As promised, the weekly regular kicks off with the weekly spin around the ACC:
-- Clemson is not exactly giving anyone reason to believe they're a good bet to fulfill their role as the ACC's media favorite. Their win over NC State was grindingly efficient, not dominating.
-- Three overtimes to beat Marshall? Part of the problem is that They Stole My Weed Officer was suspended for that game, but then - how many strikes does this Journell chump get anyway? As long as Ethan Keyserling keeps missing kicks, the answer is "as many as he needs."
-- Pitt's offense may yet prove me wrong - you'll remember I called it the worst one in the ACC. It probably isn't. But then, Duke's defense harkens back to Duke defenses of old, of traditional Duke teams that went 1-11.
-- Let's hope West Virginia really, really sucks. Deon Long appears to be the real deal at Maryland, though.
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Time for a quick switch now, over to women's soccer. The official site called the game a "come-from-behind win", which, technically it was, but that phrase conjures up images of losing most of the game before a spirited, late-game comeback. Nuh-uh. I admittedly watched that game hoping for a nice easy slaughter - come on, the #1 team in the country vs. a lower-level ACC team - and that's just what I got. I wish every team would deliver like that. Final stats: 37 shots to 3 and 13 corner kicks to 0. The ladies looked ruthless and businesslike. Oh, that shot didn't go in? No worries, another one is coming in a couple minutes.
You can see why Makenzy Doniak is leading the team in goals - it seems like she's on the receiving end of literally every other pass. She cleaned up a corner kick for her first goal, planted herself in the perfect place on the field for her second, and on UVA's first goal, drew the Pitt keeper in her direction and caused her to totally forget about, you know, the one USNWT-capped player on the field. Oh yeah, her. She's dangerous too.
(Speaking of Morgan Brian, would it be so much to ask for the next game's announcers to remember her last name and not constantly be calling her "Morgan Henry"? Where did they dig up that name? Does an appearance on the national team not merit at least learning her name even if you call the entire rest of the team Golda Meir?)
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The depth chart got a little tweak this week for the Pitt game. Yes, Daniel Hamm is there. Goody goody. I want to see him in action against an ACC team, and if Shepherd and Mizzell are still all banged up, we'll get that chance. Maybe even if Shepherd or Mizzell are still hurt.
A surprise name shows up at SLB: Max Valles, bumping Demeitre Brim down a notch. I don't think Valles is being used as a real linebacker, though; the coaches are talking about Valles in terms of what he brings as a pass rusher. So, in sort of the old Al Groh down-linebacker role. Sort of. Jon Tenuta is different, of course, but Valles isn't in the game for his coverage skills against tight ends.
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Senior Seasons feature:
Upland 55, Silverado 21: Jeffery Farrar had a 66-yard interception return as Upland is getting out of the really tough early portion of their schedule and into teams they are ridiculously better than. Upland is 2-2.
Peachtree Ridge 31, Mill Creek 30: Jordan Ellis carried 31 times for 146 yards. Peachtree Ridge is 4-0.
Episcopal 29, Hill School 9: Evan Butts caught a touchdown. Episcopal is 4-0.
Central Catholic 49, Shorecrest Prep 0 (Caanan Brown) - CCC is 3-1.
Cummings 27, Roxboro Person 26 (Will Richardson) - Cummings is 1-4.
Oscar Smith 27, Western Branch 14 (Andrew Brown) - Oscar Smith is 3-0.
Tallwood 18, Bayside 15 (Quin Blanding) - Bayside is 2-2.
Brooke Point 34, Chancellor 14 (Steven Moss) - Chancellor is 0-4.
Woodgrove 51, John Champe 0 (J.J. Jackson) - Woodgrove is 2-1.
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On Valles: Every time he came onto the field on Saturday (I think it was only 5-10 snaps), they pulled a DT rather than a DB, and put the defense in more of a 3-3-5 alignment (DL: Harold, Urban, Snyder; LB: Valles, Coley, Romero; DB: Hoskey, Nicholson, Canady, Phelps, Harris). I saw them use this on two third-and-long plays to get pretty quick pressure on Kordenbrock. The first time, if I recall correctly, they lined everyone up in a stack (LB's mostly straight behind the DL's), and just brought Valles down at the last second to rush off Harold's edge. Later (2nd half?) they moved Romero and Valles over to Harold's side and rushed all three off the same edge. That looked downright dangerous. Kordenbrock was running for his life as soon as the ball was snapped, and even if it didn't result in a sack, I'm pretty sure his pass fell incomplete. Should be interesting to see these schemes against ACC competition, but I wouldn't be surprised if it worked. Valles has some serious speed off that edge.
As for the RB's, London said yesterday that Shepherd will play vs. Pitt, but did not say either way on Smoke. Wouldn't be surprised to see Hamm out there on at least a few snaps. Might just be me, but it seemed like the read-option was more successful with him than with any other back.
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