Bleacher Report - Articles by Nate Summers

Good Win Navy, Bad Loss Notre Dame

Nate Summers — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:38:50 -0500

As a long time ND fan I have to say that was one of the toughest and most frustrating games to watch. Triple Option football is not a hard concept to defend. It's one of the oldest offenses in college football. It capitalizes on inconsistent and sloppy play on the defense.

I want to make sure everyone understands this first and foremost, Navy played a great football game and capitalized on every chance ND gave them. They played disciplined assignment football and their defense bent but never broke. Since I played defense throughout my football playing days I tend to focus more on that side of the ball.

What I saw against Navy had to be some of the worst three technique and middle linebacker play in a long time against an option team.

To disrupt a option team you need one thing and that is penetration from your three techniques to get at least one yard deep in the offensive backfield. This takes the pullers, and the QBs off their track causing them to bubble out and gives the defense more time to rally to the football and GANG TACKLE (I will address that shortly).

It's no secret the Navy offensive line is going to chop, chop, and chop some more. With that in mind you have to your hands up and center of gravity underneath you to defeat the chop block. By waiting for the chop block you play right into what Navy wants you to do not take them off their timing or their lanes for the QB and any pullers coming down the line.

When you wait a catch everything the offense is now attacking you on your side of the ball. The three techniques from ND did not consistently get this done play in and play out.

A middle linebacker is the QB of the defense and for ND they need one. Manti Teo is young and will be an effective linebacker for the Irish for years to come. But I want to focus on the player who played in the middle this game and his name is Brian Smith. The middle linebacker has the fullback to QB to Pitch.

I saw Brian overrun the fullback several times and this lapse in assignment cost the ND defense huge chunks of yardage. Brian is a great motivator but as a pure player I have to question his ability or attention to detail. In addition to the missed assignments there were several instances of poor tackling.

I was amazed at how many times the Irish defense had the Navy Midshipmen stopped at the line of scrimmage and could not seem to bring them down. However for Navy they seemed to be able to bring down the Irish ball carriers through GANG TACKLING. Where was the swarming defense from the Wazzou game? I will tell you they were lying on the ground because they were not athletic enough to defeat the chop block.

So now begins the talk of firing Coach Weis. I just want to make sure that Coach Weis doesn't shoulder the burden for all the blame. I know he should have run the ball more early on to establish a tempo and wear down the Navy defense, but I want to make sure the ND fans understand that the players really let ND nation down.

There isn't a single athlete on Navy's team that compares athletically to ND's team. But Navy has two things ND didn't on this saturday and that is discipline and sound assignment football. Robby Paris fumbles the ball, Jimmy Clausen fumbles the ball, ND offensive line cannot punch it in with first and goal at the five, two missed field goals, and a defense that couldn't make a play to save their life.

I know this loss probably spelled the doom for Charlie Weis but maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel. If, and I say a big if, Coach Weis can lead his team to a 9-3 record and go to either the Gator or Cotton Bowl and come out with a victory then he will have saved his job. If he drops another one in the next month I will almost bet that ND will shopping for his replacement.

So I am going to out on limb and say, don't fire Coach Weis. I know that sounds crazy after what just happened but let's take a moment to remove emotion from the equation. Coach Weis can recruit, and he has proved that over his tenure here at ND.

Second, he is willing to make changes on his staff so the football team can excel. He did it last year with the offense and they have produced (minus the Navy game) in a big way this year. The next step in this process is to keep recruiting and developing the other side of the ball (defense).

They need to land some better athletes on that side of the ball and continue to get faster. I would not be against a coaching change for the linebackers or relegate Tenuta to just the DC role. I know Weis' record against top 25 opponents stinks and he hasn't won the major BCS bowl, but if we are looking to establish a new tradition do we really think wide sweeping changes are in order or just continue to make the tweaks here and there?

Optimism Abound For The Fighting Irish

Nate Summers — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 09:32:22 -0400

With the first game of the college football season there are always alot of unanswered questions.

