tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73443413419757201552024-03-13T19:44:30.391-04:00Domer Sports ReportDomer Sports Report is a blog dedicated to University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish sports. The main sports covered will be football, men's basketball, women's basketball and any other sport that is deemed newsworthy.South Bend Irishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11037787415675179564noreply@blogger.comBlogger237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-71603169453625313892015-07-05T17:50:00.000-04:002015-07-05T17:50:57.948-04:00Can Malik Zaire get us there? That should be the question on every single true Notre Dame fan's mind coming into the 2015 season After watching Malik Zaire COMPLETELY DISMANTLE the vaunted LSU D (ranked # 09 in total defense giving up a paltry 316 ypg), I'm calling it early, yes he can. You heard it here first. <br />
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And let me explain why.........<br />
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Everyone should know by know that Cardale Jones (Ohio State QB) has the strongest arm in college football. If you don't, just refer to Ohio State's Spring Game. They held multiple competitions for the fan's sake. One of them was longest throw. Cardale Jones beat out J.T. Barrett with a mind blowing 74 yard throw. That is not a mistake. 74 yards. In the air. That is mighty impressive. Enter Malik Zaire. At ND's Spring Game, Zaire threw a TD pass to Will Fuller that was every bit of 60 yards in the air (for a 68 yard TD). Did I mention the throw hit Fuller in stride with a defender on him? Of course these are only spring games, but they most certainly can be a barometer for the upcoming season. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jjQee6ElEMk/VZl0rMwAfQI/AAAAAAAACGc/Ecmy4oc-TjQ/s1600/zairespring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jjQee6ElEMk/VZl0rMwAfQI/AAAAAAAACGc/Ecmy4oc-TjQ/s320/zairespring.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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(Photo courtesy USA Today)</div>
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So we established that he has elite arm strength. Looking back at The Music City Bowl the stats tell a story as well. This was Zaire's coming out party. 22 Carries for 96 yards and a TD. 12/15 96 Yards a TD and zero interceptions. This against a perennial SEC power. An SEC power whose passing D was ranked #3 in the country in yards allowed per pass (5.5 ypp) as well as passing yards allowed per game (164.8 ypg) at the end of last year. Zaire averaged 6.4 yards per pass and was on par to throw for more yards than was averaged against LSU all year (he split time under center with Golson. They did combine to throw for 186 yards in the game. Beating LSU's average by in excess of 20 yards). <br />
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He is the best fit QB Coach K has had while at ND to fit his system. Kelly's style of offense is most efficiently run with a true dual threat quarterback. The type of QB that forces the D line to always expect the run. At the same time making sure the LB's stay honest, while still having the ability to make deep and accurate 1 on 1 throws to their WR's. Against LSU, the Irish ran 56 times for 256 yards. Averaging 5.2 yards per run on a D that for the season only gave up 4.6 yards per run and 161 rushing yards per game. This opens up countless big play possibilities. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ozpy1QEXqYQ/VZl1xKPBCcI/AAAAAAAACGk/InYTqCkhpBU/s1600/zairelsurun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ozpy1QEXqYQ/VZl1xKPBCcI/AAAAAAAACGk/InYTqCkhpBU/s1600/zairelsurun.jpg" /></a></div>
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(Photo courtesy ndinsider.com)</div>
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He is showing all the intangibles of this type of player. All of that coupled with the Irish returning what is possibly their deepest O line of Kelly's tenure, the obvious talent and depth at the tailback and receiver positions, and the upgraded and more experienced D, I think Malik Zaire is more setup for success than anyone at Notre Dame has been for quite some time.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18179640604117630841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-38744608903409712892014-10-25T02:59:00.002-04:002014-10-25T03:08:29.232-04:00Tarnishing the Golden Dome<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yPnLITX-r4o/VEtFImj6uyI/AAAAAAAAATk/vNAX4tQoqDQ/s1600/Brent%2Bwith%2BLisa%2BAnn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yPnLITX-r4o/VEtFImj6uyI/AAAAAAAAATk/vNAX4tQoqDQ/s1600/Brent%2Bwith%2BLisa%2BAnn.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The picture above shows Notre Dame freshman wide receiver Justin Brent in bed with porn actress Lisa Ann. There are more tame pictures being circulated around the internet. And, now news services such as The Huffington Post and Fox have latched onto the story. Many on my facebook group, Domer Sports Report, find the actions of Brent humorous. I do not.</div>
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Throughout it's history, the University of Notre Dame has been proud of it's academics. The standards are higher than at most Universities. It is near Ivy League in it's academics and entrance requirements. In addition to academic standards, Notre Dame likes to boast of the character of it's students and alumni. For the most part, the University has a reason to do it. The overwhelming majority of past and present students do have a high character. Many back up their lofty reputations of good character by volunteering, which is a Catholic tradition.</div>
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Notre Dame is a private institution and a Catholic one. As a private Catholic school, Notre Dame has a right to have a moral code that is far more strict than at public institutions. Cheating on tests is against this moral code as we have seen recently. But, being with a porn actress and posting pictures on the internet? Imagine how Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins feels. Imagine how athletic director Jack Swarbrick feels. Imagine how, hopefully, football coach, Brian Kelly feels. Some might find what Brent did as funny. Some hold him up as some sort of conqueror because he "bagged" a porn star. But, this is Notre Dame. This is not the University of Kentucky or Florida State or Miami of Florida! Notre Dame has a moral code.</div>
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How can Notre Dame and Notre Dame fans now point the finger at others who violate moral codes such as stealing or being accused of rape if breaking a code of morality continues to happen? This just gives the haters out there more fodder to point the finger at Notre Dame being arrogant and "holier than thou" while having these things continue to happen. It make us look hypocritical when we point the finger at Jameis Winston. We look like hypocrites!</div>
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In addition, the decision making on the part of Justin Brent has to be called into question now. He is 18 and Lisa Ann is 42. What would be said if it were reversed and the man was 42 and the young lady was 18? As far as Lisa Ann being a porn actress, on uhnd.com, one poster pointed out that Jesus hung out with Mary Magdalene, a prostitute. My response to that is she changed her ways after she started hanging out with Jesus. To my knowledge, Lisa Ann, has not changed from being a porn actress.</div>
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My prediction is that Justin Brent's days at Notre Dame are numbered. If Notre Dame does not say or do anything to straighten him out, he will do something stupid to get kicked out of Notre Dame. Mark it down. If Notre Dame does have a talk to him, he might even leave out of his love - or, is it lust? - for his porn star fantasy woman.</div>
South Bend Irishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11037787415675179564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-33876368095048464252014-10-17T23:57:00.002-04:002014-10-17T23:57:42.972-04:00Editorial: Everyman Versus The Big Snobby MonsterI am tired of the media not liking Notre Dame. Now, I am not paranoid.
I know not all dislike us. But, ESPN type media paints us out to be
this big, snobby monster. Everyone else, particularly, the SEC, is made
to look like the underdog "Everyman". These types do not care if Notre
Dame does it the right way and FSU does it the "not right" way. We are
the huge snobby monster and UK basketball who cheats and does one and
done basketball players is looked at heroically. <span class="text_exposed_show">From
the time of Rockne, the Nation looked at us as how America should be -
hard working, clean and honest. Somehow, that does not matter to a lot
now days. I was as frustrated as anyone about the length of time it
took to get a "verdict" on the 'Frozen 5'. But, compare that to an
accused rapist, who might also have broken NCAA rules and also
notoriously swiped crab legs and not a damn thing was done! Why is it
decency is ignored now days and shady characters are "Everyman" heroes?
I maintain this started with the advent of ESPN. It started when they
needed ratings to move forward. So, they pleased the ND haters and
Notre Dame was a side dish. Make no mistake, a lot of people love Notre
Dame. BUT, I hate to say it, even more hate us. We are the big,
snobby monster of education and athletics. Somehow, the media has
forgotten that blue collar types also root for Notre Dame. But, of
course, UK basketball, Miami, Florida State, Alabama and Ohio State
football - ESPN-types think that is where the ratings and common man
lives. If there is justice, we will win Saturday and when we do, let's
all talk about how good beat evil. How right beat wrong. How clean
beat dirty.</span>South Bend Irishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11037787415675179564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-858087287731318522014-01-17T16:25:00.000-05:002014-01-17T16:25:19.439-05:00Help Wanted and an ExplanationI am looking for a few people to write for the blog. Any topic of Notre Dame sports is on topic. There is no pressure. You can write what you want, when you want. The more the merrier. I want our blog to be more active. Please email me at mkallen3@yahoo.com if you are interested.<br />
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I apologize for the blog being slow. Back in late October I went to the emergency room. I had gangrene in a couple of toes. They kept me for a week and I had two operations. They removed two toes and a little of the ridge on the outside of my left foot. I have been wearing a wound vac and recovering ever since. But, the doctors have been saying I am healing very well.<br />
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Thanks! Go Irish!<br />
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MarkSouth Bend Irishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11037787415675179564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-4257227438438153292013-10-15T03:10:00.002-04:002013-10-15T03:10:17.422-04:00Bruton Fake Punt Run One of Many Big Plays For Former Irish Players<div class="MsoNormal">
BY: Elliott Carwile</div>
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The casual NFL fan may have caught a glimpse of <b>Kyle Rudolph</b>
– TE – Minnesota Vikings – catching nine passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in
the 35-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Or <b>Michael Floyd’s</b> – WR – Arizona
Cardinals – five receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown in a 32-20 loss to San
Francisco. Maybe even the stat line of the week, <b>Joe Fauria </b>– TE – Detroit
Lions (Transferred to UCLA) –three grabs for 34 yards and three touchdowns in the
31-17 win over the Cleveland Browns. None of these were the most electrifying
play for an ex Notre Dame player in week six however. </div>
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That honor goes to <b>David Bruton </b>– S – Denver Broncos –the
special team’s captain took a direct snap on what appeared to be a punt attempt
and raced down the left sideline gaining 34 yards and firing up the home crowd
in the 35-19 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. </div>
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The Minnesota Vikings are the NFL team with the most former
Irish players on their roster. Besides Rudolph four more ex Golden Domers
played for the Vikings on Sunday. <b>John
Carlson</b> – TE – caught two passes for 10 yards in the 35-10 loss to Carolina. <b>Robert
Blanton</b> – DB –recorded one tackle. <b>Harrison Smith</b> – S –had four tackles before
being injured and leaving the game. And <b>John Sullivan</b> – OL –started at the
center position along the offensive line. <b>J.J. Jansen</b> – LS – Carolina Panthers
– saw action in the game as well.</div>
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The New York Jets fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 19-6. <b>Darrin
Walls</b> – CB –started at defensive back and registered three tackles. <b>Brady Quinn</b>
– QB –did not see any game action. </div>
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<b>Tyler Eifert</b> – TE – Cincinnati Bengals – caught two passes
for 13 yards in the 27-24 overtime win over Buffalo. <b>Trevor Robinson</b> – OL – did
not see game action. In the same contest <b>Sam Young</b> – OL – Buffalo Bills – saw
game action. </div>
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The Houston Texans got destroyed Sunday by the St. Louis
Rams 38-13, maybe they should have used <b>Cierre Wood</b> – RB – who did not see any
game action. Teammate <b>Ryan Harris</b> – OL –started at tackle in the loss.</div>
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The Thursday night game saw <b>Justin Tuck</b> – DE – New York
Giants – record three tackles and a pass deflection in a 27-21 loss to the Chicago
Bears. </div>
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<b>Theo Riddick</b> – RB – Detroit Lions – saw action in the 31-17
win over Cleveland. </div>
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<b>Golden Tate</b> – WR – Seattle Seahawks – caught five passes for
33 yards in the 20-13 win over the Tennessee Titans. </div>
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<b>Ronald Talley</b> – DL – Arizona Cardinals (Transferred to
Delaware) – saw game action in the 32-20 loss to San Francisco.</div>
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Former Irish players who were on active rosters this but did
not see action were:</div>
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<b>Will Yeatman</b> – OL – Miami Dolphins (Transferred to Maryland)
– BYE WEEK</div>
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<b>Sergio Brown </b>– S – Indianapolis Colts – MONDAY NIGHT
FOOTBALL</div>
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<b>Anthony Fasano</b> – TE – Kansas City Chiefs – was inactive in
24-7 win over Oakland</div>
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<b>Manti Te’o </b>– LB – San Diego Chargers – MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL</div>
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<b>Zeke Motta</b> – S – Atlanta Falcons – BYE WEEK</div>
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<b>Derek Landri</b> – DL – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – did not see game
action in 31-20 loss to Philadelphia</div>
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<b>Ian Williams</b> – DL – San Francisco 49ers – did not play
(injured – broken ankle) in 32-20 win over Arizona.</div>
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Injured Reserve.:</div>
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<b>Kapron Lewis-Moore</b> – DL – Baltimore Ravens</div>
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<b>Eric Olsen </b>– OL – New Orleans Saints</div>
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<b>Darius Fleming</b> – LB – San Francisco 49ers</div>
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Practice Squad:</div>
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<b>Jonas Gray</b> – RB – Baltimore Ravens</div>
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<b>Jamoris Slaughter</b> – S – Cleveland Browns</div>
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<b>Braxston Cave</b> – OL – New England Patriots</div>
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The Irish had bye week Saturday and will welcome the Trojans
of USC to South Bend this week.<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
South Bend Irishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11037787415675179564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-2723970657187466302013-10-07T23:14:00.005-04:002013-10-07T23:46:57.810-04:00Big Week Five For Ex Irish Players<div class="MsoNormal">
BY: Elliott Carwile</div>
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Week five in the National Football League saw several former
Golden Domers have impressive games. Starting with <b>Golden Tate</b> – WR – Seattle
Seahawks – Tate caught five passes for 61 yards and a touchdown in the Seahawks
34-28 loss to Indianapolis. Tate has emerged as a big time play maker and deep
threat and his stat line would have been even better had quarterback Russell
Wilson not over thrown him on a deep ball that would have been another
touchdown. </div>
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Tate’s former pass catching partner at Notre Dame <b>Michael
Floyd </b>– WR – Arizona Cardinals – led the team with five catches for 61 yards in
a 22-6 win over the Carolina Panthers. </div>
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<b>Tyler Eifert </b>– TE – Cincinnati Bengals – caught five passes
for 53 yards in a 13-6 win over the New England. Trevor Robinson – OL –
Cincinnati Bengals – did not see game action.</div>
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<b>Cierre Wood</b> – RB – Houston Texans – carried once for five
yards and had one kick-off return for 20 yards in the 34-3 loss to the San
Francisco 49ers. Ryan Harris – OL – Houston Texans – started at tackle in the
loss.</div>
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<b>Robert Hughes</b> – RB – Indianapolis Colts – one catch for six
yards in the 34-28 win over Seattle. Hughes saw his first game action of the
season after being signed this week to the Colts active roster. <b>Sergio Brown</b> –
S – Indianapolis Colts – also saw game action in the win over the Seahawks.</div>
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<b>Manti Te’o</b> – LB – San
Diego Chargers – registered five tackles in a 27-17 loss to the Oakland
Raiders. </div>
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<b>Justin Tuck</b> – DE – New York Giants – recorded three tackles
in the 36-21 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.</div>
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Several other Ex-Notre Dame players saw the field in week 5.</div>
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<b>Sam Young</b> – OL – Buffalo Bills – saw game action in a 37-24
loss to the Cleveland Browns.</div>
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<b>Will Yeatman</b> – OL – Miami Dolphins (Transferred to Maryland)
– saw action in a 26-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.</div>
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<b>David Bruton</b> – S – Denver Broncos – saw action in a
thrilling 51-48 win over the Dallas
Cowboys to keep the Broncos season perfect at 5-0.</div>
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<b>Theo Riddick</b> – RB – Detroit Lions – saw action in a 22-9
loss to the Green Bay Packers. <b>Joe Fauria</b> – TE – Detroit Lions (Transferred to
UCLA) – also played in the game. </div>
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<b>J.J. Jansen</b> – LS – Carolina Panthers – saw game action in a 22-6
loss to the Arizona Cardinals. In the same game <b>Ronald Talley</b> – DL – Arizona
Cardinals (Transferred to Delaware) – recorded one tackle.</div>
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Here is the list of former Irish players who were on active
rosters but didn’t play.</div>
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<b>Brady Quinn</b> – QB – New York Jets – MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.</div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7344341341975720155" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
South Bend Irishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11037787415675179564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-7605566247478036962013-09-20T09:47:00.001-04:002013-09-20T09:47:14.965-04:00Notre Dame-Michigan St. Preview
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<a href="http://media2.wishtv.com/photo/2013/09/14/purdue-notre%20dame_1379214852852_2937554_ver1.0_640_480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media2.wishtv.com/photo/2013/09/14/purdue-notre%20dame_1379214852852_2937554_ver1.0_640_480.jpg" height="182" width="320" /></a></div>
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Notre Dame QB's: The Irish come in with
the 16<sup>th</sup> ranked pass offense that averages 326 yards a
game and starting quarterback Tommy Rees is 7<sup>th</sup> in the
nation in terms of total passing yards. Rees has thrown for 969 yards
and has a 60.7 completion percentage and has completed 65 out of 107
passes with 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Backup quarterback
Andrew Hendrix has appeared in all 3 games so far this season but has
only completed 1 of 5 passes for 9 yards this season.
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Notre Dame QB's vs. Michigan St. Pass
Defense: The Spartans have the 5<sup>th</sup> best pass defense in
college football and have done an amazing job against opposing
quarterbacks by only allowing 34.7 percent of passes to be completed
and have intercepted 4 passes this season. They allow only 126.7
yards a game and they have intercepted 4 passes this season. Tommy
Rees bounced back from throwing 2 interceptions against Michigan to
throwing zero interceptions against Purdue. Rees needs to be accurate
and to not force the ball or get into turnover situations. He has
done well this season, but is going to need to be at his best against
one of the top pass defenses in the nation.
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Edge: Even</div>
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Michigan St. QB's: The Spartans have
used multiple quarterbacks this season in Andrew Maxwell, Connor
Cook, and Tyler O'Connor. The pass offense overall is only 107<sup>th</sup>
in the nation in passing yards with 160 passing yards per game.
Connor Cook will most likely be the quarterback face as he is coming
off a win over Youngstown St. where he completed 15 of 22 passes (68
completion percentage) for 202 yards and 4 touchdowns. Overall this
season he has completed 27 of 49 passes for a 55.1 completion
percentage with 276 yards and 4 touchdowns. In addition, Cook has ran
for 70 yards on 15 attempts for a 4.7 yard average and a long of 20
yards. Andrew Maxwell has completed half of passes this season on 15
completions to 30 attempts for 114 yards and zero touchdowns. Tyler
O'Connor has thrown for 90 yards on 9 completions to 14 attempts and
a 64.3 completion percentage. The Michigan St. quarterbacks have not
thrown any interceptions this season but the longest pass by any
quarterback has only been for 26 yards (Done by both Cook and
Maxwell).
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Michigan St. QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass
Defense: The pass defense for the Irish has been very inconsistent
this season. The Irish come in with the 91<sup>st</sup> ranked pass
defense that has allowed opponents to complete 57 percent of their
passes for 259.3 yards per game and have allowed 7 passing
touchdowns. The Irish have intercepted just 2 passes this season but
both went for touchdowns for Notre Dame. While Connor Cook is the
likely quarterback that Notre Dame should face, the Irish need to
account for the possibility of the Spartans using more than one
quarterback in the game. Consistency is extremely important here and
Notre Dame needs to prevent the Spartans from completing their passes
and prevent long gains. Since Cook is the teams 4<sup>th</sup>
leading rusher, that also must be accounted for as well as preventing
plays from being extended is also important. The Spartans may have
one of the lowest ranked pass offenses, but they are not to be
underestimated at all.
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Edge: Even
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Notre Dame RB's: Amir Carlisle leads
the Irish in terms of rushing yards with 148 yards on 30 carries for
a 4.9 yard average. Cam McDaniel is second with 125 rushing yards and
1 touchdown and a 4.3 yard average. George Atkinson III has 98 yards
on 18 carries with a 5.4 yard average and 1 touchdown. Greg Bryant
and Tarean Folston each have 14 rushing yards for the Irish. Will
Mahone has yet to have any rushing yards yet but had missed the first
game of the season with injury. The unit overall gives Notre Dame the
92<sup>nd</sup> ranked rushing offense with 125 rushing yards a game.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame RB's vs. Michigan St. Rush
Defense: Michigan St. is also strong against the run as well as they
are the 4<sup>th</sup> ranked rushing defense that has allowed just
50.3 yards a game and only 1 rushing touchdown and for opposing ball
carriers to have just 1.8 rushing yards per attempt. Notre Dame may
be talented, but no single running back has emerged to be the main
ball carrier. Cam McDaniel closed out the game for the Irish in the
win over Purdue and could potentially be the starter for this game,
but Notre Dame has a variety of running backs to play and it might be
time for Greg Bryant and Tarean Folston to start getting more
carries. This might be the best run defense the Irish face this
season, but quite a few Notre Dame opponents have high-ranked rush
defenses at this time.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. RB's: Michigan St. comes
in with the 44<sup>th</sup> ranked rush offense that averages 209.6
yards per game and has averaged 4.8 yards per rush and has 5 rushing
touchdowns. The top player for the Spartans in the ground game is
Jeremy Langford who has 200 rushing yards on 44 carries for a 4.5
yard average and a team-leading 4 rushing touchdowns. Nick Hill has
179 rushing yards on 25 attempts and a 7.2 yard average with 1
rushing touchdown and the longest run on the team at 35 yards. Riley
Bullough has 82 rushing yards on 21 attempts and a 3.9 yard average.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush
Defense: Notre Dame has the 26<sup>th</sup> ranked rushing defense
that has allowed 112.6 yards a game, 3.8 yards per rush, and 2
rushing touchdowns. Containing Langford, Hill and Bullough will be
important, but Notre Dame shut Purdue down on the ground and allowed
only 38 yards on 21 attempts and zero rushing touchdowns. The Irish
need to build upon that and contain the Spartans running game.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame WR's and TE's: This has been
one of the best units on offense for the Irish. DaVaris Daniels has a
team-leading 299 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns on 17 receptions
and a 17.6 yards per catch average. TJ Jones has been the leader in
receptions and makes many key plays with 19 receptions for 289 yards,
a 15.2 yard average and 1 touchdown. Tight end Troy Niklas has done
well with the loss Tyler Eifert and has 8 catches for 151 yards and 2
touchdowns and a team-leading 18.9 yard average per reception. Chris
Brown has 7 catches for 125 yards and a 17.9 yard average. All four
of the top receivers for the Irish have caught a pass of 40 or more
yards this season with the long being 82 yards by Daniels. CJ Prosise
has made 2 catches for 28 yards and Corey Robinson has 1 catch for 12
yards. Quite a few players have seen playing time at the receiver
position. DaVaris Daniels and TJ Jones are 16<sup>th</sup> and 21<sup>st</sup>
in the nation in terms of total receiving yards this season.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame WR's vs. Michigan St. DB's:
Michigan St. had an experienced unit coming into the season despite
the loss of Johnny Adams (1<sup>st</sup> team Big 10 last season).
The best player in the secondary is senior cornerback Darqueze
Dennard who was also 1<sup>st</sup> team Big 10 last season. Dennard
will most likely be matched up against DaVaris Daniels who made quite
a few plays for the Irish and has the lead on receiving yards and
touchdowns for the Irish this season. Dennard has done a great job in
defending the pass with 5 pass breakups and has been able to get
pressure on opposing quarterbacks with 2 quarterback hurries even.
Even though Michigan St. has a talented secondary they have a
significant amount to account for in the passing game with Daniels,
Jones, Brown and Niklas all capable of making big plays for the
Irish.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. WR's and TE's: Macgarrett
Kings has been the top player in terms of receiving yards and is tied
for first in receptions and receiving touchdowns. He has 8 catches
for 99 yards and 1 touchdown with a 12.4 yard average. Aaron
Burbridge has 8 receptions as well with 80 yards and a 10 yard
average per reception. Bennie Fowler has 5 catches for 73 yards and 1
touchdown along with a 14.6 (team-high) average and Tony Lippett has
4 catches for 41 yards and a 10.2 yard average. Keith Mumphery has 6
receptions for 47 yards and tight end Josiah Price has 3 catches for
28 yards.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. WR's vs. Notre Dame DB's:
The main targets for the Spartans are Macgarrett Kings and Aaron
Burbridge who have 16 of the teams 51 receptions. However the ball
has been spread around extremely well with a combined total of 15
different players having at least one reception and 4 players that
have a touchdown reception which also ties all 4 players for the lead
in touchdown receptions. Notre Dame won't be able to focus on one
specific player as the ball has been spread around well. Consistency
is extremely important here and the Irish need to improve on that if
they want to shut down the passing game.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame OL: The offensive line has
been doing a decent job in the pass protection area as they have
allowed just 3 sacks, which is tied for 23<sup>rd</sup> in the nation
in sacks allowed. The opponents they have played are tied for 28<sup>th</sup>
in the nation for sacks (Purdue) and two are tied for 51<sup>st</sup>
(Michigan and Temple) However, they have also allowed 15 tackles for
loss and the running game is averaging 4.1 yards per rush and 125
yards per game.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame OL vs. Michigan St. DL:
Michigan St. has been great in the sack department with a tie for
10<sup>th</sup> in the nation in sacks with 9 sacks and getting into
opposing backfields has been easy with 18 tackles for loss this
season. The defensive line has 7 of the Spartans 9 sacks this season
as well. Keeping Tommy Rees protected is important as the Irish will
need to be able to get passes off quick as the quarterback pressure
is also a strong point for Michigan St. with 27 total quarterback
hurries. The battle in the trenches is once again one of the most
important battles Notre Dame must win.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. OL: Run blocking has been
solid for the Spartans who average 209.7 yards a game on the ground
and 4.9 yards per rush. They have done a great job in containing
opposing defenders as they have allowed just 2 sacks and 12 tackles
for loss. They have also allowed only 9 quarterback hurries as well.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. OL vs. Notre Dame DL: The
Irish haven't done as well at getting to the quarterback with only 3
sacks, but have 12 quarterback hurries. Part of this could be
attributed to facing quarterbacks who are capable of extending plays
on the ground and make it easier to avoid sacks. Notre Dame does have
14 tackles for loss. The Irish have done well in run defense, but
this is going to be an even matchup considering the Irish have a
strong defensive front led by Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix III.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DL: Louis Nix III leads all
defensive lineman in tackles with 8 and 1 tackle for loss. Sheldon
Day has 7 tackles and 1 tackle for loss and Stephon Tuitt has 4
tackles, 1 for loss, 1 sack, 2 quarterback hurries, and an
interception touchdown. Issac Rochell has 3 tackles as well and has
appeared in all three games this season. The unit has had solid
losses due to injury in the offseason as well. Sheldon Day had been
injured vs. Purdue and is coming along, but should play against the
Spartans. Considering injuries, the Irish can't afford to lose
anyone.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DL vs. Michigan OL: The
Spartans have done well in the blocking and protection departments.
