From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

Pope Makes History As Ball State Returns To The National Championship

TCU Horned Frogs at Ball State Cardinals
Jan 9, 2032 1 2 3 4 F #5 TCU (11-3) 3 3 7 7 20 #2 BALL (13-1) 7 6 14 6 33 Top Performers PASS: BSU Taylor Beckner - 9/12, 161 Yds, 2 TD, 2 INT RUSH: BSU Daryl Pope - 28 Att, 227 Yds, 3 TD REC: TCU Adrian Nickey - 5 Rec, 89 Yds	Team Stats Comparison TCU BALL First Downs 10 25 3rd Down Efficiency 3/13 6/12 4th Down Efficiency 0/0 2/2 Total Yards 377 524 Passing Yards 193 238 Rushing Yards 20 - 79 39 - 250 Penalties-Penalty Yards 5 - 40 5 - 40 Turnovers 2 6 Time of Possession 16:37 27:23
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING TCU BALL 2:44 (TCU) JP Homer, 41 Yd FG 3 0 1:23 (BALL) Daryl Pope, 64 Yd Run 3 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING TCU BALL 7:53 (BALL) Daryl Pope, 7 Yd Run (Missed XP) 3 13 0:46 (TCU) JP Homer, 45 Yd FG 6 13 THIRD QUARTER SCORING TCU BALL 8:25 (BALL) Dominick Blonko, 21 Yd Pass From Taylor Beckner 6 20 3:27 (BALL) Daryl Pope, 49 Yd Pass From Taylor Beckner 6 27 0:06 (TCU) Jesus Palacio, 4 Yd Pass From Luis Camacho 13 27 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING TCU BALL 1:57 (BALL) Daryl Pope, 2 Yd Run (Missed XP) 13 33 0:32 (TCU) Jose Puente, 5 Yd Pass From Luis Camacho 20 33
TCU Horned Frogs PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Luis Camacho 17/28 193 2 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Luis Camacho 12 22 1.8 0 RJ McCollum 7 76 10.8 0 Miles Turzilli 1 1 1.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Adrian Nickey 5 89 17.8 0 RJ McCollum 4 31 7.7 0 Josh Puente 3 26 8.6 1 CJ Murchison 2 31 15.5 0 Jesus Palacio 2 12 6.0 1 Zach Scales 1 4 4.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Larry McAffe 0 2 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD SS Ben Santiago 16 0 (1TFL) 1 0 MLB Trevor Smooth 9 0 (2TFL) 1 0 DE Kevin Ayanbadejo 8 1 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Zhaire Bolin 7 0 2 0 CB Tyler Trapaso 7 0 1 0 FS Trevor Smith 5 0 (1TFL) 1 0 DT Dakota Ruggs 4 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Trevante Silver 3 0.5 (2TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG JP Homer 2/2 2/2 8 46 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Kevin Chin 6 275 45.8 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Emanuel Coronado 3 85 28.3 0 Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Taylor Beckner 9/12 161 2 2 Emeka Kikaha 8/19 77 0 4 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Daryl Pope 28 227 8.1 3 Brendan Eisen 6 34 5.6 0 Floyd Gallimore 2 7 3.5 0 Emeka Kikaha 2 -7 -3.5 0 Taylor Beckner 1 -4 -4.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Spencer Lewis 5 64 12.8 0 Spencer McElmurry 4 65 16.2 0 Dominick Blonko 4 36 9.0 0 Robby Van Maanen 3 24 8.0 0 Daryl Pope 1 49 49.0 1 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Noah Meeks 6 0 Scott Landry 3 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Bart Blackstock 6 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Prince Beach 4 0 1 0 DE Zac York 3 1 0 0 MLB David Ojabo 2 0.5 0 0 DT Byron Griggs 1 1 0 0 SS Quentin Wooleyhand 1 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Ezekiel Allen 0/0 3/5 3 NA PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Spencer Lewis 3 36 12.0 0

New Orelans, LA. - Daryl Pope cemented his place in college football history during Ball State’s Sugar Bowl victory over TCU, surpassing Barry Sanders’ legendary single-season rushing record with another dominant performance. The senior running back racked up 227 yards on the ground, adding to his historic campaign—but his night, and potentially his season, nearly ended before it truly began.

On his very first carry, Pope went down awkwardly, clutching his forearm in pain. Forced to the sideline, he missed Ball State’s first two possessions, and the Cardinals struggled in his absence. True freshman quarterback Emeka Kikaha threw interceptions on both drives, allowing TCU to control early momentum.

Despite the turnovers, Ball State trailed just 3-0 when Pope re-entered the game late in the first quarter. His impact was immediate. On his first carry back, Pope exploded for a 64-yard touchdown run, not only putting the Cardinals ahead 7-3 but also etching his name above Sanders in the record books.

Though Sanders wasn’t in attendance—having acknowledged at the Heisman ceremony weeks earlier that Pope was on track to break his record—the Hall of Famer sent a heartfelt three-minute video message, congratulating Pope on his historic season and praising his resilience.

Pope wasn’t done. On the next possession, despite clearly feeling the effects of his injured arm, he bulldozed his way to a second touchdown, this time from seven yards out, extending Ball State’s lead to 14-3. However, the lingering injury forced Pope back to the sideline for the remainder of the first half, and without him, the Cardinals’ offense faltered.

Kikaha struggled against a TCU defense stacking the box, daring the freshman to beat them through the air. He threw two more interceptions, bringing his first-half total to four, and a late Horned Frogs field goal trimmed the deficit to 14-6 heading into halftime.

Recognizing the need for a change, Ball State turned to redshirt junior Taylor Beckner in the second half. Beckner had previously stepped in during the Cardinals’ lone loss of the season, nearly engineering a comeback from a 28-3 deficit. This time, he entered with the lead and wasted no time making an impact.

Beckner tossed a pair of third-quarter touchdown passes—one to freshman Dominick Blonko and another to Pope, who beat a safety one-on-one for the score. Even with Pope continuing to miss portions of drives due to his arm injury, the Cardinals extended their lead to 27-13.

TCU attempted a rally, capitalizing on two more 2nd half interceptions by Beckner, but they never got closer than 14 points. A late third-quarter touchdown made it 27-13, but that was as close as the Horned Frogs would get. Pope sealed the victory with his fourth touchdown of the night—his third on the ground—late in the fourth quarter, officially punching Ball State’s ticket to the National Championship.

“Surreal, definitely surreal,” Pope said after the game. “When I left the field in the first quarter, I wasn’t sure what had happened, but I told Coach Stoops I was going back in regardless.”

Analyst Kirk Herbstreit was in awe of Pope’s resilience. “That’s the kind of gritty performance college football fans will remember for years,” he said after Pope’s final touchdown. “You just don’t see that kind of commitment nowadays—putting his body on the line for his team.”

As for Ball State’s quarterback situation heading into the title game, Coach Stoops kept his plans close to the vest. “You’ll know when our opponent knows,” he said, hinting that the starter would remain a mystery for as long as possible.

The Cardinals now turn their attention to the upcoming Rose Bowl between Michigan State and Syracuse, awaiting the victor in the National Championship. Regardless of the victor they’ll find a familiar face waiting for them in the National Championship—either former defensive coordinator Joe Bob Clements or former head coach Nash Savage.

[Deuce2223]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

Big day and a great season for Pope.. Not every day you can win a playoff game with 6 INT's.. Pulling for the Syracuse vs Ball State matchup.. Are you playing it and if so what team.. I feel like you have to play as Coach Savage personally.. But you could also sit back and watch it and enjoy the show

[Careless Whisper]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

Coach Savage's potential final game at Syracuse being for the national title against Ball State? Sign me up!

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

Big day and a great season for Pope.. Not every day you can win a playoff game with 6 INT's.. Pulling for the Syracuse vs Ball State matchup.. Are you playing it and if so what team.. I feel like you have to play as Coach Savage personally.. But you could also sit back and watch it and enjoy the show

He only had 11 carries in the 1st half and was our whole offense. When he went down for the 2nd time in the 1st half, I thought he would be done. Kikaha wasn't hitting the broad side of a barn. I'm sure his low awareness played into it, once he threw the first pick every throw was lame.

Beckner tossed a pair in the 2nd half but they were both prayers on 3rd and long that I should have just taken the sack and punted. Our defense has been huge all season and came out big again. Once Pope was able to fight his way back onto the field I was pretty confident we'd be able to pull it out.

I'm going to play as Syracuse no doubt, this is Coach Savage's show. If he goes down to Ball State in his final game at Syracuse, so be it, but I can't just sit back and potentially let it happen lol

Now the big question is going to be does the CPU utilize Pope or do they turn into Mike Leach and throw themselves out of the game?

Coach Savage's potential final game at Syracuse being for the national title against Ball State? Sign me up!

It's official now, couldn't write a better set up. Especially with how much Ball State has struggled in the playoff post Savage. Big moment for Kadin too, especially with his next chapter still up in the air.

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

Spartty Settles For Field Goals, Hendrix Throws Touchdown As Syracuse Marches To the Natty!


Hendrix moved past OC Kadin Semonza for the single season passing touchdown record, tossing his 66th touchdown on a 81 yard strike to Cam Darr to open the 2nd half.

Michigan State Spartans at Syracuse Orange
Jan 9, 2032 1 2 3 4 F #6 MSU (11-3) 6 3 0 7 16 #1 SYR (14-0) 7 21 14 7 49 Top Performers PASS: SU Immanuel Hendrix - 13/15, 375 Yds, 5 TD, INT RUSH: SU Nolan McKay - 12 Att, 104 Yds, 2 TD REC: SU Dalton Wear - 6 Rec, 231 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison MSU SYR First Downs 17 23 3rd Down Efficiency 5/13 4/4 4th Down Efficiency 0/0 0/0 Total Yards 445 639 Passing Yards 304 388 Rushing Yards 30 - 53 28 - 191 Penalties-Penalty Yards 4 - 31 4 - 34 Turnovers 0 2 Time of Possession 24:10 19:50
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING MSU SYR 9:05 (MSU) Jon Peppers, 34 Yd FG 3 0 7:20 (SYR) Dalton Wear, 55 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 3 7 5:10 (MSU) Jon Peppers, 31 Yd FG 6 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING MSU SYR 8:10 (SYR) Ryan Magoolaghan, 8 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 6 14 1:37 (SYR) Dalton Wear, 50 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 6 21 0:03 (MSU) Jon Peppers, 22 Yd FG 9 21 0:00 (SYR) Dalton Wear, 75 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 9 28 THIRD QUARTER SCORING MSU SYR 10:47 (SYR) Cam Darr, 81 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 9 35 7:34 (SYR) Nolan McKay, 15 Yd Run 9 42 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING MSU SYR 9:51 (MSU) Leo Bail, 10 Yd Pass From Vince Boone 16 42 4:01 (SYR) Nolan McKay, 2 Yd Run 16 49
Michigan State Spartans PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Mike Butts 18/22 237 0 0 Vince Boone 5/7 67 1 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Mike Butts 14 11 0.7 0 John Swoope 12 61 5.0 0 Vince Boone 4 -19 -4.7 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Leo Bail 9 167 18.7 1 Nico Fumagalli 5 35 7.0 0 Wayne Johnston 3 42 14.0 0 Delarrin Smith 2 8 4.0 0 Larry Rasmussen 2 27 13.5 0 Curt Freitas 2 23 11.5 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Cliff Scioli 9 1 Zac Wylie 0 2 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB David Durant 9 0 0 0 CB David Ezukanma 8 0 0 0 DT Stephen Von Oelhoffen 4 0 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Angel Sauer 4 0 1 0 DT Hakeem Nudkwe 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 CB Tyler Dikey 1 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Jon Peppers 3/3 1/1 10 34 PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Daryl Suggs 5 159 31.8 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Leo Bail 1 16 16.0 0 Ben Bobo 6 72 12.0 0 Syracuse Orange PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Immanuel Hendrix 13/15 375 5 1 Channing Dillard 1/1 13 0 0 Larry Pettis 0/1 0 0 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Nolan McKay 12 104 8.6 2 Lee Browner 12 76 6.3 0 Larry Pettis 2 5 2.5 0 Channing Dillard 1 7 7.0 0 Immanuel Hendrix 1 -1 -1.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Dalton Wear 6 231 38.5 3 Cam Darr 2 91 47.0 1 Ryan Magoolaghan 2 20 10.0 1 Max Mangum 1 13 13.0 0 Spencer Everett 1 5 5.0 0 Roy McCleon 1 14 14.0 0 Larry Pettis 1 11 11.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Bruce Wheat 1 1 Deontay Tonyan 3 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD DE Isaiah Largent 8 4.5 (7TFL) 0 0 DT Terrell Sturm 6 1 (3TFL) 0 0 MLB Deontae Mare 6 1 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Layne Smith 5 0 (2TFL) 0 0 DE Dawand Ijalana 3 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Devon Heaps 0/0 7/7 7 NA KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Max Mangum 1 18 18.0 0 Spencer Everett 2 33 16.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Dalton Wear 2 9 4.5 0

