[BostonCard]

2. On our last two ineffective drives, while I believe in concept that we should have passed more and perhaps utilized more personnel, still there was only one particular call that I really disliked given the particular situation at the time.

ON the first of the two, McCaffrey got 5 then 4 yards on the first two plays. Both pretty good, and in general we'd been great on third and short in this game and this year. Running with McCaffrey in the game fairly deep in our own territory gives a lot more options that with Wright. At the least, it wasn't crazy to run McCaffrey up the gut there.

On the second series, first remember it wasn't a three and out. McCaffrey rushed for 8 then 2 yards for a first down. When he then got stuffed, we did throw an underneath pass to Rector for 6 (I think on a check-down, but that is on a memory I am not too sure of). The Hogan sweep I didn't like on third down - especially given how well other plays were working. So that's the one play I really didn't like.

On #1...
This year we've converted 40/47 (85%) of our third and shorts (defined as 1-3 yards to go) when rushing; 33 were first downs and 7 were touchdowns.  That is awesome.
McCaffrey has converted 9/11 when rushing on third and short, which means that before yesterday, he failed to get a first down once.
Wright though, was better.  He's converted 24/25 third downs when he has less than 3 yards to go; 19 first downs and 5 touchdowns.
For my money, with the game potentially on the line, I put Wright in there.  To paraphrase a Geico commercial, "If you're Remound Wright, you get first downs.  That's what you do."

Or you run the bunch formation and throw out of it.  Notre Dame was absolutely being abused on the fakes.

On #2...
I agree with you.  I think a pass to Hooper would have been more effective.  That being said, it's a tough spot for us; we've struggled converting third and intermediate (4-6 yards) all year; rushing we have converted 8 of 16, while passing we have converted 9/22 (7 first downs, 2 touchdowns) chances.  Given how Hogan was playing, throwing to a tight end was our best bet, but as you pointed out, "one's own ideas are... not much better when things are far from clear"

BC

[BostonCard]

2. On our last two ineffective drives, while I believe in concept that we should have passed more and perhaps utilized more personnel, still there was only one particular call that I really disliked given the particular situation at the time.

ON the first of the two, McCaffrey got 5 then 4 yards on the first two plays. Both pretty good, and in general we'd been great on third and short in this game and this year. Running with McCaffrey in the game fairly deep in our own territory gives a lot more options that with Wright. At the least, it wasn't crazy to run McCaffrey up the gut there.

On the second series, first remember it wasn't a three and out. McCaffrey rushed for 8 then 2 yards for a first down. When he then got stuffed, we did throw an underneath pass to Rector for 6 (I think on a check-down, but that is on a memory I am not too sure of). The Hogan sweep I didn't like on third down - especially given how well other plays were working. So that's the one play I really didn't like.

On #1...
This year we've converted 40/47 (85%) of our third and shorts (defined as 1-3 yards to go) when rushing; 33 were first downs and 7 were touchdowns.  That is awesome.
McCaffrey has converted 9/11 when rushing on third and short, which means that before yesterday, he failed to get a first down once.
Wright though, was better.  He's converted 24/25 third downs when he has less than 3 yards to go; 19 first downs and 5 touchdowns.
For my money, with the game potentially on the line, I put Wright in there.  To paraphrase a Geico commercial, "If you're Remound Wright, you get first downs.  That's what you do."

Or you run the bunch formation and throw out of it.  Notre Dame was absolutely being abused on the fakes.

On #2...
I agree with you.  I think a pass to Hooper would have been more effective.  That being said, it's a tough spot for us; we've struggled converting third and intermediate (4-6 yards) all year; rushing we have converted 8 of 16, while passing we have converted 9/22 (7 first downs, 2 touchdowns) chances.  Given how Hogan was playing, throwing to a tight end was our best bet, but as you pointed out, "one's own ideas are... not much better when things are far from clear"

BC