This is one of the most interesting matchups between the two lines.
Louis Nix III will most likely be double teamed when playing. The
Irish need to able to stuff the run and pressure the quarterback to
win this matchup.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. DL: The Spartans may have
lost William Gholston and Anthony Rashad White, but the defensive
front remains strong once again. Tyler Hoover has 9 tackles, 2.5
tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble and 1
quarterback hurry. Marcus Rush has 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2
sacks, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble, and 1 quarterback hurry.
Shilique Calhoun has been the best lineman for Michigan St. this
season so far with 5 tackles (all solo tackles), 3 tackles for loss,
2 sacks, 1 interception return (that went for a 56 yard touchdown), 8
quarterback hurries, and 3 fumble recoveries (2 of which have gone
for touchdowns). Calhoun is the 2<sup>nd</sup> leading scorer for
Michigan St. and is a major impact player on defense to keep an eye
on. Micajah Reynolds has 10 tackles and 3 quarterback hurries.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. DL vs. Notre Dame OL: The
defensive line that Notre Dame will be facing is possibly one of the
best the Irish face all season. Shilique Calhoun has been absolutely
dominant for the Spartans with 3 defensive touchdowns on returns.
Tyler Hoover and Marcus Rush will also pose problems. Blocking is
going to be important in preventing turnovers and keeping Rees
protected. As it has been all season, the battles in the trenches are
most important for either team.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame LB's: Three inside
linebackers make up the top 3 tacklers for the Irish defense in Dan
Fox, Jarrett Grace, and Carlo Calabrese. Fox leads with 24 tackles
and 2 tackles for loss, while Grace has 20 tackles, 1 tackle for
loss, and a pass breakup. Carlo Calabrese has 18 tackles and a
team-leading 3 tackles for loss and 1 fumble recovery. Prince Shembo
has 10 tackles and 6 quarterback hurries (leads team) and Jaylon
Smith has 7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 pass breakup. Ishaq
Williams has 6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame LB's vs. Michigan St.: The
Irish have seen quite a bit of impressive play out of Jarrett Grace
and Jaylon Smith. Grace has been better suited for pass coverage and
could wind up starting over Dan Fox or Carlo Calabrese by seasons end
if he continues to play as well as he has this season. Jaylon Smith
is continuing to improve week after week and looks to be another 4
year starter after the graduation of Manti Te'o. The Irish will need
to contain the run-first Michigan St. as the running game has been a
stronger area on offense.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. LB's: Denicos Allen is
tied for 1<sup>st</sup> on the team with 3 tackles for loss and has
15 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 3 quarterback hurries. Max
Bullough also has 15 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass
breakup, and 3 quarterback hurries as well. Taiwan Jones has 9
tackles, 1 tackle for loss and 1 quarterback hurry. Jarius Jones has
11 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 interceptions.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. LB's vs. Notre Dame: The
starting unit features all upperclassmen in seniors Max Bullough and
Denicos Allen, along with a junior in Taiwan Jones. They give the
Spartans one of the top linebacker units in the country that that had
returned the 1<sup>st</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> tacklers overall from
a season ago. Notre Dame has some talent they will have to account
for, as Troy Niklas will be a matchup nightmare with his size and
strength. The front seven of Michigan St. might be one of the best in
the country with the experience and the play making ability.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DB's: The secondary has been
a step down from the unit a year ago that rarely allowed opponents to
pass for 200 or more yards, but has been made a couple of plays in
recent times that had impact. Bennett Jackson has 17 tackles, 1
tackle for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception (that went for a touchdown),
and 1 quarterback hurry. Matthias Farley has 13 tackles, 1 tackle for
loss, and 2 pass breakups. KeVarae Russell has 8 tackles and a pass
breakup and Austin Collinsworth has 3 tackles and 2 quarterback
hurries. Cole Luke has seen extensive amounts of playing time as a
true freshman with appearances in all 3 games this season along with
3 tackles and 1 pass breakup.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DB's vs. Michigan St. WR's:
The Spartans certainly have options at receiver, but not a single
player is dominant at this position as the total numbers per player
might look like what one gets in a single game compared to three
games into the season. Either way, the Irish secondary will need to
be at their best in coverage and prevent any deep passes and short
gains turning into long ones. No matter what stats a player has so
far on the stat sheet, all must be accounted for.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. DB's: Kurtis Drummond
leads the Spartans in tackles with 17, has 1 interception (went for a
touchdown), and has 2 passes broken up. Isaiah Lewis has 11 tackles,
1 pass breakup, and 1 quarterback hurry while RJ Williamson has 11
tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 pass breakup. Darqueeze Dennard has
9 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 5 passes broken up, and 2
quarterback hurries. Trae Waynes has 5 tackles and 2 pass breakups.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's:
The Michigan St. defensive backs may have experience on their side,
but they face the best receiving unit so far this season in Notre
Dame's unit that has a trio of receivers who can all catch long
passes and turn short passes into long gains. Trying to account for
DaVaris Daniels, TJ Jones, and Chris Brown will also be a challenge.
Tight End Troy Niklas will also be a factor as he can catch the ball
too, but might get used for blocking with how great the Spartans pass
rush is.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame Kicking Game: After missing
his only attempt of the Temple game, Kyle Brindza has hit 4 field
goals in a row and has shown steady improvement with a long of 44
yards. He also handles punting duties with a 39.5 yard average with a
long of 47 yards, 2 touchbacks, 3 fair caught, and 2 inside the 20.
Alex Wulfeck has 1 punt for 38 yards that was also fair caught and
inside the 20. Kyle Brindza is at his best generally in kickoffs with
a 64.2 yard average on 18 kickoffs, and has 10 touchbacks as well.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. Kicking Game: Kevin Muma
has made 4 of 5 field goals with the miss being for 25 yards and has
a long of 30 yards. Mike Sadler handles punting duties with a 41.2
yard average, a long of 54 yards, 2 touchbacks, 4 fair caught and 11
inside the 20. Kevin Muma has a 63.2 yard average on 18 kickoffs with
10 touchbacks. Kevin Cronin has 2 kickoffs for 125 yards for a 62.5
yard average and 1 touchback.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stronger Unit: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame Return Game: While not to
the level of his freshman year, George Atkinson III has done well
with 8 returns for 235 yards, a 29.4 yard average, and a long of 50.
TJ Jones has returned 4 punts for 41 yards with a 10.2 yard average
and a long of 18.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan St. Return Game: Nick Hill has
returned 4 kickoffs for 87 yards for a 21.8 yard average and a long
of 27 yards. Andre Sims has returned 14 punts for 121 yards, an 8.6
yard average, and a long of 33.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stronger Unit: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Everything Else: The Irish return home
after a road win over Purdue and a loss at Michigan. Michigan St. has
one of the best defenses in college football. However, the level of
competition is quite suspect as they have played a Division 1-AA
team, South Florida who might be the worst BCS-Conference in the
nation (0-3 with a blowout loss to a Division 1-AA team and a non-BCS
Conference team), and a winless non-BCS team in Western Michigan.
Michigan St. has had issues with quarterback, but it looks like it is
Connor Cook that will start. Notre Dame will need to pass the ball
and run the ball on the highly ranked Spartans defense. The defense
accounted for 4 of the 6 touchdowns in Michigan St.'s first two games
against Western Michigan and South Florida. This will be the first
road game of the season for Michigan St. who opened with 3 straight
home games this season. The offensive line will need to protect Tommy
Rees and the running game from the strong pass rush and front seven
of Michigan St. Notre Dame's defense will need to improve and be
consistent as well. The battles in the trenches are going to be
important as well. The Irish receiving unit does give them a big edge
in the passing game and limiting turnovers along with field position
will be big as well.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Michigan St.
13</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-54436092262070021882013-09-13T18:30:00.001-04:002013-09-13T18:30:35.604-04:00Notre Dame-Purdue Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.annarbor.com/calendar/photologue/photos/00%20Gamer/cache/090713_SPT_UMvsND_MRM_53_display.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.annarbor.com/calendar/photologue/photos/00%20Gamer/cache/090713_SPT_UMvsND_MRM_53_display.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame QB's: Despite Everett Golson
being gone for this season due to a suspension, Notre Dame has the
17<sup>th</sup> ranked pass offense nationally. While Tommy Rees did
throw 2 costly interceptions in the loss to Michigan, he still has
done a decent job this season with 60.8 completion percentage on 45
completions and 74 attempts. In addition, he has thrown for 660
passing yards and 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Andrew Hendrix
has appeared in both games as well this season and has only completed
1 of 5 passes for 9 yards, but appeared in the final drive in the
first game and for one play against Michigan when he attempted a long
pass in the closing seconds of the first half.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame QB's vs. Purdue Pass
Defense: Purdue has the 71<sup>st</sup> ranked pass defense that has
allowed 3 passing touchdowns and opponents to complete 65.7 percent
of their passes. Purdue has allowed 46 completions on 70 attempts.
They have allowed 460 passing yards total or 230 yards per game, and
a 10 yard per catch average as well. Considering the options that
Tommy Rees has in Troy Niklas, TJ Jones, DaVaris Daniels, Chris Brown
and more, this gives the Irish a considerable advantage and a great
opportunity for Tommy Rees to bounce back from throwing 2
interceptions.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue QB's: Rob Henry has been the
only quarterback to have any passing numbers this season with a 55.9
yard completion percentage and has completed 33 out of 59 passing
attempts. He has thrown for only 311 yards, has thrown 2
interceptions, zero passing touchdowns, and has a long of just 29
yards. Henry also has 8 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown as
well. His backups are young with Austin Appleby and Danny Etling who
are redshirt freshman and true freshman, respectively and neither
have any game stats so far.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass
Defense: The Irish are ranked 89<sup>th</sup> in pass defense and
haven't done as well as the 2012 unit thus far. They have allowed an
average of 261 passing yards and opponents average close to 12 yards
per completion and 4 touchdowns. Rob Henry hasn't looked good this
season at all and this could look well for the Irish to have their
best game of the season when it comes to defending the pass.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame RB's: Amir Carlisle has the
lead in terms of rushing yards with 132 rushing yards on 19 carries
and has a 6.9 yard average per rush, and also has the team's longest
running play with it being a 45 yard run. George Atkinson III has 71
rushing yards on 13 carries with 1 rushing touchdown and a 5.5 yard
average. However, he has struggled a bit with catching the ball and
had quite a few missed receptions in the loss to Michigan. Cam
McDaniel has 69 yards on 13 carries as well with a 5.3 yard average.
Greg Bryant and Tarean Folston only appeared against Temple so far
and have 14 and 12 yards so far. Will Mahone missed the Temple game
with injury and did not play against Michigan, but could see playing
time against Purdue.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame RB's vs. Purdue Rush
Defense: Purdue's rushing defense is ranked 50<sup>th</sup> in the
nation and has allowed 130 yards per game and only 3.8 yards a rush.
However, they have allowed 4 touchdowns on the ground. Notre Dame
comes in with just the 79<sup>th</sup> ranked rush offense, but does
have a 5.2 yard average a rush and 1 rushing touchdown overall. Notre
Dame should try to run the ball more and be balanced, and should try
to play each of the running backs so they are able to get some
playing time and experience as well.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue RB's: Akeem Hunt is the leading
rusher for the Boilermakers with 103 rushing yards on 29 attempts and
a 3.6 yard average. Dalyn Dawkins has 61 rushing yards, a 4.1 yard
average, and on 15 carries. Receiver B.J. Knauf has made his
contribution to the running game with 43 yards on 7 attempts with 1
rushing touchdown and a 6.1 yard average per rush.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush
Defense: Purdue's rushing offense is ranked 104<sup>th</sup> overall
with 99.5 yards per game, and the team is averaging just below 3
yards a carry. Notre Dame is ranked 62<sup>nd</sup> in rushing
defense and has allowed 150 yards per game. The Irish should be able
to have their best showing in the run defense department of the
season so far against Purdue, who is one of the lowest ranked teams
in rushing yards per game. Containing the ground game will be crucial
and the Irish should be able to keep Purdue below 100 rushing yards.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame WR's and TE's: This has been
one of the strong spots for the Irish. TJ Jones leads the Irish in
receptions and yards and so far has 15 receptions for 232 yards. He
also has a 15.5 yard average per catch and 1 receiving touchdown.
Troy Niklas has been a real surprise for the Irish with 7 catches for
142 yards and a team-leading 20.3 yards per catch, and he also has 2
touchdowns as well. DaVaris Daniels has been great too with 7
receptions, 132 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns. Chris Brown had
improved on his 2012 numbers against Temple alone and has 6 catches
for 85 yards. C.J. Prosise and Corey Robinson had their first career
receptions against Michigan for 16 and 12 yards, respectively.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame WR's and TE's vs. Purdue
DB's: Purdue's most experienced members of the secondary are
cornerback Ricardo Allen and safeties Landon Feichter and Taylor
Richards. The unit has allowed a 10 yard per catch average and 3
passing touchdowns. Despite the experience the Boilermakers have,
they have a challenge in handling Notre Dame's deep receiving unit
that has four players as the main targets and others who can step up.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue WR's and TE's: Not a single
player has caught a touchdown amongst the receiving unit of Purdue.
Gabe Holmes, a tight end, has a team-leading 9 catches for 69 yards.
However, Gabe Holmes was injured in practice this week and that will
have a major impact on the Boilermakers offense. Shane Mikesky has 4
catches for 43 yards, Gary Bush has 4 catches for 14 yards, and B.J.
Knauf has 2 catches for 25 yards. The top two running backs have
actually had a couple of the most important contributions to the
receiving game with Dalyn Dawkins having 4 catches for 52 yards and
Akeem Hunt with 3 receptions for 43 yards.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue WR's vs. Notre Dame: With the
unremarkable numbers by Purdue's receivers, things look better for
the Irish secondary that should be able to bounce back from allowing
4 passing touchdowns. Gabe Holmes had been the main target and the
next receiver after him had less than half the amount of receptions
as he does. Notre Dame needs to be prevent the large chuck plays and
the deep ball to win this matchup. Consistency is major need out of
the Irish secondary for this game and for the rest of the season.
Look for the Irish to also bounce back and contain this unit.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame OL: The offensive line has
done well in giving Tommy Rees time to pass and has allowed only 2
sacks and 9 tackles for loss. The run blocking has been good with a
5.3 yard average. The unit has also been one of the stronger areas
for the Irish this season so far.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame OL vs. Purdue DL: The front
four of the Purdue defense is a strength and all 6 of the
Boilermakers sacks were by defensive lineman. Purdue is able to get
into the backfield as well with 10 tackles for loss this season. The
battle in the trenches might be the most important matchup in this
game between these units. The Irish need to have their best pass and
run blocking while keeping opposing defenders out of the backfield.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue OL: The offensive line came into
this season with a combined 52 career starts and had 3 starters. Run
blocking has been poor with 2.9 yards per rush, and they have allowed
3 sacks and 9 tackles for loss this season so far. The unit is
primarily seniors starting with 4 of 5 starters being a senior.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue OL vs. Notre Dame DL: Purdue
will have more trouble when it comes to running the ball with the
poor average per rush (107<sup>th</sup> overall). Pass blocking could
be an area they fare better in as the Irish have 2 sacks this season.
The Irish have been able to get quarterback pressure with 12
quarterback hurries and also have 10 tackles for loss this season.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DL: Louis Nix III has a
defensive line-leading 5 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. Nix did well
against the Michigan offensive line. Stephon Tuitt added another
touchdown to his career with an interception in the endzone on what
originally might have been a safety had Devin Gardner not tried to
throw the ball away. Tuitt now has a fumble recovery touchdown and an
interception touchdown for his career. He also has 3 tackles, 1 sack,
1 tackle for loss, and 2 quarterback hurries this season. Sheldon Day
and Issac Rochell have 3 tackles each so far.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DL vs. Purdue OL: The Irish
need to constantly put pressure on Purdue's offensive line so that
they can stuff the run game and force Purdue into turnovers. The
Irish have a great edge on containing the run game in particular.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue DL: One of the best strengths of
Purdue is in the defensive line, despite the loss of Kawann Short,
who was a 2<sup>nd</sup> round draft pick, 2<sup>nd</sup> team
All-American, and 2-time first-team All-Big 10. Bruce Gaston might be
the best player on the line and possibly the defense and he leads the
team in tackles with 12 and has 3.5 tackles for loss (team-leading)
and 2 sacks. Like the offensive line, it has quite a few seniors
starting on it. Greg Latta has 9 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, and 2
pass breakups. Ryan Russell has 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 2
sacks. Jalani Phillips has 3 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and
a pass breakup. Ryan Issac has 2 tackles and 1 interception.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue DL vs. Notre Dame OL: This is
one of the biggest matchups in the game. All 6 of Purdue's sacks have
come from defensive linemen and it is a unit that has quite a few
seniors on it. Notre Dame needs to keep Tommy Rees protected and give
him opportunity to pass. Preventing Purdue from getting into the
backfield is key for the Irish. If the offensive line can handle
Purdue's front four, then everything else will be significantly more
easy.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />Edge: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame LB's: Starting inside
linebackers Dan Fox and Carlo Calabrese are the top 2 tacklers for
the Irish and they have 20 and 14 respectively, and they both have 2
tackles for loss as well. Jarrett Grace has done quite well and could
potentially be starting over one of them by the season's end. Grace
has 10 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. Prince Shembo has 6 tackles and
6 quarterback hurries this season and Jaylon Smith has 6 tackles as
well with a pass breakup. Ishaq Williams had his first career sack
against Michigan and has 4 tackles as well.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame LB's vs. Purdue: The Irish
face one of the worst rushing offenses in Purdue who are 104<sup>th</sup>
overall in the nation. While the inside linebacker play outside of
Jarrett Grace hasn't been as great with the loss of Manti Te'o, this
is an opportunity to improve.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue LB's: Sean Robinson leads the
linebackers in tackles with 9 tackles and 1 pass breakup. Joe Gilliam
has 8 tackles and 2 pass breakups. Will Lucas has 6 tackles and 1
pass breakup and Armstead Williams has 3 tackles. This unit also has
quite a few upperclassmen in it as well.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue LB's vs. Notre Dame: The
Boilermakers have quite a bit to handle in a deep running game that
the Irish have and Troy Niklas who has been quite impressive for the
Irish so far this season. Purdue has an upperclassmen-heavy unit at
linebacker, but the Irish could easily be a major challenge for them.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DB's: The secondary has been
a step down for the Irish this season as they are 89<sup>th</sup> in
the nation in pass defense and have allowed 261 yards per game and 4
passing touchdowns. This is a prime opportunity to improve against a
Purdue unit that doesn't have many top players in the receiving unit
and inconsistent quarterback play. The defensive backs haven't
deflected many passes with only 3 (4 overall if the entire defense is
factored in).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DB's vs. Purdue WR's: The
loss of Gabe Holmes is a big one for the Boilermakers, but the
defensive backs for the Irish must be consistent and improve on their
play against Michigan last week. Preventing big chunk plays and short
gains turning into long ones is as important as preventing the deep
ball here.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue DB's: The most important play in
the Boilermakers secondary is senior cornerback Ricardo Allen. Allen
will likely be lined up opposite of TJ Jones and that will be a big
matchup to watch. On the season, Allen has 7 tackles and 1
interception this season so far. The other important player is Landon
Feichter who had 4 interceptions last season and this season has 8
tackles. Frankie Williams accounts for 1 other interception made by
the defensive backs.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's:
Ricardo Allen vs. TJ Jones will be major matchup here, but the Purdue
secondary has to also account for DaVaris Daniels and Chris Brown as
well. If Tommy Rees spreads it around and avoids turnovers, then the
Irish will win big in this area.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza
really improved between game 1 and game 2. After missing 2 field
goals against Temple, he hit all 3 attempts with 2 of the 3 being for
40 or more yards. He did better at punting and has a 40.9 yard
average with a long of 47, 2 touchbacks, 2 fair caught, and 2 inside
the 20. Brindza also has a 64.3 yard kickoff average and has 6
touchbacks on 12 kickoffs.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue Kicking Game: Paul Griggs has
made 2 of 4 field goals, but is 2 of 2 after starting out 0-2. Cody
Webster has a 49.9 yard average and a long punt of 73 yards and has
been able to pin it deep with 4 touchbacks and 3 punts of 50 or more
yards. Thomas Meadows is the kickoff specialist and has a 64.3 yard
average and has 1 touchback on 7 punts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stronger Unit: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame Return Game: George Atkinson
III has returned 4 kickoffs for 116 yards and a 29 yard average and
has a long of 50 yards on a return. Punt returns have already looked
better than the previous season with TJ Jones returning 4 punts for
41 yards and a long of 18.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purdue Return Game: Akeem Hunt has 3
returns for 143 yards and an impressive 47.7 yard average and a
return for a touchdown. Frankie Williams has 1 punt return for 14
yards.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stronger Unit: Purdue
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Everything Else: The Irish are coming
in off a loss at Michigan and Purdue is coming in off a close win
over Division 1-AA Indiana State. The Irish are considerably stronger
at numerous positions over the Boilermakers. The big thing is to
limit turnovers on offense, establish the run and to try and contain
the front four of Purdue. Look for more balanced showing on offense
and opportunities for younger players such as Greg Bryant, Tarean
Folston and other freshmen to get playing time.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Prediction: Notre Dame 35, Purdue 6</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-89711863064176419522013-09-07T09:45:00.000-04:002013-09-07T09:45:13.889-04:00Notre Dame-Michigan Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://nbcirish.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/tommy-rees.jpg?w=320" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://nbcirish.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/tommy-rees.jpg?w=320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame QB's: Notre Dame quarterback
Tommy Rees got the season off to a great start with an accurate and
impressive passing performance against Temple. Rees completed 70
percent of his passes for 346 yards (career-high) and 3 touchdowns.
He did this on 16 completions out of 23 attempts and was throwing the
ball pretty far to show heavily improved arm strength. Passes short
and long were completed with a pair of 32 yard touchdowns, a 66 yard
touchdown, and a pass that went for 51 yards. Rees spread the ball
out well with TJ Jones, DaVaris Daniels, Chris Brown, and Troy Niklas
all making a big impact in the passing game against Temple. It was
easily the best game in Tommy Rees's career at Notre Dame, and Andrew
Hendrix played the final drive with 1 completion out of 4 attempts
for 9 yards.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame QB's vs. Michigan Pass
Defense: Michigan allowed 144 yards in the air in its opener against
Central Michigan while also getting an interception as well. Notre
Dame gives Michigan stronger competition and with an improved Tommy
Rees makes things quite challenging. Rees will need to build upon his
performance against Temple and continue to be accurate, efficient,
and spread the ball around to his receivers. If he does so, then the
passing game will continue to be seen as a strength for the Irish.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan QB's: Denard Robinson was the
starter over the previous three seasons with Devin Gardner starting
the last few games of 2012. Gardner had been used in a few different
ways last season, but is the starting quarterback this season. Garder
completed 10 of 15 of his passes for 162 yards and 1 touchdown, but
threw 2 interceptions against Central Michigan. He also ran for 52
yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. Backup Shane Morris had 4
completions on 6 attempts for 59 yards and 1 interception.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass
Defense: Devin Gardner had an average day against Central Michigan in
the air, but did well on the ground. For the Irish defense, he is not
to be underestimated in this case. Michigan having a total of 3
interceptions is also a concern considering that interceptions were
an issue in last years game against Notre Dame when many
interceptions were thrown. Shutting down Gardner on the ground and in
the air is top priority and also preventing him from moving the
chains is extremely important. Notre Dame's pass defense allowed 228
yards to Temple but prevented the long passes well with the longest
pass allowed at just 26 yards.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame RB's: The running back unit
for Notre Dame combined for 193 yards on 34 carries for a 5.6 yard
average (Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees had -5 yards from a sack
so the total rushing yard numbers are actually 188 yards). Amir
Carlise opened the game and his Notre Dame career with a 45 yard run
and finished the day with 67 yards on 7 carries. Cam McDaniel had the
majority of the carries with 12 for 67 yards and a 5.4 yard average.
