“Pitiful, disgraceful and shameful!” “Ugly, ugly, ugly.” “What an embarrassing loss.” “Looks like BK is CW v.2.”
No, those are reader comments from last weekend, those are comments from the last Notre Dame football apocalypse, courtesy of Navy’s 35-17 win over the Irish last year in the Meadowlands.
Sure, the Irish were without Michael Floyd, Kyle Rudolph, Theo Riddick and had a hobbled Armando Allen playing in his final game in an Irish uniform, but the story of the afternoon was the defense’s lack of answers against Ricky Dobbs and the Navy offense. The Midshipmen rolled for 367 yards on the ground, hit big gainers on both of Dobbs’ passing attempts and stuffed the Irish at the one yard-line on the game’s first drive. After that, they forced two Dayne Crist interceptions, stifling the Irish offense until freshman Tommy Rees drove Notre Dame to a garbage time touchdown that nobody noticed.
In the grand scheme of things, the only redeeming part of that Saturday’s loss was Rees’ lone possession. That series, where Rees completed six of seven throws and marched the Irish right down the field, gave an unforeseen preview of things to come for the Irish.
Fast forward a little more than a year and the Irish are almost in the same place. Coming off a loss to USC that has the fanbase back in a tailspin, the Irish face a Navy team that finds itself in an inverted position — sitting at 2-5 after entering the game with five wins against two losses last year.
To get up to speed, Annapolis Capital Gazette writer Bill Wagner was kind enough to chat about this Saturday’s game. Bill has been hounded by multiple Irish media outlets, so I thoroughly enjoyed the 20 minutes he gave me. I asked the questions and he got me up to speed on this year’s Navy team.
For those of you still worried about USC, put down the axes and pay attention:
Inside the Irish: What’s been the biggest difference between the nine-win team Navy was last year, and the squad that’s currently sitting at a hard-luck 2-5?
Bill Wagner: They’re not making plays. Navy has been in tons of close games the last eight years they’ve been on this streak of winning seasons. They’ve won those close games and this year they’re not winning those close games. They’ve got four losses by a total of eight points, which is just unbelievable and three of those games a kick could’ve turned the tide.
A little bit of it is karma just turning the other way. The secondary issue is that the defense has been terrible and they’re just not stopping anybody, not getting off the field, and therefore not giving the offense a chance to do what it does, and that’s putting points on the board.
ITI: It looks like quarterback Kris Proctor is going to be out after dislocating his throwing elbow against East Carolina. What do we know about Trey Miller, Navy’s sophomore quarterback that’s taking over?
BW: I was just talking to his high school coach before you called, and what he said is he’s always been calm under pressure — very poised, very heady, never gets rattled. Obviously, none of the beat media here that covers Navy have seen much of Trey Miller until this past game, when he had to relieve Kris Proctor and played just over a half of football.
He was a little bit shaky at the beginning, but he settled down, got his sea legs under him if you will, and he led Navy on three straight touchdown drives to close the game, and it could’ve been four straight but what really should’ve been a touchdown pass was disallowed, but that’s a whole other story.
He threw some great passes, they got some play-action going and East Carolina bit hard. And he threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Turner and a 37-yard touchdown pass to Matt Aiken. Granted, both of them were wide open but he made some very good throws.
He’s a good passer and a good runner, he’s probably a little bit shiftier than Proctor, but obviously the downside is for Navy when you’re starting a sophomore quarterback who has limited experiences in the offense, is his ability to run the read triple option. That’s Navy’s bread and butter, where they read it from the get go and don’t know where the ball is going until they base it off what the defense does. Miller is not going to be as adept at that because of his experience level. I think you’ll see a lot more predetermined calls where offensive coordinator Ivan Jasper calls plays where he knows what going to happen as opposed to putting it into Miller’s hands.
ITI: This has been a topic of great debate for the past year. What did Navy do to dominate the Irish on the ground last year? Was it something way out of the ordinary? A year later, I still haven’t gotten a great explanation.
BW: If they had watched film over a long stretch of time, they would have seen what Navy did. Navy really just adjusted their blocking schemes. The offensive linemen widened out their splits and all they did was change their blocking scheme. They didn’t change anything about the offense, it’s not like they ran a different offense, the plays were the same, it was just that they blocked it different. And that’s part of what Navy does. They alter their blocking schemes here and there to throw opponents off.
We found it interesting after the game that Coach Kelly was talking about Navy running the veer. They weren’t running the veer, they never have run the veer, they’re not going to run the veer. It may have looked like the veer, because of the way the blocking splits occured, and they ended up getting a lot of holes off tackle, but it wasn’t the veer. It was merely the coaching scheme.
Not to be at all condescending at all to the Notre Dame coaching staff, but when you come out of a game thinking a team ran the veer when all they did was change their blocking schemes, it tells me you don’t really know the offense very well. I’m thinking that since then, they’ve gotten themselves up to speed. I do know they shut down Army. Army is not Navy, they have not run that offense anywhere near as well and have only been running the option for two years since Rich Ellerson showed up, but we’ll see how well they’ve figured out the option. It may not be as good of a test without Kris Proctor running the true triple option and Trey Miller starting.
ITI: Ken Niumatalolo is a fiery guy that has certainly gotten under the skin of Notre Dame fans the past few years. What do Navy fans think of Niumatalolo? Has their opinion changed during this trying season?
BW: Navy is having the same type of season that they always have. They’re always in close games — they have been for eight years. What they’ve been able to do for eight years is pull out the close games and this year suddenly everything has gone the other way. They’ve had some really tough officiating calls go against them, too. I don’t think anybody sees anything that’s happening this year as an indictment of Niumatalolo, if anything it’s more of an indictment of Buddy Green and the defense, as the defense has been the problem.
Navy has scored enough points to win games, their defense just hasn’t been able to stop anybody. Worst than not stopping people, they’re just not doing it in crunch time. You take a lead against East Carolina at one point 35-31 and all you need is one defensive stop and you win the game and they couldn’t get it. East Carolina drove right down the field and scored a touchdown.
Niumatalolo’s a very competitive, very fiery guy. but off the field he’s a very quiet, calm and cool. It’s like night and day between on the field and off the field, he’s done a great job and people recognize that. They realize at Navy it’s a very thin margin of error and right now they’re just not getting the breaks.
ITI: Is there some really stark difference between the Navy of last season that dusted the Irish and the team that’s a 20-point underdog?
BW: The only team that I’ve seen beat Navy like that in the last 5 or 6 years is Southern Mississippi this year. So it is possible, just based on the fact that Navy’s pass defense has been so bad this year and Notre Dame is quite capable in the passing game that they could get away from Navy. Do I think it’ll happen? No. Number one, Navy’s backs are against the wall and they are going to play like men possessed. They’ve got to get a win. SC was a 20 point favorite against Navy and I told everybody that would listen to put their money on Navy, they don’t ever lose to teams like this by 20 points. I don’t think it’ll happen. There’s the potential to have it happen there, yes. You’ve got one team that can open it up in the passing game and another team that’s really struggled to defend the pass. So there is the prospect. Do I think it’ll happen? No.
ITI: What’s the key to a Navy upset?
BW: They’ve got to possess the ball. The way their defense has been going this year they’ve got to keep them off the field. It’s gig to have to be ong touchdown drives and a couple turnovers from Notre Dame would obviously help. It’s a tall order, but again the big disappointment this year has been the defense. They’ve always played a bend but not break style defense, but this year it just hasn’t happened for them. They just aren’t doing it on defense. They look a little slower at a couple key spots. They’ve got some senior defneders that have been career special teams guys and I think what’s happened is that you’re seeing why they’ve been career special teams guys. It’s been magnified when playing those spread teams.
***
For more from Bill as we approach Saturday’s game, check out his work at the Navy Sports Blog.
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- somebadhatharry - Oct 26, 2011 at 9:24 PM
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I think this game will be won or lost by our offensive and defensive line. Nd needs to come out on offense and score on their first couple of drives to set the tone like they did against Air Force. Defense needs to play with a chip on their shoulder after the showing against USC. I think the defensive backs are going to have their hands full trying to help with the run and not get sucked in when Navy does decide to throw the football. I would be shocked if these guys don’t come out fired up with something to prove. Never thought I’d say that about a Notre Dame/Navy game….
