Notre Dame 14 USC 10

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Now we know what life without Rees would look like. Rees now has 2 wins over USC for his career. So with Rees out, Hendrix finally gets his chance – did not turn out well for him. If only he completed one pass maybe he would have gained confidence but as things now stand, Kelly may be forced to go with Zaire – if he can figure out the playbook. If you fast forward to 2014, Golson coming back is no sure thing and Rees will be gone – so you have to go to Zaire.

Where did Kelly get the rep that he was a developer of QB’s – don’t know but he sure hasn’t done the job at ND. He had a good shot of getting Maty Mauk, who fits his style perfectly. Mauk, a red shirt freshman got his first start for Missouri and beat Florida yesterday 36-17 passing for 295 yards. I think Kelly leaves ND if he gets any kind of good offer to any Pro Team. He may as well strike while he has some kind of stature. All he has to do is look at the team and visualize who won’t be there next year. If he stays, he should drop Chuck Martin and get a highly respected QB coach.

Well, a win is a win and there was outstanding effort by everyone on this team. Tuitt gets the game ball and Cam McDaniel showed some great moves. But no doubt at all that for this team Rees is a priceless commodity. From here on out they MUST keep a back in for extra protection – simply can’t have Rees out of the game.

Like to thank USC with a game ball for all the penalties and missed field goals.

Here’s a clip of the game’s highlights:

Notre Dame VS Southern Cal

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This is an absolute must win game for ND and for Kelly. Another night game packed with 30 some recruits – many from California very similar to the 2011 game in which ND embarrassed themselves and lost out on a number of 4-5 stars. Important for Kelly since you are not considered a good coach unless you beat USC consistently.

USC will come into this game all jacked up and hoping to provide Interim Coach Ed Orgeron the push to finish the season with wins and get the Head Coach title. Sanctions had no effect at all on the players they get – they are all top notch even though, for the most part, thugs not students. they intimidated ND in 2011 and we barely beat them in 2012 when they had no QB.

I really hope the ND coaches and players studied the USC Arizona game. Two very different half’s. USC jumped all over the Wildcats, got them out of their running game and forced them to pass. 2nd half different with Arizona finally pressuring the USC Qb Kessler – who sort of panics under pressure.
Arizona was able to get back into this game due to the foregoing as well as the escape ability of the Arizona QB who was under heavy pressure. We don’t have that wit Rees. We don’t have anyone with the ability of the Arizona running back Carey.

So what do we know:

  • USC can score points with a good passing and 4-5 excellent RB’s.
  • ND must put heavy pressure on the QB the entire game.
  • Coaching–Orgeron wants the Head job. Kelly will have no legacy if he flops here.
  • Game will be won by ND if both the OL and DL can dominate.
  • ND will lose if they come out flat, fall behind and can’t protect Rees.
  • Winner–team that plays a full 60 minutes.

ND 24 USC 17

Coming Up USC

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It was interesting watching the Arizona USC game for the obvious reason – how would the USC players respond to interim coach Ed Orgeron. They responded quite well, looked fired up and seemed to be glad Kiffin is gone. The final score 38-31 is somewhat misleading – USC led at the half 28-3.

STATS:
Total Yds USC 546 vs 508 Arizona
Rush Yds USC 249 vs Arizona 145
Pass Yds USC 297 vs Arizona 363

Arizona could have easily won this game if they did not fall so far behind so early. Arizona RB KaDeem Carey ran for 138 yards alone. This kid is an All American and Notre Dame has no RB anywhere near him in talent. Taken out of their run game early, they still continued to gain rush yards throughout the entire game. The Arizona QB BJ Denker looked like Johnny Football, continuously evading pressure – kid is fast and he kept them in the game. I do think they should have given Carey the ball more often for there were some big holes for him.

So USC, they have a competent QB if given time to throw. When Arizona brought pressure he is not so good. USC has very good RB’s and their big gun is Silas Redd who went 19 carries for 80 yards. They also gave frosh Ty Isaac 6’3″ 225 and he looked good when he was in. I think he’s from Illinois and ND recruited him hard – big back we need. The other guy we really wanted WR Nelson Agholor had 7 pass es for 161 yards – he’s damn good and fast. Don’t know if we have anyone who can cover him let alone Marquis Lee if he’s healthy.

From watching this game it is obvious that SC has good players all around despite sanctions. If we have any hope of beating them we must get to the QB.

Notre Dame 22 USC 13

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12 and 0 and going to the BCS Championship game. USC– 6 tries inside the 5, 2 and goal line and 0 points thanks to an incredible goal line stand including a dropped pass. Please extend Kiffin’s contract say for 10 years.

Credit really goes to the entire Notre Dame team but special credit once again to the defense–maybe a little more blitzing in next game which I sincerely hope is not on ABC and their 10,000 commercials.

Golson has come a long way but Cierre Wood has become an enigma–don’t get it and I’m not really sure it’s him or the blockers.

Other than the defense 2 guys came up super big.

  • 1–Theo Riddick, 146 tough yards and sealed the game with a burst from the goal line.
  • 2–Kyle Brindza 5 of 6 field goals including a 52 yarder.

Tough year, tough wins but 12-0 says it all. Will really miss these seniors.