For the Irish there were several.

Granted they did open up with the Nevada Wolfpack, but let's not count out the WAC as a completely inept conference a la Boise St against Oregon. I won't be as presumptuous and say that the Irish are going to win the National Title this year (thanks Lou). But I am encouraged to see the Irish have turned the corner in one aspect, and that is putting away teams they should put away.

The Irish had a problem finishing games and opponents. Nevada had a dangerous offense but not much of a defense to speak of. So to see the Irish hold them to a shut out was definitely a positive aspect to this game.

The offensive line showed emotion and passion in the trenches. The tackles had their hands full with Nevada's speed rushers from the outside but Coach Weis took advantage of that speed and dialed up some screens and draw plays to effectively negate the solid pass rush from the Wolfpack. Sam Young had a solid performance as well as Paul Duncan.

I saw an attitude from the Irish offensive line I haven't seen in a while. I think the hiring of Coach Verducci is going to pay off in big ways this season and into next year.

Jimmy Clausen, Michael Floyd, and Armando Allen all looked to be stronger and faster than last year. Jimmy made good decisions and looked great throwing the deep ball. I would like to see Jimmy get the offense in a faster rhythm or tempo. At times they seem to be just taking their time and being almost to methodical in their approach.

I think with the weapons and experience on this team and uptempo offense would be a nice change of pace to keep the opponents on their heels. Michael Floyd showed the break away and homerun speed the Irish have been craving for years. I have to also give props to Golden Tate who threw two great blocks on the quick pass to Floyd that went for 70+ yards and a touch.

Armando Allen's big goal this year was to not go down on first contact. Well I can say from watching the game that Allen did just that. He looked tougher to bring down and kept his legs churning the whole time. I think Jonas Gray is going to be a special player as a change of pace back for the Irish.

But I have to say the X Factor to the Irish offense this year is going to be Kyle Rudolph. The 6-6 260 pound TE from Ohio looked like an upper class man yesterday. He is going to be a match up problem for every team because of his size and ability to run the middle of the field. Linebackers are going to be to slow to cover him at times and DB's are going to be to small to bring him down with just one man. The only exception to this rule would be Taylor Mays from USC.

The defense had me worried for a little bit because I thought they looked to aggressive at times and missed some tackles when they should have had some of the Wolfpack players dead to rites. Colin Kaepernick did a good job of getting out of the pocket and scrambling against the Irish. Against the Wolverines, the Irish are going to have to stay disciplined and wrap up.

I was impressed that the defense got better and continued to pour on the pressure as the game went on. I did like the fact they looked in better condition physically than last year. I still have concerns on the Irish defensive line on whether or not they are going to be able to apply enough pressure without the blitz.

One thing to keep your eye on is how the Irish handle the inside zone play from the Wolverines next week. I think the Irish have some work ahead of them on plugging up the middle of that defensive line. I liked the hustle but there is some room for improvement.

Overall the Irish had a great day. The offense was clicking on all cylinders and the defense played with excitement and passion. This is a victory the Irish were expected to have and they pulled through.

The Irish need to keep things in perspective and push back any talk of National Championships and focus solely on their next opponent. I like what I see so far. Leadership, Passion, and most importantly the Irish looked like they were having fun.

Notre Dame Must Stand Up and Fight!

Nate Summers — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:00:46 -0500

There has been much talk about how much the program at ND has declined over the last two years. I have been pretty amazed at how fast the Irish started this season and how fast it came to a screeching halt after the drubbing they took at the hands of the Trojans.

With all of that said, it is time for the young players and coaches to stand up and fight. Football is about passion, intensity, and hard work. Nothing in life is easy or will just be handed to you. You have to stand up and fight for it.

The Irish this year have fought hard in the first half of every game. But they must drink some bad Gatorade or start studying for exams at halftime, because they do not come out geared up to put people away in the second half.

I want to see an Irish team fight and fight for four quarters. Weis said a few years ago that he was going to bring a level of nastiness to the players. The only nastiness I have seen is how they play the second half of football games. To truly take the next step, this game has to be played with such ferocity and passion it's as if they are playing for a National Championship.

Take a look at the top tier teams, and I will show you teams that come to practice with a blue-collar approach to the game. They are there to have fun, but make no bones about it, they are there to outwork their opponent and pound them into the ground, a la Oklahoma and Florida this year.

I have talked about leadership on this team, coaches, and players. But it just boils down to one thing—go out and kick someone's butt. I will always be a die-hard Irish fan 'til the day I pass away, but it kills me every Saturday to watch a group of young men just roll over and believe something bad is going to happen.

Being competitive at ND is not enough, but going out there and pounding your opponent into the ground is. Even the great teams of the past didn't win every game, but ask their opponents if they would like to face them again, and you will probably get a resounding NO.

ND isn't about the championships, Heisman trophies, or even the All-Americans. It's about guys who showed up every Saturday and stood up and fought—guys who came from blue-collar backgrounds and understood the responsibility they had to themselves, their families, and to the University.

When this team can show me they are willing to stand up and fight like the players before them, then I will be satisfied. Win or lose, stand and fight 'til the end.

Charlie Weis Needs to Drop Ego for Notre Dame to Be Competitive

Nate Summers — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:28:13 -0500

It has been a while since I have written, and for good reason. I don't think my keyboard could have handled the negative emotions or the physical pounding of my fist as I watched the Irish get handled by the Trojans. My hats off to the Trojans—they kicked our butts from start to finish.

I sat back and watched the SEC title game, wondering when the Irish will be able to play as strong as Florida and Alabama. Of course, I am still calculating this due to the large number of mathematical equations involved to figure out such a complex problem.

Since the increase in academic standards for the Irish, I have no doubt that in a Math Bowl the Irish football players would be the number one ranked team in the BCS. Those pesky Commodores from Vandy might give us a run for our money, but the mystique of Notre Dame would prevail.

When will Notre Dame be competitive? I have read quite a bit from Irish fans and commentators over the last few weeks about Coach Weis's future with the Irish. I think anyone who knows football would have seen that Weis would have been retained for at least one more year.

Weis has recruited his way into another year with the Irish. If he can land either Jenkins or Te'o or both in this year's class, he will almost certainly keep the naysayers at bay for at least one more year.

Tenuta and Brown are probably chomping at the bit to get these two kids in the program. Those linebackers could be the difference between blitzing and swarming. I have watched both of these players play, and I can tell you this: They are explosive and quick. They have a couple of good prospects at D-line, as long as they can hold onto them.

I think the most important thing to come out of this season for Coach Weis was a big piece of humble pie. Every coach likes to think of themselves as a subject matter expert when it comes to the game of football. Some coaches, Weis, like to think of themselves as even better than that. But I think the last two years have caused Weis to sit back and finally eat some good ol' fashioned humble pie.

If he can get over himself and all his Super Bowl glory and take a long hard look at his staff and the program as a whole, then he will make the necessary changes needed to bring the tradition and power back to the Irish.

I think for the first time in a long time, Weis finally understood that his way might not be the only way. Successful leaders, no matter what their discipline is, have always had the ability to adjust and make the tough decisions when it comes to being successful. That is why leadership doesn't come to just anyone.

So what changes need to be made? Well, let's look at the coaching staff. I don't know where the O-line coach went wrong, but those big boys are not producing. You gotta make a change, Coach.

Sorry Ron, but you have to go too. The development of Jimmy Clausen would best be served by someone who is more skilled in fundamentals and technique. Besides, Jimmy looks like a robot out there. He has to loosen up.

Strength and conditioning. Probably the cornerstone of any major program is the strength and conditioning. The Irish looked weak in the trenches and out of gas in the fourth quarter. I don't know what the players are doing over the summer, but they should consider running with those books instead of just sitting at the table studying.

