Caught up on the show last night, powered through Clemson, Navy, USC, and bye-week episodes.
Biggest takeaways/questions/comments/concerns:
1. Where in the hell was Joe Schmidt eating, and how can I find this place and eat a sword's worth of meat?
2. After watching Joe's on-camera interactions, none of the personal stuff that has been brought up is warranted IMO. I don't think he's out there putting on a show for the cameras. I just think he's an interesting personality. I think the "Joe Scream" is one of those things that has become a *tradition*. At one point, it was probably motivational. Now I think it's 25% real, 25% inside joke, 25% superstition, and 25% why not? The "who do I need to coach" comment is no big thing, because that's his role. Regardless of how he's playing, he's still out there to be an extension of the staff. I just wish he would take better angles, not whiff on so many tackles, and time up his blitzes better.
3. Sheldon Day's mom has become my favorite human, out of all humans. I want to hang out with her.
4. Jerry Tillery is going to do something huge some day for the benefit of humanity. Not sure if it will be during, after, or instead of a professional football career.
5. It's really cool to see all of the little, seemingly minuscule coaching lessons that the staff dials in on, how they relay those things to the players, and how the effect is felt so quickly. It's not a great example of the "miniscule" descriptor (can't remember the example I thought of last night), but one I keep coming back to is BK coaching up KeiVarae. Everyone knows he needs to look for the ball. BK relays that to him in a "tough love" way, "play the ball with your eyes or you won't play period." What does Russell do? He plays the ball with his eyes and gets a huge INT, followed by a huge tip that leads to an INT.
6. Mike Denbrock drips swag. He knows exactly what to say without being over-the-top. Calm, cool, and collected. That look and handshake with Fuller tho.