LEFT - Dalton Wear dancing into the end zone after taking a jet sweep 75 yards to end the 1st half with a 28-9 lead.
CENTER - Two 1st half INTs gave Michigan State plenty of opportunity to seize momentum, but settling for field goals while Syracuse scored touchdowns ultimately left them in a size-able hole.
RIGHT - Dawand Ijalana somehow avoided the unsportmanlike conduct penalty despite standing over MSU QB Mike Butts, but the Orange defense suffocated the southpaw all afternoon with Isaiah Largent, celebrating in the background, collecting a monstrous 4 1/2 sacks.

Pasadena, CA. - On a rain-soaked evening in Pasadena, California, the Syracuse Orange secured their fourth consecutive National Championship appearance with a dominant 49-16 victory over Big Ten Champion Michigan State.

The tone of the game was set early, though few realized it at the time. On their opening drive, Michigan State struck quickly as quarterback Mike Butts connected with wide receiver Leo Bail on a crossing route, taking the Spartans down to the Syracuse 14-yard line. However, redshirt freshman Isaiah Largent immediately silenced the Michigan State faithful with a sack—the first of his 4.5 on the night. Three plays later, the Spartans settled for a 34-yard field goal to open the scoring.

Syracuse responded with a methodical start, relying on three straight runs from All-American halfback Lee Browner, who gained 20 yards. Then, head coach Nash Savage unleashed his passing attack. Quarterback Immanuel Hendrix, in tandem with receiver Dalton Wear, quickly put the Spartans on their heels. On second-and-two, Wear hauled in a 55-yard bomb, setting the tone for the evening.

Michigan State managed some big plays in the second quarter, including two interceptions, but they were undone by sacks and penalties that either forced field goals or pushed them out of scoring range. Despite the turnovers—one coming on a halfback pass attempt by Larry Pettis—Syracuse’s offense continued rolling. Hendrix connected on another deep strike to Wear and found Mackey Award-winning tight end Ryan Magoolaghan for a short touchdown, extending the Orange lead to 21-6 late in the second quarter.

The Spartans mustered another big play just before halftime but were once again stopped by a Largent sack, leading to a 22-yard field goal with only three seconds left. In hindsight, Michigan State head coach Joe Bob Clements lamented his clock management, admitting postgame, “I’ve seen Coach Savage do more with less. I should have managed the time better to end the half.”

With just two seconds remaining in the half, Hendrix was eager to air it out, but Coach Savage opted for a safer approach, dialing up a five-wide receiver jet sweep for Wear. “Best case scenario, we get a touchdown. Worst case, we avoid an interception, and he gets tackled for a short gain,” Savage explained. Instead, Wear weaved through a diving Spartan defense and broke free for a stunning 75-yard touchdown, capping a dominant 28-9 first half for Syracuse.

Hendrix was electric, completing 12-of-14 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns in the first half alone. But his most historic throw came on his final pass of the game.

Syracuse opened the second half with possession, refusing to ease off the gas. Hendrix launched an 81-yard strike to sophomore receiver Cam Darr, hitting the 6’3” target in stride for his record-setting 66th touchdown of the season. Offensive coordinator Kadin Semonza was the first to greet Hendrix as he came off the field, congratulating him on breaking Semonza’s own record.

“You see it all the time—older players putting down the newer generation when they break long-standing records,” Hendrix said after the game. “Coach Kadin set the record just a few seasons ago, but he’s been my biggest supporter all year, pushing me to get here and make history.”

Following a quick three-and-out by Michigan State, the Orange took advantage of the short field, and running back Nolan McKay punched in another touchdown. With the game out of reach, Syracuse’s starters took to the sidelines to celebrate. Michigan State finally found the end zone late, but McKay added a second touchdown to seal the resounding victory.

Now, Coach Nash Savage prepares to lead Syracuse to its fourth straight National Championship in his final season with the program. Awaiting them? His former team, the Ball State Cardinals.

