Oklahoma is similar to Baylor in that they both run an up tempo offense. I remember when FSU played Oklahoma in 2010 in Norman and we weren't even lined up and couldn't get the Defensive Call in before Oklahoma snapped the ball. We got blown out. Then we played again in 2011 at Doak and we were better prepared Defensively for that tempo even though we lost the game.
What I saw in the Russell Athletics Bowl was a North Carolina defense that was TIRED. They had their hands on their hips in between plays, they didn't look to be hustling on every play. Baylor had all those guys out and just ran basic Zone Read stuff that North Carolina knew was coming yet they couldn't stop it. The same thing happened to FSU when we played Oregon's fast pace. Our guys got tired and that affected their hustle on every play. It's tough when you play in a league where everybody has a moderate tempo and then you go play a team from another conference where they snap the ball at rapid speed.
Now Clemson is up tempo too but I don't think they snap the ball as quickly as Baylor and Oklahoma.
So what is my point? My point is a lot of the Orange Bowl hinges on how good of physical condition Clemson's defensive players are in and how well they are prepared to handle the tempo. Now they dominated OU last year but that was because it was more of a mismatch and Clemson forced a bunch of turnovers and three and outs that kept their defense from being on the field for a long time.
That is the thing about the Big 12. It isn't so much that the plays they run are unique or reinventing the wheel. It's how fast they snap the ball and that forces the Defense to be in good physical condition, limits their ability to substitute, and forces them to have a good system for getting the Defensive Call in and getting lined up before the offense snaps the ball.
What I saw in the Russell Athletics Bowl was a North Carolina defense that was TIRED. They had their hands on their hips in between plays, they didn't look to be hustling on every play. Baylor had all those guys out and just ran basic Zone Read stuff that North Carolina knew was coming yet they couldn't stop it. The same thing happened to FSU when we played Oregon's fast pace. Our guys got tired and that affected their hustle on every play. It's tough when you play in a league where everybody has a moderate tempo and then you go play a team from another conference where they snap the ball at rapid speed.
Now Clemson is up tempo too but I don't think they snap the ball as quickly as Baylor and Oklahoma.
So what is my point? My point is a lot of the Orange Bowl hinges on how good of physical condition Clemson's defensive players are in and how well they are prepared to handle the tempo. Now they dominated OU last year but that was because it was more of a mismatch and Clemson forced a bunch of turnovers and three and outs that kept their defense from being on the field for a long time.
That is the thing about the Big 12. It isn't so much that the plays they run are unique or reinventing the wheel. It's how fast they snap the ball and that forces the Defense to be in good physical condition, limits their ability to substitute, and forces them to have a good system for getting the Defensive Call in and getting lined up before the offense snaps the ball.