George Atkinson III wasn't as impressive with 8 carries for 34 yards
(4.2 yard average per carry), but had a rushing touchdown at the goal
line and a key reception that went for a first down. Greg Bryant and
Tarean Folston combined for 26 yards on 7 carries and Folston had a 9
yard reception as well with their playing time happening on the final
drive.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame RB's vs. Michigan Rush
Defense: The Wolverines did well in shutting down Central Michigan
with only 66 rushing yards allowed. Notre Dame doesn't have a feature
back to rely on yet, but is able to divide up the carries and keep
Michigan guessing. Establishing the run early is key for Notre Dame
in this game and helps keep the offense balanced. All five backs that
played against Temple should get playing time against Michigan. The
status of running back Will Mahone is still unknown as of writing,
but if he is healthy enough to play, he will see playing time too.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan RB's: Fitzgerald Toussaint and
Derrick Green had a majority of the rushing yards by running backs.
Green had 58 yards on 11 carries and 1 touchdown and starter
Toussaint had 57 yards on 14 carries and 2 touchdowns. Drake Johnson,
the 2<sup>nd</sup> running back on the depth chart, is going to out
for the season after an ACL injury. He had 2 carries for 9 yards in
the win over Central Michigan. Thomas Rawls had 12 yards on 2 carries
and 1 touchdown. De'Veon Smith had 12 yards on 7 carries and Justice
Hayes had 7 yards on 1 carry for the Wolverines.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush
Defense: The Irish allowed 134 yards on 29 carries in their opening
win over Temple with a majority of it coming on quarterback Connor
Reilly's 65 yards on 12 carries. If that is taken away, then Temple
ran for 69 yards on 17 carries for a 4 yard average. The longest rush
overall was for 18 yards. Notre Dame needs to keep quarterback Devin
Gardner in check on the ground and take care of the running game of
Michigan while preventing conversions into first down.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame WR's and TE's: Notre Dame
had big games out of the receiving unit. TJ Jones had a career-high
138 receiving yards on 6 receptions and Chris Brown exceeded his 2012
totals in this game alone with 3 receptions for 57 yards. DaVaris
Daniels had his first 2 career touchdowns on a pair of 32 yard
touchdowns and overall had 3 receptions for 69 yards and 2
touchdowns. Daniels had an injury but is fine to play against
Michigan. Troy Niklas had 1 reception for a 66 yard touchdown late in
the first half for the Irish. In addition, many freshmen got in
playing time including Corey Robinson, C.J. Prosise, James Onwualu,
and Will Fuller. The depth here and at running back really shined
against Temple.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame WR's vs. Michigan Pass
Defense: Michigan faces a much stronger receiving unit that is able
to catch short and long passes and also has the ball spread around
well to them. The longest pass Michigan allowed was for 43 yards in
the Central Michigan win. Look for TJ Jones, DaVaris Daniels, Chris
Brown, and Troy Niklas to be the primary targets. However, the
younger players will also see playing time and could have an impact
against the Michigan secondary. Tommy Rees needs to be able to get
the ball to his receivers efficiently as well.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan WR's and TE's: Jeremy Gallon
led the way for Michigan with 4 catches for 47 yards and 1 touchdown.
Tight end Devin Funchess had 2 receptions for 47 yards and Drew Dileo
had 2 receptions for 43 yards. Dennis Norfleet had 2 catches for 15
yards and Joe Reynolds had a 45 yard catch on 1 reception.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan WR's vs. Notre Dame Pass
Defense: While a single player never exceeded 47 receiving yards in
Michigan's first game, at least 4 players had 40 or more yards. The
Irish will need to keep a strong eye on all 4 players. The secondary
of Notre Dame is a deep unit and will need to shut down the
Michigan's receiving unit.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame OL: Notre Dame did a solid
job with the offensive line and pass protection was great with the
only downfall being a sack allowed. Run blocking was solid as the
Irish had nearly 200 rushing yards on the day.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame OL vs. Michigan DL: The
interior of the Michigan defensive line has seniors in Quinton
Washington and Jibreel Black leading the way. The Irish have a new
center this season in Nick Martin who did well in his first career
start against Temple. The defensive lineman for Michigan didn't
record much in the start chart, but the defense was able to get into
Central Michigan's backfield with 4 sacks and 8 TFL's. Notre Dame's
offensive line is going to need to protect Tommy Rees very well and
open up lanes for run blocking as well.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan OL: The offensive line allowed
only 1 sack, 6 tackles for loss, and did a great job in run blocking
with a 5.1 yard average, 6 rushing touchdowns, and 242 rushing yards.
The best player is senior left tackle Taylor Lewan and the unit has
the most experience with the offensive tackles, while having
underclassmen on the interior part of the line in Jack Miller, Kyle
Kalis, and Graham Glasgow</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan OL vs. Notre Dame DL: Michigan
will have a bigger challenge in Notre Dame down in the trenches with
defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, Louis Nix, and Sheldon Day. While
the defense of Notre Dame had just 1 sack, it should be able to build
on that and improve. The best thing for the Irish defense is to
attack the interior part of the offensive line and the matchup of
Taylor Lewan and Stephon Tuitt will be the key matchup here.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DL: The defensive line
wasn't at its best against Temple, with Louis Nix III getting 2
penalties most notably. However, some backups were able to play at
least, Stephon Tuitt had a sack, and the unit escaped injury-free.
Considering the losses during the offseason with Kapron Lewis-Moore
(NFL), Chase Hounshell and Tony Springmann (Injuries), Notre Dame
cannot afford to squander opportunities for the backups to play and
to help establish depth.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DL vs. Michigan OL: Stephon
Tuitt vs. Taylor Lewan is going to be the big matchup between
first-team all-American candidates. Louis Nix III will likely be
double or triple teamed, which can open things up for Sheldon Day and
the remainder of the front seven. However, the interior line for
Michigan is still inexperienced overall and the defensive line is one
of the big strengths of Notre Dame.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />Edge: Notre Dame
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan DL: Michigan has experience in
the interior line with seniors Quinton Washington and Jibreel Black,
but had lost starters on the outside from last season in Craig Roh
and William Campbell. The unit didn't do much in the stat chart, but
they were able to handle Central Michigan's offensive line so other
defenders could get into the backfield and get 4 sacks and 8 tackles
for loss.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan DL vs. Notre Dame OL: Notre
Dame has a strong area on the left side of the line in Zach Martin
and Chris Watt. The unit did a great job in pass protection and run
blocking that allowed Tommy Rees to get career-high passing yards and
for the running backs to get close to 200 rushing yards. Considering
that Notre Dame was putting in two new starters and another lineman
moved from right tackle to right guard, it was still an impressive
way to start the season.
</div>
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Edge: Even
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Notre Dame LB's: The lack of Manti Te'o
on the inside was noticed for the Irish linebacker unit, but Jarrett
Grace did well in a backup role, while Prince Shembo had an amazing 5
quarterback hurries for Notre Dame. Even with the offseason losses of
Manti Te'o and Danny Spond to injury, the unit is still a deep one
overall.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame LB's vs. Michigan: Prince
Shembo is the impact player for the Irish in this area. His 5
quarterback hurries is impressive and he needs to continue to put
pressure on Michigan and get to Gardner and anyone else in the
backfield. Jarrett Grace is another key player who finished with the
third most tackles.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Edge: Even</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan LB's: Desmond Morgan led
Michigan with 7 tackles and had .5 tackles for loss and a pass
breakup. Cameron Gordon had a strong game for the Wolverines with 4
tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup and 2 sacks. Brennen
Bayer had 3 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, and 1 sack.
James Ross had 3 tackles and .5 tackles for loss.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan LB's vs. Notre Dame: The
linebacker unit of Michigan had a good amount of sacks and tackles
for loss and keeping them contained will be key. The Irish have a lot
of skill position players that they will have to account for and will
make this an interesting area to keep an eye on.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DB's: The defensive backs
prevented the long ball from Temple and there was some decent play
and freshman Cole Luke garnered a considerable amount of playing time
as the third cornerback and could easily be starting in Bennett
Jackson's spot when the 2014 season happens. However, the defensive
unit as a whole was stronger in the second half with zero points
allowed, only 131 yards overall, and only one long drive that was the
first drive of the second half.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DB's vs. Michigan WR's:
Devin Gardner was able to spread the ball around in the season opener
with 8 different players catching passes, but none exceeded 47
receiving yards, but Joe Reynolds had a 45 yard reception. Jeremy
Gallon and Drew Dileo had 47 and 43 receiving yards each, but are
both shorter receivers at 5'8 and 5'10 respectively. The defensive
backs of Notre Dame are a great unit that surprised many last season
and will need to shut down the receivers and keep them contained.
They prevented the deep ball against Temple and will need to keep
doing that and avoid allowing short passes to get yards after catch.
Devin Gardner did throw 2 interceptions and that could also be a
factor in this area as well.
</div>
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</div>
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Edge: Even</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Michigan DB's: Raymon Taylor had the
only interception for Michigan with it being returned for 54 yards.
The longest pass the unit allowed was 43 yards by Central Michigan's
Andrew Floyd who finished with 4 receptions for 79 yards. None of the
other Central Michigan players had more than 28 receiving yards and
overall only 3 players had double-digit receiving yards. Central
Michigan did play 2 quarterbacks as one was injured early on and were
forced to use a backup who had zero playing experience.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's:
Michigan gets a significantly harder challenge for their defensive
backs with DaVaris Daniels, TJ Jones, Troy Niklas and Chris Brown of
the Irish. All 4 were able to catch deeper passes or get yards after
catch on shorter passes. Tommy Rees was quite accurate and those 4
will be the main focus of the receiving game for the Irish. If Tommy
Rees is able to get passes off quick and spread the ball around, it
will be extremely difficult on Michigan's secondary.</div>
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<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kicking was a
definite weak point for the Irish against Temple. Notre Dame missed
both field goal attempts and Brindza hit touchbacks during punting
and clearly helped give Temple solid field positioning. However,
Brindza did get 2 touchbacks on 5 kickoffs.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan Kicking Game: Michigan kicked
only one field goal and it was a 30 yarder by Brendan Gibbons. Kenny
Allen had a 51 yard punt that was fair caught. And Matt Wile had 5
touchbacks on 10 kickoffs. The Irish did create a turnover on a
Temple punt return which was one of the highlights of the special
teams for Notre Dame.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Stronger Unit: Michigan
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame Return Game: The return game
wasn't able to show much with George Atkinson III having 2 kickoffs
returned for 40 yards and TJ Jones returned 3 punts for 23 yards, but
had a 12 yard return and did more than the non-factor unit of the
previous season.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michigan Return Game: Dennis Norfleet
had 4 kickoff returns for 106 yards for a 26.5 yard average and a
long of 39. Joe Reynolds had a 30 yard blocked punt return early in
the win over Central Michigan and punt returns were basically a
non-factor with the longest return being 9 yards and Norfleet having
2 returns for -1 yards.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stronger Unit: Michigan
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Everything Else: Notre Dame and
Michigan are both coming off blowout wins to open the season. The
Irish are deep in many areas, particularly at running back where they
will likely use 5 players, wide receiver, linebacker, and the
secondary. Notre Dame needs to establish the run early and keep the
offense balanced to keep things going. The offensive line has to keep
Rees protected and prevent Michigan players from getting into the
backfield. Considering that a solid amount of freshmen played for the
Irish in the previous game, we can expect to see that continue as
some were quite impressive in the offseason. The defense needs to
prevent long plays and yards after catch. Louis Nix III will need to
avoid penalties that can prove to be costly as well. Look for another
balanced effort on offense for the Irish.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Prediction: Notre Dame 26, Michigan 10 </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-23935880137590700872013-09-03T00:58:00.000-04:002013-09-03T01:22:17.839-04:00IRISH COACHING CORNER-EPISODE 1 "THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN" The man with the Golden Gun, and I am not talking about Roger Moore and his role in the 1974 James Bond Movie, I am talking about Notre Dame QB Tommy Rees. The Irish QB silenced the skeptics by an almost perfect performance this past Saturday versus Temple as he threw for 3 TD'S and completed 16 of 23 of his passes to lead the Irish in their home opener.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gpfVQO0kJXw/UiVcFFhKOLI/AAAAAAAAAgI/8IQ6NLtrwRI/s1600/photo+2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gpfVQO0kJXw/UiVcFFhKOLI/AAAAAAAAAgI/8IQ6NLtrwRI/s1600/photo+2-1.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i> Rees leads Irish in opener</i></b></span><br />
<br />
Going into the 2013 season many thought due to the loss of so many skilled players such as Tyler Eifert, Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood to name a few offensively, the production would no doubt suffer. This was not the case Saturday as T.J. Jones, DaVaris Daniels, Amir Carlisle, and yes Tommy Rees all stepped up in the Irish's opener. Balance was the key as 5 running backs had the chance to rush the football, and 7 offensive players were recipients of completed passes by Rees. This balance is something that Brian Kelly talked about to reporters before the game saying, sometimes you build your offense around one guy too much. He likes the fact he has more options instead of that one, "go to guy".<br />
<br />
In our first episode we are going to take a deeper look, more of an analytical look at the things that were present to help the Irish QB achieve those numbers, but first it is Important to understand the key elements which are vital for a successful passing attack.<br />
