Oct. 31, 2017
“Winning Ugly” Isn’t the Point
In the wake of the ‘Cats’ improbable, super-thrilling 7-point victory
in OT against NU’s most loathsome and truest No. 1 rival in the B1G,
the Io_a HogEyes, I spoke to numerous Wildcat fans who expressed
animated dissatisfaction with HC Pat Fitzgerald’s tactical decision
that consigned his team to compete for final victory via the NCAA’s
tied score resolution protocol: The Princeton Overtime. Under
normal circumstances, football teams end-up turning to the finality of
the Princeton Overtime due to one of the two related scenarios below:
1.
One team scores the crucial game-tying points following a
frenetic comeback bid in the closing minutes of regulation time (a
scramble scenario).
2.
Both teams share a tie score as regulation time remaining on the
scoreboard clock expires when neither’s offense can gain the
appropriate field position for a last ditch scoring opportunity (a
‘meh’ scenario).
However,
in last Saturday’s contest, despite having possession of the bean with
90 precious seconds remaining in regulation and starting field position
at NU’s 25 (classic scramble scenario), Fitz made the conscious choice
to opt-out of mounting that one final furious fan-pleasing drive to
move the pill downfield into position for the game-clinching FG
attempt, and, instead, sent the game into overtime. IMHO, it was
a bold decision that would have been more characteristically expected
from a reputedly unconventional college football HC like Wazzo’s Mike
“The Riverboat Gambler” Leach than the usually conservative Pat
Fitzgerald. Nevertheless, here was Fitz forcing the proverbial
final round of the B1G West Division’s annual ‘Cats vs HogEyes Texas
Hold ‘Em Tourney, after all the cards were dealt and the betting
completed, confidently calling-out “All In” while pushing his entire
stack of chips forward towards the center of the felt-covered table to
challenge his all-too-familiar nemesis, the stoic, steely-eyed HogEye
HC, Kirk Ferentz, to determine once and for all the 2017 tourney’s
victor. Once each opposing player’s hands were turned-over, Fitz’
plucky winner-takes-all gambling gambit paid off handsomely with a
black chip-laden pot as his Wildcats answered their HC’s call and
delivered a heroic TD that was unanswered in the HogEyes’ subsequent OT
possession – sealing the deal and vindicating Fitz’ gutsy wager to
wrestle the “W” flag away from the grasp of the stone-faced Mr.
Ferentz.
But peace & harmony at NU’s endgame good fortune against their
hated rival did not abide among all card-carrying members of Wildcat
Nation. Rather than reveling in the euphoria of the moment, many
loyal Purple patrons questioned the wisdom behind Fitz’ all-or-nothing
OT gamble, especially when considering its potential to squelch any
hope of achieving NU’s perennial goal of garnering 6 wins to become
bowl eligible by season’s end, had it failed.
In addition, a large number of these same fans expressed disappointment
regarding several observed game-time situations that could have had
profound negative impact on this game’s eventual outcome. The
first: many groused about NU’s continued reliance on a “winning ugly”
defense-oriented game plan that featured very boring, overly
predictable offensive play calling apparently conceived to limit the
number of times in which NU’s enigmatic, yardage & scoring
production-challenged O would be forced to deal with the constricting
pressure to convert that critical first down on 3rd-n-long or deliver
that crucial score to keep the game within competitive reach when
facing another high quality B1G defense, like the HogEyes
possess. The second: many complained that Fitz showed an overt
lack of confidence in his supposed “NFL-ready” 3rd year QB, Clayton
Thorson, to perform in the clutch since he chose to shut down his O
when the Wildcats had the last “bean in hand” possession for either
team just prior to the ends of both 1st & 2nd halves with
approximately a minute or more remaining on the game clock. The
third: many voiced criticism that Fitz positioned the ‘Cat O into what
could be characterized as a “play not to lose” mode by restricting the
use of the “long ball” vertical pass that, tactically, might have added
the threat of a quick-strike capability to Thorson & Co., and the
possibly to loosen the HogEyes’ apparently prioritized defensive
strategy meant to stone NU’s JJTBC-based ground game and force the
‘Cats’ offensive yardage production into becoming increasingly
dependent on Mr. Thorson’s erratic passing capabilities.
