[81alum]

3) there’s some criticism of that specific call because we’ve been denied short conversions that way before. On the one hand, if the o line splits on the right side were just two inches wider each, maybe Scarlett makes it. Or maybe if the qb gets a chip block, maybe we make it. But also recall Love had just hobbled out. Maybe they’d practiced this with Love and Love has the lower center of gravity, faster speed, and faster play mechanics to make it (the handoff could take a split second longer to Scarlett) but because Love was hurt, we had to plug in whoever was next, and the play ends up taking a tiny fraction of a second too long.

I continue to like the commentary of Todd Husak and listen to him over the TV announcers every time.  He unfailingly offers insight. 

On this particular play he approved of going for the touchdown on fourth down, but even before the play was run he had identified the formation and criticized it.  Setting the gaps so narrow on a deep handoff permits defensive players to come around the end of the line unblocked and tackle the running back from behind--which is exactly what happened.  The same thing happened in the Rose Bowl against Michigan State, he noted.  The formation is fundamentally flawed.

During the rest of the game, he was openly critical of the pitch back to a runner heading straight into the line that we did over and over on first downs.  He thinks we need to mix in greater use of the counter and of play action as ways to slow down the defenses.  Love would benefit immensely if defenses were all given a split second delay as they had to determine where the ball was going, he said.

In the passing game, Husak indicated that he wished we ran more slants and crossing patterns.  Costello was doing reasonably well during the game but had insufficient opportunities to get into rhythm.

Over the course of the year I am left thinking that Husak would make a terrific offensive coordinator.  I don't fundamentally think he would abandon our power running mentality, but that he thinks that power running works much better with more misdirection mixed in.   

As for me, I told my wife that we should kick the field goal.  However, in my view we lost the game not because we didn't get any points on that fourth down play, but because we let SC drive 99 yards for a touchdown after we failed.  It has been the decline of our defense and not our offense that should be this season's main story.

On another point related to that play--did anyone see that Scarlett actually got the ball to break the plane before any part of him touched the ground?  He was called down when he was on top of another player and not touching the ground.  They probably blew a whistle but he was not actually down.

Or, to paraphrase someone's moniker, he knee was NOT down.  Reminiscent of the infamous 4th down play with Taylor at Notre Dame.

[81alum]

3) there’s some criticism of that specific call because we’ve been denied short conversions that way before. On the one hand, if the o line splits on the right side were just two inches wider each, maybe Scarlett makes it. Or maybe if the qb gets a chip block, maybe we make it. But also recall Love had just hobbled out. Maybe they’d practiced this with Love and Love has the lower center of gravity, faster speed, and faster play mechanics to make it (the handoff could take a split second longer to Scarlett) but because Love was hurt, we had to plug in whoever was next, and the play ends up taking a tiny fraction of a second too long.

I continue to like the commentary of Todd Husak and listen to him over the TV announcers every time.  He unfailingly offers insight. 

On this particular play he approved of going for the touchdown on fourth down, but even before the play was run he had identified the formation and criticized it.  Setting the gaps so narrow on a deep handoff permits defensive players to come around the end of the line unblocked and tackle the running back from behind--which is exactly what happened.  The same thing happened in the Rose Bowl against Michigan State, he noted.  The formation is fundamentally flawed.

During the rest of the game, he was openly critical of the pitch back to a runner heading straight into the line that we did over and over on first downs.  He thinks we need to mix in greater use of the counter and of play action as ways to slow down the defenses.  Love would benefit immensely if defenses were all given a split second delay as they had to determine where the ball was going, he said.

In the passing game, Husak indicated that he wished we ran more slants and crossing patterns.  Costello was doing reasonably well during the game but had insufficient opportunities to get into rhythm.

Over the course of the year I am left thinking that Husak would make a terrific offensive coordinator.  I don't fundamentally think he would abandon our power running mentality, but that he thinks that power running works much better with more misdirection mixed in.   

As for me, I told my wife that we should kick the field goal.  However, in my view we lost the game not because we didn't get any points on that fourth down play, but because we let SC drive 99 yards for a touchdown after we failed.  It has been the decline of our defense and not our offense that should be this season's main story.

On another point related to that play--did anyone see that Scarlett actually got the ball to break the plane before any part of him touched the ground?  He was called down when he was on top of another player and not touching the ground.  They probably blew a whistle but he was not actually down.

Or, to paraphrase someone's moniker, he knee was NOT down.  Reminiscent of the infamous 4th down play with Taylor at Notre Dame.