<br />
All starts with protection, the Irish offensive line did an outstanding job of protecting Rees allowing only one sack in Saturday's contest. Zack Martin, the heart and soul of that offensive line, and only the 18th two-time Co Captain at Notre Dame, along with the rest of the Irish front did their job of recognizing the Owl's fronts and intentions. Communication is the key, and the offensive line need to be commended for their efforts.<br />
.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UGDvvSwHGGE/UiVc2IH5DRI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/XuPhesEYsOI/s1600/7_34448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UGDvvSwHGGE/UiVc2IH5DRI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/XuPhesEYsOI/s1600/7_34448.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Zack </i></b></span> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Martin is the anchor of the Irish Offensive Line.</i></b></span><br />
<br />
The second key element is a sound running game so that balance is present. Once the run game is established, the Play Action Pass becomes an element of an offense's scheme that can prove deadly. The Irish proved this throughout the game versus Temple, most notably during their first possession of their opening drive. On the first play from scrimmage Notre Dame's Amir Carlisle rambled 45 yards that got the crowd buzzing early. This was Carlisle's first run in a Notre Dame uniform. On the second play George Atkinson lll gets the same play but different direction as he plows his way for 5 yards. Then on the third play, Rees gives the same run action as the two previous plays which forces the Owls defense up, and executes a beautiful well designed Play Action pass that resulted in a 32 yard TD pass to DaVaris Daniels. The fact that Notre Dame could run the football only enhanced the passing game through play action.<br />
<br />
The third element is the fact you have to have receivers that will go up and get the football, make the bad ball catch, have the ability to extend plays after the catch, make plays. As I stated earlier 7 Irish offensive players were at the receiving end of Tommy Rees 's completions. T.J. Jones averaged 23.0 yards per catch as did DaVaris Daniels. Chris Brown caught 3 passes for 57 yards averaging 19.0 yards per catch, and Tight End Troy Niklas's 66 yard TD scamper before the half shows the versatility and what these guys can do after they catch the football. Yards after catch (YAC) is vital in building that successful passing game, and the Irish showed they are very capable with this element.<br />
<br />
What about our Golden Gun? Our Quarterback? How does he fit into this mix? Tommy Rees did 3 things Saturday that impressed me more than anything. Two of which you will not find in any box score or stat. First, he was efficient as can be seen by his completing 16 of 23 passes for 346 yards and ZERO TURNOVERS! Secondly, and you saw this multiple times against Temple, was his ability to throw the "bad ball", throwing to the back shoulder of his receivers, throwing the ball to a location where his receivers can make the adjustment to catch the football but the defender cannot.<br />
<br />
Tommy does this well, and he has done so throughout his career at Notre Dame. Finally, his ability to scan the defense, checkout of the bad plays and audible to the correct ones for those specific situations is another element of the game Rees does very well, and he did so on numerous occasions against the Temple Owls. Remember, Tommy is the son of a football coach and you can see that while he is on the field. His game management and clock management, coupled with his composure that he exhibited Saturday, are all key components to becoming a complete QB.<br />
<br />
So, can Rees continue this Golden Gun stature? Can he give Coach Brian Kelly the consistency that is needed at the QB Position? Only time will tell. I believe he can, and I believe the big key is what I talked about earlier with the elements that make up a successful passing game, protection and the threat of a running game. He has the receivers to make plays, he has the football knowledge.<br />
<br />
Join me next week with episode 2 of "The Irish Coaching Corner" when we take a deeper look at the strategies employed either offensively or defensively that made a difference. Next week it will be the Michigan Wolverines at the big house! See you then, and remember.....<br />
<br />
GO IRISH!<br />
<div>
Eddie Ganim (irishfbfan1)</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-32201466060654510652013-08-28T18:09:00.001-04:002013-08-28T18:10:53.172-04:00Notre Dame-Temple Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site567/2013/0727/20130727__TDT-L-Hegarty-0728~p1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site567/2013/0727/20130727__TDT-L-Hegarty-0728~p1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Notre Dame QB's: Going into this
season, Notre Dame's quarterback situation was a non-factor with
starter Everett Golson returning after a 12 win season, and having
backups who have had playing time in Tommy Rees and Andrew Hendrix.
However, in late May, Everett Golson was suspended for the season and
Tommy Rees would be named starter. Tommy Rees has started 18 games
over 3 years with a majority of the starts being in the 2011 season.
Rees appeared in every game in 2012 with the exceptions of Navy (due
to suspension) and Alabama, with notable amounts of playing time
against Michigan, BYU, and the final drive against Purdue. Rees
completed 34 out of 59 passes for 436 yards with 2 passing touchdowns
and 2 interceptions. Backing Rees up will be Andrew Hendrix, who only
completed 5 of 7 passes for 55 yards. Hendrix is also capable of
running the ball as well. True freshman Malik Zaire enrolled early
and had significant playing time in the spring game with a touchdown
pass. Zaire and Hendrix both could see a lot of playing time this
season depending on how things go, regardless it is important for
both to get playing time and game-time experience.</div>
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Notre Dame QB's vs. Temple Pass
Defense: The Temple Owls had one of the worst secondaries in college
football last season with a unit that only had 4 interceptions all
season and allowed 237 passing yards a game. The Owls graduated both
starting safeties from last season and are expected to have a true
freshman starting at one of the safety spots going into the season
opener. Considering that the Temple pass defense is one of the worst
units on the team it would be ideal for Notre Dame to pass early on
in the game and allow the backup quarterbacks to get playing time.</div>
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Edge: Notre Dame
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Temple QB's: Temple quarterback Connor
Reilly will be making his first career start against the Irish,
Reilly has been the holder on extra points. The starter from the
previous season, Chris Coyer moved to H-Back and is actually the
teams returning leading rusher as well and had 444 yards and 2
touchdowns on the ground. Backing up Connor Reilly will be Juice
Granger who passed for 370 yards and also completed 31 passes out of
55 attempts with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Granger is the
teams second returning leading rusher with 206 yards and 1 touchdown.
</div>
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Temple QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass
Defense: Connor Reilly has the task in his first career start of
going against a veteran Notre Dame secondary that returns 3 starters.
Notre Dame's pass defense was a surprise last season and allowed only
a few opposing teams to pass for 200 or more yards all season. Even
with the loss of Zeke Motta to the NFL, look for the Irish to keep
improving in the pass defense and keep Temple below 200 passing yards
all game.
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Edge: Notre Dame</div>
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Notre Dame RB's: Although the Irish
lost Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick, who both had significant stats
last season, there is still plenty of depth at the running back
position. George Atkinson III is the top returning player with 51
carries for 361 yards and 5 rushing touchdowns and had a few 50+ yard
runs and a team-high 7.1 yards a carry. Cam McDaniel had 23 carries
for 125 yards and 1 touchdown last season. Amir Carlisle and Will
Mahone will both see playing time as well along with true freshmen
Greg Bryant and Tarean Folston. Will Mahone had an injury and will be
out against the Owls.</div>
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Notre Dame RB's vs. Temple Rush
Defense: The run defense for Temple isn't any better than their pass
defense. The Owls allowed 199 rushing yards a game which was the
teams worst since 2006 (allowed 244 yards per game on the ground) and
lost most of their starters on the defensive line and return only 1
starter this season. Rotating in running backs will be important to
wear out their defense and also get in playing time as well. Look for
a strong effort by the Notre Dame running game and for most to
potentially all available running backs getting in playing time.</div>
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Edge: Notre Dame</div>
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Temple RB's: Temple lost nearly half of
their returning rushing yards in Montel Harris, a Boston College
transfer who had 1,054 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
His backup last season, Matt Brown also graduated and had 372 rushing
yards and 4 touchdowns. The starter, Kenny Harper had only 65 rushing
yards and 2 touchdowns last season. Also, his backup Jamie Gilmore
only had 94 rushing yards last season.
</div>
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Temple RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush
Defense: Notre Dame has what may be the best defensive line in
college football that is headlined by juniors Louis Nix III and
Stephon Tuitt. With Temple being heavily inexperienced at running
back, look for the Irish to have a strong showing on defense against
the run and keep Temple well below 100 rushing yards for the game.</div>
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Edge: Notre Dame</div>
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Notre Dame WR's and TE's: The Irish
lost their top guy in tight end Tyler Eifert who set numerous records
for a Notre Dame tight end and is now in the NFL with the Cincinnati
Bengals. The Irish do return TJ Jones and DaVaris Daniels, TJ Jones
was named one of the team captain and had 50 receptions for 649 yards
and 4 touchdowns. Daniels had 31 catches for 490 yards and missed 2
games late in the season due to injury. Also returning of note are
Chris Brown and Daniel Smith. CJ Prosise moved over from the
secondary and the Irish have quite a few incoming freshmen. Corey
Robinson in particular has done well in preseason practice and was an
early enrollee as well. Troy Niklas is the new starter at tight end
with the loss of Tyler Eifert and is expected to carry on the legacy
of Notre Dame producing great tight ends recently and historically.
Also, the backups at tight end will be Alex Welch and Ben Koyack.</div>
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Notre Dame WR's and TE's vs. Temple
DB's: The Temple secondary is one of the weakest units on the team
and is breaking in new starters at both safety spots as well. Tommy
Rees will need to get the ball to his receivers and spread it out as
well. While TJ Jones, DaVaris Daniels, and Troy Niklas will be
targeted, look for others to see playing time as well. The Notre Dame
receivers should have a great game and look for backups to get
meaningful minutes in as well.</div>
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Edge: Notre Dame</div>
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Temple WR's and TE's: The top returnee
at receiver for Temple is Jalen Fitzpatrick who had 30 receptions for
363 yards and 2 touchdowns. The only other players who return with 10
or more receptions are Cody Booth (who has moved to the offensive
line) and Kenny Harper (a running back), as Temple was more of a run
based team in 2012 (201 rushing yards per game and 121 passing yards
per game).
</div>
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Temple WR's and TE's vs. Notre Dame
DB's: Jalen Fitzpatrick is the only player the Irish have to worry
about significantly with Temple being more of a run based team, which
will help with the defense as it may mean that the Irish don't have
to drop as many players into coverage and still be able to commit to
both the pass and the run.
</div>
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Edge: Notre Dame
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Notre Dame OL: The Notre Dame offensive
line is headlined by Zach Martin and Chris Watt on the left side.
Martin was named captain for the second season in a row and the unit
will feature a couple new starters with Braxston Cave and Mike Golic
Jr. having graduated. Early enrollee Steve Elmer has been drawn quite
a bit of praise from Brian Kelly and also is capable of playing
multiple spots on the offensive line as well.
</div>
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Notre Dame OL vs. Temple DL: The Temple
Owls only return one starter in senior Levi Brown for their defensive
line. Even with Notre Dame having a couple new starters, this
shouldn't be an issue as the Irish should be able to open lanes up
for the running game and keep opposing defenders out of the
backfield.</div>
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Edge: Notre Dame</div>
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Temple OL: The Temple OL returns quite
a few starters including 6<sup>th</sup> year player Sean Boyle. The
line did a solid job in run blocking as Temple had 1000 yard rusher
last season. The Owls offensive line is easily the strength of Temple
offense this season with the Owls having new starters at QB and RB
most notably.
</div>
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Temple OL vs. Notre Dame DL: While the
Temple offensive line is their best offensive unit, they face one of
the very best defensive lines in Notre Dame's. While Notre Dame has a
little bit of the depth issue due to injuries, they should be able to
play backups as needed against Temple.</div>
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Edge: Notre Dame</div>
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Notre Dame DL: The defensive line for
Notre Dame is the strength of a really great Notre Dame defense. Even
with the loss of Kapron Lewis-Moore, the Irish have Stephon Tuitt,
Louis Nix III and Sheldon Day starting. Day has earned a lot of
praise after playing a solid amount as a true freshman while Tuitt
and Nix are All-American candidates. Tuitt had a strong season in
2012 with 12 sacks and a defensive touchdown, and Nix is a force in
the middle. Sheldon Day is a rising star and could a strong presence
in opposing backfields with the main focus on Nix and Tuitt.
</div>
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Notre Dame DL vs. Temple OL: While
Temple returns the core of its offensive line, the Irish have two
players in Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix that will attract double
coverage and give more opportunities for Sheldon Day and other
defenders. The Irish will need to stay healthy and avoid injuries
with Tony Springmann and Chase Hounshell out for the season.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Temple DL: Levi Brown is the only
starter returning from the Temple defensive line from last season and
he had 27 tackles and 3 tackles for loss last season. The unit
allowed 200 or more rushing yards in 5 games in the 2012 season.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Temple DL vs. Notre Dame OL: With
Temple having only 1 returning starter from last season, the new
starters will be put to a test right away with an experienced Notre
Dame offensive line that features a strong left side. Temple's
defense also had trouble getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks
with the most out of a single player being 2 quarterback hurries.