Considering these perspectives objectively, especially in light of the
disturbing bagel that OC Mick McCall’s O tossed onto the Dyche’s Ditch
scoreboard at the end of H-1, it would come as no surprise if/when the
average ‘Cat fan might easily conclude that each of these derogatory
sentiments had merit with no solution in sight.
My immediate response to such grumblings was both swift and direct…
● On the game’s “winning ugly” aspect:
Most certainly, this contest wasn’t basketball on grass featuring
point-a-minute offenses blowing past NBA-like defenses (read: players
doing their best imitation of weeds (growing roots firmly planted in
the ground) or traffic cones (standing upright & anchored in one
place) allowing their opponents to dribble over, around or through them
to the basket & score at will); but instead, transitioned to a 60s
& 70s-era bare-knuckle trench warfare fistfight with strategies
emphasizing the complained-about domineering defenses and ball
control/field position offenses that would exploit lapses in defense
(e.g.: 20+ yard explosion plays) or turnovers (which proffered a short
field to the end zone) as they presented themselves. Neither team
backed down from the other as each haymaker-swinging D took the fight
straight into the chicklets of their foe’s O with extreme
prejudice. Long yardage gains were few & far between.
However when delivered, their significance was reflected on the
scoreboard – with the HogEyes notching their lone TD on the heels of a
61-yard explosion pass completion in their final possession of H-1;
while NU scored its game-tying TD in mid-Q3 following Thorson’s nifty
21-yard scramble into & through a seam in his pocket pass
protection wall on a 3rd-n-15 down that precluded RB Jeremy Larkin’s
dash to the left corner paydirt pylon that evened the score at
7-apiece. A true football fan relishes an old school,
no-holds-barred grapple like this in much the same way a real baseball
aficionado appreciates the subtle nuances of a 9-inning pitchers’ duel
in which any defensive gaffe has the potential to become the final
score difference maker. Watching the proceedings unfolding on the
green grass of Dyche’s Ditch while seated among cherished friends in
the West stands, I was in my euphoric throwback gridiron element.
“DIE HOGEYES, DIE.”
● On Fitz’ decision to “Take a Knee” in the final minute before the end of either half:
Most of the ‘Cat O’s quick strike scoring capability was summarily
neutralized by the suffocating HogEye D throughout the 60 minutes of
regulation play. 3 or 4-down-n-out possessions from Thorson &
Co. were commonplace, because the Hogs’ defensive dominance was aided
greatly by the frustratingly frequent drive-compromising gaffes and
brainfarts that plagued the Wildcat O. If it wasn’t Thorson
holding onto the bean too long scanning for a WR to immerge somewhere
in the HogEye secondary before the Io_a pass rush got into his grill;
it was the impactful consequence surrounding the ‘Cat receiver corps’
propensity to run slow developing, undisciplined pass routes that
regularly stymied their effort to gain any substantive separation from
their HogEye coverage DBs, eventually leading to a busted pass
play. Or perhaps it was CT’s desperation tosses to double covered
targets for an incompletion or a WR dropping one of Thorson’s well
thrown on-target & in-stride darts resulting in a zero yardage
down. Or maybe it was an OL committing that costly holding
infraction rather than allowing his QB to get blasted into next week by
his bull-rushing HogEye pass blocking target. Regardless of the
causes, a bald-faced fact remained: On any obvious passing down, the
HogEye defensive front 7 pinned their ears back and attacked the LOS,
hoping to make some game-changing defensive play by taking full
advantage of the ’Cat OL’s less-than-reliable blocking capabilities
that were categorically noticeable on prior game videos. And each
of NU’s two “last possession of the half” offensive series in this game
were rife with obvious passing downs. Since the “big secret”
regarding the Wildcat Big Uglies’ glaring pass blocking deficiencies
was a well-known point-in-fact to the HogEye D, Fitz decided to
eliminate potential disaster by taking a knee rather than attempting
the high-risk/high-reward Hail Mary pass. IMHO, he took the
smarter alternative path.
