What Could Have Been
The fourth largest crowd ever at what is today known as BB&T Field showed up to witness history.
What the 36,307 on hand for the Wake-Notre Dame game saw looked suspiciously like a re-run from previous games this season.
The Deacons once again played really well out of the gates, well enough to grab a seven-point halftime lead. But there were other times—like when Fighting Irish stormed out and locker room to stage touchdown drives on their first two possessions of third quarter—that will be painful to watch when Wake reassembles to review tapes of the 24-17 loss. The pattern was certainly familiar, with the Deacons playing one good half and one that they would just as soon forget.
“It was disappointing the way we came out in the second half,’’ quarterback Tanner Price said. “Offensively we really stalled. We were down there multiple times and we kind of shot ourselves in the foot. We had a fumble, a holding call and I took a bad sack. That’s plays that we can’t have.
“When we get in the red zone we have to score.’‘
Price, coached up by coach Jim Grobe, shook off last week’s debacle at North Carolina to complete 17 of 24 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown—without an interception. Michael Campanaro and Chris Givens combined for 12 catches for 131 yards and the defense held the powerful Fighting Irish offense to 341 yards—98 fewer than its average over the first eight games.
But the lost fumble by Brandon Pendergrass at the 11, the holding call on redshirt freshman Colin Summers with Wake in Notre Dame territory and driving and the 11-yard loss on Stephon Tuitt’s sack of Price after Wake had driven to the Fighting Irish 10 were the kind of breakdowns few teams can afford. And when the Deacons’ defense cracked, it shattered into tiny pieces.
The Fighting Irish caught Wake looking to the sidelines for the defensive call in the first quarter and Tyler Eifert broke free behind the secondary to pull in a 38-yard completion for Notre Dame’s only touchdown of the first half. Senior linebacker Kyle Wilber said the Deacons were out of their gaps time and again on the Notre Dame’s first two possesisons of the second half, when the Fighting Irish drove 62 yards on six plays and 65 yards on six plays for a 24-17 lead they would not relinquish. The defense stiffened thereafter, but the damage had been done.
One question I had for Grobe afterwards was what kind of feeling he came away with. Obviously he was disappointed with the loss, but how did he feel his team played against a team with the acclaim and hoopla of Notre Dame on national television.
“I think Brian Kelly and his staff do a great job,’’ Grobe said in typical diplomatic fashion. “We know a lot of their coaches and they do a great job. And they’re obviously very talented.
“And we’re going to feel like there were a few times that we beat ourselves. And that’s going to be a funny feeling because I think against a team like Notre Dame, a team that is as well-coached and as talented as they are, most people would say to lose by seven to these guys is a pretty good thing. But I think when we get the kids back together Monday morning and start looking at the film we’re going to be very disappointed in the opportunities that we had that we didn’t take advantage of.’’
Back to the main page.
By Dan Collins on 11/06/2011 (1:03 am)
Comments
Another thing that would slow down the pass rush is to change the snap count.
The other team knows when we will snap it
as it it always 2 counts after our center
raises his arm and points.
Wally Jordan on 11/08/2011 (3:55 pm)
I would contribute big money to any small FCS school that would hire Lobo as their head coach just so I don’t have to watch any more of his terrible play calls in the redzone. That’s another terrible play call brought to you by Steed Lobotzke!
Andy Y on 11/08/2011 (11:03 am)
Bluedeacon, I’ll second that on a great night in a full stadium. Don’t know if I’m an oddity or representative, but I was born with Carolina Blue in my veins, went to ASU, and have been going to Wake games for 10yrs. Go figure. a) Jim Grove fan b)Live in GSO and can get in the stadium in an hr. c)closest place to see great visiting teams d)only team in NC worth watching (aside from ASU:)) d) Seems I got hooked! Beat Clem & Son!
roygbill on 11/08/2011 (10:53 am)
The game came down to the Notre Dame Defensive coordinator successfully making half time adjustments to Coach Lobo’s offensive scheme and Coach Lobo failing to make adjustments to Notre Dame’s defense.Coach Lobo seemed obsessed with running the toss left to Prendergass.That play got nothing all night and was stuffed down at the Notre Dame goal line even before Prendergass fumbled .
Barney on 11/07/2011 (11:32 pm)
Dan,
Regarding No.1 & No.2; I don’t think protecting Tanner and throwing more have to be mutually exclusive things. Trying to manufacture a run game 9 weeks into the season is not going to win more football games…I think we have proven that. I am all for protecting Tanner Price…all I am saying is that Wake’s chances of winning are much higher if we throw and throw often.
