Crack Backs Atcha
by Bacchus (2019-10-15 09:04:55)
Edited on 2019-10-14 18:48:36

In reply to: Right Kinda Cracks  posted by Kayo


  • The most important point to be made is that Notre Dame defeated USC, and that always is a good thing.

  • Always a good thing, but oddly unsatisfying. It was reminiscent of the Michigan game last year; the Irish built an early lead and seemed on the cusp of domination, but then went a little flat and let a talented team make it look close at the end.

  • It might seem odd to have concerns about play calling in a game that featured 308 rushing yards, but two second half drives that could have put the game out of USC’s reach were killed by attempts to trick the Trojans rather than earn first downs with core competency.

  • “Core competency”? What is this core competency you speak of? But, yes, rather than trick ‘em after establishing the run, a simple package of play-action passes off of run looks would have been more effective.

  • Two touchdown drives, 97 yards in the 2nd quarter and 75 yards in the 4th quarter, should be play calling lessons for Chip Long and Brian Kelly. I am not optimistic.

  • Maybe the experience will get Kelly off his “They wouldn’t let us run” mantra. The Irish demonstrated that they could pull linemen to get numbers at the point the attack, even against 8 men in the box.

  • The Irish call a lot of screen passes for a team that sucks at executing them.

  • It’s a core incompetency.

  • I can’t understand underusing Cole Kmet, a guy who is impossible to overuse.

  • He had a workmanlike 6 catches (over a third of Book’s completions) for 61 yards and a touchdown. Frankly, after the hit to the knee Kmet sustained at the goal line, I’m not sure I minded his being targeted less (in both senses of the word).

  • I can’t understand underusing Markese Stepp, either; but I thank Clay Helton for doing so.

  • Kelly rode his horse (Jones, 25 carries), and Helton stabled his (Stepp, 10 carries) and that was the difference in the game. Jones' effort was all the more impressive (and Helton’s pay-calling all the more indefensible) when one considers that Jones’ yardage came against conventional fronts while ND’s defense was so concerned about not giving up big pass plays that it was all but ceding the run.

  • I’m going to start calling Tony Jones “Shaft” because he is a bad…

  • Hush yo mouth!... But by all means, sing Jones’ praises.

  • “I’ve always been like this,” Jones said after the game. “Coach let me out the cage a little bit.”

  • I’m all for Jones being out of the cage as long as he’s not asked to run outside the edge.

  • Misunderstanding the “wear green” mandate as a sustainability effort, the ND coaching staff wore coats made of recycled garbage bags Saturday night.

  • For the most part, I was impressed by the sustainability of our rushing attack and the source reduction of trashy play calling.

  • Kelly really ought to wear the color green so he can be harder to notice next time he decides to be on the field during an important play.

  • When Kelly carries on like that, all the green in the world won’t be able to hide the purple.

  • I found my Hardin Award (citing a nominally true but worthless statistic) nominee early this weekend. While calling the Notre Dame vs Air Force hockey game Friday night, NBCSN’s Tony Simeone repeatedly told his audience that the Falcons have made college hockey’s elite eight three times in the last 10 years. It’s a 16-team tournament, so a whopping 3 postseason victories in 10 years another way to state the case for Air Force hockey “excellence.”

  • My Hardin nominee is the Assistant AD for Football Communications for Nebraska, Keith Mann. He noted that Nebraska “did not commit a turnover for the second straight game, marking the first time since late in the 2017 season that Nebraska had consecutive games without a turnover.” I’m not sure that highlighting the fact that it has been two years since the Huskers managed to hold on to the ball for two straight games is much to brag on, but when you get dominated 34-7 by the Minnesota Gophers, you try to find bright spots in the most unlikely places.

  • Jonathan Doerer’s excellent place kicking is the pleasant development I didn’t see coming this season.

  • Indeed. It would have been natural to expect a fall-off at place kicking after the graduation of our all-time leading scorer. But so far this season, Doerer has nailed almost 86% of his field goal attempts as compared to Yoon’s 2018 FG percentage of just under 82%. Next test: can he handle pressure kicks in must-have situations?

  • Georgia Tech can’t compete with Georgia for football talent, but it’s engineering students ingeniously found a way to feed stupid gas through their rival’s sideline cooling fans.

  • Stupid is as Smart does.

  • Louisville beat Wake Forest 62-59. Both teams immediately applied for Big 12 membership.

  • The fact that the Big 12 would probably entertain the overture should give both schools pause..

  • Why did The Irish play Bowling Green last week? Because Toledo was busy.

  • Not to worry. Captain Jack Swarbrick never sleeps.

  • My Pinkel nomination goes to Virginia Tech, the 34-17 conqueror of geographically questionable Rhode Island of the Colonial Athletic Association. That’s a game that will get major cable and satellite companies to carry the ACC Network, I tell ya.

  • Yes, but scheduling a game like that helps VaTech put a fence around Rhode Island in recruiting. I have no other Pinkel-worthy (Pinkel-unworthy?) games to nominate, but I would note that Maryland and Rutgers continue to fill their designated roles on Big Ten schedules.

  • After the game Notre Dame announced that it’s celebrating 15 consecutive home wins by taking $15 off tickets to the Virginia Tech game on November 2. Those who will be trying to unload tickets in the Joyce Lot on game day should assume a 50-game home winning streak.

  • Sounds like a streetwalker taking $50 off for similar reasons---too much wear and tear on the---um---brand.

  • “It’s going to be a long ride home and a lot of heartbreak and sadness,” Helton said after the game. Good.

  • Helton should set that to music. The way things are going he may need a fallback career in country music.

  • Kayo

  • Bacchus


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