● On Fitz’ decision to judiciously shun calling the “Let It Fly/Long Ball” vertical pass on a regular basis:
Of all the complaints made by the Purple fanbase concerning last
Saturday’s ‘Cat vs HogEye grudge match, this one might hold the most
credence. As a matter of fact, OC Mick McCall did turn his
starting Junior QB loose to attempt a vertical pass varietal on
occasion over the course of the game; however, he tactically avoided
the home run ball in deference to the more-controllable, medium length
downfield pass of 10-15 yards for a couple reasons. First, in
every 2017 game thus far, Thorson had shown a disturbing tendency to
give-up the momentum killing INT on passes of 30+ yards.
Subsequently, in a match where NU’s offensive brain trust felt that the
defense of each mutual combatant would rule the LOS and a single score
would be an infrequent deliverable that held an even greater value
within the context of a low-scoring affair, the shorter, controllable
medium pass was the safer, more preferable alternative to the long ball
downfield pass. Secondly, a fickle south wind that was gusting
from 10-15 mph and, once inside Dyche’s Ditch Stadium, would swirl in a
long sweeping arc between the east & west stands and around the
perimeter of the gridiron, creating havoc in the length & accuracy
profiles of longer passes and off-the-turf kicks, like FG attempts.
Passing with such a wind to one’s back required touch on most throws
over 10-yards, especially when the toss was lofted in an arcing
trajectory to the receiving target, whereupon the wind will provide a
varying degree of carry, depending on the swirl pattern and strength of
gust at the point of release from the hand. It’s quite the
opposite throwing into a headwind gust simply because the speed,
direction & variability of an individual breeze will affect the
accuracy of any thrown ball in the most unpredictable way, defying all
ability to predict the varying conditions from one moment to the
next. When dealing with an intermittently gusty, swirling wind
like what was happening above the turf of Dyche’s Ditch, accurate
downfield passing turned into an art form, especially when chucking the
bean southward, into the teeth of those fickle wind gusts.
● On Fitz’ decision to send game into overtime:
This unorthodox decision was based upon Fitz’ familiarity with the
offensive mindset of his HogEye HC counterpart, Kirk Ferentz, when
heading into an overtime period (read: it wasn’t Fitz’ 1st OT rodeo
facing the HogEyes). First: it reduces the physical game to a
microcosm of the standard – the 100-yard open space gridiron is
shortened to a 25-yard backyard; while offensive possessions are reset
to a vulnerable one-off in which the impact of any mistake (i.e.: a
sack, a TFL or a penalty) is magnified, restricting the available set
of plays dramatically to a subset of what’s in the playbook.
Second: with Doc’s D having done a masterful job of stoning the HogEye
ground game to insignificance and pressuring Io_a’s QB, Nate Stanley,
with an unrelenting, in-your-grill pass rush on passing downs that
greatly reduced Kirk Ferentz’ primary ball-handler’s time to scan the
NU secondary for an open WR throughout most of H-2, the success rate of
the HogEye O was restricted significantly. Third: that damnable
swirling, gusty, variable breeze blowing out of the south end zone and
straight into the chicklets of the southbound ‘Cat offense. That
single item alone – to deliver any significant explosion play or
sustain the requisite high quality field play for an entire 6-8 down
offensive series within the allotted timeframe – ballooned its degree
of difficulty by an order of magnitude 10. Given those
conditions, I personally set odds for the Wildcat O to successfully
execute something of game-changing impact at approximately 10% (1 play
out of 10 executed). Regardless of whatever one is trying to
accomplish, let along driving into a headwind wreaking havoc on
anything thrown into it, be it a pigskin or a hot dog wrapper, losing
odds like that must be avoided at all costs. Therefore, the
choice to avoid potential reversals of fortune via a devastating
turnover or some injury to an indispensable playmaker, like CT or JJTBC
in regulation time, and instead, to send this hard-fought donnybrook
into OT was Fitz’ most logical one to take because it optimized his
team’s chances to secure the “W.” As described above, the
decision to play an OT endgame was a gamble but a definite
higher-percentage one for the surging Wildcats.
How the ‘Cats Spit-Roasted the HogEyes
The Right Stuff - Redux
Without a doubt, the unit on the Wildcat football team that has shown
the most consistent, steady improvement throughout the entirety of the
2017 campaign has been DC Doc Hankwitz’ defensive front 7. The
complete compliment of defensive playmakers who rotate in and out of
the 2 & 3-deep roster of Doc’s DL and LB corps are a reflection of
the commitment to excellence tutelage that has been the perennial
trademark of their DC and his defensive staff, who’s ranks include many
of the longest tenured collegiate gridiron mentors assembled by Pat
Fitzgerald in his 12 seasons as NU’s HC.
