[NCAAF] vBook: Alabama vs Clemson

[IrishLion]

It was funny to me last night to hear about how successful the Clemson defense has been this year despite the losses they suffered (draft, injuries, and graduation) and how successful Brent Venables has been.

Makes me wonder a lot about what BVG is going to do this upcoming season we have a lot of turnover on an already under achieving defense. The Clemson defensive scheme didn't seem to be overly complicated and they face the same kind of offensive schemes we face.

And they gave up 45 points lol.

I saw many a person bitching on Twitter last night about how ND's defense isn't even close to the teams playing last night... meanwhile, those teams playing last night had a shootout. Defense wasn't exactly at a premium.

 

[T Town Tommy]

When Clemson played USC this year, Clemson ran that same onside kick. In that game the refs gave USC the ball even though Clemson recovered the ball. The officials in that game said something along the lines of the receiving team has to be given the opportunity to receive the ball(which sounds crazy).

Dabo was calling for that same ruling.

The difference was the Gamecock player in the area of the ball called for the fair catch and therefore has the right to attempt to catch the ball. Two completely different scenarios.

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-video" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Downside of Bama winning... Not being able to use this <a href="https://t.co/TiSNVFmHdl">https://t.co/TiSNVFmHdl</a></p>— Kmarko (@Kmarkobarstool) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kmarkobarstool/status/686905686173847552">January 12, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[NDohio]

The difference was the Gamecock player in the area of the ball called for the fair catch and therefore has the right to attempt to catch the ball. Two completely different scenarios.

I think Dabo knew he wasn't going to win the argument, but he had to try.

 

[koonja]

Congrats to your Tide, Tommy! What a program.

 

[Bishop2b5]

When Clemson played USC this year, Clemson ran that same onside kick. In that game the refs gave USC the ball even though Clemson recovered the ball. The officials in that game said something along the lines of the receiving team has to be given the opportunity to receive the ball(which sounds crazy).

Dabo was calling for that same ruling.

On any kickoff - long, pooch, onsides, etc. - if the ball's kicked up into the air (as opposed to the more typical bounce-across-the-turf onside kick), the receiving team must call fair catch to be given an opportunity to field it. In the Clemson-USC game, the USC guy called for the fair catch, which is why Clemson didn't get possession even though they recovered it. In the game last night, no Clemson player called for the fair catch. Refs got it right.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Congrats to your Tide, Tommy! What a program.

Heading in to fall practice, I thought this year Bama would be a 2-3 loss team primarily due to the questions at QB. Seems like we kinda stole one this time around. I'll take it either way.

Now... the Irish need to go get theirs.

 

[IrishLion]

Heading in to fall practice, I thought this year Bama would be a 2-3 loss team primarily due to the questions at QB. Seems like we kinda stole one this time around. I'll take it either way.

Now... the Irish need to go get theirs.

At times last night, it felt like Coker might end up being too much of a liability. But he made two or three great throws and one great scramble when it counted. QB play ended up being the saving grace basically lol. Crazy how that works out.

 

[NDohio]

The difference was the Gamecock player in the area of the ball called for the fair catch and therefore has the right to attempt to catch the ball. Two completely different scenarios.

I think Dabo knew he wasn't going to win the argument, but he had to try.

On any kickoff - long, pooch, onsides, etc. - if the ball's kicked up into the air (as opposed to the more typical bounce-across-the-turf onside kick), the receiving team must call fair catch to be given an opportunity to field it. In the Clemson-USC game, the USC guy called for the fair catch, which is why Clemson didn't get possession even though they recovered it. In the game last night, no Clemson player called for the fair catch. Refs got it right.

I think Dabo knew he wasn't going to win the argument, but he had to try.

LOL

 

[T Town Tommy]

At times last night, it felt like Coker might end up being too much of a liability. But he made two or three great throws and one great scramble when it counted. QB play ended up being the saving grace basically lol. Crazy how that works out.

Agree. It seemed at the start that Coker was going to freeze under the big lights. If fairness to him, that Clemson defense was getting after him early on. But he ended up making enough plays to get it done when it mattered. Kudos to him for hanging in and seeing it through.

 

[PANDFAN]

wonder if your strength and conditioning coach could maybe at the very least do a clinic for longo to get some tips

 

[Bishop2b5]

I just wanted to say thanks to you guys for "watching" the game with me last night, for all the civil discussion, and for letting an outsider enjoy the moment here. Roll Tide!

 

[Bishop2b5]

Heading in to fall practice, I thought this year Bama would be a 2-3 loss team primarily due to the questions at QB. Seems like we kinda stole one this time around. I'll take it either way.

Now... the Irish need to go get theirs.

Same here. I thought we'd lose at least 2 this year and maybe 3. What Saban did with this team since the Ole Miss loss may be his best performance yet as a head coach.

 

[NDgradstudent]

Kirby Smart called Tom Herman after OSU beat Bama last year to discuss the game. I assume BK and our assistants already do this? They certainly have had plenty of occasions to call elite coaches who have beaten us. On the other hand, if any coach thinks he is too proud/stubborn/whatever to do that, it might be BK.

