The Back Corner Fade

Have you ever had a band or singer that you really love to listen to on the radio and then you see them in concert and they were just kind of “meh?” You still enjoy their music, but you left the show feeling a little let down. I felt that way Monday evening after watching the Irish plod their way through the opening act of the 2019 season.

I think we’d be remise not to give Scott Satterfield, his staff, and players a tip of the cap for their efforts. The Louisville program was in shambles and they now look competent and played with heart. It will be interesting to see the strides they’ve made when we see them again next November.

As usual, I’m not going to break down the why’s and why not’s. Mike and the boys kill it every week doing that, but I will say, I hope the 12 days off between this one and New Mexico are fruitful and that the kinks can be ironed out. Lord knows, there is plenty of work to be done. 

This wasn’t Ball St bad from last year, but it sure as hell had whiffs of it.

So what did we learn this past week?

Well, for starters, I wouldn’t want to be a Vols fan on old Rocky Top. If I was, I might jump off. 25+ point favorites and let Georgia St come in and flat out manhandle them. I watched the 4th quarter of that game and they weren’t just getting the bounce on 50/50 balls, they were flat out landing body blows and pushing UT all over the field. That Georgia St team was 2-10 last year. Can you imagine if ND lost to a 2-10 team or even let them hang around for longer than they should what our fan base would be like?!? Oh wait.

Hats off to Bo Nix. Talk about watching a kid grow up in the course of three hours. Watching the first half of that game, I was wondering in the 1st half what they were even thinking having this kid out there and thinking he simply wasn’t ready for this. Guess it shows how much I know. Nice to see the PAC-12 being the PAC-12 as well. The 2nd half saw them get beat up in the trenches. Different year, same story.

I honestly feel bad for Clay Helton. I know, I know, he’s an SC guy and we should never…..whatever, he seems like a good man in a no-win situation. He was already in trouble, now he has to try to run a gauntlet of five ranked teams in a row without J.T. Daniels. I think it’s a 50/50 proposition at this point that we see him in October when SC comes in. 

Looks like for the first time in a while LSU has a QB. Joe Burroughs tossed 5 TD’s and when asked to comment, Coach O spit out a mouthful of limestone to say “He throw ball far, they catch…..” suddenly the light from a camera-phone catches his eyes and he flips out, tearing the presser room to pieces.

Here’s what’s coming up this week….

The aforementioned LSU Tigers head to Texas for an early season, big daddy, OOC game that ESPN is talking up as possibly having nation title implications. Ok, tap the brakes. Both these teams are awfully good, and both will be playing late into December and probably NYD 6 games. But National Title good, I just don’t see that. All this being said, it should be a heck of a ball game. LSU 34-28.

Adam Sandler look-a-like, Luke Fickell, has quietly done a fantastic job at Cincinnati and he gets a shot at his alma mater and former employer as his ‘Cats travel to take on the Buckeyes. Fickell was placed in a horrible position if you remember when St. Jim got launched for having no knowledge of his players being outlaws, and Billy Madison had to bridge the gap between Tress and Urb. It was not a good situation and I’m happy to see the guy having success. While I don’t expect UC to win this game, I believe that they’ll hang around and give OSU a battle. OSU 34-21.

Nice to see Nebraska and Colorado getting back together for a game. Crazy, ok not stat, but tidbit, Stub Hub is saying that the lowest price to get in the door for that one is $235.00?!?! Correct me if I’m wrong, but neither Darrien Haggan or Tommy Frazier are coming out of either locker room to play in this one.

Good luck to Autry Denson and his Charleston Southern boys as they head up to play South Carolina. 

Revenge game of the week: Old Dominion goes to Blacksburg for the return game from last year’s stunning upset. I would say VT is going come out foaming at the mouth to get some of that, but the foam might fall on the ball causing it to be fumbled and turned over like they did five times last week at Fredo…..can I still say Fredo?

The big one goes down in Death Valley on Saturday afternoon as Texas A&M takes on Clemson. Clemson is obviously Clemson, and A&M has improved rapidly in just one season. Say what you will about Jimbo Fisher, and there is obviously plenty to say about him off the field, but on the field, he’s a hell of a football coach and I think we’re about a year away from seeing A&M join the discussion of SEC heavy weights, Alabama and Georgia. He has a great recruiting ground to work with, unlimited resources (cough, bagmen, cough, College Station police under his thumb, cough) and a great environment to work in. I hate to say it, but it isn’t going to take long. 

Clemson on the other hand is just as solid as they have been the last 4 years. Tough to judge against a rebuilding from the ground up program like Georgia Tech, but they’re simply a machine. I’m just waiting for the day that Dabo rubs Howard’s Rock and then floats on the wings of angels down the hill to the field. Incidentally, how in the hell has nobody every blown out an ACL or the like running down that hill. I’ve been to Clemson and that’s a rather steep descent . Oh, the game. I expect a deep into the fourth quarter deal, but too much Lawrence, too much Etienne, and just enough “God is good’s” from Dabo on the sidelines to get them over. Clemson 31-27.

Mola Ram Offering to the Cupcake God’s Game of the Week: UT-Martin vs. Florida.

Coming off that emotional sh*t show, I mean win, against The U, Florida had two weeks to prepare for  Tennessee plus some guy named Martin. All jokes aside, the Big Orange could use Martin, he might be able to help them. UT-Martin are the Sky Hawks if you didn’t know. Which, if I remember correctly, was a team on “Double Dribble” for Nintendo back in the 80’s. Florida 56-8

Not much to say about ND this week. Get healthy, iron it the kinks, and get better.

Enjoy the games!