Mind you, when I first witnessed this squad getting their collective
butts handed to them in their season opener against a much less
talented FCS Nevada team, I trundled from Dyche’s Ditch harboring deep
doubts whether or not these raw, undisciplined players would ever gel
into anything approaching the cohesive cooperative required to compete
against NU’s B1G foes. But that 1st game, inauspicious as it was,
became the starting point of this unit’s journey towards
redemption. The ‘Cats’ 2nd contest, the 41-17 “Drubbing In
Durham” against a resurgent Dookie team, was an absolute defensive
whitewash that revealed the daunting Sisyphus-like uphill trek that lie
ahead for these front 7 defenders just to become competitive against
FBS-level competition. And it’s here, at this juncture, I truly
believe that Doc’s troops had a “Come to Jesus” moment of clarity – one
in which they had to choose between one of two paths before them:
either respond to this butt-kicking by refocusing their resolve to
improve or merely fold their tents & return home to Evanston to
play-out the string of their remaining slate of 2017 games. To
their credit, they selected the first route. NU’s 3nd game
against BuGS-U was a zero progress bug tussle simply because the team
from Find-Lay, OH was, by far, the worst opponent of their fall
campaign. The Wildcats’ week 4 foe was their anticipated annual
grudge match against incumbent B1G West Division champion, Wisky
Drunkards and their prolific ground-n-pound O featuring their All B1G
RB candidate, Jonathan Taylor. This was THE game in which Doc’s
defensive front 7 finally started to get their act together as they
shed their under-whelming ways and held their own by countering the
high quality blocking capabilities of the Drunkards’ NFL-sized OL while
stoning Mr. Taylor’s rush yardage production to a season low 80 net
yards. This was more like it. Game 5 was NU’s homecoming
grapple against legitimate leading B1G championship contender, State
Penn, and their formidable rushing attack that featured the Inmates’
own All B1G RB nominee, Shaquan Barkley, whose current season rushing
stats were among the top 5 in all of Division 1A. Once again,
Doc’s front 7 showed their improving mettle by stuffing Mr. Barkley
early & often, limiting the Junior RB to his lowest single game
rushing output of 2017 – a paltry 75 yards. Now Doc’s troops were
making REAL defensive hay, while rising to meet the additional
challenge of hauling the competitive water for the scoring drought
plagued Wildcat O. Doc’s front 7 had their first glimpse of their
aspired-to summit of defensive dominance in their Game 6 roadie against
the Maryland Twerps. Despite giving-up several explosion plays which
led to 3 TDs by the Twerp O, the Purple defensive front 7 finally
rounded into form, delivering their best performance of 2017 thus far
in limiting the Twerp rushing attack to an anemic 85 net yards,
complimented by 9 TFLs & 2 sacks. Even the newbie Purple DL
and LBs were contributing to this virtual stoning. Rock On,
fellas.
Finally, last Saturday’s annual steel-cage death-match against the
despised HogEyes comes to Dyche’s Ditch. In his post-game
presser, Fitz acknowledged that he and his coaching staff correctly
predicted that this contest would be a low-scoring, all-out back alley
brawl between combatants who shared nothing approaching mutual
affection whatsoever. Respect… maybe; but a warm & fuzzy
fondness… Fuggetaboutit!!! Staring down one’s privately
sworn enemy prior to their long-awaited no-holds-barred donnybrook
without spitting in the other’s eye was about as good as it was ever
gonna get between these two bitter rivals. And Doc’s D didn’t
disappoint, as the Purple defensive front 7 went Medieval on the
HogEyes’ LOS from the opening whistle. That the ‘Cat defense
limited the HogEye O to 89 net yards rushing & 14 1st downs for
over the entirety of the game was no fluke; rather, relentlessly
spit-roasting the Hog O for 60 minutes and into OT was a fitting
culmination of the committed effort towards progressive season-long
field play improvement shown by Doc’s collection of defensive
playmakers over the previous 6 games. Nothing more need be
said.
A Best
At long last the Wildcat OL pulled-back the joystick of their offensive
stunt plane in time to recover from its season long spiraling nose dive
and restore the Thorson & Co. Super ‘Cat back to level trim and
made an honest contribution in a winning cause against an FBS team not
named BuGS-U or the Twerps. ‘Cat OL coach Adam Cushing’s much
maligned troops rose to meet the well-rested, well prepared defense of
the HogEyes who spent their assigned bye week to lick their wounds and
refocus on the upcoming sharpened fang-n-claw “Battle of Feral
Hogs & ‘Cats;” and did so with their lights-out best performance of
the 2017 campaign. The usually porous Purple OL kept the uniform
of their QB Clayton Thorson relatively clean with commendable 3 sack
effort and limited TFLs to another season best 4 against a potent,
hard-nosed Io_a D that had shoved the backs of the powerful offenses of
State Penn & Moo U up against the impending wall of defeat in
consecutive gut wrenching “Ls” of 19-21 and 10-17 in B1G weeks 4 &
5, respectively. In addition, this motivated unit controlled the
LOS and the HogEye defensive front 7 well enough to allow their rushing
attack cartel, comprised of JJTBC, 2nd team RB Jeremy Larkin & QB
Thorson, to accrue a praiseworthy endgame total of 147 hard-fought-for
net yards off 46 attempts (accounting for minus 18 yards due to those
sacks on CT). In retrospect for the extended amount of time and
the 7 games it took to get to this welcomed performance point, I could
say, “It’s About Time;” however, I’ll hit the mute button on that
backhanded compliment and give credit where due by saying, “Job Well
Done.”
The Reel Thing
Every member of Wildcat Nation is well aware of the field play
performance woes of OC Mick McCall’s Clayton Thorson-led offense.
If those woes didn’t involve continuous breakdowns in blocking
techniques of the OL, it was Thorson tossing the pill into double
& triple coverages, or overthrowing/underthrowing receiving targets
when open, or it was the WR corps’ insanely poor ability to get
separation from their coverage DB, forcing CT to eat the bean after
taking a full 4-5 seconds waiting for them finally to sprint into an
open space within a zone in the opponent’s secondary only to have a
HogEye Big Ugly getting into his grill to disrupt the whole damned
process . These foibles have been popular fodder for informed and
uninformed discussions in verbal conversations and written commentaries
like this one for months now. But last Saturday against the
HogEyes, many of these glaring deficiencies were mitigated, not
entirely, to be sure, but often enough that when they did happen, they
didn’t necessarily handcuff the ‘Cats’ offensive field play as
much as they had so demonstratively in past contests.
Wildcat WRs got open, but since Thorson was chucking the pigskin into
that fickle swirling wind, it either got knocked down in flight or took
a flier halfway to its intended target. Or the OL got their heads
out from their moons, made the correct blocking assignment calls then
actually blocked their target defenders well enough to spring JJTBC or
Jeremy Larkin for the yards needed to convert that crucial first
down. It was a remarkable confluence of circumstances in which
many individual things that were blown-up or just missed in prior games
were now executed as outlined in the preconceived game plan of NU’s
offensive brain trust.
