Mike West

Yep, this is the time to force Tech to play a complete game, not just feast on turnovers and explosive plays.

I believe zone blocking will be more difficult on Tech. The edges are very quick. Surprisingly, running to the edges has worked on this defense though. If Lupoi forces Tech to drive the entire field, I don't believe the Red Raiders will score much. They need explosive plays to stay in this game in my opinion.

I prefer burnt steak. We used to call it burnt toast when this old dog played football!

This is where we get to see if our young team has developed killer instinct. If it ever was necessary, Tech is the kind of team to put down early, and keep down late.

David, the refs have cost us one title (Newton fumbled that TD run, he threw the pick, and we all know they got a gimmie at the end of the game). I am going to have to keep my cool this playoff season, because JMU got two explosive passes on pushoffs the refs didn't call. So I have to expect that will be par for the course.

Agreed! I do not believe TTU has the type of depth to sub much in this game.

Ah Solar, So glad you brought those issues up. I don't believe Tech can play a straight up game tomorrow. They will have to do more than go at it one on one. They like to bring their Safeties up-essentially bring eight guys into the box. Their base defense also allows for exotic blitzes no one has seen much from them. So how much do they vary their style? They will absolutely need to bring heat, because they will not cover OBD WRs well. I do doubt Stein gets outcoached. I thought he did an excellent job of adjusting to Indiana, and Moore simply wasn't ready to handle that much variety. Also, OBD RBs each ran for more than 5 yards per carry. The running game was there to exploit on a Defense I consider far more disruptive than Tech's. Steele considered IU the 15th best DL in the country. That unit proved repeatedly they are much better than that. Tech's LBs are also a major strength, but they do not have great closing speed in space. LB Rodriguez is a faster version of Boettcher-and he always is in the right place at the right time. Their edges are nearly unstoppable, and their OLBs also make very good plays. But they will be forced to commit to one or the other: run or pass. They cannot stop both. That will be apparent sometime in the middle of the first quarter in my opinion. Lupoi appears to be playing possum. I don't think he showed what he intends to do this playoff season. The LBs are the weakest link, but the Safeties have been their key assistants. I wonder if Lupoi is going to start bringing more heat himself when it matters (and the sooner the better). OBD will have to outscore the better offenses from this point on. I am not sure Tech is a part of the group I consider lethal enough to be a threat.

Mistake free football: the defining factor in playoff games. The Tech defense really focuses on forcing fumbles. They are really good at it. But you can tell they actually practice that skill-as in drills on a daily basis.

Fingers crossed. The layoff will be an interesting factor in this game as well.

I am looking at that dimension as well. I want to see how Stein attacks that front four. Also, if Stein starts moving Moore around, I believe Moore will be more deadly.

Steele has more interesting assessments. BYU, whom Tech essentially wrecked, returned 4 starters on offense, and 5 on defense. They were rated the 10th best OL and 11th best DL. They should have been routed given those ratings. It seems like Steele is more in love with the SEC and hasn't completely adjusted to the impact NIL has fostered on the game. He also whiffed last year on the top teams in the country.

Agreed! And these points stand out for me. If OBD play a complete game, this will be a cruise control win.

Spot on Jon! I believe the JMU game was very helpful in that respect. I also believe the staff and the players have done well to minimize responses to all the hype Tech is receiving. I was completely shocked at what I was looking at when I started to dig into the weeds. It stood out immediately. I could be completely wrong, but I'd be very shocked if I am. And of course, I will give the Red Raiders their due credit if it turns out they are as good as they are being hyped.

Both times we wore grey pants in the postseason, we lost I just wish we wore our traditional colors.

