Following Saturday's 38-34 let down against Michigan, Notre Dame fans are no doubt about to stir up a storm in hopes of sinking the ship of Charlie Weis as Notre Dame's head football coach. There is a lot of fuel for the fire to be extracted from the Irish performance. So here are the top five plays that haunted me last night:
5. WIDE LEFT
I understand the kid is a freshman, but the Irish needed to get points out of that first drive. Had the Irish got some points on the board following that drive, it would have no doubted changed the course of the game. The mentality of the Irish team would have been different. In a big game, on the road, driving the ball dominantly 80 yards for a touchdown would have crushed the young Wolverines. It was a missed opportunity that the Irish paid for later.
4. QUARTERBACK DRAW
laksjdflsakjdf;lqknlkajds!!!!! What the hell! Jimmy Clausen is by no way a threat with his feet. All you offensive gurus can tell me it was a good call because the defense wasn't expecting it, but I still won't believe you. You drive the ball 60 to 70 yards with dominating plays, why switch it up, especially on 3rd down. Stick with something you know will work!!!!
3. PUT IT ON THE TURF
The Jonas Gray fumble might be the biggest mistake of the game. I understand he's listed at #2, but why is he in the game. Who cares that he's from Michigan and its a rivalry for him. He choked. In a big game, I want people with big game experience. Give me Robert Hughes. Enough said.
2. PENALTIES
Let me start off by saying Big Ten referees are the worst. They suck. Their publicized attack on holding calls this season got entirely out of hand. To be fair, the calls went both ways. And maybe it wasn't the refs fault at all. But seriously, holding calls on a screen pass!!!!!!!! Are you kidding me?!!?!? Penalties negated Irish progress all night long. The one that sticks out to me was the pass and catch to Kyle Rudolph for roughly a 45 yard gain, negated by a Sam Young holding that wasn't actually a holding at all! But the players must adjust the refs, and the Irish were sloppy all night long.
1. LET IT FLY
The play that will be talked about most will be the 2nd and 10 play in which Clausen threw a fly route to Tate which he dropped (stop complaining and catch the ball son!!) and stopped the clock at the end of the game. Now I actually don't mind the call, but save it for 3rd down. If you run the ball one more down, you make Michigan burn their second time out. Now not mentioned at the time was the fact that Armando Allen left the game a play earlier with a sprained ankle. Weis has since defended this play saying he was only "trying to win the game." Do realize that all you haters would have praised Weis for that call had Tate caught the ball. Just a thought.
This all being said, I could easily highlight my top five plays as well. But because we lost, people are going to focus on the negatives. I just hope people realize the game for what it was: a tough, competitive battle. I know we should have won the game, but the Irish are actually competitive again and for that I'm optimistic. The season is not lost, so save that fire Weis crap until the end of the season. Look for the Irish to rebound to calm the uprising by winning out. (and get revenge against Michigan in a BCS bowl)
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Armando Allen Jr.
Allen had a career performance; 21 carries for 139 yards and a TD, and 2 receptions for 24 yards with a TD questionably negated by official review. My only question: Where was Allen in the 3rd quarter?
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Kyle McCarthy
The interception by McCarthy could not have come at a better time. The Irish needed the defense to step up and force a turnover to get back in the game. The Irish turned McCarthy's pick into the go ahead score. This will ultimately be overlooked as the Irish D failed to stop Michigan in the closing minutes.
-DH
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