1. The Slow Mesh hand-off/pass is a good new wrinkle. But other teams will now practice to stop it. USC was not expecting it --- but how well will it work in upcoming games when the defense is prepared for it?
And the Mesh does have a downside --- when the hand-off finally happens, the running back takes the ball from a standing start, not usually the optimum way to run the ball.
2. Fourth and Two, at the two yard line, and after an entire off-season to study the playbook, all Coach Shaw can come up with is a modified FADE pass, this time the mid end-zone jump-ball fade. That's the best play they could think of? Really? USC had to know to look for it. Geez, my dog was looking for the fade!
3. On a Third and 9 and on a Third and 15 --- we ran the ball up the middle. Look, if Shaw absolutely must run the ball on a Third and Long, why not at least try a sweep or reverse, or something that actually has a slim chance of gaining the needed yardage? Far too often, on Third and Long, Stanford chooses to concede that posession, and get ready to punt.
4. With 15 minutes left, down by 27 points, Stanford drives for a TD. But they used up nearly 6 minutes of clock! In that 13 play drive, Stanford ran the ball NINE times! Any chance to mount a comeback disappears when Nine of your Thirteen play calls are running plays.
5. And with seven minutes left in the game, down by 20 points, Stanford's offense again showed NO sign of urgency! The team and coaches did not appear to be concerned about the very limited time left on the clock.
Stanford did drive for another TD, but they used up nearly THREE minutes --- on only SEVEN plays! And remember, they would have used up even more time if USC had not stopped the clock TWICE for Stanford on that seven play drive, with Pass Interference penalties!
6. EJ Smith looks like he’s going to be a very good running back, and he can catch the ball well, too. But come on, all this talk for months from Shaw suggesting that EJ would be one of the best in the country is just fluff. He’s a good running back, but he’s not a game-changer.
7. There is no doubt that McKee is a good QB. And his accuracy is probably among the best in the country. But McKee does not anticipate the rush, and he does not avoid the rush, and he often steps right into the defensive pressure! At his age, he’s NOT going to improve these skills. Some people have suggested that he will be a First Round NFL draft choice. I cannot see it --- he will need a spectacular O-line to protect him in the NFL.
And the Mesh does have a downside --- when the hand-off finally happens, the running back takes the ball from a standing start, not usually the optimum way to run the ball.
2. Fourth and Two, at the two yard line, and after an entire off-season to study the playbook, all Coach Shaw can come up with is a modified FADE pass, this time the mid end-zone jump-ball fade. That's the best play they could think of? Really? USC had to know to look for it. Geez, my dog was looking for the fade!
3. On a Third and 9 and on a Third and 15 --- we ran the ball up the middle. Look, if Shaw absolutely must run the ball on a Third and Long, why not at least try a sweep or reverse, or something that actually has a slim chance of gaining the needed yardage? Far too often, on Third and Long, Stanford chooses to concede that posession, and get ready to punt.
4. With 15 minutes left, down by 27 points, Stanford drives for a TD. But they used up nearly 6 minutes of clock! In that 13 play drive, Stanford ran the ball NINE times! Any chance to mount a comeback disappears when Nine of your Thirteen play calls are running plays.
5. And with seven minutes left in the game, down by 20 points, Stanford's offense again showed NO sign of urgency! The team and coaches did not appear to be concerned about the very limited time left on the clock.
Stanford did drive for another TD, but they used up nearly THREE minutes --- on only SEVEN plays! And remember, they would have used up even more time if USC had not stopped the clock TWICE for Stanford on that seven play drive, with Pass Interference penalties!
6. EJ Smith looks like he’s going to be a very good running back, and he can catch the ball well, too. But come on, all this talk for months from Shaw suggesting that EJ would be one of the best in the country is just fluff. He’s a good running back, but he’s not a game-changer.
7. There is no doubt that McKee is a good QB. And his accuracy is probably among the best in the country. But McKee does not anticipate the rush, and he does not avoid the rush, and he often steps right into the defensive pressure! At his age, he’s NOT going to improve these skills. Some people have suggested that he will be a First Round NFL draft choice. I cannot see it --- he will need a spectacular O-line to protect him in the NFL.