I believe your observation about that aspect of the offense in the Indiana game is spot on. I also had those thoughts. I have watched the game a few times. I do believe Stein went away from the run game more than I would have liked. It wasn't as if he choose poor plays in my opinion when he decided to pass the ball. Moore just didn't execute what he was given. I saw two missed TDs (an additional 8 points there-not to mention momentum lost and more pressure on the defense to hold the line), and some crafty plays to get guys open-on one missed TD, TWO players were open for TDs. Moore simply missed both, and they were easily going to score if either of them caught the ball. I believe Stein sets defenses up much more than we suspect. I believe execution has been the issue with the offense since Stein has been at the controls.

Couldn't have said it better. The intensity was totally gone. Killer Instinct. The one team that executes it better than anyone else is Georgia. They don't care if your QB had a career ending injury. You disrespect them by saying you deserve to be in the playoff against the team that won it the year before and lost a close game to be included-you picked the wrong team. OBD took offense to JMU saying they were going to give them a game. Then this happened... <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9kRpS8mwJ14?si=YgC0VALI9zCg92un" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It's more than tradition, and pedigree. All three are playing better ball. Not as many mistakes. Better execution. Much better LBs. And the DCs prepare better for what they expect from their opponent (though Lupoi is doing absolutely stunning work with LBs that have no closing speed, or lateral coverage abilities against the run or pass).

Oh, you guys are peaking right on schedule. In my opinion (almost said in fact lol), Georgia is playing the best ball out of everyone-including Texas Tech.

I have a tough time believing OBD are "there" yet. This Oregon team hasn't even played a complete game yet. Not against teams that have enough talent to force them to. So that is what I truly mean. Play your very best. Force teams to take a victory from you (give them nothing). Make a team show they have more playmakers, that have to make incredible plays (that Indiana last second TD in Happy Valley comes to mind). Play the kind of game like last October in Eugene, where you force the most talented team in football to play their very best, and force them into a few mistakes. Play the kind of game like like Alabama did tonight-showing resolve, the ability to adjust immediately, and bring your A game after a slow start. Like in Iowa City with the game on the line, and having to make extraordinary plays to win it. I am not sure how this year's team stacks up against Indiana, Georgia, what we saw from Bama tonight, Ohio State, and Ole Miss. Indiana and Georgia finally showed what they are when they play complete games. We haven't and neither have the rest of the teams I mentioned. Success means to me OBD play 95% perfect. It doesn't matter the results then, because that is true success. That is excellence personified. You can't fault a team that loses to a better team if they play their very best ball. My dad used to tell me all the time: "Do your best son. Be your best". I have never regretted anything in my life when I have done my best. Results didn't matter. What mattered was I conquered the "worst in myself" That to me is true success. OBD will probably play in the title game if they bring their best to the table this post season. They even have a shot at winning it all. Just bring your best damn it. Make us proud.

They made it to their Conference Title Game in clearly a much tougher conference than Notre Dame's. Oh...Notre Dame isn't in a conference are they? Not to mention, the closest iteration of a conference they played in was the ACC. Home of the weakest P4 conference by far. Furthermore, the Tide victory is an "in your face" moment for arguing Bama didn't deserve their spot. Especially since Bama erased a 17-0 lead. Question: how likely would ND be able to erase a 17 point lead against the playoff field? I don't mind giving the SEC credit. Especially when they display prowess legitimately. The conference dared giving Texas a tougher schedule, and Texas demonstrated what the conference is like when balanced scheduling is in play. Bama played nearly as tough a schedule, and matched Texas in eliminating Vandy as a contender-whom had a weaker conference schedule. Scheduling matters and Bama had a tougher schedule than Notre Dame. It was front loaded like ND, but they had more teams to get through, and they did. Not to mention, getting to the SEC Title game should be an automatic bid. If Vandy would have done that, I'd say the same. They would have had to win the two games they were guaranteed to be underdogs in. How many times is ND an underdog? That should be another factor involved frankly, because teams must demonstrate they can win games against a tough field, not just win games because they are pretty good. I had to lecture here, so pardon the soliloquy. Alabama absolutely deserved to be in the playoff in my opinion. A CCG game loss isn't the regular season. It is the post season. It is proof you belong amongst the best. Especially given Bama is in a pretty tough conference. Losing three regular season games makes it far more unpalatable to place a team from ANY conference in the playoffs. Even in a 16 team field in my opinion. Let's hope in the future, the SEC gets soundly rebuked if a three loss team in the regular season has the nerve to lobby for a playoff spot.

