When an opposing team out-talents you the way OSU does ND, especially offensively, the best way to neutralize the other team's talent advantage is to milk the clock, shorten the game, keep the opposing O off the field, get some stops, keep the game close, and maximize any mistakes the opposing team makes.
ND executed this gameplan well on the offensive side of the ball for nearly 3 quarters, but ultimately came up short.
The offense was intentionally conservative (it was *not* an accident). ND sacrificed their offense to help stop OSUs offense, yet people are calling for Rees' head like the offense was out there trying to be explosive but failed miserably.
This is not to say that the offense is where it needs to be, or that ND fans shouldn't be critical of Rees, or ND fans should be happy with the steep lack of offensive-talent relative to other big-time programs, but rather to point out that it's hard to gain any real insight into the offense when such a gameplan is being executed.
ND executed this gameplan well on the offensive side of the ball for nearly 3 quarters, but ultimately came up short.
The offense was intentionally conservative (it was *not* an accident). ND sacrificed their offense to help stop OSUs offense, yet people are calling for Rees' head like the offense was out there trying to be explosive but failed miserably.
This is not to say that the offense is where it needs to be, or that ND fans shouldn't be critical of Rees, or ND fans should be happy with the steep lack of offensive-talent relative to other big-time programs, but rather to point out that it's hard to gain any real insight into the offense when such a gameplan is being executed.
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