Wake Fan on 11/07/2011 (6:31 pm)
I am going to defend Coach Grobe. And I am as frustrated as anyone. But this is big-boy football and the players need to make plays. Coaching adjustments? Yes, ND had two great drives in 3Q, but after that? The Deacs had three great drives in the second half. Is it Grobe’s fault that Pendergrass fumbled? Is it Grobe’s fault that Price took an eleven yard sack? These are not innocent little boys out there. These are D1 scholarship athletes - the top .01 percent of HS football players. They need to make plays. Givens is great, but he had a huge drop on third down in the second half. Price had a drive killing flip when he should have run. He did this against Duke too. Don’t get me wrong - I like this team. I think Price is a big time college QB; Givens and Wilbur and Pendergrass are great players. Blaming the coach for their mistakes actually demeans them. The job of the coach is to put his players in position to win. Grobe did that. Three field goals in the second half wins the game! The defense held ND to 24 points - the first ten came after big kickoff returns! Wake is a good team. They need to believe it and play like it. I do not know what happened against UNC, but the Deacs dug themselves a hole. Maryland proved that Clemson is not the Cowboys of the 1990s. Let’s see if Wake can show up next Saturday with a little (or big) chip on their shoulder!
Tony on 11/07/2011 (6:24 pm)
Dan, I do think that the WFU fans, including the many, many non-WFU alumns who helped fill BB&T, should receive a pat on the back for a night of great support for the Deacs. How refeshing it was to see the stands full: but, this time with primarily black clad Deacon fans waving those gold towels! For once, we enjoyed a sell out WITHOUT the 2/3 of the Visitors stands full of either Baby Blue; Clemson Orange or Holie Burgundy and Orange. For once, we had a true “Home Field” advantage! Nice change!
Bluedeacon1 on 11/07/2011 (4:25 pm)
Wake Fan,
Will do.
I haven’t asked questions No. 1 and No. 2 because I thought it was self-evident that if Wake can’t make a FSU, Notre Dame or Clemson at least respect the run then Tanner Price’s physical well-being is in grave danger. I haven’t asked No. 3 because it’s something I haven’t observed. As for No. 4, it’s something we’ve talked about many times (and something I’ve written repeatedly). But I haven’t asked lately, so I will.
Dan Collins on 11/07/2011 (1:12 pm)
Dan, it would be great if you would start asking Coach Gobe and his staff some of the tough questions that need to be asked. For example: 1. Why are we so committed to trying to establish a run game that only kills our momentum and puts us in bad down and distance situations? Run, run, throw on third and 10…makes us very predictable! 2. With this teams offensive personel, why are we not totally committed to the passing game? I for one would rather we live or die by the passing game then see us do what we do trying to run the ball. Why aren’t we a 4-wide, high tempo, throw it 40 times a game offense? 3. When is this staff going to stop blaming the players for not finishing games? Seems to me that new players are coming into the program year after year with no baggage/history of losing close games or not finishing games…the only constant is the coaching staff and a “play it safe, stay close, and hope to win” mentality. At some point, this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy 4. Is Coach Grobe happy with the offensive play calling?
Wake Fan on 11/07/2011 (11:53 am)
How many D-1 College teams attempt to run the OPTION offense: a. which requires impecable timing for any opportunity for success; b. on a sometime basis; b. WITHOUT an “Option-Styled” quarterback with ample foot speed needed to at least be somewhat capable of providing some semblance of a “running threat” prior to the “pitch” option. Paul Johnson and staff at Ga. Tech must be amused.
Bluedeacon1 on 11/07/2011 (11:20 am)
What happens between the first half and the second half? The lockeroom speech by the head coach. It’s not made by the offensive coordinator, the “co-defensive coordinators,” or any other person except the head coach. Thus, losing the second half lies squarely at the feet of Jim Grobe. At the end of the day, we have a good game plan for the first half, but then we have consistently lost the second halves. That, my friends, means that Jim Grobe has lost the half time and has been out-coached during the game itself. Obviously, everything he has said at halftime has not worked, nor has he been able to change and adapt as the leader of his team during the game. Stop blaming the players and the assistant coaches. And put it where it belongs.
Board Member on 11/06/2011 (9:09 pm)
Would be nice if Wake could play the final two quarters as well as the first two…This has been a repetitive problem this year!
On another note, Has anyone considered the fact Notre Dame is playing Wake, BC, & U.Md. in successive weeks is a pre-requisite of them joining the ACC in the near future? Guarantee there will be many evaluations done over these three weeks.
Notre Dame has lost much of the mystical prestige in recent years. Perhaps the powers to be in South Bend realize that conference affiliation with the ACC may not be detrimental in regaining some of the glory that has been lost since Lou Holtz was coach…
Tom Willis on 11/06/2011 (6:19 pm)
Our Ass’t Coaches are making some major mistakes in judgement . Surely Coach Grobe can see this. Both on offence and defense. As an old WF football player ,I certainly can see this. The players are very capable, but something is ” Out of joint"with the Ass’t Coaches. Good article.