“It’s poetic, really, when you think about it,” Savage reflected. “Ball State had struggled in the playoffs since I left, and now they finally break through—only to face the guy who won the only championship in Muncie. And it happens in my final hurrah with Syracuse. Just Hollywood-type stuff.”

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

2032 National Championship Preview

Matchup Preview *|* January 17, 2032
	@
#2 Ball State Cardinals (14-1, Away)		#1 Syracuse Orange (15-0, Home)

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

Syracuse Turns To Familiar Face To Replace Savage



Syracuse, NY. - With Nash Savage set to depart after the 2032 National Championship Game this weekend, Syracuse has already lined up his successor: a familiar face in former offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon.

Nixon previously served on the Orange staff from 2024 to 2027 before departing for the NFL. He was a candidate for the Syracuse head coaching job when Fran Brown was let go, but the school ultimately chose Savage. Since then, Nixon has spent the last five seasons with the New York Giants before deciding to return to the college ranks.

“Syracuse has become a premier program in college football over the last few seasons,” Nixon said during his introductory press conference. “I have every intention of carrying on that tradition after Coach Savage’s final game.”

Nixon confirmed he would be on campus leading up to the National Championship to meet with players but emphasized that he would not be involved in game planning or coaching duties.

“Until he leaves, this is Coach Savage’s show,” Nixon stated.

One of the biggest questions surrounding Nixon’s arrival is the status of offensive coordinator Kadin Semonza. When asked whether Semonza or other members of Savage’s staff would remain, athletic director John Wildhack addressed the situation directly.

“Kadin was given the opportunity to interview for the head coaching position and respectfully declined,” Wildhack said. “I’m sure Coach Nixon will have conversations with him this week to determine if he’s interested in staying with the program or pursuing other opportunities.”

With Savage already confirming to The Daily Orange that Semonza will not be joining him at Georgia, speculation is growing about the future of the former Heisman winner, who made an impressive debut as Syracuse’s offensive coordinator this season.

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

Ball State Runs Out of Gas, Syracuse Rolls To Historic Four-Peat

Ball State Cardinals at Syracuse Orange
Jan 19, 2032 1 2 3 4 F #2 BALL (14-1) 7 7 0 0 14 #1 SYR (15-0) 7 21 14 14 56 Top Performers PASS: SU Immanuel Hendrix - 27/35, 367 Yds, 6 TD RUSH: BSU Daryl Pope - 8 Att, 41 Yds REC: SU Dalton Wear - 12 Rec, 93 Yds, 3 TD	Team Stats Comparison BALL SYR First Downs 8 26 3rd Down Efficiency 4/12 7/11 4th Down Efficiency 0/0 2/3 Total Yards 339 619 Passing Yards 228 420 Rushing Yards 17 - (-3) 28 - 155 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1 - 10 4 - 30 Turnovers 2 1 Time of Possession 18:28 25:32
Scoring Summary FIRST QUARTER SCORING BALL SYR 1:34 (SYR) Dalton Wear, 3 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 0 7 0:45 (BALL) Spencer McElmurry, 82 Yd Pass From Taylor Beckner 7 7 SECOND QUARTER SCORING BALL SYR 8:54 (BALL) Robby Van Maanen, 9 Yd Pass From Taylor Beckner 14 7 4:58 (SYR) Dalton Wear, 3 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 14 14 3:49 (SYR) Dalton Wear, 49 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 14 21 0:00 (SYR) Spencer Everett, 4 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 14 28 THIRD QUARTER SCORING BALL SYR 10:13 (SYR) Cam Darr, 82 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 14 35 3:32 (SYR) Ryan Magoolaghan, 21 Yd Pass From Immanuel Hendrix 14 42 FOURTH QUARTER SCORING BALL SYR 5:23 (SYR) James Alba, 53 Yd Pass From Channing Dillard 14 49 5:09 (SYR) Cam McQuaide, Returned Fumble 18 Yds 14 56
Ball State Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Taylor Beckner 12/19 194 2 0 Emeka Kikaha 4/9 34 0 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Daryl Pope 8 41 5.1 0 Taylor Beckner 4 -35 -8.7 0 Emeka Kikaha 3 -12 -4.0 0 Brendan Eisen 1 -1 -1.0 0 Floyd Gallimore 1 4 4.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Lionel Merrick 6 65 10.8 0 Robby Van Maanen 4 42 10.5 1 Zac Byham 2 17 8.5 0 Jay Rugamba 1 12 12.0 0 Brendan Eisen 1 5 5.0 0 Spencer McElmurry 1 82 82.0 1 Spencer Lewis 1 5 5.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Noah Meeks 10 0 Morgan Ervin 6 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD MLB Bart Blackstock 8 0 0 (FF) 0 SS Quentin Wooleyhand 7 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DE James Tye 5 0 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Zac York 3 0 (1TFL) 0 (FR) 0 DE Connor Kasay 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Ezekiel Allen 0/1 2/2 2 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Deangelo Woodside 6 259 43.1 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Nick Lampkin 5 68 13.6 0 JC McMillon 3 40 13.3 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD JC McMillon 1 6 6.0 0 Syracuse Orange PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Immanuel Hendrix 27/35 367 6 0 Channing Dillard 1/2 53 1 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Lee Browner 13 66 5.0 0 Nolan McKay 8 44 5.5 0 Immanuel Hendrix 4 18 4.5 0 Channing Dillard 2 20 10.0 0 Larry Pettis 1 7 7.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Dalton Wear 12 93 7.7 3 Cam Darr 7 151 21.5 1 Ryan Magoolaghan 3 66 22.0 1 Nolan McKay 2 10 5.0 0 Larry Pettis 2 43 21.5 0 James Alba 1 53 53.0 1 Spencer Everett 1 4 4.0 1 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Dallas Eulls 9 0 Antwan Calmelat 0 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD CB Kevin Schweitzer 8 0 (2TFL) 0 0 DT Terrell Sturm 4 2 (3TFL) 0 0 LB Maurice Lokombo 3 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 FS Max McGlockton 3 0 1 0 LB Jason Roth 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 DE Isaiah Largent 2 1 (1TFL) 0 0 SS Nick Azumah 2 0.5 (1TFL) 0 0 FS Corbin Houghtaling 2 0 0 (FF) 0 MLB Cam McQuaide 3 0 0 (FR) 1 KICKING FG XP PTS LG Devon Heaps 0/0 8/8 8 NA PUNTING TOT YDS AVG -20 Mohammad Ha 1 32 32.0 1 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Dalton Wear 4 26 6.5 0 Max Mangum 2 18 9.0 0

