So I'll say it for you:
"But it was against Duke."
- I think we found a running back for next season. It looked to me that he was actually able to spot holes to run through, and he was able to shed some tacklers and fight forward for more yardage. The fact that he was creative, strong [i]and[/i] fast gave me hope for a running game next season (But it was against Duke).
- Clausen looked like the highly touted recruit he was last year and that he's actually learned something in the course of getting the shit knocked out of him over this past year. His arm strength is still lacking, but he was good and accurate. He threw no picks and three touchdowns (but it was against Duke) and took only one sack (but it was against Duke) and he seemed to recognize how to keep a drive sustained (but it was against Duke). Still, this was one of those confidence-boosting games that a young quarterback needs.
- Thankfully the game was against Duke, because the coaching still lacked...depth, creativity, cajones. Whatever you want to put in there. I'm tired of the swing pass that goes for a yard or less. And calling a screen pass two times in a row was boneheaded. Hopefully with the emergence of Hughes at running back, the playcalling can get a little less predictable. And the 4th-and-1 where both guards jumped on the first count when clearly they were told to go on three and then the subsequent 4th-and-5 where the ball was snapped over the punter's head pretty much typified the season for Notre Dame. The fact that the punter got the ball off maybe showed that the luck of the Irish was changing. Or not. We'll see.
The next one is against Stanford, which gave even the Quinn-led teams fits, especially on the road. I'm just hoping for 3-9 and a more confident squad going into next season.
Thank goodness basketball season is here (more on that after I clean the house up for some holiday we're having in the near future).
2 hours ago
3 comments:
Yes, but, it was... Oh never mind. a win is a win.
They just need to exorcise some demons like my Huskers did this weekend. One week they get shelled 70something to 30something, the next week THEY smash someone in the same manner. It is very therapeutic. Running the score up? Who the hell cares.
Well, Duke football means one thing - no matter how bad it looks for ND, it always looks worse for Duke football. 6-6 and a bowl game? 1-10 and multiple trips to the toilet bowl after getting hammered while trying to forget this season would be more like it. Though Connecticut was actually decent - at least one of them turned out well, though Duke fan was too nearsighted to figure out which one.
Did ND show an offensive line worth speaking of? If they can actually get an O-line together, they might be able to run consistently, prevent their quarterback from being a Cabbage Patch Doll in a football uniform, and keep their defense off the field long enough to catch its breath. If that happens, ND's opponents might have to swallow their pride and insults again.
Thankfully, they won against Stanford, too. Thank God for small favors.
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