Cal on 11/06/2011 (5:05 pm)
Wake never seems to be able to correct errors in future games. Good teams and especially coaches learn by experience. Who wants to hear how good the ND coaches are? Is this the reason Grobe is using for the second half discrace Wake played? When will Grobe do something about his own coaching performance? Wellman can’t be proud of the continual same old reasons for losing! Maybe he needs to make a change before it gets too late.Is the football team exempt from change?
jack mac donald on 11/06/2011 (3:57 pm)
I thought talk of burning Reynolds’ redshirt was just verbal misdirection by Grobe. So I was actually surprised to see him in the game.
I respect Grobe too much to call him names,but why,why put Reynolds in for just a few plays and burn a year of eligibility? Was Pendergrass hurting,
or were he and the coaches so down on him for his devastating fumble they were afraid to put him back in the game ? Were they punishing him? Why hadn’t they prepared for this situation by putting a few running plays for Campanaro into the game plan?
Jerry on 11/06/2011 (3:52 pm)
I have to say, I cannot argue with anything my fellow concerned WF supporters have written here. I think the fans have figured this out correctly.
I honestly feel the coaches let these young men down. They did NOT put them “in a postion to make plays and win.” And yes, I too am sick of this kind of post game shrug it off approach from the leader. It disappoints me, and it sets the bar very low. Very low.
They did learn from last week on defense. They did not waste defenders in useless blitzes. That worked pretty well. But…
We are weak, weak, weak on run defense. I dont understand that after all these years. That’s another story. Offensively, for the 4th week in a row, we “turtled up” in the second half. Once again we come roaring out… innovative, creative plays… attack-attack-attack. Nice holes for the runner… moving pockets, throwbacks-quick screens. Second half… deep drop backs, poor pass protection. LOUSY - LOUSY - LOUSY play calls in the red zone. Tanner Price and his sacks? Gotta stop. That is NOT “protecting the football” - that - is losing the football game. Not all his fault, but some of it is. Good to see him (finally) running the ball. Its way past time. But the offensive play calling - after the half - you are all correct.. for the whole year, but especially for these last 4 weeks - flat out stinks. It was a “golden” opportunity lost. Winners seize their chances. The opposite is also true. Other observations - win the game, then woof. db’s - grow up. And - anyone else realize that our kick-off coverage was the real reason we lost this game? check out the starting positions after each WF kickoff Dan - a flat out failure. For some reason our coverage guys dont even come into the frame until the return man is past the 25. Those “hidden yards” used to be keys to Grobe teams. No more.
Yeah, this one hurt bad. I truly believe a win would have sent us into Death Valley as a legimate contender. Now?....
Glenn Williams on 11/06/2011 (1:51 pm)
Once again the Deacs were out coached. The lack of half time adjustments is mind blowing. The offensive ( and I mean offensive) play calling is unreal. On the defensive side the lack of pressure on the opposing QB puts to much pressure on the secondary. Speaking of the secondary, lets don’t. They are much better at woofing than covering. I have a lot of respect for Coach Grobe and what he has done at Wake but it is time to take off the blinders and have some major shake up in the staff!!
Dismayed Deac on 11/06/2011 (1:49 pm)
Another second half loss. Wake needs to change its mediocre coaching attitude and learn to play football with the big boys with top rated coaches who can get results. Grobes overall record surely doesn’t equate to his many million dollars salary. Don’t any of the alumni get tired of the same old excuses? No real pressure or desire to win is ever shown by the powers to be that control everything. Wake needs more talented players too to play with the big boys. I forsee no winning without more effort.
jack mac donald on 11/06/2011 (12:40 pm)
I fully expected to lose last night but after leading for 30+ minutes and botching 2 good scoring chances, I find myself highly disappointed in the loss.
Our guys are a good football team….they just have to believe that in the 2nd halves of close games like last night. We always hang in but can’t get over the top. If the guys can get it through their heads that they are pretty good, I really think they can finish strong and find themselves in a nice bowl.
Ken Green on 11/06/2011 (11:53 am)
Wake has an excellent team. I got really nervous when Looney got injured, but Godfrey did his thing as they continued to march down the fireld. I don’t understand bringing in Chase so much he has some growing to do, if anything Weaver should get swapped frequently, he has been getting blown up and blown by for weeks now, but they never pull him. Give Godfrey credit, broken hand or not he is the best on that line of veterans, u can tell a difference when he’s in; yet he gets the least recognition. I have yet to figure it out, maybe Wake will before the end of the year.
Edward Lee on 11/06/2011 (11:20 am)
