Bryan Driskell podcast breaks down the ND offense at Clemson - a great education
If you have minimal time, go to the 16:00 mark and listen for about 10-15 minutes. A point made prior to this mark was that ND's offensive plays were predictable based on formation (not again!).
One point was Book doesn't understand "vs. North Carolina" open and "vs. Clemson" open. Said the plays were there but Book just didn't throw the ball.
Edit: The discussion about the offense goes to about the 45-minute mark or so. Said Rees basically is too inexperienced to know how to make the proper adjustments, but also said this was a Brian Kelly problem as this has happened through numerous coordinators. I'm pretty depressed about this team - and program under Kelly - after hearing this.
Link: Driskell breaks down offense vs. Clemson
Replies to: Bryan Driskell podcast breaks down the ND offense at Clemson - a great education
He's been licking his chops just waiting for this moment.
Driskell is smart and knows more than me, but seems to cares more about himself being right than actually being right. He was pretty adamant that Rees was a bad hire, that Quinn should have been fired, and that Book should have been benched for Jurkovec. This season has proved him wrong about all of those things, and this one game doesn't make him right (even though he seems to think it does). It's telling that he's piling on after this game when he was very sparing with his praise after the first game.
Bottom line is these are college kids that were simply not emotionally up for this game since they knew they were getting in the playoff win or lose. Same reason Bama didn't play that well against Florida. Conversely, Clemson had their backs against the wall and played like it. I expect a much better performance against Alabama. I'm not saying it will be enough to win as Bama is really good, but ND will play a better game.
'Coach' D's ND football observations are right less often than a broken time/date clock.
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So, he could be right ONCE a day
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More like once a year, but at least he's unapologetically wrong the rest of the time.
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What is Driskell's background? I don't know just asking. It always looks easy from the stands or
press box I just don't know.
He was a D3 QB and had several coaching stops mostly at the D3 level, including off coordinator.
He has had several stints as a podcast analyst for ND fan sites. I have my opinion on his style and acumen but I'll leave that for others to critique
"Breaks down" accurate
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Hillbilly eulogy.
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Failed small time coach. Book avg 10 yds on 1st down passes. Needed more RPOs & designed runs. Ian
did fail on anticipated open routes, which he has not during his best games.
The lack of RPOs +/or QB runs was on Rees. Also, slants to the field side (which Clemson favored sending pressure) would have helped.
And a jailbreak screen or 2 might have negated a lot of the interior pressure.
Rees had no adjustments to answer Venables. My frustration w/Kelly is that he watched the same game we did, just like when Denbrock
kept calling passes in a monsoon. Or Miami pinched 1 or 2 extra from the edge every play to shut down Adams and Wimbush. Slant for big
yards and a long ball or 3 to St Brown, Boykin or a young Chase Claypool and its a whole different game.
Rees and the entire offense, especially the OL, need their A games or it could get ugly next week.
I take what Bryan says just like any other info. Some info I retain, some not. No different here.
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St. Brown was short arming, Boykin was not yet playing(St. Brown's backup) and Claypool was dropping
passes along with our tight end dropping way too many who supposedly had an athletic advantage. It is on players not Kelly. As for now the line has definitely suffered without Patterson, but I thought the freshman did better than Lugg. Also the kid that had the appendectomy might be recovering a bit too. However, if Bryan Stark is accurate about what he says then Book has to trust receivers more. Still not turning the ball over and is very key, so I understand hesitation if he feels their more athletic positions are in position to make a good play on the pool which lessens the 50/50 chance.
Miami: Claypool & EQ were running open, esp early in game. Gotta throw it. Monsoon: Do not keep
throwing it downfield. HC direction was required IMO given the on field conditions and lack of offensive success respectively.
Against Clemson, our lack of RPOs was noticeable. [Clemson's was not. T Law beat us over and over on RPO's.]
Also a Patriots style single receiver jailbreak to stop middle pressure might have gone big, and slants would have backed off field pressure.
Lugg is a very good 6th man who has hardly played C while Correll has played a lot at the position. That said,
Clemson's DTs are not the same as UNC's and not sure we would have fared much better regardless of who filled in.
We miss Patterson for sure and need one of them to step up against Bama.
"Opportunity lost". Perfect Bryan. That about says it all.
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Equally frustrating and validating
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Many valid points. Book started out the game 5/5 on quick passes than he progressed...
back to holding onto the ball to long. Old habits die hard. I think he is afraid of an Int. and
is hesitant to pull the trigger or a lack of confidence creeps in. You won't see that in bama's
or clemson's QB's because they feel (or know) there receiver is better than your defender.
Agreed. Not Ian's finest but Tommy and the OL brought their 'C' games too.
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Patterson loss has been impactful. Considering the two guys replacing him are banged up
Run game has lost its pop and Clemson was able to bully Lugg on pass pro and disrupt the pocket. Which is never good for a QB, especially a shorter one that already struggle with progressions.
Yup, also noticed Lugg's assignment confusion w/Banks/Kraemer on middle pressures a few times.
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This is very real and a big problem...
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Very true.
It's one thing to lose your starting center. ND has now lost both its starting center in Patterson, the back up in Correll, and the 3rd string center is playing hurt.
This would be like both Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree being out and having to play only an injured CBo Flemister. Since the center doesn't touch the ball after he snaps it, the casual fan doesn't seem to have noticed. But it's been pretty devastating to the offense.
Hopefully Correll can get healthy before Bama as I thought he played well against UNC.
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