I know I focused on the offensive side of the ball, but for three games that was the difference maker. With a solid running game the Irish would be 9-3.

Next year's schedule won't be a pushover based on this year's performance. Like any other die-hard Irish fan, I have faith that Coach Weis and his staff will not only recruit another good class, but also really focus their spring and summer program to strength, conditioning, and fundamentals (blocking and tackling).

Master those and you are looking at a 9-3 or 10-2 season. Don't, and you will be looking at Brian Kelly, Urban Meyer, or Turner Gill coming to Notre Dame to take your place.

Race for the Heisman: Who Deserves It?

Nate Summers — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:20:31 -0500

Name	Position	School	Year	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total
Graham Harrell	QB	Texas Tech	Sr.	12	2	0	0	1	69
Colt McCoy	QB	Texas	Jr.	0	11	3	1	0	55
Sam Bradford	QB	Oklahoma	So.	2	1	7	3	2	43
Tim Tebow	QB	Florida	Jr.	0	0	5	6	2	29
Michael Crabtree	WR	Texas Tech	So.	1	1	0	4	5	22
Javon Ringer	RB	Michigan State	Sr.	0	0	0	1	0	2
Jacquizz Rodgers	RB	Oregon State	Fr.	0	0	0	0	2	2
Jeremy Maclin	WR	Missouri	So.	0	0	0	0	2	2

The above table represents the current standings according to ESPN the Heisman Trophy race. Despite the table above what is it about these players that makes them worthy of the most coveted individual award in college football.

1. Graham Harrell: His current stats read like a video game. 4000+ yards passing and 35+ TDs. His QB rating is 169.18. This kid flat out knows how to throw the football. Watching Harrell over the course of the season you see a QB who is supremely confident in the system he is running.

He has a quick release but more importantly makes quality decisions with the football. His team is never out of a game ie Texas, and with WR's like Crabtree and the elf he is just one pass away from putting six on the board. There is one aspect that could hurt Harrell's chances of winning and that would be his favorite target Crabtree.

Harrell is valuable but probably not as valuable as Crabtree for the Raiders (look at the Texas game). If Harrell wins against OU and the Big XII championship he will leave little doubt about being the next Heisman Trophy winner. (the best passing QB in the country)

2. Colt McCoy: His current stats are also very impressive. 3000+ yards and 30 TDs. His QB rating is 177. Colt is by far the toughest QB in my opinion on the balloting for this year. He has had to be in the Vince Young shadow since his first start with the Longhorns.

I think Texas fans can finally allow Colt to start casting his own shadow. Colt has a tough road ahead of him and he needs some help from OU (hard to believe that). If OU beats the Raiders Colt and the Longhorns will more than likely make it to the Big XII title game. This will only help Colts chances to win the Heisman.

Colt is by far and away his teams most valuable player. The Heisman is awarded to college footballs most valuable player. One other thing to consider about Colt, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year due to all the young, and first time starters (toughest QB in the country).

3. Sam Bradford: His current stats are better than Colt's but not close to Harrells. 3400+ yards passing 38 TDs. His QB rating is 188. Bradford has to beat the Raiders and hope that win will vault them over the Longhorns in the BCS to land them in the Big XII Title game. Without a win this Saturday against the Raiders Sam has no chance at winning the Heisman.

Unlike Colt in the number two spot Sam has a much better team around him. Bradford has some great touch when he throws a football and he has some talented wideouts to spread a defense out and light them up. I still like Harrell and Colt to win it over Sam regardless (most steady and consistent QB in the country).

4. Tim Tebow: His current stats are not what they were last year but he is on the hottest team in college football. He has 1900+ yards passing, 390+ yards rushing and 19 passing TD's and 11 rushing TDs. Tebow is definitely a dark horse in the stats column compared to the three guys ahead of him.

