Had to take a solid day away from here to regather my thoughts after a(nother) heart-wrenching defeat, but alas, I have come up with the following thoughts...
I wanted the PAT after our first TD, worry about the two later if we get to that point, BUT I do see where BK is coming from in that decision.
Deshone Kizer is a gamer. He sailed a few passes early, and the INT was a brutal mistake, but leading this team all the way back in the middle of a monsoon reiterated that this kid has cajoñes made of steel. I just wish his veteran weapons could have came through on a lot of those dropped passes.
The adjustments the defense made after going down 14-0 were spot on. They really stepped up the rest of the way and played solid to keep them in the game. That said, they have to be ready to go right out of the gate, especially given the magnitude of the game and situation.
Finally, big ups to Clemson for putting together a great defensive gameplan against NDs offense. They forced the game onto DK's shoulders which is exactly what they needed to do.
I needed a 24 hour grace period to re-collect my thoughts, and since the final failed two point attempt, I've gone from 'f()ck football, I'm done with this bullsh!t' to realizing that this could have been a whole hell of a lot worse. As soon as we go down 14-0, I was very concerned they would roll over and quit, but on par with the rest of BK's era so far, they reached deep inside their souls and fought all the way back to making it a winnable game. I cannot tell you guys how proud I am of this team for overcoming a horrible start, and so many terrible mistakes throughout the game, to come within 2 points of overtime. Am I disappointed we couldn't sneak away with a W? Oh hell yes, I'm still a bit sad today. But knowing they fought til the bitter end, when so many ND teams of recent past would have went into a shell and got run out of the stadium, I am as happy as I possibly can be with a now blemished record.
I love this team, I love the staff, I love the direction we're heading, and I love all of you guys. We have a lot of season left, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the ride with you fellas!
We are ND!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk