Cornell football 2018

[Al DeFlorio]

Didn't learn from last week.  Varied offense on first drive was successful until two dumb play calls ended it.  Since then it's run, run, run until you have to pass and then punt.

Colgate TD scored on a clever pass play and FG set up by a clever delayed screen.  Waiting to see a clever Cornell play.  10-0 late first.

[ugarte]

I don't think we watch the same games, Al. A better team ended the first drive by making plays. The calls weren't dumb, they just didn't work.

Bad snap leaves the Cornell punter scrambling inside Cornell's 20 and he gets nailed by the coverage team. Fortunately for Cornell, the helmets brushed against each other (and it looked much worse because his head snapped back on the hit) and Colgate gets hit with a *terrible* targeting call with 16 seconds left in the half. Instead of Colgate with the ball in the red zone, Cornell is able to move into Nick Null's field goal range for a last-second field goal try. Alas, Nick Null is out for the year. Zach Mays isn't close on a 43-yarder but the Red is only down 10-0 at the half to a top-20 FCS team.

[billhoward]

But: Did anyone think we'd have a two-game win streak going before mid-season?

Now 17-0 Colgate 5 minutes into the third up to 24-0 Colgate 8 minutes into the third. If we have a comeback planned, we do have all 3 timeouts left. Good game management.

[ugarte]

that fake punt was one of the worst passes I've ever seen lol

[Al DeFlorio]

I don't think we watch the same games, Al. A better team ended the first drive by making plays. The calls weren't dumb, they just didn't work.

No, we watch the same games.  We just have a different idea of smart play-calling.

[billhoward]

Some consolation: Back in Ithaca, Cornell sprint football put up 26 in the second quarter to lead Chestnut Hill College 35-23. I had to learn more about Chestnut Hill, which is not close to BC, but in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia. About 1400 students. And this on admissions: A 500 on each SAT is about average and it's "moderately difficult" to get in.

[ugarte]

Dalton Banks gets subbed out after the Cornell D gets a stop on downs near midfield with ~4 minutes left. His replacement promptly throws a pick-6 and Cornell is down 31-0.

[ugarte]

I don't think we watch the same games, Al. A better team ended the first drive by making plays. The calls weren't dumb, they just didn't work.

No, we watch the same games.  We just have a different idea of smart play-calling.

We're disagreeing over whether it was the call or the execution.

[ugarte]

Dalton Banks gets subbed out after the Cornell D gets a stop on downs near midfield with ~4 minutes left. His replacement promptly throws a pick-6 and Cornell is down 31-0.

Mercifully, the game is over.

[billhoward]

It's on to Providence. Brown has only a win over Georgetown so far, was blanked by Rhode Island 48-0 in the Newport Mansions Cup (I'm sure it has a name), and is being pounded by Princeton 35-3 today.

[Trotsky]

Princeton appears to have an objectively good football team, as in not good by Ivy standards, but good good.

Code Select Expand

50- 7 at Butler
51- 9 Monmouth
45-10 at Columbia
66- 7 Lehigh
42-10 Brown (still in progress)


[Al DeFlorio]

I don't think we watch the same games, Al. A better team ended the first drive by making plays. The calls weren't dumb, they just didn't work.

No, we watch the same games.  We just have a different idea of smart play-calling.

We're disagreeing over whether it was the call or the execution.

On your opening drive, With third and one on the 23 yard line of a team that hasn't given up a touchdown in its last four games, you have two shots to gain a yard, continue that drive, and maybe send an early message with a touchdown. And you have a 240 pound quarterback who can go under center and plunge forward.  At least run a play that goes north-south, where it's very unlikely you'll lose ground.  The last thing to do is run east-west and risk losing yardage on third down.  So what did Cornell do?

[Ken711]

It's on to Providence. Brown has only a win over Georgetown so far, was blanked by Rhode Island 48-0 in the Newport Mansions Cup (I'm sure it has a name), and is being pounded by Princeton 35-3 today.

If Cornell loses to Brown, Archer should be fired at the end of the season.

[ugarte]

I don't think we watch the same games, Al. A better team ended the first drive by making plays. The calls weren't dumb, they just didn't work.

No, we watch the same games.  We just have a different idea of smart play-calling.

We're disagreeing over whether it was the call or the execution.

On your opening drive, With third and one on the 23 yard line of a team that hasn't given up a touchdown in its last four games, you have two shots to gain a yard, continue that drive, and maybe send an early message with a touchdown. And you have a 240 pound quarterback who can go under center and plunge forward.  At least run a play that goes north-south, where it's very unlikely you'll lose ground.  The last thing to do is run east-west and risk losing yardage on third down.  So what did Cornell do?

Third down was dumb. Fourth down was no longer one yard and the squad blocked like crap on the screen. So it was both.

[Al DeFlorio]

I don't think we watch the same games, Al. A better team ended the first drive by making plays. The calls weren't dumb, they just didn't work.

No, we watch the same games.  We just have a different idea of smart play-calling.

We're disagreeing over whether it was the call or the execution.

On your opening drive, With third and one on the 23 yard line of a team that hasn't given up a touchdown in its last four games, you have two shots to gain a yard, continue that drive, and maybe send an early message with a touchdown. And you have a 240 pound quarterback who can go under center and plunge forward.  At least run a play that goes north-south, where it's very unlikely you'll lose ground.  The last thing to do is run east-west and risk losing yardage on third down.  So what did Cornell do?

Third down was dumb. Fourth down was no longer one yard and the squad blocked like crap on the screen. So it was both.

Yes, the blocking was crap.  No question.  Against the #1 defense that is fast, athletic, and pursues like crazy, in a must-make or else lose-the-ball situation, call a play where the receiver is at least the requisite number of yards downfield to get the first.  How about a slant over the middle or a button-hook to the outside, at least five yards downfield?