But like I said earlier no team in college football is more on fire than the Gators. They have ripped opponents apart and their defense has been stifling. Let's be honest I just don't think Tebow has the hype this year like he did last year. Most of the media attention is about the whole offense of Florida not just Tebow.

So in my opinion he might finish third or fourth in the Heisman voting depending on whether or not Harrell, McCoy, or Bradford tank in the last couple of games (most athletic QB in the country).

5. Michael Crabtree: 78 receptions, 1000+ yds receiving, and 18 TDs. He will be a top three pick next year if he decides to leave for the NFL but he will not win the Heisman Trophy this year because it will probably go to his teammate Harrell. Crabtree is a beast, big, fast, and doesn't drop a pass (except OSU last year).

I think he will get serious consideration next year when Harrell leaves and Talyor Potts takes over at QB for the Raiders. There is an outside chance for Crabtree to really impress the voters if he smokes OU this Saturday to the tune of 12 grabs 200+ yds and three TDs.

But for right now you cannot say he is the most valuable player on the Red Raiders. Sorry Mike (the best WR in the country no question about it).

6. Javon Ringer: 1500+ yds rushing and 20 TDs. Javon on a different team with a QB that could consistently throw the football efficiently and he would be a serious contender for the Heisman. But unfortunately for him he plays in a weak conference this year and his QB has been okay at best.

But Javon has proven to be the most valuable member of his team and if he can send the Nittany Lions packing this weekend. However unlikely that scenario is there is no chance Javon wins the Heisman this year. Besides Javon has a bright future as a first round pick in next years draft (best all around back in college football this year).

7. Jaquizz Rodgers: 1200 yds and 11 TDs as a freshman. Not bad for a true freshman. But let's face it Rodgers might have a chance in two years if the Beavers can beat USC consistently and the PAC 10 can become competitive. Good back, very elusive and a quick burst. He is surprisingly durable considering his size (best of the underclassman backs in the country).

8. Jeremy Maclin: 70+ receptions, 1000+ yds receiving, 13 total TDs. Maclin is by far the most electrifying player on the list. He can kill you running, catching and returning the football. He has world class speed and is your big play threat anytime he is on the field.

Unfortunately for Jeremy and his Tigers they failed to show up in the big games. Jeremy would be more highly touted for the Heisman if the Tigers could have pulled out victories against OSU and the Longhorns. Maclin and Crabtree would probably be in my top four next year (best multi purpose threat in the country).

I will be perfectly honest with everyone if you are not a QB and not in the BIG XII you are not going to win the Heisman this year. Regardless how the Gators play it is a three horse race between Harrell, McCoy, and Bradford. I am not much of a QB guy myself when it comes to the Heisman but you have to give these guys some props.

Each of these QB's have played big time in all the big time games. Some of them have not come out on top but their stats and poise in those games were still solid. Now my long shot prediction is Michael Crabtree. My realistic prediction is this, Raiders win against OU Harrell is your Heisman Trophy winner. Raiders lose then it comes down to who the voters like more Bradford or McCoy.

Notre Dame Needs Killer Instinct to Return to the Big Time

Nate Summers — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:12:14 -0500

I apologize to all the Notre Dame faithful for missing most of the game last Saturday against Navy, but my son was finishing up his last T-Ball game for the Mets. My son finished the season 8-2 with a seven-game winning streak.

Why is this significant? Good question, but the only correlation to the Irish and my son's T Ball team I can come up with is they are both young.

My son's T-Ball team is comprised of five, six, and seven-year-olds. The coach for my son's team is a good guy who stresses the fundamentals of the game, such as throwing, hitting, catching, and most important, hustle. It is not imperative the kids win in T-Ball, but more so how they play the game. If they do win, then it is just icing on the cake.

What I noticed from the beginning of the season towards the end was that winning became important to the kids. You could see it on their faces as they swung the bat as hard as they could in an effort to try to drive in more runs for the team. Then suddenly it hit me: These kids were developing a killer instinct.