LEFT - Hendrix showing the epitome of calm, casually dropping back on 4th and 2 as the clock hit zero to find Spencer Everett for the touchdown to give Syracuse a 28-14 lead at the half.
CENTER - Ball State kept the starter a secret until game time and the plan worked early with Taylor Beckner tossing a pair of touchdowns including this electric 82 yarder to Spencer McElmurry in the 1st Q.
RIGHT - Any hope of a Ball State comeback was extinguished as Cam Darr and Hendrix repeated their Semifinal heroics with a 80+ yard touchdown to open the 2nd half.

Atlanta, GA. - IIn his final game at the helm of the Syracuse Orange, Coach Nash Savage ensured his legacy would be cemented in college football history. With a dominant 56-14 victory over his former team, the Ball State Cardinals, Savage led Syracuse to the first four-peat in the sport’s history, closing out an era of unparalleled success.

Ball State head coach Mark Stoops kept his starting quarterback under wraps leading up to the game, and the move initially paid off. Taylor Beckner got the nod and kept the Cardinals competitive in the early going.

Syracuse struck first, capping a methodical 13-play drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to Dalton Wear—the first of three for the junior, who surpassed former Cardinal Nyck Harbor’s single-season touchdown record, finishing with 41.

Ball State answered immediately. Beckner connected with tight end Spencer McElmurry on a 20-yard pass, and McElmurry did the rest, weaving his way into the end zone to tie the game.

Momentum briefly swung in the Cardinals’ favor when Syracuse turned the ball over on downs on its next drive. Wide receiver Cam Darr dropped a first-down pass on a short drag route, setting up Ball State with prime field position. Beckner capitalized, finding RVM for a nine-yard touchdown, giving the underdogs a sudden 14-7 lead.

Unfazed, quarterback Immanuel Hendrix orchestrated another long drive, culminating in Wear’s second touchdown grab to tie the game at 14. From that point on, Syracuse seized control.

With the Orange defense adjusting to Beckner, Ball State’s offense began to unravel. A 10-yard sack by Isaiah Largent put the Cardinals in a tough spot, leading to a three-and-out. On the next play, Hendrix and Wear connected for their third touchdown of the game, flipping the lead back to Syracuse in an instant.

Ball State managed a first down on its next possession, thanks to a couple of runs by Daryl Pope, but the drive stalled, forcing another punt. Syracuse, now fully in rhythm, got the ball back with 1:50 left in the half. Hendrix masterfully led a quick-strike drive, going 6-for-8 for 57 yards, punctuated by a four-yard touchdown pass as time expired.

Coming off the field, Hendrix was asked about his decision to throw a short curl route on third-and-nine with only 10 seconds left—setting up a crucial fourth-and-two conversion. He shrugged off concerns about clock management.

“We had plenty of time, we weren’t sweating it,” he said confidently.

With Pope limited to just four carries for 21 yards in the first half, many expected Ball State to lean on their Heisman-winning running back after the break to slow the game down and limit Syracuse’s possessions.

If that was the plan, it never had a chance. On the first play of the second half, Hendrix and Darr replicated their explosive start from the Rose Bowl, with Darr hauling in an 80-plus-yard touchdown. In an instant, Syracuse had built a three-touchdown lead, forcing Ball State into desperation mode.

“That kind of left us grasping at straws,” Coach Stoops admitted postgame. “The plan was to get Daryl more involved, but with a three-touchdown deficit and no signs of their offense slowing down, we had to go pass-heavy.”

Hendrix threw his National Championship record-breaking sixth touchdown on his final drive of the game before stepping aside for the backups, soaking in the moment as Syracuse cruised to victory.

The championship marked the culmination of a record-setting season for both Hendrix and Wear.

• Hendrix shattered offensive coordinator Kadin Semonza’s single-season passing touchdown record (73, surpassing the previous mark of 65).
• Wear broke two records held by Nyck Harbor—most single-season receiving yards (2,679 vs. 2,566) and most single-season receiving touchdowns (41 vs. 39).

While the celebration was joyous, there was an undeniable sense of finality. It was Savage’s last game with Syracuse, and many expect Hendrix and Wear to declare for the NFL Draft, forgoing their senior seasons.

Adding to the uncertainty, offensive coordinator Kadin Semonza confirmed he would not return. When asked about his future, he was cryptic but firm.

“No, I won’t be returning to Syracuse. Without Coach here, it wouldn’t feel the same. I’m not at liberty to announce my next chapter yet, but it will come soon.”

As the confetti settles, Savage will board a plane to Athens, Georgia, to begin the next chapter of his coaching career. After compiling a staggering 76-3 record in five seasons—winning five ACC titles and four national championships—he now turns his attention to bringing that same level of dominance to the Georgia Bulldogs.

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

Homecoming.



