So what? Confidence to anxiousness?
Ok. How about some James Taylor this time. Except I’ll change a few words.
"In my mind I’m forgetting Carolina”
We all should in some respects.
Objectively speaking, this wasn’t a game the Fighting Irish were expected to win. Before the season began, it was one of three games I thought they’d have a hard time. I figured they’d be a bit over confident. Perhaps they were. They certainly didn’t lack any in the game. They fought real hard in this game.
So what’s a Notre Dame football fan expected to do after such a disappointing loss? It is difficult to be objective. But, I think most are. Many of us here on this board made the same observations. And overall, ND really made two critical game errors.
Not protecting the ball was the first. Jimmy had a bad half. Two interceptions and one fumble all in the second half. The stats are unbelievable – 65% completion rate; 383 yrds passing; 12.3 yrds per completion; 2 TDs – the team had 27 first downs; 472 yrds of offense; 100% in the red zone (all TD’s); Brandon Walker hit a field goal. But the three turnovers with two resulting in NC touchdowns were all that mattered.
Running the ball was also a factor on both sides of ND’s play. They only ran for 83 yrs. But Armando Allen and James Aldridge average 5.5 yrds or better per carry. Perhaps Allen is banged up. He is resting in practice this week. Also, the turnovers may have forced the passing game – and likely did. But I would have like to have seen eight of the 48 pass plays as runs instead.
Defensively, NC didn’t really run all over even though it felt that way. They totaled 121 net yards. Not a bad surrender. But, their RB Draughn averaged 5.4 per carry. Their fullback Houston blew through the DL. Until his run, the ND defense looked good defending inside their own 20. Not in this game, however.
Still, with those two big issues, ND lost by five points. Most fans see it. The chipping away at the wall, piece by piece: pecking away at the pile bit by bit. This team gains a bit more each week than the week before. They gain in something that can’t be measured in yards, percents, or turnovers. They look to be learning the game. They show a desire to win. They show an expectation to win. It appears they are buying into whatever the coaches are explained to them.
Absent so far, though is the need to put away the opponent. We’ve seen too many drives where the opponent comes back and reduces the point difference. Last Saturday’s game a great example of it. ND was up 17 – 9 at halftime. They showed that the game was there’s to dictate. On the first play in the 3rd quarter, they were only up by 1. They came back and scored a TD, but turned it over again and NC gets another six. But the next two touchdowns belong to the Tar Heels. We saw similar problems against San Diego State, Purdue and Stanford. It just seems like the defense gives just a bit too much – 3rd and 15 should never result in a first down – when they should be seize the moment. Instead, those moments have seized them.
Granted, asking for perfection and out-right dominance in every part of the game is too much. Plus, NC and all of the opponents ND has beaten thus far have been good teams who should make things difficult for their opponents. So there is reasoning available when thinking this through. But the team needs to complete themselves. That hasn’t happened yet.
Bit by bit, it hopefully is coming together. So yes, maybe the team was just that… over-confident. I don’t think they expected the Tar Heels to move out of their way. But I bet they expected that things would go according to plan. When they didn’t, confidence gave way to anxiousness. Sometimes, instead of moving forward, you play to undo your errors. To capture what has been lost behind you instead of aggressively moving toward your destination like the way you started out.
We, the fans don’t need to remember this one. Good for the Tar Heels. Good luck along the way. But for the players, we wish that they forget the incidents, but remember the circumstances and conditions that lead to the problems that cost games. Don’t let what you see with your mind mask your line of sight. There is more to be learned than just the stats.
It is another line of growing pains. But, these lessons are higher on the chart, which could mean fewer but more important lessons are ahead.
Total Comments 2
Comments
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Great Blog! I am alright in putting the NC game out of my memory. The important thing for the rest of this year is to continue to show improvement and win the games we are supposed to.
Thanks SO!Posted 10-19-2008 at 09:24 AM by Amish Irish
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