Great clips from und.com–enjoy:

Notre Dame Vs. USC | Predictions 2012

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Calabrese and Teo

Fast start, fast start and fast start. Notre Dame must come out uptempo and fast, USC could not handle the offenses of Arizona or Oregon–defense just could not keep up, ND must follow that format and score touchdowns and a lot of them to win.

USC will be all psyched up at the start but their defense will wilt if they are playing from behind. ND can’t let them hang around and the offense must pedal to the metal for 4 quarters. USC defense coach does not know how to handle a fast paced spread offense but ND must score points in just about every possession.

On defense: kill the QB should be the game plan. First start for the 6’4″ 245lb soph–don’t let that fool you–USC does not recruit so so QB’s–they usually get a top 3 guy and Wittek was a 5 star recruit. Constant pressure and heavy hits on him and he will start panicking, but the key is HARD hits just blast him. One defensive player should be assigned to hit him on every play.

Finally, with the lead don’t go prevent like the Florida State game last year which cost ND the game. Give this kid time and he will hit Lee, Wood and Agholar eventually and we don’t have anyone who can run with Lee–so bomb plays will kill us.

Let’s look at their losses:

  • L — 38-28 to UCLA–last week
  • L — 21-14 to Stanford
  • L — 39-36 to Arizona
  • L — 62-51 to Oregon

They lost all their tough games, the rest were nobody’s. What the above shows is points, you just have to out score them. We don’t want a re-run of the 2005 game

So, there you have it, play clean game–no false starts, no fumbles and no stupid picks and just have the ambulance ready for Max.

Don’t think it will work out that way but believe our defense will save us again.

Notre Dame 31 USC 17

Dreams Crushed

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As our current team rated #1 gets ready for the game that will define their season, I am reminded of past horrors the Irish experienced in the LA Coliseum — there were a lot of them but 2 in particular broke many hearts and crushed dreams:

  • 1964–Ara’s first year brought a juggernaut to LA #1 Notre Dame vs. a 6-3 USC team. ND cruised in first half leading 17-0 and a NC just 30 minutes away. ND lost with a minute left 20-17. that team reminds me of the 2012 team–QB John Huarte All American and soon to be Heisman winner. Star receiver Jack Snow. We have Eifert All American receiver and Te’o(Heisman?).
  • 1970–Notre Dame arrives in LA rated #2 (9-0) and on their way to the NC game against a bad SC team (5-4-1) and lose 38-14 even though Joe Theisman passed for 526 yards in the pouring rain. ND fumbled their way to defeat.

So I am very apprehensive as Saturday approaches–stars just don’t seem to be aligning. Too much going on at SC with 2nd team QB guaranteeing victory and All American 1st team QB allegedly unable to play–I’ll believe this only if he is on sidelines in civvies.

PAST HISTORY–1966 game of the century, 22 All Americans on the field and ends in a 10-10 tie ND vs. Michigan State. Alabama, meantime is undefeated and ranked #3. So ND’s #1 ranking in jeopardy on their way to final game against USC so Ara runs up the score 51-0 to cement #1. In those days ND did not participate in Bowl games and Alabama howled. Too bad but that 66 team would have crushed Alabama–really wished ND would have lifted the ban that year–the whole country wanted that game. Also USC’s Head Coach–the great John McKay vowed that he would never again lose to ND and then he went 8-1 against ND.

Finally, The Last Goddamn Thing We Need supplied By Sports Illustrated.


Notre Dame Sports Illustrated Cover 2012

USC WEEK

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Final regular game for 2012 and Notre Dame is #1, Barkley allegedly won’t play due to an injury to his throwing arm. Hopefully that’s true but don’t be surprised if he has a miraculous recovery if 2nd team QB Max Wittek is not doing very good. Can just see it- Barkley comes in off the bench and shreds ND upsetting #1 and throws BCS into a tailspin.

I think, unfortunately, that Pat Haden will get rid of Kiffen if USC loses to Notre Dame–let’s face it, the guy is a real scumbag and Haden is a straight shooter and sure must not like the record 4 losses when this team was almost automatically going to the Big Game in the pre-season.

They certainly have the players, get great recruits but the 4 losses especially the last to UCLA just might cause the axe to fall if they lose to ND. If Notre Dame beats USC that together with the loss to UCLA is the perfect opportunity to dump Kiffen and clean up the programs mess.

USC’s Amir Carlisle to Transfer to Notre Dame!

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Can’t really believe this but it’s true. Amir Carlisle is going to wear the blue and gold after being a Trojan. This has to be the ultimate “fuck you” to USC. Makes you wonder what is really going on over there. I can’t wait to hear all the bitching and crying USC fans and the local papers (I live in LA) will begin. They are all going to say that he’s really not as good as they thought he was and that he’s a bum and so on. Glad to have him. Hope we get the Armistead boys next.

Final Final Comments on USC

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Everything was in place for the defining victory to catapult ND into BCS discussion and grab a few elite recruits along the way.

Didn’t happen on or off the field.

This was the year — USC banged up and less talented than ND for the first time in years.

The only problem, as I saw it, was that the ND players did not think they could beat USC and they didn’t.

First half the offense played scared and NON physical. Defense was bad. Gradually got into the game and then pissed it all away.

The ND defense did not quit (charitable) they just flat-lined and were physically worn out in the 4th quarter–despite all that Longo crap.

USC had injuries also–so losing E. Johnson should not have led to a defensive collapse.

That’s it folks–we may never beat USC again–the stars were aligned but team didn’t show up.