As for Longo, just make him watch the 60 Minutes piece on Cochran.

 

[T Town Tommy]

wonder if your strength and conditioning coach could maybe at the very least do a clinic for longo to get some tips

Cochran is crazy as a cockroach.

Serious question though... would ND even allow Longo to visit other schools to review their off season and in season regiments? Saban has always been very open about coaches both coming in to help him out as well as coming in to benchmark ideas from him. I don't know Longo or how effective he is at his job, but I am sure he could always pick up some things from others.

 

[NDohio]

Kirby Smart called Tom Herman after OSU beat Bama last year to discuss the game. I assume BK and our assistants already do this? They certainly have had plenty of occasions to call elite coaches who have beaten us. On the other hand, if any coach thinks he is too proud/stubborn/whatever to do that, it might be BK.

As for Longo, just make him watch the 60 Minutes piece on Cochran.

Not specifically picking on you, but I often see people throwing around this elite coaches tag. In BK's tenure he has been beaten by elite coaches Saban, Meyer, and...

 

[koonja]

Baby Steps. Longo should venture down to the local planet fitness to watch a 30 minute private workout by one of the trainers making $15 an hour to gain some tips before he steps into the ring of a Bama S/C workout.

 

[palinurus]

Re the fair catch on the kick off, can the receiving team then let it safely bounce and roll, the way the punt returner can? I mean, does it stop being a live ball on a kickoff, if the receiving team gives a fair catch? Because fair catch signal or no, Clemson had no one there to catch that last night.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Re the fair catch on the kick off, can the receiving team then let it safely bounce and roll, the way the punt returner can? I mean, does it stop being a live ball on a kickoff, if the receiving team gives a fair catch? Because fair catch signal or no, Clemson had no one there to catch that last night.

In that scenario on a kick off, if the receiving team calls for a fair catch but the ball hits the ground after crossing the team's receiving line - 10 yards down the field from the kickoff spot - then the ball becomes "live" and can be recovered by the kicking team. If no fair catch is called for, the receiving team has forfeited their right to catch the ball unimpeded - given it goes beyond the 10 yard receiving line.

The rules are kinda hard to interpret but that is my understanding.

 

[Bishop2b5]

Re the fair catch on the kick off, can the receiving team then let it safely bounce and roll, the way the punt returner can? I mean, does it stop being a live ball on a kickoff, if the receiving team gives a fair catch? Because fair catch signal or no, Clemson had no one there to catch that last night.

No, it's a live ball in that situation so they can't call for a fair catch and then let it safely bounce & roll as on a punt. Clemson had no one there because the guys in that area turned to run without making sure it wasn't an onsides kick first.

 

[ClausentoTate]

It went 14 yards. I thought the same thing, but they kick from the 35 and it landed at the 49.

Mind blown. Thank you.

 

[bkess8]

And they gave up 45 points lol.

I saw many a person bitching on Twitter last night about how ND's defense isn't even close to the teams playing last night... meanwhile, those teams playing last night had a shootout. Defense wasn't exactly at a premium.

Yes obliviously last night was not a defensive show case, I was more referring to Clemson's whole season.

 

[Irish#1]

In that scenario on a kick off, if the receiving team calls for a fair catch but the ball hits the ground after crossing the team's receiving line - 10 yards down the field from the kickoff spot - then the ball becomes "live" and can be recovered by the kicking team. If no fair catch is called for, the receiving team has forfeited their right to catch the ball unimpeded - given it goes beyond the 10 yard receiving line.

The rules are kinda hard to interpret but that is my understanding.

No, it's a live ball in that situation so they can't call for a fair catch and then let it safely bounce & roll as on a punt. Clemson had no one there because the guys in that area turned to run without making sure it wasn't an onsides kick first.

It should also be noted that the ball has to go directly in the air when kicked and not the type of kick where the kicker kicks it into the ground and it then bounces in the air. Years ago teams started using the fair catch on onside kickoffs to prevent the kicking team from catching it in the air. Then teams went to kicking the ball into the ground to nullify any fair catch call.

 

[T Town Tommy]

It should also be noted that the ball has to go directly in the air when kicked and not the type of kick where the kicker kicks it into the ground and it then bounces in the air. Years ago teams started using the fair catch on onside kickoffs to prevent the kicking team from catching it in the air. Then teams went to kicking the ball into the ground to nullify any fair catch call.

Actually, in 2012 they changed that rule as well. The receiving team can call for a fair catch on the kickoff if the ball bounces on the ground once during the onside kick try. This was put in to affect to prevent the violent collisions we were seeing with the big one hop onside kicks. That's why we now see the kickoff teams squib the ball in college instead of trying the one hop kick. I believe they changed the number of players that could be on one side during a kickoff around the same time.

 

[bkess8]

Seen this and had to share. I honestly laughed for 2 straight minutes. I don't think any of us get this crazy do we?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SJQfwTmr234" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>