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CU Medallion [64974]
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Musings from last night.
Jan 12, 2021, 8:56 AM
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I watched the Natty all the way to the anticlimactic end. Several things were immediately evident.
This game was just as much a blowout as the score indicates. The Nut Necklaces used their same parler tricks a couple times early on, but it was just a matter of time and superior talent before Bama wore them out. And, that is exactly what happened in the end.
Devonta Smith looked every bit of a deserving Heisman trophy winner in this game. The Nuts just had no answer for him at any point in time, until well after the issue was decided. Then, they managed to get him out of the game with a dislocated finger. I believe if he had been needed, he would have come back into the game, but that's just supposition on my part.
So, despite all the ups and downs of the craziest football season nobody ever wants to see happen again, the end result is pretty much what the pundits said at the start of the season. It's Alabama, and then everybody else.
But, as great as last night was for Nick Saban, it was just as great if not greater for Steve Sarkisian. You want to talk about feeling good about your future investment, Texas has got to be giddy this morning. Kids ought to be flocking to Austin wanting to play in Sark's offense. The timing of his hire will mean it will be the NEXT recruiting year before that influence really shows up, but if he puts anything like this same offense on the field next year, the Longhorns may have lucked into a great hire.
Clemson has a lot of work to do in the offseason, moreso than usual. It seems unreal to say this, but Alabama raised the bar again last night. The Nuts showed us that we have some heavy work to do on the O-line, and on getting defensive signals in earlier. Bama used them just as much as the Nuts used us in that regard. We have enough talent to knock Alabama from their perch, and we are one of a very short list of programs that can say that. But, if you look at last nights game with an objective eye, you will see that it is a big task that lies in front of us. Every ACC game we play next year better be with an eye toward complete domination, because there ain't a team in our conference that we play that could hold Bama's jock strap at this point in time.
Bring on the Georgia Bulldogs, let's get the next show on the road. I believe we will answer the call.
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Orange Blooded [2030]
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My 2 cents....
Jan 12, 2021, 9:35 AM
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Everyone has been and will be chasing Alabama for as long as Saban is in charge. He is rotating assistant coaches in and out the way Belichick rotates players. This, along with getting the best talent in the country year in and year out will continue to make years like last year an anomaly for Alabama. The LSU's, Auburns and Georgia's can only hope that Alabama has a "bad" game and trips themselves up.
However, everything begins with a very good QB. Clemson will continue along as they have been as long as Dabo is in charge and Brent is happy to just run the defense. The offense may score points but it has been the defense that has won a bunch of games over the past ten years. Clemson has been blessed with two generational QB's and may have a third one in DJ. However, for Clemson to actually win another NC they will need to play their absolute BEST games in the the playoffs.
IMO the only thing holding Clemson back is the lack of a real offensive coordinator. Clemson can get through its schedule now without a top offensive mind. The playoffs are a different animal. Clemson fans should continue to see major success and should thank the FB staff and players every single day for the success we are witnessing. Clemson can very easily turn into FSU.
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CU Medallion [64974]
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Re: My 2 cents....
Jan 12, 2021, 9:45 AM
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I don't claim to be enough of an "X's and O's" guy to get into the minutiae of offensive football. But, it does seem to me that we have had the exact same offense for so long now that other schools are starting to figure out what we do, maybe from formations, who knows.
But, in final reality, it gets down to O-line play. If we give our QB time, our passing plays will work, against anybody. And, if the passing game is working, the run game will follow. (This is in exact reverse of what old time philosophy said.) In the recent big games, that time to throw the ball, other than the "revenge" game against Notre Dame in the ACC Championship game, has just not been there. Let our offensive line get better, and see if you still think Elliot is not adequate as an Offensive Coordinator.
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Replies: 2
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