MatchQuarters ICYMI - Week of 8/26/24

Here's what you missed (or didn't) from MatchQuarters... Plus, a clinic on how run fits change with pressure.

Image: SMU Football

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Weekly Free Clinic

**This clinic will be available in the Clinic Archive and on YouTube tomorrow.

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Related Items

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The Art of X Show: Let's talk about spacing...

Fitting The Run With The Iowa Hawkeyes

The Carolina Panthers' Early Down Safety Pressure: Base Rain/Lightning

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Three Games to Watch

• [14] Clemson vs. [1] Georgia | 11 am CST | ABC - This is a defensive scheme nerd’s dream. Clemson’s Wes Goodwin has quickly become one of the best young DCs at the college level, and the program is usually stocked full of NFL talent. Georgia needs no introduction. Kirby Smart has built a juggernaut of a program and is usually ahead (or creating) of the trends defensively. Both offenses are trendy as well, with Lincoln Riley’s (USC) little brother calling it for Clemson and Mike Bobo, who took over for Todd Monken (Ravens) last season, calling it for Georgia. The vultures are swirling for Clemson QB Cade Klubnik, while the Bulldogs have a potential top-10 pick in Carson Beck.

Defending Unbalanced Counter: A lesson from the Clemson Tigers

Georgia's Defensive Philosophy

• [7] Notre Dame vs. [20] Texas A&M | 6:30 pm | ABC - This game has the potential to be a very good defensive matchup. Both head coaches are defensive-minded. Marcus Freeman went back to his man-centric roots last year, as Notre Dame finished third behind Illinois and Purdue in Cover 1 usage. All with a top-10 Blitz Rate. It was enough for the Irish to finish fifth in FEI. The Aggies are under new management as former Duke Head Coach Mike Elko takes over. For almost a decade, Elko has been a name to watch around defensive circles at the college level. The talent is there in College Station, but underachievement has been a common theme. They went 9-1 during Covid (2020) and even won an Orange Bowl. Since then, it's been mediocrity at its best. Look for this to be an elite defensive battle.

Attacking the modern offense with an internal simulated pressure.

Mike Elko's Split Front

• [13] LSU vs. [23] USC | Sun. 6:30 pm | ABC - Blake Baker takes over the LSU defense. Last year, he had Missouri in the top 15 in FEI (think NFL’s DVOA). The Tigers’ defense was abysmal last year, finishing at 101 in FEI. Head Coach Brian Kelly has to feel that there was a missed opportunity and that there needs to be a total program to get LSU back in National Title contention. USC was a mirror of LSU last year. A top QB with absolutely no defensive help. Riley went out and got two well-respected defensive minds to right the ship. D’Anton Lynn comes over from UCLA and North Dakota State’s Head Coach Matt Entz. Together, they should create a significant boost in production. Lynn will most likely call the plays on game day and was stellar last year with the Bruins, where they were ninth in FEI (BCFToys).

Pressure Paths 101: UCLA's Bears Path Cut-Up

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This week from MatchQuarters

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This week from the Archive

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Trey Lance: A case study in the schism between coaching and fanhood.

Rain Check!

Vic Fangio's 3-Site

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© 2024 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.

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