This game was a heart breaker for any Notre Dame fan. This game was in Notre Dames hands and some how Denard Robinson and the Wolverines ended up taking right from the Irish finger tips. This is a tough lost for this Notre Dame football team. We had big expectations coming into this year for this talented squad, and 0-2 isn’t living up to those expectations. I don’t know what it is about Notre Dame in the recent years it just feels like they cant win the big games you know? The one big game ND has won against a team in the top 15 was against a questionable 14th ranked Utah, don’t get me wrong the Irish played great and I’m not taking that away from them, but they need to step up and get some quality wins against good teams. This Michigan game just has me questioning myself about this Notre Dame football program that’s supposedly on a rise.
Notre Dame came into this game looking like the team I had expected to come out in week 1. Getting ahead early 14-0, our team looked great. The defense made Michigan go three and out twice, then we had an interception on the fourth play of their next drive, then following that they had gone three and out. So our defense was shutting down Denard and our offense had been moving the ball, and even more in fact putting it in the endzone. Michigan gets on the board on a mishap in the secondary, but ND answers back. So by this time ND is up 24-7. The their was another blunder in the secondary and Michigan is in the redzone. Michigan has the ball 3rd and 1 on the 1 yard line, they run up the middle with the full back and ND stuffs him, but he ends up fumbling right into Denard’s hands and he then takes it in for the score. So no big deal ND is up 24-14 going with just under a quarter of play. ND gives Michigan the ball at their 40 and they take it in for the score making it 24-21. ND gets the ball drives all the way down the field to guess what? Fumble at their own 9 yard line, yes another turnover in the redzone. Michigan has another big passing play, only to lead to a what I thought to be a game saving interception by Robert Blanton. ND gets the ball back goes 3 and out. Sure enough Michigan scores a TD and leaves 1:12 on the clock. The next possession ND some how finds a way to score leaving only 30 seconds on the clock, ND fans are in relief all over the country. Michigan gets the ball at the 20 and second play finds a wide open, I mean WIDE OPEN Jeremy Gallon who brings it inside the ND 20. Then very next play TD Roy Roundtree Michigan wins. Now at this point I don’t know what to do, I don’t really believe what had just happen.
ND Offense
The offense looked good we moved the ball and rushed for nearly 200 yards. We did turn over the ball 4 times though, and even though we should have, you just dont win if you turn the ball over 4 times. The fumble killed us, it really did if we could have just put points on the board it kills all momentum UM has, but instead it gave them exactly what they needed. We have some serious playmakers on offense. Cierre Wood can run the football and looked great. Jonas Gray had a nice little scamper for 38 yards and ended up having a nice little game. TJ Jones and Theo Riddick both had big touch downs, not to mention Theo also Had a TD in the 1 quarter too. Tlyer Eifert had a big firstdown catch and is really a great TE. Michael Floyd is going to be missed, and im really glad Brian Kelly and Tommy Rees are taking full advanted of him. I dont think we’re going to see another one of him for a while unless, we some how land Dorial Green-Beckham. Tommy Rees struggled a little bit throwing 2 INTs and the one fumble really did hurt us. He did move the ball around and throw some very nice passes, he kept the offense moving and you cant really complain because he gave us a chance to win but we couldn’t take advantage of it.
ND Defense
Our defense came out looking great. We shut down D-Rob for 3 quarters and didn’t let him make to many plays with his feet. We did though let him tear our secondary apart. They safety play was very poor missed tackles and blown coverage. Gary Gray got picked apart and had his by far worst game of his very good career. He better get back on track quick, he needs to get his head turned around and find the ball when its up in the air like that. Now we know Michigan St. is going to try and pick on him, which might be a good thing if he can get his shit together before Saturday because we know he is a solid corner I don’t know what was going on last game. The defense needs to clean up some sloppy tackling and hopefully be ok for next week.
ND Special Teams
The punt coverage was not very good and Ben Turk really needs to step it up his punts are shitty flat out. John Goodman is awful back there returning punts. I don’t know what he is doing he basically calls a fair catch every time even when there is no one withing 15 yards of him, and then he doesn’t call a fair catch and loses 5 yards, what the hell are you doing? Why cant we get some one like Tommy Z? What did he have one fair catch his entire career? See he plays like a thug though, John Goodman is a poon in my book put someone else back there who isn’t afraid to make a play.
ND Overall
This game was a heart breaker, really it was all I could do was replay it in my head all night. The team needs to get rid of the turn over bug, give it to some one else. Brian Kelly’s big thing is BCS, if he wants to get there he better get ND’s ass into some serious shape, quick too because 15th ranked Michigan St. is only 5 days away and you know they will be looking to destroy the Irish on Saturday.
ND and Husker Blog 