Notre Dame vs Oklahoma State Preview — IST620

Randall and Reuben discuss the matchup vs Oklahoma State game. Has the Irish offense improved enough to score enough points vs the OSU defense?

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
You're listening to Irish Sports Talk.Hello nord Name fans, Welcome to Irish
Sports Talk. This is episode sixhundred and twenty. I'm Rubin. I'm
joined by Randall over the phone.Randall, how's it going. It's going

(00:22):
good. So Randall's in uh,sunny, sunny Florida, and it just
a few hours ago started dumping snowhere in um, northern Indiana. So
yeah, I keep getting I keepgetting pictures of people snow, so yeah,
I almost kind of nice that it'sactually snowing while I've been going the

(00:43):
warm weather, because you should endup going. I go somewhere warm and
then it's it's cool. I meanit's warm at home, so well,
I don't mind the snow. Ifit's gonna be winter, we may as
well have snow. So I'm actuallyenjoying it, just not enjoying driving in
it anyway. Yeah. Um,we've got a big matchup coming up,
Notre Dame versus Oklahoma State this Saturday, one pm. Yeah, just a

(01:10):
lot. Yeah, obviously it's notnot exactly what we were hoping would happen
at the towards the end of theseason, but really excited where Notre Dame
is at and be interesting to seehow this Marcus Freeman led Notre Dame team
comes out now, and there's beena lot of talk about how much weight
do you put into this game asfar as expectations for next year, and

(01:36):
I guess I'll just kind of sharemy thoughts. There's such high emotions right
now from the players, with youknow, the coaching change then being amped
up. There's so much emotion goinginto it that even less than normal.
I put even less weight than normalinto a bowl game, into the projection
of the upcoming season. Now,it's not that I don't I think it's

(02:00):
gonna some interesting stuff to see andhow you know, how the offense looks,
how the defense looks. I thinkthere's be some indicators what kind of
team this is gonna be, butI think it's gonna be even smaller than
normal. What are your thoughts onthat? Yeah, for sure, I
think it's everybody's excited, and obviouslythe staff is still a work in progress,
so it's hard to tell. Imean, I think it's still gonna

(02:23):
look completely different next year, butright now, everybody's excited, um,
everybody ready to play, and Ifeel like Nordame has a lot more fans
than they normally be, even becauseeverybody's kind of rooting for them just because
of how everything went down. Yeah, I don't think I'm not using this
as a gauge and what it's gonnabe like next year at all. Like

(02:45):
this is just they're putting together.I mean, even the way they're the
coaching staff put together and stuff like, it's there's still a lot of questions
and this is not what the team'sgonna be like next year. I mean,
obviously we can see it a littlebit. As far as you know,
preparing for games, I mean,obviously that's alway the question was always
a question with Brian Kelly, youknow how they prep for full games.

(03:07):
But yeah, I'm not putting alot of stock in this as far as
next year. All right, Solet's talk about the matchup. Oklahoma State
is not really your typical Big twelveteam. They're actually really good on defense,
and their offense is not that great. They they've been they've only given
up sixteen point sixteen point eight pointsper game compared to Notre Dames eighteen point

(03:30):
three. Then as far as scoring, they're scoring thirty points per game.
Compared to Notre Dame's thirty five pointsper game. So when we think of
the Big twelve, we often thinkof, you know, no defense and
tons of scoring. Well that's thisis not the Oklahoma State team that Notre
Dame faces. Yeah, no,I agree, it's it's a little bit

(03:53):
different than a big quote team witha good defense. I mean they do
have a good defense. I didwatch him against Baylor. Um, that
almost turned out different, but no, this is a good This is a
good defense. They leave the countryin sacks and yeah, Nor Dame is
gonna have its hands full. Um. Ob would say, you got some

(04:13):
changes on the offensive. Why,I know Josh lug is out, so
like, for sure it's back,but he'll be playing right tackle instead of
left tackle we played before you gotinjured. But it'll be a good matchup
so something. H Yeah, OlcahomaState. Like like you said, they
are towards the top of the countryas far as sacks are terrific at tackles

(04:36):
for loss. But their run defenseis good too. If you know what
Nor Dames offense is, you knowthe strengths that they that they have.
They don't have Karen Williams, buthow would you attack if you'd be Tommy
Rees, how would you attack OklahomaState? Would you go more pass heavy?
Would you try to you know,um, make sure you're not going

(04:59):
to go away from the run.What would be your approach as far as
attacking Oklahoma State from nor Dames offense? Well, I think you do need
to show that you can pass theball because if you don't, if you
don't have a pass the game againstOklahoma State, like they'll they'll kill you.
They got a good um rushing defense, they attack m obviously have a

