Charting Iowa's defense is like watching Drunken Master - clumsily invite the opponent into the redzone only to even more stupidly avoid points.

This is the 1st of 3 explosive passes effectively undefended in c-4, then USC doesn't even think to throw to Lemon on the walk-in.

Oregon's ability to grant an opposing QB perfect vision, razor-sharp instincts, and laser accuracy -- then go right back to being a pumpkin the next week -- is truly magical.

Mark Helfrich describes the coverage succinctly:
"Looking like 3-deep zone, and the backside corner passes it to air.
Air ... can't defend that."

The QB changing the play from a behind-the-line toss to the TE into a downfield throw to the WR makes it illegal, the delay has the run-blocking OL get over 3 yards downfield. Officials need to catch this, it materially affects the defense.

Interesting that Big Ten officials will allow a leg whip if it takes the form of a cool spinning hook kick from their taekwondo class

Man I miss the Pac-12

I sometimes think that Big Ten officials are secretly doomsday preppers and they've been readying us for the lawless wasteland they feel we may soon be wandering in

It is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit that Northwestern's defense returned to play the second half after this, as opposed to what I would have done which is go east to toil in a deep sunless cave for many years.

The more things change

I suspect @yogiroth.bsky.social has some thoughts on what good canceling a Spring game will do for a program.

This is not quite how the play was drawn up, but Oregon transfer #70 LT Isaiah World gets an A for improvisation during Nevada's comeback win over Oregon State. From Addicted to Quack's upcoming film study series on each of the Ducks' 2025 transfers:

The Game really delivered with the most Big Ten-style blocking of the year:

What the "Ryan Day toughness / Chip Kelly stubbornness" narratives gloss over is just incredible: Ohio State has no blocking-based run game, they're only winning through occasional misdirection plays.

Here they go zero for eight on blocks in the redzone, and it's not an anomaly:

Ball don't lie

A lot of Big Ten-style blocking on this play: