USC in game thread
- Thread starter Catholicfan95
- Start date
Well in theory a 2 score lead makes playing D a lot easier. But on that last drive we did not prevent the pass, the run, nor the TD.
A lot of bad throws too. He was pretty average throwing the ball. Maybe even below average. Had a couple nice runs when we needed it (not that we should’ve ever needed it to begin with).
He’s a Chip Long fan and there’s nothing wrong with that. Chip has called some great plays at times (last years Book TD run to ice the NW game). Tonight wasn’t a very good night and I think when IIO sleeps this off, he’ll realize as much for himself.
But they also gave us a freebie on the late hit on Book and missed Kelly being five yards out on the field during the onside kick.
You’re the one who needs help.
Look at the first quarter stats when I made my comment.
They couldn’t run the ball.
It was only AFTER a muffed tackle let Jones have a long run that they had success with the run game including Lenzy’s trick play that went for 51 yards.
They need to improve at running between the tackles
Wimbush was much worse passing than Book ever dreamed of being. He missed RB’s 5-yards away. Wimbush was the key to our running game being as good as it was though.
They never do. Just like the passes sailing high over the wide receivers heads or balls in the dirt.
Good win overall over the Trojans. Should’ve put it away a lot sooner, but the W is nice.
Disagree strongly on that one. Sepp is the real deal. I said earlier tonight I would have run him 30 times.
Why move the goal posts of the conversation?... We were having a discussion about Chip Long's playcalling and its effectiveness tonight... Then suddenly were talking about the entire staff?
So are we blaming Brian Kelly for this win? Is it Chip Long's fault they won? Clark Lea's fault they won? The entire staff's fault they won?
We were talking about this effort from Chip Long's offense last I checked...
Total yards: 473 yards of offense
Rushing yards: 308 rushing yards
Rushing yards per carry: 6.4
Points: 30 points
My argument is that Notre Dame was Michael Young not fumbling a kickoff return touchdown (against air), or any of a number of plays where USC made an athletic, shoestring tackle away from scoring into the 40's and nobody even talking about the play calling... Not too mention multiple facemask penalties for USC that the refs blatantly missed in the 2nd half.
The way I saw that game is that on any given night that's easily a 44-27 win, but USC used their bye week well, made plays on defense and ND just took a couple tough drive stalling penalties, and missed a couple breaks. That happens in football all the time.
#10 Penn State scored 17 points today in a 3 point win.
#3 Georgia scored 17 points today in a 3 point double overtime loss.
#11 Texas scored 27 points today in a 7 point loss.
#20 Virginia scored 9 points in an 8 point loss.
#28 Florida scored 28 points today in a 14 point loss.
Sometimes it just doesn't go your way and sometimes your opponent plays really well...
Look, there were 3 or 4 play calls today that I didn't like. In particular, the run on 3rd and 6 when you intended to go for it on 4th down, I didn't like. That said, the previous drive they ran for a key first down on a 3rd and 6'ish yard run so it's not like it was a crazy play call... in a game where you call 80 plays, there are going to be a number of bad calls, or plays that look bad on you because they're poorly executed... But on other nights those same play calls end up in 45+ point performances and nobody complains when that happens.
6.4 yards per carry tonight, on 48 attempts. You don't average that YPC on that many attempts, unless you're running the ball extremely efficiently.
There entire game winning offensive drive was driven by Jones, Smith and Book in the run game.
Also, I don't in what world is a counter look end around a "trick play". Triple option teams runa variant of that play every week. Notre Dame ran a similar look against Georgia. It's just a counter jet action, it's not like they ran a double pass or triple reverse.
You should just answer my question and not deflect from it yourself. Your answer to it hopefully helps you find peace.
Last edited:
Ya know ND used to get spanked by SC. Can't we just be happy with the win tonight??? We got 2 weeks to bitch about coaching inadequacies.