(05:19):
lot of sacks, and if NorDames can't show them that they're able to
at least pass the ball um,then for a long day, especially with
Kyron Williams playing like that was ablow. Like I understand why I did,
but I'm not a fan of thewhat has been happening to college football,
you know, the players not playingin bowl games and transfer and all

(05:40):
that, and that's a whole othersubject, but I yeah, they need
to be able to show that theycan pass the ball or they're gonna struggle
because especially because they don't have KyronWilliams. It's kind of interesting. We
definitely discussed how good is nor Damesoffense, and we discussed, you know,
did Nordames offense actually get better afterthe bye week or was it just

(06:03):
because the defenses they were playing wereworse And the offense definitely did change.
They did go more up tempo,but as far as an actual test,
like this is the first test insix games of football, and I think
Nor Dame they definitely I think thechanges they made as far as going more

(06:28):
up tempo, being more attacking theball with the pass, I think is
going to benefit them against Oklahoma Statebecause I think that's what you need in
order to to put points up onOklahoma State and win the game. Now,
of course, the downside is umif if if Jack Cohen isn't able

(06:48):
to get the ball out of hishand quickly, like, the chances of
getting sacked are are very high.So it's definitely it will be it'll be
tough. But I think that,Yeah, I think the last half of
the year, what Nor Dame turnedinto as an offense is a positive for
the defense that they're going to befacing. Yeah, And I think like

(07:12):
the offensive staff is pretty much intactoutside like the offensive line, the wide
receiver, I mean, just afew, just a few things. So
it's not like they had their offensivecorner time and Reachus. They're the team
is rallied around him. So likeI feel like how the offensive play at
the end of the year, Ithink they can keep that going. Um,

(07:32):
you know, they were able tooffensive line played much better. You
know, I was a Josh Luggeris out, but Fisher did win the
starting left tackle job as a Truthfreshman before he was hurt, and there
was a reason for that. Soit's not like you're bringing in a backup.
You're bringing a guy that want astarting job as a Truth freshman.
So I'm not I feel like theycan continue do what they were doing,

(07:56):
and I think that's what's going togive Nor Dame to win, is just
being able to the offense and beingable to move the ball layers in what
Oklahoma State's offense will be able todo against Notre Dames defense and this place,
this play is good in the NoreDames because I feel like No Dames
defense, I'm not I'm not surewhat to expect, just because obviously Marcus

(08:18):
Freeman's defensive coordinator, you know,there, their coaching staff is kind of
switch things up and we're not surewhat to expect is you know who's gonna
be calling plays, how they're goingto handle all that. But luckily that
that's Oklahoma States weakness is their offenselike to defense their strength. So this
is how you would have wanted ifthere was going to be a change in

(08:39):
the coaching status, how you wouldhave wanted it. Agreed, So yeah,
I was gonna ask you what doyou kind of expect to see with
Nore Dames defense going against Oklahoma State'soffense? And you kind of discussed a
little bit, but is there anythingmore that you want to say about that
about Notre Dame's defense, Well,I think Notre Dame will be able to

(09:03):
disrupt them. I mean, theyhave some very talented players. Obviously how
Hamilton isn't playing either, but theyno dancing playing without him for a while,
and the younger guys are stepped upand shown that they can play.
I think this you know it isthe defense is coach is their defensive coordinator
that got promoted to head coach,So I think they will be rallying around

(09:24):
him, and I think they're goingto be fired up ready to play.
Now. Obviously we keep saying thatall day but at the same time,
you know, you can't just takea random group of guys that's excited to
play and expecting to win just becauseit's they like their head coach. But
it does still make a difference.Like, I feel like this group is
going to go out there and puton a big show for everyone to see.

(09:48):
Very good. All right, beforewe give our score predictions, I
want to talk a little NFL football. Did you have a chance to watch
Ian book as the starter for theSaints on Monday night? No? I
did not watch. I looked atthe I was reading some articles and looked
at his stats and stuff. Idid not watch it. Um, yeah,

(10:09):
it's kind of tough outing for him, let's put it that way.
I did watch. No, No, I didn't watch it either, but
I did. I did look atthe the statu the box score halfway through
the game. Yeah, well,a lot of people were excited, you
know, Oh, he's getting hisfirst starts, Like you do realize the

(10:30):
only reason he's starting is because thestarters hurt the next you guys on the
list are out for COVID and heis a four stringer, true freshman going
in there, and so like,you can't expect much from him. I
mean, he was forced to playat the four string guy because they had
no one else. I mean,the Broncos would have loved to have him.

