They have been solid, mostly this year. Will Dexter be able to break off one or two long runs against the Tide's speed?
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You can bet the house on that. Why does anybody put any stock in his poll?
Sagarin's ratings are largely based on score differential, which is logical on the surface. But it ignores how teams are winning or game-planning.
Brian Kelly is content to get the win, so ND often goes into the equivalent of milking the shot clock once they get the lead, depending on the defense to win the game. Other teams keep their foot on the gas pedal and, when it works, runs up the score.
Sagarin's system would work better if he, say, added 20 points to each margin of victory for the winning team to make wins more important. So a 1-point win would be credited with a 21-point win and a 20-point win would be a 40-point win.
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Maybe a safety.
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By scoring touchdowns. By converting extra points. By kicking field goals. And maybe by tackling a Bama ball carrier in the end zone they are defending for a safety.
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They'll be done before the first snap....
running slow developing plays with deep handoffs in my opinion...which is worthless. Irish can move the ball with quick slants, short buttons, and out and back cuts. Misdirection likely a must on runs to get any traction. Book can move the ball but "big chunk" offense is almost a sure loser.
But, since Kellly's offense relies heavily on deep backfield handoffs and big chunk passing, I don't hold much hope for success if a match with the Tide is in the near future. Woe is us...get prepared...the sky is falling. Clemson is preparing a 70 - 3 beatdown to spare this weak Irish team...just ask them.
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