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- danno27 - Oct 26, 2011 at 9:50 PM
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“Do I think it’ll happen? No.” At least he’s honest.
This game should be a good test of how far Kelly has come with the “process.” He’s all about the process. We hear about the process all the time, especially when he says things like he did when they asked him what their new goal was this season after losing to USC, and he says something like “we don’t pay attention to that, yada yada yada, carrot sticks and sound bytes…”
Having talked smack about it, I should say I think Kelly’s process has been working. Bad things happen sometimes, and as a fanbase we had it coming with the arrogant attitude we had before the game. I’m just saying – if they bounce back from USC and play well, that’s a good sign of how these kids take it when bad things happen. If they play like crap and turn the ball over a bunch (lord help us), it’s a bad sign of character, because it means that they’ve thrown the towel in like some of the people who post on certain websites about certain football teams.
This is especially true against a team that excels in execution – after their 24-21 victory over Navy this year, Marcus Lattimore said that in terms of execution, Navy was the best team South Carolina had played since Lattimore had started school. Should be a good game to watch for people who want to know which way the program is headed.
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- danno27 - Oct 26, 2011 at 9:59 PM
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Lattimore (after running for 246 yards against them) also said that he was glad that Navy wasn’t in the SEC. In other words, he’s glad he doesn’t have to play them every year. just saying.
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- irisheyesinsd - Oct 27, 2011 at 1:31 AM
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On a different note, does anyone have any predictions on future of Dane Crist? That fumble against SC I may have sealed the rest of his playing days at ND unless Rees gets injured or he relieves Rees in garbage time. My prediction is he is not asked back for a 5th year and pulls a Dan Wenger and transfers to Florida to play under Charlie Weis. Anyone else see that coming?
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- prophetjcb - Oct 27, 2011 at 8:17 AM
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What, so he can sit the bench in Florida for a year? I would doubt that UF would be interested in having him take reps from players they are trying to develop… Seems like a nice enough kid, but if he wants to transfer, I’d sign the papers myself. I would agree, the SC drive was his opportunity to redeem his career… and it became the final nail is the coffin that is his ND career. I certainly think he’s had his chances, last year and this year, to show he can lead then team; the answer is clear.
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- fredshaheen - Oct 27, 2011 at 8:14 AM
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Another off subject comment but a story posted on the Chicago Trib caught my eye. Any ideas what this is all about?
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- nudeman - Oct 27, 2011 at 10:45 AM
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fred
I saw this story and wondered also.In my opinion, Nate Montana was clearly a D-II QB and if his name was “Smith”, never would have been at ND in the first place. If you think I’m wrong, look at his stats in HS, at the college he went to for the year he took a time out from ND, and now at U of Montana. They’re poor.
Too bad. I loved seeing Joe reconnect with ND the last few years. But he has no legitimate gripe here re: Kelly not offering him a scholarship. He just wasn’t very good.
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- fitz79 - Oct 27, 2011 at 1:53 PM
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I think Montana’s gone off his rocker. What did anyone do to his son other than give him the amount of playtime he warranted? Nate hit one big completion last year against Michigan that was basically luck on an underthrown ball. Nate’s year off from ND he was playing community college ball and his numbers still sucked. Sorry Joe I love ya but don’t see where you’re comin from throwing ND under the bus on this one.
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- 9irish - Oct 27, 2011 at 3:36 PM
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That is sad and surprising….afterall, if he were even close to being the number one QB do you not think that ND wouldn’t have been chomping on the bit to play him? Say it ain’t so, Joe
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- notredamegrad - Oct 27, 2011 at 9:22 AM
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Can you imagine the nightmare if our offense was going into this game with no Michael Floyd, no Tyler Eifert (~ Rudolph), no Theo Riddick, no Jonas Gray (~ Hughes), and an injured Cierre Wood (~ Allen)? Good grief. Not the hobbled offense you want against an option team when you need to put a lot of points on the board. Thank goodness our injuries are few so far this year.