Munie, IN. - Just hours after suffering a crushing 56-14 defeat to Syracuse in the 2032 National Championship Game, the Ball State Cardinals were dealt another blow—head coach Mark Stoops was leaving.

Stoops agreed to become the next head coach of the LSU Tigers, stepping in after the program parted ways with former Georgia coach Kirby Smart, despite Smart leading LSU to an SEC Championship appearance and a College Football Playoff berth.

“This was not a decision we made lightly,” LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward stated. “But a 24-16 record over three seasons is simply not what we anticipated when we hired Coach Smart.”

In the days leading up to the national title game, LSU’s coaching search remained a mystery. Speculation swirled that Syracuse offensive coordinator Kadin Semonza, who had already confirmed he would not follow Nash Savage to Georgia, was LSU’s primary target. The rumors intensified on social media after Semonza officially announced he wouldn’t return to Syracuse.

However, in a surprising twist, LSU turned to Stoops instead. In a prepared statement, Stoops explained his decision, saying he felt “content with finally bringing Ball State to the precipice of greatness again, but with my years in coaching dwindling, I wanted one last opportunity in the greatest conference in college football.”

For Ball State fans, the back-to-back losses on January 19—the national championship defeat and Stoops’ departure—were gut-wrenching. But the very next day brought a wave of optimism.

The Cardinals faithful didn’t have to wait long for their next leader. Former Ball State quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Kadin Semonza was coming home, agreeing to a five-year deal to take over as head coach.

“When Coach Savage and I first talked about getting into coaching, this was always the ultimate goal for me,” Semonza said at his introductory press conference. “This city and this program gave me everything when I was a three-star recruit from California. They took a chance on me, and the rest is history. Now, it’s time for me to give back.”

Semonza revealed that he had initially agreed to return to Ball State as offensive coordinator, replacing Jonathan Smith, who had departed to become head coach at Navy. However, once Stoops’ deal with LSU was finalized, he and Athletic Director Jeff Mitchell quickly shifted gears.

“I may have been coming here as an offensive coordinator, but trust me—being the head coach at Ball State is a dream come true,” Semonza emphasized. “I won a championship as a player here, then coached against the Cardinals for a national title. Now, it’s time to bring another Natty to Muncie.”

As he settles into his new role, Semonza acknowledged that his staff is still taking shape. He has yet to select an offensive coordinator or determine which members of Stoops’ staff might stay.

Regardless, Ball State fans have their new leader—one of their own—ready to build upon the program’s recent success.

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

2032 Syracuse Orange End of Season Stats

Syracuse Orange Stats - 2032
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Immanuel Hendrix	257/370 (69%)	5,473	14.8	342.1	83	73	15	250.7
Channing Dillard	9/14 (64%)	220	15.7	22.0	53	2	0	243.4
Troy McKinney	5/6 (83%)	60	10.0	60.0	32	1	0	222.3
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Lee Browner	278	2,181	7.8	72	17	17	136.3	2
Nolan McKay	98	686	7.0	60	5	4	42.9	0
Larry Pettis	48	221	4.6	15	0	1	13.8	0
Immanuel Hendrix	43	70	1.6	21	1	5	4.4	1
Channing Dillard	14	56	4.0	11	0	0	5.6	2
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Dalton Wear	110	2,679	24.4	41	83	9	167.4	1,601
Ryan Magoolaghan	42	1,131	26.9	15	77	2	70.7	332
Cam Darr	45	730	16.2	7	82	7	45.6	340
Roy McCleon	16	437	27.3	5	69	2	27.3	164
Spencer Everett	17	302	17.8	5	50	0	18.9	63
Larry Pettis	16	189	11.8	2	33	3	11.8	149
Nolan McKay	14	106	7.6	0	27	0	6.6	68
James Alba	3	65	21.7	1	53	0	4.1	0
Max Mangum	3	45	15.0	0	25	0	2.8	9
Benji Wicks	1	38	38.0	0	38	0	2.4	7
Larry Browner	3	23	7.7	0	13	0	1.4	18
Nolan Drake	1	8	8.0	0	8	0	1.1	1
Blocking					PCAKE		SACK
Antwan Calmelat					-		4
Bruce Wheat					-		4
Deontay Tonyan					-		2
Matthew Durant					-		2
Dallas Eulls					-		1
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
SS Layne Smith	54	65	119	3	22	5	3 (FR)	0
MLB Cam McQuaide	46	55	101	7	23	2 (2 FF)	0 (FR)	0
FS Max McGlockton	44	51	95	1	7	6	3	0
CB Kevin Schweitzer	46	48	94	2	11	8	8	0
MLB Deontae Mare	41	38	79	9.5	21	2 (FF)	1 (FR)	0
CB Jeremy Paris	31	42	73	0.5	4	9	5 (FR)	0
MLB Timmy Vernon	30	39	69	6	19	0	1	0
SS Nick Azumah	23	38	61	1	8	1 (FF)	0	0
CB Jeremiah Boutte	21	34	55	0.5	5	7	0	0
DE Isaiah Largent	22	22	44	17.5	31	1 (FF)	0	0
CB DJ Booker	19	25	44	0	2	8	2	0
FS Corbin Houghtaling	11	33	44	0	0	1 (FF)	1	0
DE Manu Good	18	23	41	12.5	22	2 (2 FF)	0	0
DT Terrell Sturm	21	20	41	11.5	19	1	0 (FR)	0
LB Maurice Lokombo	9	22	31	4	8	0 (FF)	1	0
DE Dawand Ijalana	12	17	29	10.5	16	0	0 (FR)	0
LB Rob McBurrows	6	16	22	1	1	0	0	0
MLB Everett Wegher	4	8	12	0	2	1 (FF)	0	0
DE Nelson Stephen	1	6	7	0	5	0	0	0
LB Jason Roth	2	3	5	1	1	1	0	0
CB Vonn Thomas	1	4	5	0	0	2	0	0
DE Amani Little	2	1	3	2	2	1	0	0
DT Matt Clay	1	1	2	1	1	0	0	0
	Kickoffs					Punts
Returning	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD	RET	AVG	TD
James Alba	4	66	16.5	22	0
Spencer Everett	22	354	16.1	33	0
Max Mangum	27	426	15.8	26	0	4	9.8	0
Dalton Wear						50	4.6	0
	Field Goals				Extra Points
Kicking	FGM	FGA	PCT	LONG	XPM	XPA	PCT	PTS
Devon Heaps	8	9	88	46	47	47	100	71
Punting	PUNTS	YDS	LONG	AVG	NET	BP	IN20	TB
Mohammad Ha	19	74.	45	39.1	635	0	5	1

