Notre Dame vs. USC – First Half

#5 Notre Dame vs. #3 USC – Los Angeles, California
At the start of the game, I don’t really have a feel for which team is stronger – I’m kidding. Of course, the last time Notre Dame played against a non-cupcake, they were CRUSHED at home by Michigan. USC should win, but it’s hard to tell since the last time I saw them play, they were getting handled in Corvallis by Oregon State. Even still, USC is just better than Notre Dame. ND still suffers from an appreciable talent deficit which is only masked by a national television contract, “aura and mystique” (Curt Schilling’s favorite strippers) and a schedule of cupcakes (no less than 6 per year). With all of that said, I love the coaching matchup between Weis and Carroll.

1st Drive: ND moves it down the field, but passes on a FG attempt to try a 4th and 9. This is not going to work and it they have to get closer than this all night, they could get shutout.

USC stops the 4th down by flushing Brady Quinn from the pocket and he overthrows a wide open receiver headed to the end zone. Brady may be a lot of things, but he’s no Troy Smith. Smith makes that play with his legs OR his arm.

USC’s first drive. Nice balance, nice power, nice touchdown. Easy march down the field. Touchdown to Dwayne Jarrett. 

One drive does not a game make, but if I’m an ND fan, I’m a little nervous here because without a kicker, Quinn faces that much more pressure to put points on the board. This also means the defense will be giving up field position on most possessions. Pooch punts? Maybe. What will ND’s defense do if they’re stopped on 4th and short a few times around USC’s 35 yard line? Weis won’t punt. Two or three drives starting from there that end in touchdowns could put ND to bed without any supper.

8 plays, 71 yards. 3:32. That’s how you do it.

ND 2nd drive. Another nice kickoff return by that safety. Draw to Darius Walker. Nice call. Gotta mix it up. Gain of 3 or 4. Another quick hitch…deflected at the line. 3rd and 6. Decision down. If ND doesn’t make this play, they’ve gotta get a stop on D.

3rd down. 4 wide. Dropped pass – Rema McKnight. Rema was sneaking a peek at USC strong Strong Safety.

Big return USC. Probably should’ve scored. Nice alley. 42 yard return. I’ll take it.

1 play – play action over the top to Steve Smith – down at the goal line. It’s getting ugly in a hurry ND. Of course, if this game was being played in Notre Dame, USC would fumble here…

Pete Carroll is pimpin’. He’s going for the jugular and he’s all about taking these fools out early. 6:28 in the 1st quarter and ND is on the ropes.

1st down play – no fullback. Chauncey Washington is stuffed. Don’t like goal line formations without FBs. False start USC. Back ‘em up. Carroll put a fullback in on 2nd down. Replay the down. 2nd down – TD Jarrett. That’s 2 and I think this is a wrap. USC is playing against Michigan tonite. ND looks like a sideshow. 47-21. Tick tock.

It’s still early and a 14 point lead should not be insurmountable with McKnight and Samardzjia and Walker on the field – still the question remains how will ND’s suspect defense prevent a Willingham-esque SMOKE OUT by the Trojans?

3rd ND Drive: Decent return…barely out to the 20.

1st down…pass to the tight end. I wonder if the big dogs were covered. 1st down. ND needs to establish the run if they’re going to win this game. Darius for 6 on 1st down – then 2 more on 2nd down. Makeable 3rd and 2. 3 – wide. TE catch #2. 1st down. Charlie is switching it up. Nice move.

ND goes full house with Jeff S. Blown up by safety blitz…Darius for -1 yard. USC is blitzing up the middle and forcing Quinn to abandon the pocket. He just ran for 8. 3rd and 3. Draw to Darius for big yards – 16. Charlie is getting the running game with the draw. SC is still coming right up the middle. SC is up 14, but their defense has been on the field for the entire quarter. Lotta hands on hips early. Deep pass to McKnight – another drop in the end zone. Time to look somewhere else.

He’s listening…nice deep middle throw to Samardzjia – and he hangs on to the rock. ND at the 10 yard line. Sprint roll to the right…nothing doing. 2nd and goal. Whatcha got Charlie? End zone look…deflected. Another end zone pass – incomplete. TE gets BELL RUNG in end zone by USC frosh safety. Field goal. 14-3. If it goes to 21-3, I’d book that flight to Glendale (no disrespect to UCLA).

USC kickoff return out past the 40 yard line. Field position anyone? Short field, again. Nice ND drive bought the D some time.

1st down. Draw play with Chauncey Washington. 5 0r 6 yards – end of 1st quarter. Change sides and let SC tap the other side of that ND ass. 2nd down. Weight room down. CJ Gable 8 yards through a bunch of “tacklers.”

Play action – all day to throw. Jarrett deep down the middle. 25 yds.? SC is already at the ND 20. That was quick. Hmm. Weis blitzed on 1st down. Pass incomplete…USC timeout. I wonder if SC saw what ND saw? The blitz came from the right side. We’ll see. 2nd and 10…Gashed ‘em right up the gut. 8 yards. ND gets a stop on 3rd and short. Nice D. Pete Carroll will probably go for it. Here we go. 4th and 1. Fake the sneak, run a pitch to the TB Gables and he runs over Zbikowsky. Face mask – at the goal line – 1sssst down. It’s almost a wrap ladies and gentlemen.

