miami. It wouldn't completely pay them back for 1966, 1973, 1974, and 1977, but it would be a nice start.

Notre Dame's defense is for real, I think. Their offense is just good enough. I too thought Oklahoma would rout them, and I was thinking USC would do the same but after last night, I'm not so sure.

Oklahoma led the Big 12 down the road of softness and spread offenses. They're now fully immersed in it. It's part of their culture. They're good to win the Big 12 most years, but on the national level, they're done until they change their philosophy, IMO.

 

[CullmanTide]

I'd like nothing better than to destroy Notre Dame.

 

[JeffAtlanta]

This is actually a very good thing, because it will prevent the media from going into "is 2012 Alabama the best team ever" mode.

As a motivator, Saban is unmatched, but these are still college kids - he can only do so much when the media is saying that Alabama is unbeatable.

If ND makes it through, the media will be writing about how they match up so well against Alabama instead of already crowning Alabama as national champs.

 

[rolltide79]

I wasn't surprised when Choklahoma lost. I would love for us to meet ND in Miami. Beating Choklahoma doesn't impress me, neither does the rest of their schedule.

 

[CrimsonProf]

Media darlings or not, if ND runs the table with that schedule, they deserve to play for it.

 

[SirCrimson]

It does appear to me that big time football under Stoops is a thing of the past at chokelahoma.

 

[CapstoneTider]

The Fighting Irish have surprised me a little. They just may be legitimate.

I thought Notre Dame was on to something last year. They kind of reminded me of Stallings first year when you could tell that they were a well coached disciplined team but just in a serious transition, so I had a feeling they would have a good year coming. Since they are running more of a pro style program, which is kind of trendy again, I see them continuing to win and recruit well. The problem is that they have a slightly higher recruiting requirement than say Alabama and FSU. FSU is the other team I thought would be on a serious rise but the NC State loss was a head scratcher considering how long Jimbo has been on the coaching staff.

Notre Dame will only win a NC when all the planets and stars are aligned. They have to be good plus all the other big teams have to have an off year due to the recruiting requirements. At least that's the way I see it. No way they pass an undefeated K-State.

 

[Redwood Forrest]

I do not trust Oklahoma to win outside of the Big 12, unless they are playing ACC.

 

[JD95]

I would love for Bama to play Notre Dame for the BCS Championship. As someone else said, we owe them big time!

 

[TheCrimsonLiver]

I would love to play the domers as long as the Big East refs aren't calling the game. Did it look like the refs were always disgusted when a play went in OK's favor? seriously!

 

[M2J]

Oklahoma is a good team, they just had the wrong game plan. It was the obvious gameplan, but still incorrect. They set out to try to build a big lead by passing over the front 7, instead of playing with balance. Notre Dame's front 7 got pressure, and their secondary played well, then they basically dropped 8 back to play against the spread and it worked. And in a close ball game (which that was until basically the end), what should you do in situations where defenses are dropping 6-8 in pass coverage? Run the darn ball.

Stoops is a good coach, but I think they've got to get more physical on offense and their defense needs to play against more physical offenses in practice. Still, he has them legitimately in the title picture year in and year out, and that's really all you can ask for. Dominance like ours right now isn't something teams expect every year, we didn't even expect it this year....I don't expect it next year (unless AJ and CJ return, more importantly AJ).




Anyways, that was a fun ball game to watch, a lot of little battles to keep your eye on.

As far as ND, they are for real. I knew they would be when they made the hire. Brian Kelly has stepped up the ranks much like CNS. Kelly made Central Michigan pretty good, and his successor kept that success going. He made Cincinnati into a BCS team and his successor (I think the same guy) has won there too. He's a process oriented teacher and coach, plus he recruits pretty damn well, and adjusts what he's doing to what his roster says is the right thing to do. I think Notre Dame will soon be our biggest nationwide competition.

 

[bamaga]

I would prefer to play ND in the championship game as well. As a kid ND spoiled some otherwise good memories of Bama football and payback in that setting is long overdue!!!! The Stallings analogy is good, Back then Bama barely beat teams they should have blown the doors off, but they won and that was all that counted. Same as Kelly at ND.

 

[BAMAFEVER50]

I'd like nothing better than to destroy Notre Dame.

I second this!

 

[cuda.1973]

Not sure Nutter Dumber will make it that far.................but if they do................already in "game face" mode.

 

[bamadp]

If Oregon, K state, and Notre Dame wind up undefeated fighting for the other spot in the NCG, Duck fans and Wildcat fans are gonna see just how "relevant" ND is.

 

[cuda.1973]

If that happens, it would mean Oregon and Nutter Dumber each beat U$C at least once. K State is the obvious first man out.

 

[GrayTide]

If Oregon, K state, and Notre Dame wind up undefeated fighting for the other spot in the NCG, Duck fans and Wildcat fans are gonna see just how "relevant" ND is.

Absolutely.

 

[JBama_in_PCOLA]

I was hoping for FSU. I get tired of their fans, but ND would be even better. Thanks to granny and his rants and raves year in and year and how much he despises Bama would make beating them so much better!

 

[EscaTider]

When you look at ND's schedule, I just don't see them losing. USC has proven that they simply aren't up to the task this year.