Look for Notre Dame to contain the inexperienced Temple defensive
line.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame LB's: The loss of Manti Te'o
will be felt, but the linebacker unit is still deep even with Danny
Spond having to retire early. Jaylon Smith will start at outside
linebacker opposite multi-year starter Prince Shembo. The inside has
veterans with Carlo Calabrese and Dan Fox, but is deep with Jarrett
Grace and Kendall Moore as well. Shembo could build upon his strong
junior season with a potential of a double-digit sack season as well.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame LB's vs. Temple: For the
Notre Dame linebackers, the biggest focus for them will be supporting
the defensive line. Look for Prince Shembo to make his presence known
in the backfield and put pressure on Temple. Jaylon Smith will need
to be able to make an impact as well with it being his first career
start.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Temple LB's: The linebacker unit is the
strongest unit of Temple's defense that returns to tackler in Tyler
Matakevich who had 101 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 3 pass
deflections last season. He also was the Big East Defensive Freshman
Player of the Year last season. Another returning starter is Blaze
Caponegro who had 30 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 pass
deflection last season. Nate D. Smith returns with 75 tackles, 3.5
sacks, 3 tackles for loss, 2 pass deflections and 1 quarterback
hurry.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Temple LB's vs. Notre Dame: Containing
Temple's linebackers will be the most important thing to do for the
Irish, especially Tyler Matakevich. This could mean more double tight
end sets on offense for the Irish. If Notre Dame keeps the linebacker
unit contained and out of the backfield, then that will make things
significantly easier on offense for Notre Dame.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Even</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DB's: What was a big
question mark going into last season wound up significantly exceeding
expectations and helped keep numerous teams below 200 passing yards
last season. The unit returns nearly intact with the only notable
losses being Zeke Motta and Jamoris Slaughter (both in the NFL now).
The unit welcomes back Austin Collinsworth and Lo Wood who missed
last season due to injury. Bennett Jackson was named captain and is
the teams top returning tackler and interception leader with 65
tackles and 4 interceptions. KeiVarae Russell was a big surprise
after being put into the other starting cornerback spot and and had 2
interceptions and was first team freshman All-American as well.
Matthias Farley stepped in when Jamoris Slaughter and had a solid
season as a redshirt freshman.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame DB's vs. Temple WR's: The
only receiver Notre Dame must really worry about is Jalen Fitzpatrick
as he is the only returning receiver to have made an impact last
season. Fitzpatrick had 363 receiving yards last season which was 226
more yards than the no. 2 receiver last season. Considering all of
this, Notre Dame won't have to have as many players playing in
coverage and should be able to focus on the run.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Temple DB's: Temple is starting new
safeties this season but returns both starting corners in Zamel
Johnson and Anthony Robey. The pass defense was horrible last season
with Temple allowing 237 yards per game and only allowed below 200
yards 3 times (and one of those was a run-based team that only
attempted 9 passes in the entire game). The unit only had 4
interceptions all season which was one of the lowest among Division
1-A teams last season.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Temple DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's: The
Irish have experienced receivers in TJ Jones and DaVaris Daniels and
can pose problems for the Owls secondary. If Tommy Rees is able to
get the ball to the receivers and spread it around, it will make
committing to the pass harder for Temple, especially with a unit that
was weak against the pass last season and having a couple of new
starters.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Edge: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza
made 23 out of 31 field goals with the most notable being the game
winner against Purdue last season and also was the kickoff specialist
last season with 26 touchbacks. Wake Forest transfer Alex Wulfeck is
expected to take over on punts with Ben Turk having graduated, but it
is possible that Brindza could handle punting duty as well in
addition to being the kicker and kickoff specialist.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Temple Kicking Game: The unit is
getting a big drop off with the kicker and punter from last season
being gone. Albany transfer Paul Layton will be handing the kicking
and punting duties and was 2-time All-NEC while at Albany.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stronger Unit: Notre Dame</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Notre Dame Return Game: George Atkinson
III didn't have as great of a season as he did in 2011 when he
returned 2 kickoffs for touchdowns. In 2012, he had just a 20 yard
average and only a long of 39 yards. Punt returns were a non-factor
as most needed to be fair caught.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Temple Return Game: The return game
also suffered a huge hit with the loss of Matt Brown who averaged
25.5 yards per return and had a kickoff return for a touchdown. He
also also averaged 14.2 yards per punt return with a long of 45. Jaen
Fitzpatrick also returned kickoffs and had a 24 yard average and a
long of 43.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stronger Unit: Even
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Everything Else: The offseason for
Notre Dame was an interesting turn of events with the suspension of
Everett Golson and injury issues as well. However, the team has it's
depth and experience, and returns most of the starters on defense
while having a strong left side on the offensive line. New starters
and first year players will need to establish themselves. Tommy Rees
has the experience and needs to cut down on turnovers that were an
issue most notably in 2011. The running back unit will need to be
consistent with the losses of Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood. While
George Atkinson III is the starter, the backups need to establish
themselves to prevent reliance on Atkinson. Troy Niklas will need to
be able to make plays and help make up for the loss of Eifert. The
defensive line must stay healthy and get in backups as needed for
experience. Temple is playing under a first year head coach, a new
starter at quarterback who was buried on the depth chart the last
couple of seasons. Temple had major losses in the running game and on
the defensive front. Look for a strong balanced effort on offense to
open the season for the Irish.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Prediction: Notre Dame 45, Temple 0 </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-22869404582313065052013-07-26T03:09:00.000-04:002013-07-26T03:36:15.216-04:00How Members Became Notre Dame Fans, Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jiGn7ZVZBpk/UfIlL-CJqbI/AAAAAAAAARM/z2wxehnJ7to/s1600/shamrock+(1).gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jiGn7ZVZBpk/UfIlL-CJqbI/AAAAAAAAARM/z2wxehnJ7to/s320/shamrock+(1).gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is time for part two to How I Became a Notre Dame Fan. This is an ongoing series of articles. I asked the question of the members of our<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/425374454177452/"> Facebook group</a>. We have a great group over there and, if you are not a member already, I invite you to come on over and join our great Notre Dame Family. If you missed the first part of <span style="color: #ac9657;"><a href="http://www.domersportsreport.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-members-became-notre-dame-fans.html">How Members Became Notre Dame Fans</a></span>, please click the link and you will be taken there. If you would like to be included in Part 3, just send me a private message on Facebook.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The eleven members who submitted their stories for part 2 are from all over. There are Canadians, Left Coasters, Midwesterners and Southwesterners. This further proves that, not only is the University of Notre Dame loved by citizens spread all over the entire Nation, but it is also loved by people throughout the World. Each person's story of how they became a Notre Dame fan is simultaneously unique and also similar. The similarity is the power that has attracted them to loving Notre Dame and Notre Dame football (and Notre Dame sports in general, for many). Other Universities have passionate fans. That is true. However, I have seen throughout the years that Notre Dame fans are different in their passion. Is it the religious component? Is it the rich tradition? Is it a tradition within our families? Whatever it is, it is unique and it is real and it is powerful.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please enjoy the stories of our members. Each one is valuable to us. Each one is an individual, yet, also a part of the Notre Dame Family. Notre Dame grads, students, subway alumni - we all have a love for Notre Dame that binds us together.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The stories:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
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<b>Lionel Jimenez, Hale
Center, TX, originally from Lubbock, TX - </b>Well, I guess you can say that I
was born a Notre Dame fan. For as long as can remember holding a football, I
also wore a golden helmet. Being born and raised in Texas Tech country, Lubbock
Texas, I have always been the odd ball out, but it never stopped me from loving
my team. Just to let you know, I have never set foot in Jones AT&T Stadium,
and the only time I will is if by chance The Irish were to play there. I have
never been able to see my beloved team in person, but thankfully for NBC, and
their 50 year contract to show all Fightin' Irish home games, I can still cheer
for my team, but believe me that watching a home game in person is number one
on my bucket list, and now thanks to the internet I have a pretty nice
collection of Notre Dame memorabilia. I even have a Notre Dame tattoo on my
neck for the world to see that I love my team. In life and in death, I will be
cheering for the Irish.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white;">John Wolf, Centreville, MI, originally from Sturgis,
MI - </span></b>I Remember listening to the 1966 Championship Game on the Radio
with my Dad. What a great historic ass whooping is was against USC (51-0).
Since that game, I watched (Notre Dame) on TV or listened on the radio to every
game. I’ve been a life long fan and we always make it a family event every year
to watch every game as a family. I have never been to a game, but would love to
make it to South Bend sometime, just for the experience. I’m from Sturgis, MI
and now live in Centreville, MI.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">Mallorie Brugh, Shakopee, MN - </span></b>I
became an ND fan the fall after I was born. My dad would watch games and yell,
"TOUCHDOWN JESUS" when ND scored. Since I was just sleeping away, a
little baby in his arms, you can imagine his screaming startled me a bit. I
would wake up with my arms flailing all over and scream myself! I think this is
why ND is such a special place/tradition for my family and I. The first game I
attended was almost 20 years after that. I sat right next to my dad, too big
for his arms now, but, when ND came out of that tunnel we both had tears in our
eyes. I will never forget that day! Go IRISH!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">Mark Manis, South Bend, IN - </span></b>I
was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana. My grandfather was a huge fan. He got
me started on Notre Dame football at around 6 or 7 years of age. I grew up watching every game, eventually,
ending up getting a job for all Notre Dame home games. I have not missed a
Notre Dame game in 40 years. We are ND. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
GO IRISH!<b><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stephen Drislane,
Kilworth, Cork, Ireland - </b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;"> </span></span>I
was first introduced by a friend of mine who had seen Rudy and he gave me a DVD
of the infamous Bush push game. Coming from Ireland, I had not even heard of
Notre Dame football. Anyway, from watching that game, I was heartbroken for the
team, this is despite the fact that the game was played months earlier. So,
from the start of the next season I would get the games delivered to me on DVD
every Thursday and watch them as if they were live. No fear of spoilers over
here!! So, then I met a friend of mine who had spent the previous few years,
spending 6 months in America and I couldn't believe when he told me he actually
lived in South Bend with his new wife. So, having a friend in South Bend was
brilliant he invited me over to go see a game. So, in November of 2009 we
travelled over to see ND play UConn - bad loss. But, it was a great experience
and I got to fulfill a dream I had from the first time I saw Notre Dame Stadium.
Sadly, my friend passed away from cancer last year, but, I’ll definitely get
back in a few years and, I'm getting married in 2015, so maybe, we can make it
part of the honey moon ha, ha! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Jason Rogers,
Norwalk, CA - </b>I grew up in Norwalk,CA, East of Los Angeles. It was</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1992 when I became a fan. I was playing outside of my friend’s
house when his mom started yelling. So, I ran in the house to see what was
going on and she was standing their yelling and cheering at the t.v. And it was
because Notre Dame just scored a long td run. I don't remember who they were
playing, but seeing her so excited over a football game just stuck in my head
and, from that day on, I started watching football and was an Irish fan since!