Book ran for 49, Lenzy 51 on a trick play and Jones for 43 yards on a blown tackle. That’s 143
1st Quarter there was no running game and they’re still not strong between the tackles.
Well, I’ll bet USC fans bitched a ton after the 2005 game. With all this star power against an inferior opponent, why are we letting them hang around? We’re happy, but we see where we better get our shit together before it bites us in the ass happy.
How come Michael Young didn't score a special teams touchdown when he was running against air? That gives them a two score lead, doesn't it?
Nobody is deflecting. You had an irrational reaction to Notre Dame giving up a touchdown when we were debating Chip Long's play calling and tried to use it as a "gotcha" moment, when it had nothing to do with Chip Long.
I'm genuinely interested on your take on the play calling. When you have a chance, break the film down for me and tell me what you ran instead on the play calls you hated.
A couple things I liked....
I thought the structure of the run game was excellent. A lot of nice run schemes that got ND an extra hat playside. Tony Jones is limited in his speed, otherwise a couple of those go to the house.
I thought ND has sticks routes open for pitch and catch first downs all day. Book tossed a couple high, Lenzy dropped one but other times they were effective. ND often executes those better than they did tonight.
I thought the runs by the receivers were a nice touch. Lenzy went all the way on his. Finke had a nice run on another. Mayne he went to the well one too many times and Finke got caught, but hey, USC has players too.
I thought he schemed Kmet open well. The crosser to him for the touchdown was a nice call. Usually they run that with Claypool, but it was a nice touch to get Kmet in space on Houston and do the same thing out of a different look, with a different player.
I thought the quarterback run game on the last drive was pretty brilliant. USC was dropping their backers out and ND was getting an extra hat in the box to block by running the quarterback. Nice adjustment to get a much needed touchdown.
I loved the throwback screen. Kmet should have taken that to the house. It was blocked up perfectly and the USC player made a great shoestring tackle from the ground. It was a desperate, super athletic play, but Long called a great play there.
A couple things I didn't like...
ND does not throw the tailback screen well. They never have. He called it twice (including on his own goal line) in instances that I didn't like.
I hated the 3rd down run call prior to going for it on 4th down. That's a hindsight argument though given the fact that they were running at will and executed a running first down the prior possession on the same down, at the same distance.
I don't like the naked hitch. Frankly I never have. Didn't like that call to Finke on perimeter against athletic DBs.
Curious what you would have called instead today?
2 score lead before ND goes on the field for their last defensive possession. 34-20 if my math is correct... No?
Those 4 points make it a 2 touchdown lead to defend.
Answer the question. There’s really only two possibilities that can come from it.
A). This guy, NotreDomer1, thinks Chip Long is responsible for TD’s scored against the defense. Because of this, he’s too ignorant to even know that Chip Long isn’t the Defensive Coordinator to further this discussion.
B) I knew, or should’ve known, that NotreDomer1 wasn’t specifically talking about Chip Long any longer when USC scored at the end of the game. I misread/misinterpreted his post. Therefore, there’s no need to continue this discussion because he was no longer specifically talking about one Coordinator, but the coaching staff as a whole.
Either way, there’s no way to continue. Like I said, no matter which stance you take, you should find peace in it.
Last edited:
We had a 2 score lead before USC’s last possession (10 points)
Either way, I Thought you were inferring that if Michael Young scores, the last TD by USC doesn’t matter, because we’d still be up 2 scores(10 points). I was pointing out that we’d been only up 7 instead of 3. Misread your intent
My real opinion... I think you irrationally tried to to catch me in an "a ha, I got you" moment when the defense gave up a touchdown... In a conversation about the offensive coordinator.
You hadn't mentioned a single other member of the staff until Lea's defense gave up a touchdown... I don't think you're ignorant, I think you tried to build a strawman about Long, referencing elements of the team that are beyond his control.
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
Football Rice grad transfer CB Tre'Shon Devones commits to Duke
- Latest: Tyler James