(10:50):
You know, a few times theyplayed it started wide receiver at quarter
back with some of this COVID stuffwhatever. So he went out there,
and obviously, you know, theyplayed a good defense. I think his
second his second path of the gamewas tipped and intercepted in return for a
touchdown, which I would say itwas tipped, but it's still a pick

(11:11):
trick. And he had another interceptionlater in the game, so it was
kind of a rough outing for him. But hey, at least he got
some playing time. He got outthere, So I gotta start, all
right, randall time for your scoreprediction for Notre Dame and or Nor Dame
versus Oklahoma State. Yeah, thisisn't a little tough just because these are

(11:35):
two good defensive teams. But Ido think Notre Dame is going to be
able to score more points in OklahomaState. So I was gonna go Notre
Dame thirty four Oklahoma State twenty four. All right, I don't think he'll
be that high of a scoring game. I think Oklahoma State is really going
to struggle to score points. Ithink nor Name is gonna keep them to

(11:58):
one touchdown and a few handful offield goals. I'm not so sure about
Nor Dame's offense. I have themat twenty seven points, and I'm I
think I might be even too highon that, but I'm I guess I'm
being optimistic. So I have NotreDame winning twenty seven to thirteen. Oh
wow, that's it's yeah. Ilike I said, I watched Oklahoma State

(12:22):
against Baylor. Um, they wereable to still score some points and didn't
win that game, I mean camedown to inches, but I do think
that they you know, Baylor's defensestill is a Nerre Dame defense, So
I think that's what it comes downto. Yeah. Um, let I

(12:43):
want to write down your score andI missed it. Well, give me
your score prediction one more time.Thirty four twenty four okay, and obvious
of the playoff games they're coming up, do you have who do you think
it's gonna win the first round games? Yeah? Um, I mean I'm

(13:07):
pretty sure it's just gonna be Georgiaand Alabama. Yeah, I agree with
you, Um, but I amholding I will hope from Michigan. Cincinnati
is not gonna have a chance.I'm not gonna have a shot. But
I feel guilty saying this, butI'm I'm finding myself wanting I'm finding myself
wanting to root for Michigan against Georgia. I'm not going to, definitely not

(13:31):
going to. But I think it'sjust because George has been there a few
times, and you know, Ido like hardball. I'm a big hardball
fan, so but I won't beObviously, I can't cheer for for them.
But um yeah, a weird,weird emotion or weird feeling that that
I've been feeling. Well, Ijust I don't think Cincinnati's a chance because

(13:54):
I do you think it's already metand I'm not sure Notre Dame could beat
Georgia. So I am surprised atthe spread for the Alabama since Alabama,
Sorry Alabama, I'm surprised the spreadis thirteen and a half points. And
I agree with you. I don'tthink. I don't see I don't.
I can't imagine what would have tohappen for Cincinnati to be within two touchdowns

(14:16):
of Alabama. The only thing is, though Alabama. Everybody. Most people
saw the Alabama Georgia game, andthat's what we're saying, is Alabama promise
though they didn't play like that therest of the year. Yeah, they
would have played like the rest oftheir games. They would not have beat
Georgia. They had that one goodgame, and obviously just Cincinnati. It's

(14:37):
annoying because of course they get theeasy like the easy draw. But yeah,
I do feel I still think thatGeorgia can beat them in the second
game, can beat Alabama. Yeah, yeah, I think you're right.

(15:00):
Anyway, I think that's all we'vegot. Anything else, Randall, No,
I don't think so. I mean, obviously it's kind of the team's
gonna look different, depth charts,a little bit different that more younger guys
on there. But you know,I'm kind of interested to see is that
Marcus Freeman, you know, justhis way of picking out guys that should

(15:24):
be starting. You know, that'ssomething that Kelly didn't do, you know,
put seniors over freshman. I'm justexcited to see them play. And
I think everybody's behind their Dame atthis point. I think a lot of
people that don't normally root for theirDame are rooting for in this game,
just because of how Brian Kelly everythingthat went down there. So speaking of

(15:45):
yeah, depth chart and seeing differentplayers, I'm really impressed with Marcus Freeman's
commitment to winning this game. Hetalked about it several different times, I
think in the opening press conference andthen in one of the more more recent
press conferences, talked about just theimportance and focus, like they want to
win this game and they're gonna dowhat it takes to win this game.

(16:07):
Yeah, you've had the rest ofthe NORDAMA players don't feel that way.
Well, I think he's got they'reexcited play for him. So well,
I'm talking about the ones. I'mtalking about the ones that aren't playing.
Oh yeah, I agree. Iagree. That's something we mean to talk

(16:29):
about in the off season. Butwhat's happening with college football right now is
far transfer players out of pullgame.So like something needs to change, Like
I don't know, I don't knowexactly why, but something has to change.
Oh yeah, we'll stay that topicfor the off season. Then.
Yeah, all right, Well,thank you guys for listening, and until

(16:49):
next time, Go Irish, GoIrish. Bo