I'm not sold on Thomas. And mind you, he threw the ball really well for the most part. He reads well as well, though is a little behind schedule (probably due to few reps). We will know much more when the season ends. Moore looks ready enough to go pro. Not ready enough to step up to the level of play required to excel. The question is more "will NFL execs draft him high since he has so much upside?". Logic says Moore should wait. There are enough solid QB candidates that will enter this year. The other question is will the QB competition be truly open? Thomas is in a good spot whether Moore declares or stays. Its up to Moga and Novo to decide what their best options are.

I guess it's time to Force ND into the ACC by shutting them out of the playoffs each year. I wonder how much they'll lighten their schedule now.

Well, we are going to find out if Brock Thomas is really capable of starting if Moore goes pro. One thing is certain, Thomas executed what he was given. We saw a limited sample, so we have that to go on. I for one am not convinced Thomas is the guy. Has he been given a scholarship? If not, shouldn't he have one now? Personally, I would take Smith Jr. over Thomas. I just do not believe Brock Thomas can march OBD down the field six times a game and generate 30 plus points. I just do not see that. I recognize Moga and Novo have accuracy issues. And Thomas has proven he is mobile. None of the three can throw 45 yard laser shots down the sideline, which I feel is more important. You have to stretch the field, point blank. The QB that accurately does that is the QB that wins titles. Smith Jr. the only backup capable of making that happen. I will remain openminded however, because Thomas we have not seen in OT versus Penn State, or Thomas against Indiana. Perhaps he IS capable of winning those games. I'd like to see a poll on that: Is Thomas capable of defeating the Ohio States, Georgias, and Indianas of the world? Is Novo, Smith or Moga? Is DANTE MOORE?

Sumrall is highly regarded. I want to see world class performance from your QB though. I was absolutely disappointed in his effort and level of play. I don't think that was due to poor coaching. So I hope Sumrall is more effective than Kiffin is at developing QBs, because the road to a Florida title is DJ Lagway. I'm talking 30 TDs, 4 INT level performance. Heck, 27 TDs and 6 INTs would have propelled the Gators much higher. That's got to happen. The kid is too talented to look as average as he did this year.

All I know is Dante Moore missed two TDs Stein called for him against Indiana. Indiana forced both Ohio State and OBD to play mistake free ball. Both teams will defeat the Hoosiers if they do. Both teams field more talent. And yes, I am saying this after watching both games. Ohio State finally faced a team their caliber. Much like A&M. The bad news is , unlike OBD last year, they face the sting of this loss before its "win or go home". That will make them far more dangerous. The Buckeyes can't control the ball with a strong running game. That's finally on film. But that's four games Indiana has displayed the same characteristic. Cignetti is using the DeBoer/Penix back shoulder strategy. Indiana can't out run CBs. Which means the Smart DCs are going to play zone and shut that stuff down. Ironically, that is also what I would do to Ohio State. Jeremiah Smith pushes off as soon as anyone gets close to him. Tate has to be more crafty since he isn't a physical beast like Smith is. But the way to beat both of those teams is to lay off of press coverage. Let's see who follows that strategy, because both teams are excellent against press coverage. This playoff run comes down to Dante Moore. I'm thinking run the offense like the Jim Kelly Bills...all two minute stuff. Moore doesn't think when he's given routes like that. We saw that front and center these past two games, and actually much like the first three games of the season. My two cents of course, which won't be followed since Lanning insists on being physical. College football is closer than ever to the NFL. The QB decides titles. The running game is an accessory. You need to be able to run the ball to wrap the game up. You need to pass the ball to take command of the game.