Through it all, a handful of red-letter downs featuring highlight reel
worthy athletic playmaking that essentially set the table for the ‘Cats
to capture the “W” flag with the HogEyes doing their best to prevent
those players from delivering the goods. Talk about the high
drama of competitive sports…
Reel Play No. 1: Clayton Thorson
NU’s 1st possession of Q3 following a punt by the HogEyes from their 17
gives Thorson & Co. starting field position at their own 34,
heading northbound, wind at their back, and the ‘Cat O goes to work
driving towards the HogEyes’ north end zone. CT’s
post-halftime passing acumen is dead red full throttle, with pass
completions of 9-yards to Dickerson, an 18-yarder to Fessler that gets
negated by a damned holding call then a 5-yard dink to Skowronek that
resets the LOS at the Io_a 49. Next down, Thorson drops behind
his pocket protection, which is holding steady, and scans the HogEyes’
secondary. After a short 3 seconds, a seam appears in the
blocking wall in front of him 2 paces to his right. CT sees the
seam, stops his scan, tucks the pill under arm and sprints free &
clear into the open space in the short middle zone just past the
LOS. There’s a 7-yard wide open lane extending from the LOS into
the deep middle zone of the Io_a secondary and Thorson sprints into
this deeper zone untouched for 12 yards. The visiting team’s DBs
realize that Thorson is gobbling yards downfield and break-off their
individual coverages to turn-to & zero-in on the charging ‘Cat
QB. CT makes a side-step to his left, juking 2 would be HogEye
tacklers, making them grab nothing but air. He take a step back
to his right as he passes those 2 potential tacklers now sprawled-out
on the Dyche’s Ditch turf and continues his run. After 5 more
yards gained, a 3rd defender collapses on Thorson directly in front of
him and attempts a roll-tackle at the QB’s knees. CT jumps in an
awkward hurdle motion, legs & arms flailing, making this roll
tackler miss badly; then loses his balance when his feet hit the turf
after the hurdle and he just dives to the grass to avoid any potential
slobber-knocker shot from unseen HogEye parties. This 21-yard QB
scramble repositions the LOS at the HogEye 19 and sets-up Reel Play No.
2 below. It certainly wasn’t pretty and CT’s jumping style will
never be mistaken for Baryshnikov changement, but Thorson’s highlight
reel dash & hurdle was his best broken field rush of the
match.
Reel Play No. 2:
With the LOS at the 19 following CT’s hilarious-looking, DoDo bird-like
flight of fancy reel-worthy play, the ‘Cat O continues its march to the
HogEye north goal line. A 2-yard rush by JJTBC and NU’s feature
RB gets dinged on the hard take down. In comes Jeremy Larkin and
the Wildcat ground game doesn’t miss a beat as the RB sub dashes for 7
& 4 yards on sequential runs that sets the LOS on the HogEye 6 for
a 1st-n-goal scenario. On the very next down, Clayton receives
the snap from center; every OL successfully locks horns with his target
Io_a front 7 defender (the ‘Cat LOT & SB executing a textbook pair
of down blocks on the Io_a defender to their inside shoulder, while the
OG pulls hard around the outside of the down-blocking LOT-SB tandem to
attack the defender on HogEye right defensive edge & delivers his
own textbook inside seal block on that edge’s DE); CT immediately
tosses a lateral to Larkin sprinting swiftly to his left towards the
“Sprint-8” play’s point-of-attack: the right edge of the HogEyes’
defensive LOS. Jeremy confidently grabs the lateral in stride,
dashes untouched around the corner of the HogEye right edge and drives
to the left corner pylon on the HogEye goal line. 2 yards from
paydirt, he dives to the goal line in full body stretch with arms
extended & bean in hand then crosses the goal line just inside the
pylon still untouched for a crucial TD score – and the ‘Cats have tied
the match at 7 apiece. To be sure, one of Mr. Larkin’s highlight
reel plays of his NU RB career. Wildcat Nation goes bonkers at
the sight.
Reel Play No. 3:
It’s the Big One, Martha!!! NU’s goes on offense in the 1st OT
period, heading northward once again with wind to the backs of Thorson
& Co. On the possession’s 2nd play from scrimmage, a 2nd-n-9
down, Thorson receives the snap in his standard shotgun position and
sets-up behind his pass protection wall that neutralizes the balls-out
HogEye pass rush once again. As the Io_a LBs & DBs drop back
to cover their assigned defensive zones in their secondary, the ‘Cat
WRs sprint into their designed downfield zone areas in the secondary
for that particular pass play. No HogEye defender notices JJTBC’s
slipping thru NU’s pass protection wall to the wide open space just
beyond the LOS in short middle zone route – an exact replica of open