A killer instinct is something that people are either born with or develop over time based on their experiences. I am not an expert, but that is just my best guess. The reason I bring up my son's team in comparison to the Irish is because I think the principles are the same. The fundamentals of football are blocking, tackling, and hustle.

Just like my son's team, the Irish are comprised of young players, Freshmen and Sophomores (comprising the bulk of the starters). Unlike my son's team, I haven't seen that killer instinct come from the Irish so far this season.

In today's college football, it is not good enough to just win—you have to really lay the wood on an opponent to impress the voters. Most of the time I do not agree with this philosophy, but in the case of Navy and any other service academy, I would tend to agree.

Give Navy some credit: They have been the most talented service academy in recent years that has maintained a level of consistency. But this is Notre Dame, and when you outweigh an opponent by 50 lbs. to a man, you should have your way with them.

The Irish did dominate Navy for most of the game. But when the Irish had them down, they needed to put them down for good.

If the Irish are going to make strides for next year, they need to take this next game against the 'Cuse very seriously. They need to come out and dominate them from start to finish. They need to put together a complete game.

I want to see the offense do three things this Saturday.

1. Run the football with some toughness

2. Throw the football around efficiently (NO TURNOVERS)

3. DOMINATE aka Killer Instinct

The three things I want to see from the Irish Defense:

1. Stop the run cold

2. Pressure the QB relentlessly

3. DOMINATE aka Killer Instinct

The three things I want to see from the Special Teams:

1. HANDS TEAM

2. Average starting field position for the Irish 35-yard line/Average starting position for the 'Cuse 15-yard line.

3. DOMINATE aka Killer Instinct

You can see the recurring theme. I want to see an Irish team start taking strides towards becoming a big-time program. It is time for the big-time recruits to step into the spotlight and dominate. It starts with the coach and his passion for the game and the players' unrelenting will to not allow an opponent to come back.

This is football, not a touchy feely, let's not hurt their feelings by running up the score on them game. They have 11 players just like the Irish, and don't think for one second any other program in the country wouldn't love to hang 50 on the Irish in South Bend, or anywhere else for that matter.

It's time to put up or shut up, Notre Dame.

Notre Dame Needs Leadership

Nate Summers — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:28:57 -0500

The BC game was a big eye opener for me.

I saw a BC defense come out and punish the Irish up front. I saw an offensive line have the line of scrimmage established on their side of the ball instead of BC's. I saw a QB throw some errant passes when he should have tucked and ran it. I saw Brian Smith fire up his team before the game and then disappear after the kickoff.

Some say Coach Weis is a disciplinarian and too hard on the Irish. I say the Irish need to man up and grow up. You don't go to Notre Dame to be average. You go there to win National Titles, and if you are not of that mindset when you arrive on campus, then you need to play for another team.

Alabama is a good example of a young team responding to a very disciplined environment with Coach Saban.

I think Coach Weis needs to be more flexible on offense and cut it loose. Let these horses you have recruited over the last two years stretch their legs and have some fun.

In the same breath, I would like to see the Irish players start to hold themselves more accountable for their lack of production.

Sam Young, you need to step it up and put a foot in your own butt and the butts of all your offensive linemen.

Jimmy, you need to pull your head out of your butt and start to take steps to being a good game manager and start running the ball if there is nothing there. If you can improve anything in the offseason, it better be your speed. Make defenses honor your ability to run the ball, and you might find more opportunities downfield as a result.

Brian Smith, you need to back up the talk on the field. If you talk the talk, you better walk the walk. Defense is an attitude and a desire to be the meanest and baddest dude on the block.

Coach Weis, I would like to see you calling some plays. You won three Super Bowls by calling plays. Adjust your game to the college level, and you will find the promised land.

I looked at Rivals today and saw Evans from California committed to the Irish. You are going to land another top 10 recruiting class this year. It's time to see the investment pay off.

Good luck, and GO IRISH!