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

2032 Ball State Cardinals End of Season Stats

Ball State Cardinals Stats - 2032
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Emeka Kikaha	166/282 (58%)	2,418	8.6	201.5	74	19	27	133.9
Taylor Beckner	125/199 (62%)	1,905	9.6	119.1	82	19	14	160.6
Juan Franco	3/8 (37%)	47	5.9	5.9	48	0	0	86.8
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Daryl Pope	419	2,937	7.0	80	30	40	183.6	1
Brendan Eisen	52	330	6.3	50	1	1	20.6	1
Floyd Gallimore	15	81	5.4	14	0	0	5.4	0
Taylor Beckner	27	2	0.1	25	2	4	0.1	0
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Robby Van Maanen	83	1,176	14.2	8	68	7	73.5	523
Spencer McElmurry	49	946	19.3	11	82	6	59.1	275
Spencer Lewis	40	673	16.8	4	67	6	42.1	305
Dominick Blonko	51	603	11.8	5	60	8	37.7	461
Daryl Pope	36	547	15.2	7	74	0	34.2	205
Lionel Merrick	14	153	10.9	0	38	1	12.8	59
Brendan Eisen	11	153	13.9	1	25	0	9.6	68
JC McMillon	4	45	11.3	0	17	1	2.8	13
Miguel Estrella	1	25	25.0	1	25	0	1.9	1
Floyd Gallimore	2	20	10.0	1	11	1	1.3	3
Blocking					PCAKE		SACK
Scott Landry					-		3
Noah Meeks					-		3
Garrett Scherff					-		3
Rico Stingley					-		2
Morgan Ervin					-		1
Vai Smoot					-		1
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
MLB Bart Blackstock	54	22	76	4	4	4 (2 FF)	2 (2 FR)	0
CB Prince Beach	47	13	60	0	0	6	2	0
CB Jimmy Fenderson	42	16	58	0	0	4	1	0
SS Tavon Jones	41	11	52	0.5	1	2 (FF)	0 (2 FR)	0
FS Cam Gesicki	39	11	50	0	0	8	0	0
SS Quentin Wooleyhand	29	13	42	0	3	0	2	0
DT Rico Maijeh	28	12	40	9	6	0	0	0
MLB David Ojabo	32	8	40	4	0	2 (FF)	3 (2 FR)	0
DE Melvin Casher	35	5	40	12	8	1	0	0
CB Graham Vohasek	29	4	33	0	0	9	6	0
DE Michael Dawkins	21	11	32	3	8	1	0	0
DE Connor Kasay	21	7	28	9.5	6	0	0	0
LB Jarrad Ogle	14	10	24	0.5	5	1	0	0
LB Jared Mahoney	12	10	22	1.5	3	0	0	0
CB Bryce Forrest	17	4	21	0	0	4	1	0
DE James Tye	12	8	20	4	5	0	0	0
LB Bret Buzbee	5	5	10	0	0	0	0	0
DT Adrien Grossman	4	3	7	035	2	0	0	0
DE Fetu Sopoaga	1	6	7	0.5	0	0	0	0
DE Zac York	6	1	7	1	1	1	0	0
	Kickoffs					Punts
Returning	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD	RET	AVG	TD
Lionel Merrick	12	329	27.4	37	0	45	10.0	0
Miguel Estrella	14	371	26.5	36	0	4	10.8	0
Nick Lampkin	9	171	19.0	34	0
	Field Goals				Extra Points
Kicking	FGM	FGA	PCT	LONG	XPM	XPA	PCT	PTS
Ezekiel Allen	12	19	63	46	77	81	95	117
Punting	PUNTS	YDS	LONG	AVG	NET	BP	IN20	TB
De'Angelo Woodside	35	1,394	61	39.8	1,246	0	3	1

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

2032 Coaching Carousel

Ball State - Mark Stoops LEFT // Kadin Semonza (Syracuse OC) HIRED
Ball State OC - Garrett Riley (Clemson OC)
Clemson - Dabo Swiney RETIRED // Kirby Smart (LSU) HIRED
Georgia - Thomas Hammock FIRED // Nash Savage (Syracuse) HIRED
Georgia OC - Hines Ward HIRED
Georgia DC - Mickey Conn HIRED
LSU - Kirby Smart FIRED // Mark Stoops (Ball State) HIRED
Miami - Kenny Dillingham FIRED // Andy Avalos (NC State) HIRED
NC State - Andy Avalos LEFT // John David Baker (Rice) HIRED
Ohio State - Ryan Day FIRED // Josh Heupel (Tennessee) HIRED
Stanford - Billy Napier LEFT // Ryan Day (Ohio State) HIRED
Syracuse - Nash Savage LEFT // Jeff Nixon HIRED
Tennessee - Josh Heupel LEFT // Jay Sawvel (Texas A&M - 2031) HIRED
Tulane - David Gizzi FIRED // Billy Napier (Stanford) HIRED