space that CT identified just prior to his own highlight reel scramble
in Reel Play No. 1 above (IMHO, Mick McCall’s astute read of the
HogEyes’ standard short zone pass coverage from his vantage point in
the coaches box above Dyche’s Ditch). JJ runs a short crossing
pattern from this short middle zone to the wide right-side short zone
uncovered by any Io_a DB. CT waits 2 seconds then tosses a
gently-arcing touch pass to the wide-open JJTBC just as he enters the
open space in that right-side short zone. The bean takes a flier
pushed by the tail wind out of the south end zone that carries it
slightly higher than expected off the hand of Thorson. JJ
jumps, snatches the pass in stride, turns down field and sees 10 yards
of undefended green grass before him. JJ sprints downfield, sees
one DB closing to him from the short middle zone, allows the DB to
close, then plants his right foot and makes a quick cut to his left
causing the DB to overshoot JJ’s path and roll to the turf
emptyhanded. JJTBC continues his free & clear run another 5
yards as two DB close on his him from either side. JJ jukes the
right-side DB with a 2nd nifty cut to his left, leaving that 2nd DB
sprawled on the turf as emptyhanded as DB No. 1. JJ takes more 2
steps towards the Io_a goal line and just as the left-side DB closes on
him, he executes a hop cut to his left causing this 3rd DB to overshoot
him, emptyhanded as DB No 1 &* DB no. 2, and roll to the turf,
blocking the path of a 4th DB closing-in on him from behind. JJ,
still running free & clear, is at the Io_a 5 yard line when the
unseen DB closing from his backside avoids the rolling 3rd DB, reaches
JJ and wraps the Purple RB’s waistline with his left hand and takes a
swipe at the ball in a bid to force a fumble with his right hand, just
as Justin lowers his pads to absorb the expected hit from a 5th DB
closing-in from his right before he crosses the HogEye goal line.
The forward momentum of the 4th DB-JJ pair cannot be stopped, and the
two stumble forward & hit the turf together at the HogEye
1.
This is as fine a single RAC (Run After Catch) scamper as any that I’ve
witnessed in over 40 years of viewing NU gridiron madness. Better
than any other single rushing play from Darnell Autry, Damian Anderson,
Tyrell Sutton or Venric Mark. That’s one hellova statement and
this is one hellova highlight reel moment for the GOAT RB in
Northwestern University football history.
My hat’s off to you, JJ!!!
Conclusion
WOW this was a long-winded commentary, indeed. However, despite
its length, it communicated the specific points that I felt were
salient to the ‘Cats’ OT victory that was very well deserved. I’m
one proud Wildcat Football Fan. So permit me to review.
● Doc’s D have rounded into the form of a dominant
force to be reckoned-with, even when facing ranked opposition.
● The Wildcats’ heretofore defective OL had the best
game of their 2017 season, despite coming in Game 7. Hey now…
“Better late than never,” I’d say.
● OC Mick McCall’s “Not quite ready for prime time”
QB, Clayton Thorson, did not throw a single INT or bake a single
hot-n-flaky French pastry turnover. That fact alone should make
his HC & OC very happy campers.
● Wildcat P, Hunter Niswander, had a career punting
day, with 3 of his 5 boots downed within the HogEyes’ 20 yard line –
and one was the 3rd longest in NU football history, his 80-yarder in Q3
that flipped the field from the NU 17 to the Io_a 3-yard line, giving
the HogEye O long green to stare slack-jawed at, and with that damnable
the fickle wind blowing right into their collective chicklets to dampen
their enthusiasm to mount a drive towards the ‘Cat goal
line.
● Clayton Thorson’s, 21-tard explosion play scramble
out from behind his pocket protection wall culminating with a his
drunken sailor-like “Leap of Faith” hurdle to avoid a would be HogEye
tackler, setting the stage for NU’s 1st TD.
● 2nd team RB Jeremy Larkin who is beginning to
establish himself as a very reliable sub for a wounded or winded
JJTBC. Then his Q3 highlight reel dive to the HogEye pylon TD
flowing Thorson’s Leap of Faith QB scramble above for the TD that tied
the game at 7-all.
● JJTBC’s 23-yard career-defining highlight reel RAC
scamper in OT. IMHO, the GOAT RAC in NU gridiron history, in
which he left 4 HogEye DBs in his wake, rolling on the Dyche’s Ditch
turf clutching at thin air after their missed tackling attempts, that
set-up the eventual game-clinching TD QB sneak by CT two plays
afterwards.
The Waterboy
“Win with Grace, Lose with Dignity”
|
The Waterboy is a former football player
and a Northwestern
alumnus. Aside from these facts, he has no affiliation with
Northwestern University. The commentary he posts here is his
own, and does not necessarily reflect the views of HailToPurple.com.
