10-17-2022, 01:44 AM
Great write-up, Matt.
As usual, I did not get to see the game live, as it started around 1:30 AM CET. Bama-Tennessee was just winding up, and I just managed to see the conclusion of that juggernaut (what a game!).
The Stanford-ND game (in replay) was naturally a much more tepid affair. Credit to the Stanford defense for making Notre Dame ineffective on offense, even though the stats from earlier games indicate that they can move the ball, at least sometimes. That said, the Irish are on their second QB this season (after benching Tyler Buchner in the wake of the Marshall loss); and Pyne may be a more effective passer than Buchner, but he looked very immobile and very indecisive. Notre Dame fans over on SB Nation (One Foot Down) were bemoaning their QB situation and took several shots at their OC, Tommy Rees, for his lack of creativity and inventiveness (sound familiar?). Interestingly, there were no calls for Freeman to be fired; but a few blamed Kelly for leaving the offense in such bad shape, particularly at the WR position.
As for Stanford's offense, it was again pitiful. If anybody had told me we would score 16 points and beat Notre Dame, I never would have believed it. The slow-mesh was so painfully slow: on a few plays, it appeared as if McKee and Filkins had bumped into each other in the backfield and couldn't decide what to do with the ball. Just excruciating to watch; and the commentators couldn't help but highlight this clumsy-looking ballet in the backfield. "Slow mesh, yeah, guess that's the new thing". In 60 minutes, we got into the endzone once -- and that was on our opening drive. If Karty had been any less reliable, we would be sitting at 1-5. He accounted for 10 of those 16 points.
But yes, let's celebrate the W. Bringing the Legend's Trophy home is always good; and in five years, nobody will ask us how we did it, or whether we were lucky or not. It's a Stanford victory over Notre Dame, and that is a fine thing.
In addition, if the defense has really improved, then we definitely have a shot at getting to the 4 or 5 (maybe even 6) win range. Not good, not acceptable, but not humiliating. Much still needs to change, particularly on offense. And we shouldn't let one unexpected win against a very mediocre Notre Dame squad lead us to believe all is right with the program. Does Shaw have what it takes to engineer the turnaround? Recent history says no, and he has yet to convince me.
As usual, I did not get to see the game live, as it started around 1:30 AM CET. Bama-Tennessee was just winding up, and I just managed to see the conclusion of that juggernaut (what a game!).
The Stanford-ND game (in replay) was naturally a much more tepid affair. Credit to the Stanford defense for making Notre Dame ineffective on offense, even though the stats from earlier games indicate that they can move the ball, at least sometimes. That said, the Irish are on their second QB this season (after benching Tyler Buchner in the wake of the Marshall loss); and Pyne may be a more effective passer than Buchner, but he looked very immobile and very indecisive. Notre Dame fans over on SB Nation (One Foot Down) were bemoaning their QB situation and took several shots at their OC, Tommy Rees, for his lack of creativity and inventiveness (sound familiar?). Interestingly, there were no calls for Freeman to be fired; but a few blamed Kelly for leaving the offense in such bad shape, particularly at the WR position.
As for Stanford's offense, it was again pitiful. If anybody had told me we would score 16 points and beat Notre Dame, I never would have believed it. The slow-mesh was so painfully slow: on a few plays, it appeared as if McKee and Filkins had bumped into each other in the backfield and couldn't decide what to do with the ball. Just excruciating to watch; and the commentators couldn't help but highlight this clumsy-looking ballet in the backfield. "Slow mesh, yeah, guess that's the new thing". In 60 minutes, we got into the endzone once -- and that was on our opening drive. If Karty had been any less reliable, we would be sitting at 1-5. He accounted for 10 of those 16 points.
But yes, let's celebrate the W. Bringing the Legend's Trophy home is always good; and in five years, nobody will ask us how we did it, or whether we were lucky or not. It's a Stanford victory over Notre Dame, and that is a fine thing.
In addition, if the defense has really improved, then we definitely have a shot at getting to the 4 or 5 (maybe even 6) win range. Not good, not acceptable, but not humiliating. Much still needs to change, particularly on offense. And we shouldn't let one unexpected win against a very mediocre Notre Dame squad lead us to believe all is right with the program. Does Shaw have what it takes to engineer the turnaround? Recent history says no, and he has yet to convince me.