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- jw731 - Oct 27, 2011 at 9:53 AM
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Notre Dame is Navy’s bitch…….What’s that say about the elite program from south bend?….So, wait if ND wins, will we hear…..The insane “we are a BCS team” diatribes yet again?………
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- dmacirish - Oct 27, 2011 at 11:16 AM
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so i am guessing you aren’t rooting for notre dame? glad you could find time in your schedule to post on this board, with such an intelligent comment and all. i don’t think anyone could make the case that notre dame is a bcs team given the three losses – soon yes today no. kind of happy in a way that we aren’t going to go play the lsu’s of the world right now – we lose and it is an embarassment with the haters yelling about why we were even there or if we win it would most likely be a fluke in everyone’s eyes.
as far as navy’s bitch – kind of a bold statement. i mean a 44-3 record versus navy over the last couple of decades kind of says otherwise. to those outside the relationship they would point to the recent 1-3 record that notre dame has had and say something ignorant like “notre dame is navy’s bitch”. point taken. they have beaten us the last few years but the part that i like is the part that only the i-pick-things-up-and-put-them-down doofuses of the world don’t see. these teams play good games, neither one would be disrespectful of the other in a win or a loss (even when they win 43 years in a row). notre dame has always realized that navy is tough to play (heads up OSU and SC) and they play for the victory each time they take the field. furthermore, these guys at navy aren’t playing for the future nfl as much as they are playing while preparing to protect us. we are typing on the computers while they are dodging bullets. go irish – respect navy.
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- fitz79 - Oct 27, 2011 at 1:10 PM
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dmac, I think you’re right that we need to maintain due respect for Navy, especially off of the football field for all that they do. But on the gridiron I think we need to get back to that mentality of dominating Navy year in and year out. I mean, how much does Navy (the football team) respect ND when they throw some of the nastiest chop blocks you’ll ever see. I remember one in particular, a personal foul against Armando Allan a few years ago after the whistle had already blown and he wasn’t even near the line of scrimmage. The guy just dived into the back of his legs and injured him. To me, there was nothing more demeaning than in 2007 and 2009 after those tough losses to Navy when Weis made the ND players go and stand arm in arm with Navy as their fight song played. Here’s to beginning another 40+ winning streak against Navy this Saturday. Go irish, sink Navy!
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- dmacirish - Oct 27, 2011 at 3:00 PM
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i am glad to hear the support for them off the field because that is what makes a man, not just what he does on a saturday or sunday. i understand your point of chop blocks being an issue and there is a difference between playing the game hard and playing the game illegally. chop blocks tend to walk that fine line but they are within the rules. i also remember the personal foul against armando allen but i am not sure that one moment explains a long time relationship. to your point of 2007 and 2009, there was nothing that made me more proud to be a nd fan then when i watched the team stand arm in arm with navy as their fight song played. we wish for a win every week, we wish to dominate every week, this is why we play the game. if navy comes to play ball then so should we, i dont think we ever lost the mentality of dominating the series – it could just be that we cant anymore due to our lack of & their gain of talent. please dont take my thoughts as thinking we should go easy on them because they are part of the armed forces – i hope nd beats everyone they play on the field even if it is the high schools that some colleges start their season playing (who did alabama play? was it mrs. lucy’s school house of people that cant play football?). this hope to win includes beating navy so long as they want to field a team. it just upsets me a bit to see commentators or fans saying “Navy? Really? They have sucked for so long and suck now.” when in reality they might not be so bad. give the men playing some respect and realize that when the game is over we all owe more then a cup of coffee to them.
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- 9irish - Oct 27, 2011 at 3:50 PM
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I won’t even dignify jw731 with a reply….tired of some of the trash that pops up on here sometimes.
I am directly linked to both Notre Dame and the Naval Academy. They are linked forever for the Navy/Marine Corps basically saving ND from financial ruin during WWII. ND has contributed greatly to recruiting for Navy by their refusal to stop playing them, in return. Navy is no slouch, especially over the last 10 years.
Anyone who mouths off about the Navy/Notre Dame series can kiss my a**!
Go Irish
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- NDfan1224 - Oct 27, 2011 at 11:23 PM
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- acerman - Oct 28, 2011 at 2:41 AM
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hello keith….promise me that bob diaco reads your article about the veer offence…..maybe navy wont get 400 yards on the ground this year……..GO IRISH….