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

2032 NFL Draft Results

Georgia
SR WR Shakim Fayad (89) - 3rd Round
SR DE Quan Bagent (89) - 4th Round
SR HB De'Angelo Ramey (88) - 6th Round
SR(RS) LB David McNitt (88) - 6th Round

Ball State
SR(RS) HB Daryl Pope (95) - 1st Round
SR(RS) G Noah Meeks (93) - 1st Round
SR(RS) C Morgan Ervin (92) - 2nd Round
SR(RS) WR Spencer Lewis (89) - 3rd Round
SR G De'Andre Meyers (87) - 7th Round
SR(RS) MLB Bart Blackstock (88) - 7th Round

Syracuse
JR QB Immanuel Hendrix (95) - 1st Round
SR(RS) T Antwan Calmelat (93) - 1st Round
JR(RS) HB Lee Browner (92) - 2nd Round
JR WR Dalton Wear (90) - 2nd Round
SR(RS) CB Kevin Schweitzer (88) 4th Round
SR(RS) DE Manu Good (88) - 6th Round

Syracuse Orange Draftee Career Stats Stats - 2032
Passing	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	YDS/G	LONG	TD	INT	RAT
Immanuel Hendrix	816/1,198 (68%)	15,292	12.8	318.6	99	172	47	214.8
Rushing	ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	20+	TD	YDS/G	FUM
Lee Browner	657	5,174	7.9	72	37	55	126.2	4
Receiving	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	DROPS	YDS/G	YAC
Dalton Wear	293	6,490	22.2	88	99	24	135.2	4,283
	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
Defense	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TLOSS	PD	INT	TD
CB Kevin Schweitzer	131	174	305	7	31	34	18	5

[Deuce2223]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

One thing I hope they will add to next year's game is the ability to pitch your current players to follow you to your new job. Maybe limit the # to like 12 or something. I feel like alot of teams have mass exodus of players to the transfer portal when coaches leave but they never seem interested in following you to your new school. I feel like the who transfer portal needs tweaked.. It should be like recruiting where even if a player doesn't have you in the Top-5 you could still make a pitch... I had my first 5* RB in the portal and would've loved to have him at FIU or Ohio State and he wasn't interested in either despite my starter on both teams graduating.. He went from LSU to Texas and isn't even the starter on the Texas roster.

Lot's of Juniors and major play makers leaving Syracuse early for the NFL, you stock piled the roster pretty good though, so I expect the Orange will play well for the next 4 years without you but will be interesting to see how long they stay among the top teams in the ACC and what they do in the playoffs without you..

It's exciting to see Kadin make his return to Ball State.. Got some big shoes to fill in Pope graduating.. Will be interesting to see if the offense becomes more pass happy without Pope.. Also have you settled on a Playbook for the Cardinals yet and are you going to make any tweaks to your Playbook you were running with the move to Georgia and having Hines Ward as your OC?

Looking forward to seeing what the Georgia roster looks like.

[redsox907]

Re: From The Shadows | The Rise Of "Nitro" Nash Savage (CFB25)

One thing I hope they will add to next year's game is the ability to pitch your current players to follow you to your new job. Maybe limit the # to like 12 or something. I feel like alot of teams have mass exodus of players to the transfer portal when coaches leave but they never seem interested in following you to your new school. I feel like the who transfer portal needs tweaked.. It should be like recruiting where even if a player doesn't have you in the Top-5 you could still make a pitch... I had my first 5* RB in the portal and would've loved to have him at FIU or Ohio State and he wasn't interested in either despite my starter on both teams graduating.. He went from LSU to Texas and isn't even the starter on the Texas roster.

Lot's of Juniors and major play makers leaving Syracuse early for the NFL, you stock piled the roster pretty good though, so I expect the Orange will play well for the next 4 years without you but will be interesting to see how long they stay among the top teams in the ACC and what they do in the playoffs without you..

It's exciting to see Kadin make his return to Ball State.. Got some big shoes to fill in Pope graduating.. Will be interesting to see if the offense becomes more pass happy without Pope.. Also have you settled on a Playbook for the Cardinals yet and are you going to make any tweaks to your Playbook you were running with the move to Georgia and having Hines Ward as your OC?

Looking forward to seeing what the Georgia roster looks like.

One thing I did discover recently is that if you take over a new head coach, i.e make a new member, you can immediately encourage transfer on any players even if you are right before transfer period. Some people I've seen use this to make the portal more realistic and find lots of JR level players that would transfer for PT in real life. But you could do this when you accept a new position to mimic that exodus that you see in RL. Just take over the new coach during the end of season phase and encourage transfer.

Realistically, Syracuse should still be a preimer destination for the forseable future after four straight Nattys, so no major transfers didn't surprise me. Neither did Hendrix, Wear, or Browner hitting the draft early. No one had anything left to prove, although with another strong season Hendrix would easily have been the #1 statistical QB of all time. But I checked the Syracuse screen and his persuasion was "none" so even if I'd stayed and gotten the perk to help he wouldn't be coming back.

I think I'll make another custom playbook based off the Nitro one I've been using with Savage and add some different tweaks to it. There were some plays in the UNLV playbook I started using that I really like with all of the motion, so I'll probably add those to give Ball State a wrinkle.

For Georgia's offense I'm not sure yet, but we'll probably be more run heavy to start like how USC was at the end and how Cuse was with Seri at QB. The senior QB they have has 86 speed and the offensive line is pretty highly rated. Until I get a feel for the WRs, which none really stand out, we'll probably play it safe with a QB option / run heavy offense. With Hines as the OC one thing is for sure, if you want the rock you'd better block!