I used to say that Louisville became a modern football program Breeder's Cup Day 2000 when they beat Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, MS against a team that was #13. Much like Clemson they spent their games against us with combinations of heartbreak and curb stomping--Mills Kills, Favre with his Hail Mary in 1989 and really little else but blowouts in between. Only an Ice Bowl win in Cardinal Stadium in 1980 to show for ourselves. Saturday night was for us like the lifting of the Curse of the Bambino or the Curse of the Billy Goat. Clemson was the last Dragon that we had to slay in the ACC and to do it at Clemson--and at night--put that to the sword:
1. The only other parallel I will draw to that game was the blocking scheme was virtually identical to Art Valero's cutblocking masterpiece which constructed in part because USM had a nasty defensive line and we had a very small wide receiving unit with Zek Parker, Deion Branch and Arnold Jackson. It was to get the ball to them unimpeded as quickly as Ragone could get it out. It serves to get the hands down of the defensive line and Clemson clearly wasn't prepared for it and really, why would they be? We hadn't shown that all year but I am going to tip my hat a little to Jeff Brohm...he was bird dogging on the Offensive line status. That is the same five man starting unit we had in BC with Mills going to RT and Brown at RG over Collins. Austin Collins did play against Clemson. I don't think Mendoza did and Sylvester had some quality blocks in tandem with Gonzalez on the left side. Nygra landed a killer block to spring Brown for his dagger.
Second straight game without a sack. Some fantastic downfield blocking whether legal or not (the issue was Ahmari Huggins block on Duke Watson's screen--already fifteen yards downfield). For offensive line sickos I'm sure like Dave Scull a Renoir on display down in Death Valley.
2. It was subtle probably to people who haven't watched Louisville passingly, but the offensive tempo was different. Frankly it's the tempo I thought we'd see from Clemson who baffled everybody with a Monday Morning QB jersey on--and the ESPN crew Wischusen and Lewis Riddick--with the complete lack of urgency to the final whistle. Heck they ran out the clock in the first half down ten knowing Louisville was getting the ball back to start the 2nd half in a preview of coming attractions. Did their scouting report say "Slow the tempo down in the complete opposite way SMU and Miami sped it up"...yeah, that level of genius really caught us.
3. A complete, all systems football game. If it weren't for Deangelo Hutchinson's unnecessary block in the back we'd have added a punt return for a score by Brooks to the Tab of Decimation that was the special teams difference. Kudos to Travelsted for shaking off his first quarter miss and maintaining momentum with his conversions. Kudos to the kick coverage unit who I'm reasonably certain didn't allow a return to the 20.
4. Tackling was substantially better. Coverage from all phases--clearly on point. You don't get 9 PBUs without preparation, anticipation and great closeouts. It seemed like Clemson was in 3rd and 2 twenty times Saturday night, and a subsequent 4th and 1 7 or 8 (they were 5/6 on 4th down, but that one missed conversion was the one that sent them to the exits). When they did convert 3rd and 2 it seemed like Mafah met a wall at the sticks and barely converted.
...and I wanted to single something else out; not only was tackling better, in some cases it was punishing. There was a tackle Clark had on Wesco on a short conversion that I was surprised he stayed on the field and I think he did in part due to thinning numbers from their WR unit. The hit on Mafah on 4th and 1 had MJ and Ramon Puryear meeting him a yard deep in the backfield high and low and Thor leaked through his gap late (as did Gillotte). There aren't many things I love more than a 4th down or a Goal Line Stand where it's just hat-on-hat and you have somebody beating a gap. It was perfect.
5. And I don't want to lose sight of something else. While Isaac Brown is just flatout different, I don't lose any confidence when Duke Watson is in the game. Two freshmen, two very different running styles but both are punishing in their own way despite neither being 190. Pump some Duke Watson on that slip screen into my veins all day.
www.cbssports.com