Pete’s trying to get cute. 1st down bootleg for Booty rolling left. Stuffed…back to line of scrimmage. TOUCHDOWN USC. BOOTY on the sneak.

I know I’m supposed to be rooting for ND because Michigan could get a rematch, but phuk that. At this point, I’d love to see USC and OSU – and I’d love to see Michigan and LSU in the Rose Bowl…and I’d like to see Notre Dame in the BlueBonnet Bowl. They’re a bunch of overrated scrubs who are getting handled AGAIN.

4th ND drive…what am I noticing? SC is starting to home in on every aspect of ND’s game. The kickoff returns are getting progressively shorter. Darius’ power runs are going nowhere. That means a little deception should kill SC…reverse? Deflected Quinn pass.

Hmmm. Spectacular run by Quinn!!!! 59 yards…wow. Shoulda scored, but it took 60 yards for anyone to catch him. Nice wheels on that kid. Swing pass to Samardzjia…jumps out of 2 tackles…nice. 3rd and 3 in the Red Zone. Gotta get something here. There’s that draw play again. First down. FUMBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SC Ball!!!!!!!!!!!! Darius Walker fumbled the draw, landed on the ball and had it SNATCHED by some big ass dude/dudes in red. Looks like he may have landed on the ball. He’s down – and he’s pissed to the highest of pissed-tivity (Thanks, Robin Harris). Maryland’s battling back. Down by a bunch, they’ve pulled to within 7 at 21-14.

Walker’s up and on the sideline trying to get it together.

SC ball at the 8 yard line. Good ND pressure. Knocks Booty to the ground…

Trivia Question: SC has lost one game in the Pete Carroll era by more than 7 points. Game and coach? I’m going with Kansas State in Manhattan with Bill Snyder at the helm.

ND gets a stop! Whew. 4th and 10…Now would be a great time…skip that…It’s blocked. Wow! Steve Quinn, right up the middle. Better score this time ND!

Got it. That TE again – Marcus Freeman. Had to get his name after all of these catches. I believe that’s 3. He’s having a big game. McKnight and Walker have to get their heads in the game. Quinn is fine. Samardzjia’s doing his usual. It’s possible that the defense woke up. We’ll see if that was simply a field position thing, but they’re competing.

Special teams fumble…recovered by USC. Huge hit. KO. Helmet to helmet. I’m woozy and there goes my mouthpiece. SC ball on the 19. ND is bringing the wood. Big possession for SC.

Interception ND. I guess ND resented me calling them a bunch of scrubs. They’re ballin’. Terrible read and throw by Booty…into triple coverage. ND ball at their own 48. A little trickeration…stuffed – gain of 2.

2nd down and 8. 3 wide to Big Jeff in the slot. Gets 7 can’t break a tackle. 3rd and 1. Nice call. Not such a good call here…pitch play to Walker…loss of three. 4th down – 4 to go. Going for it and risking field position or punting? Charlie is…

Going for it.

4:49 in the 2nd. DROPPED by MCKNIGHT…I told you to look somewhere else a while ago. Great throw in rhythm by Quinn. SC ball at the

Trivia Answer: Bob Davie – 2001. 27-16. Ok, fine. Snyder won 27-20 in 2002. I wanted to hear “7 or more points,” even though it’s not what they said.

Another pick by Booty. ND ball. SC needs to get back to the run. ND’s defense has really picked up the physicality. They’re hitting everything that moves and smashing anything that doesn’t move fast enough.

2nd down…Quinn almost throws a pick. 2:27 in the half – timeout Notre Dame. 4th and 6 from the 33. Incomplete endzone shot to Samardzjia. Ok, SC needs to run the rock and relax. They’re too excited with themselves. ND cannot win this game by converting 4th downs. That simply is not going to happen.

ND stuffed another 1st down run by SC. 2nd and 10. Another run. Refs ignore a facemask penalty that could have been called on ND. 1:17, 2nd qtr. Time out. 3rd and short for SC.

Aside from the dropped passes by Rema McKnight, the other issue that ND is having is that SC’s linebackers are very good in pass coverage. They drop off the screen and you can’t see them on the television, but you can tell they’ve taken away the crossing routes that ND likes to run. Weis may take a page out of Mike Martz’ book and throw some deep digs to his receivers in the second half in combination with some wheel routes by his backs.

SC is running the clock down to the 2nd half. 30 seconds left. 4th and 9 from the 33. Excellent directional punt…out of bounds at the 28…not so deep, but deep enough to probably keep ND focused on the 2nd half. 12 seconds left. Good time to take a knee. Nope…4 wide from the 25. First down to TE #87, again. Skip pass to #11 – end of the half. USC 21, ND 10.

Observations on the first half. Michigan is a damn good squad. SC lost some momentum, but still has a 2 possession lead. They get the ball to begin the half. With ND unable to get 3 deep in SC territory, they’ll need turnovers to win the game. Even if Notre Dame wins this game – and it goes down in history as the greatest game ever played, they should not play Ohio State. We’ve seen that game and it was not pretty last year. It will be uglier this year. Rema McKnight is killing ND. He’s from LA and is probably trying too hard to make a play. Chauncey Washington, SC’s best back had his bell rung. SC hasn’t run with authority since that play. If he doesn’t clear out the cobwebs, USC should spread ND out a bit to get Gables going – and also look for Steve Smith on some short stuff he can take deep.

And that’s the half that was.