Out of every sport -pros or college, Notre Dame is my favorite team. I get
emotional every season, every game and just hearing the fight song gives me goose
bumps. I couldn't live without Notre Dame football. Win or lose, I will always
root for my boys.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">Eddie Ganim, Nitro, WV, originally from
South Charleston, WV - </span></b>This seems like yesterday as I think back
when I first became a part of the Notre Dame family. Growing up in a
predominately Roman Catholic atmosphere in South Charleston, West Virginia may
have played a role (lol), but I will NEVER forget, as long as I live, staying
at my Grandmothers house while mom and dad were working and seeing my Uncle's "
Time Magazine issue with Terry Hanratty on the cover. I was 6 years old and my
dad, who was probably the biggest Notre Dame fan in the universe, talked about
the Irish all of the time. I wanted to impress him, so my uncle read to me the
story, showed me the photos, and explained to me the unbelievable story of
Notre Dame. I went on to converse with my father who was so impressed that he
took to an in depth and real meaning behind the lore of Notre Dame football. My
relationship with my father is one I will treasure for eternity because he gave
me something. Second to love, he gave me the meaning and introduced me to the
greatest football tradition ever. <br />
<br />
Not a day goes by in which I don't think of either ND or my dad. Nor does there
go a day that goes by in which I don't listen to the fight song. It's my ringtone lol!<br />
<br />
When I hear them say "wake up the echoes" I not only think of Rockne,
The Gipper, Leahy, Bertelli, Lujack, Hart, Lattner and so many more, but I
think of my dad, and I thank him always for introducing me to Notre Dame! Now,
I want to go back to the Grotto and light another candle for him!<br />
<br />
Go Irish</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white;">Ultimatesteelheadsfan Chris Martin, Mississauga,
Ontario, Canada - </span></b>I became a fan when I was 10 years old, as our
family roots are Irish on my father’s side. My uncle bought me a Notre Dame
Fighting Irish shirt. I was curious as to who they were, but, I was told to
cheer for the Irish. I wore that shirt proudly and one day put on an Irish
football game and just was in awe at all the people packing the stadium in
South Bend. To this day I remain a fan although I no longer have that shirt. I
have new ones, a jersey, hats, etc. and always cheer ND and watch the games. I
am a huge hockey fan as I have played all my life and have come to realize that
ND has a great hockey program as well!! My name is Chris Martin from
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and I am ND - HERE COME THE IRISH!!! I get chills
to this day when it's kick off time.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white;">Rob Snyder, Fort Wayne, IN, originally from South
Bend, IN </span>- </b>I grew up in South Bend Indiana. On a clear day in late
fall, winter, or early spring, when trees weren't full of leaves, I could
actually see the Golden Dome from my second story bedroom window. I remember
watching the Notre Dame Replay on Sunday mornings with Lindsey Nelson, and
"Following an exchange of punts, we move to action later in the third
quarter … ". There wasn't a lot of interest in Notre Dame in my family
back then. My dad dreaded Notre Dame Saturdays because it screwed up the
traffic flow in parts of South Bend. None of my 2 brothers and 2 sisters had
much interest in Notre Dame. No one in our family tree had ever gone beyond
high school. My dad worked in a factory, and my mom stayed home and raised
kids. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, this was not uncommon at all. Mom didn't
even have a driver's license.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My mom knew I had an interest in Notre Dame. She told me
that I could actually go there. There was no way we could afford it, but she
said if I worked hard and got good grades, Notre Dame might give scholarships
to help pay the way. I was a kid of about 8 years old then, and certainly
didn't know any different, so I believed her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I went to Notre Dame on a few occasions as a child. We saw
the Ice Capades at the ACC when I was 8 or 9. In 8th grade I went to a city
wide math contest that was held at Notre Dame. I had my first success there as
I won first place in individual algebra and our team took third place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My first Notre Dame game was in November 1975. I had just
turned 14. My younger brother rode up to our sandlot football field on his bike
and grabbed me to tell me that our neighbor Brownie (Merle Brown) had a ticket
to the Notre Dame game that day against Georgia Tech. I left and headed
straight home, and went with him to the game. It was a real treat. His lady
friend had gotten sick, and so I lucked into the opportunity. Brownie was
disabled, had a severely twisted knee and hip, and walked painfully with a
twist and a drag of his leg on every step. He had to pivot on his good leg,
because the other was virtually useless, so it was a very strange and painful
looking way of moving about. I swear to this day though (and maybe this is my
selective memory, I could be guilty of that) that when we got to the stadium
and parked he had a bit of a spring to his step. Unbeknownst to me, he had
packed a cooler and some homemade sandwiches and chips, and I remember being
surprised that we just sat there in the parking lot and ate and had a good time
before the game. I was in heaven! We talked with all the other people around
us, doing the same thing, and I remember thinking that Brownie sure knew a lot
of people. It was great. I didn't realize until the drive home when he told me
he'd never met any of those people before. That's just what game day and
tailgating are like. I thought that was so awesome. And I remember everyone was
so kind and seemingly oblivious to Brownie's deformed leg and disability that I
was profoundly impressed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The game itself was great. Just walking in the stadium was
awe inspiring. The crowd was so into the game. Notre Dame won that day. There
was a lot of chanting and hubbub at the end of the game, and I didn't know at
the time what it was all about. It wasn't until later that I found out a little
known player got a few plays under his belt at the end of the game. Rudy had
made it on to the field.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did get excellent grades, a very high score on the SAT in
my only attempt, and was accepted into the freshman class at Notre Dame in
1980. My mom was right! I (probably not too brightly) applied to only one
school. I lived at home and commuted to school because with scholarships,
grants, and working part time jobs I was only able to handle tuition, but not
room and board too. My family had no money to put towards the education, but
contributed mightily with my room and board. I was a rarity, an off campus
freshman. Freshman weren't allowed to live off campus as a matter of course,
but I was a financial hardship case, so I got the exception. I graduated in
1984 with a BSEE.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had Dan Devine as the ND Football coach for my freshman
year, and then Gerry Faust for the next three. I attended the football games as
a student, and have been going ever since. I now have season tickets, and we go
to all home games, and usually at least half of the road games as fun filled
road trips into enemy territory!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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My last Notre Dame game was this past January in South Beach
when we played for the National Championship. Notre Dame did not win that day,
but we did show that Notre Dame can compete at the highest possible level
without lowering their extremely high standards. College Football, and society
in general, needs to be reminded of that lesson every once in a while. In my
personal experience with Notre Dame football, from the Rudy game to last year's
BCS National Championship game, and so many in between, Notre Dame has kept her
standards high while so many others around her have wavered.</div>
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To me, Notre Dame is about dreams, and potential, and the
people of Notre Dame doing everything they can to help others reach that
potential. The standards are high, and won't be lowered. But then the
achievements are high too, and the satisfaction and successes are worth it.
Even in times of trouble, Notre Dame continually does the right thing. High
standards are hard to live up to. We all make mistakes. Notre Dame holds its
family members accountable, but tempers that with forgiveness, chances to
redeem, and paths to recovery. Notre Dame isn't just a school, a bunch of
buildings, or even just about football. Notre Dame is about the people and the
Notre Dame family.</div>
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My first tailgating experience showed me acceptance and the
bonding of people coming together for a common goal, in this case to see Notre
Dame succeed on the football field. My time there as a student taught me that
standards would be high, but that you can stretch beyond what you think you are
capable of, and achieve more than you dreamed. My time as an alumni and
football fan has taught me that Notre Dame is family, and the common Notre Dame
thread gives you instant acceptance and camaraderie all across the nation.</div>
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To sum it all up, Lou Holtz probably says it best. To be a
Notre Dame fan is something special. If you go on campus, you can instantly see
it and feel it, and you just plain get it. If you feel it, no explanation is
necessary, if you don't no explanation is satisfactory.</div>
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And there is no place better to be on a fall Saturday
afternoon than in Notre Dame Stadium watching the Irish.</div>
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<b>Paul Krutzmann,
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada</b> - <span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: #EDEFF4; color: #333333;"> </span></span>I'm from Victoria
BC, Canada. So, growing up in Canada you're just supposed to be a hockey nut<span style="background: #EDEFF4;">. </span>But, in our household it was always
football. I become a fan for a few reasons. One, we are Catholic Irish, so ND
is pretty much a given. And, two, my older brother went to a Catholic high
school in Vancouver that's sports team’s name was, the Fighting Irish. Well,
since most younger siblings always do what their older brother does, I became a
fan of the 'other' Fighting Irish team as well. I'm 38 years old and have
pretty (much) not missed a game for over 25 years. In fact, I went and finally
saw my Irish play at ND Stadium last year against the Cardinal for the first
time ever. I even rushed the field after that amazing overtime game. (I) Left
the field through the tunnel. What a rush!!!!<br />
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I live/love Notre Dame football.<br />
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Go Irish!!!!</div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #edeff4; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12pt;">Art Sedlar, Tulsa, OK, originally from Dowagiac, MI </span></b><span style="background-color: #edeff4; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12pt;">- </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
grew up 30 miles from ND. My whole family are ND fans and hate (the) U OF
M - even though I was raised in Michigan</span>South Bend Irishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11037787415675179564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-10445319833580991862013-02-13T09:37:00.000-05:002013-06-21T11:49:55.706-04:00Notre Dame Wide Receiver Analysis For The 2013 Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.uhnd.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/davaris-daniels-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://www.uhnd.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/davaris-daniels-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Notre Dame Football WR's 2013</b><br />
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<b>Players that return: </b>TJ Jones, Davaris Daniels, Chris Brown, Daniel Smith, Justin Ferguson, Davonte Neal<br />
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<b>Players that leave: </b>John Goodman, Robby Toma <br />
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<b>New Additions:</b> Will Fuller, Corey Robinson, James Onwualu, and Torii Hunter Jr. <br />
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<b>Overview:</b> For the first time since the 2007 season, Notre Dame did not have a single receiver have 1,000 or more receiving yards in a single season. Notre Dame doesn't have many losses at this position and gains 4 freshman in the 2013 class. TJ Jones and Davaris Daniels have solidified themselves as 2 of the 3 starting wide receivers for the 2013 season, as Robby Toma graduates. What is most likely to happen is for Chris Brown to get the other receiver spot, but Davonte Neal and Justin Ferguson will also be possibilities as well. Corey Robinson and James Onwualu are early enrollees and will see some playing time in the next season. Torii Hunter, Jr. suffered an injury that could limit him a bit and might lead to possibly redshirting in 2013. <br />
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<b>TJ Jones 2012 Statistics:<br />
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Rushing:</b> 1 attempt, 8 rushing yards, 8 yards per rush.<br />
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<b>Receiving:</b> 50 receptions, 649 receiving yards, 4 touchdowns, 12.9 yards per reception.<br />
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<b>TJ Jones 2011 Statistics:<br />
<br />
Receiving:</b> 38 receptions, 366 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns, 9.6 yards per reception.<br />
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<b>TJ Jones 2010 Statistics: <br />
<br />
Receiving:</b> 23 receptions, 306 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns, 13.3 yards per reception.<br />
<br />
<b>Career Single Game Highs:</b> 7 receptions (vs. Alabama, 2012 National Championship) 90 receiving yards (vs. Alabama, 2012 National Championship), 1 receiving touchdown (Multiple Games, vs. Purdue, 2010, vs. Michigan, 2010, at Navy, 2010, at Michigan, 2011, vs. Michigan St., 2011, at Purdue, 2011, vs. Purdue, 2012, vs. Stanford, 2012, vs. Pittsburgh, 2012, and vs. Wake Forest, 2012), 1 attempt (vs. Purdue, 2012), 8 rushing yards (vs. Purdue, 2012), 8 yards per rush (vs. Purdue, 2012).<br />
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<b>Additional Information: </b>TJ Jones was arguably one of the most improved players in the 2013 season, and had his best season overall as a Notre Dame football player in 2012, he closed off the season strong with a career highs in receptions and receiving yards in the national championship loss to Alabama. TJ Jones will enter the 2013 season as one of the starting receivers. TJ Jones has scored 1 receiving touchdown against Purdue each time Notre Dame has played against them during his career at Notre Dame. <br />
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<b>Davaris Daniels 2012 Statistics:<br />
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Receiving:</b> 31 receptions, 490 receiving yards, 15.8 yards per reception.<br />
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<b>Career Single Game Highs:</b> 7 receptions (vs. Pittsburgh, 2012), 115 receiving yards (vs. Alabama, 2012 National Championship), 24.5 yards per reception (at Navy, 2012)<br />
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<b>Additional Information:</b> After redshirting in 2011, Davaris Daniels had a good season as a redshirt freshman despite missing time in 2 games and not recording any statistics in 2 other games. He had missed the last 2 regular season games with injury before coming back against Alabama and setting career highs in receiving yards in the national championship loss against Alabama. Daniels will likely be the top wide receiver for the Irish this season and his size gives him an advantage. <br />
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<b>Daniel Smith 2012 Statistics:<br />
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Receiving: </b>7 receptions, 47 yards, 6.7 yards per reception.<br />
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<b>Career Single Game Highs:</b> 2 receptions (vs. Purdue, 2012), 14 receiving yards (vs. Purdue, 2012), 10 yards per reception (vs. Wake Forest, 2012)<br />
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<b>Additional Information:</b> Daniel Smith has sparingly played in his time at Notre Dame and didn't record any receptions in 2010 or 2011, but gave the Irish necessary depth, which is likely what will be expected in the next season.<br />
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<b>Chris Brown 2012 Statistics:<br />
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Receiving:</b> 2 receptions, 56 yards, 28 yards per reception.<br />
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<b>Career Single Game Highs:</b> 1 reception (at Oklahoma, 2012 and vs. Wake Forest, 2012), 50 yards (at Oklahoma, 2012), and 50 yards per reception (at Oklahoma, 2012). <br />
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<b>Additional Information:</b> Chris Brown appeared frequently in the 2012 season, and almost always on a deep route, but only brought in one deep pass against Oklahoma, but it was crucial and went for 50 yards. He will likely compete with Justin Ferguson and Davonte Neal for the 3rd wide receiver spot and could be one to have a big season for the Irish. <br />
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<b>Justin Ferguson 2012 Statistics:<br />
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Receiving:</b> 1 reception, 9 receiving yards, 9 yards per reception.<br />
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<b>Career Single Game Highs:</b> 1 reception (at Navy, 2012), 9 receiving yards (at Navy, 2012), and 9 yards per catch (at Navy, 2012).<br />
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<b>Additional Information:</b> Justin Ferguson is another receiver who played as a true freshman and despite doing the least of the three true freshman, he will likely be counted on to contribute more after only recording one reception in the first game of the 2012 season.<br />
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<b>Davonte Neal 2012 Statistics:<br />
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Rushing:</b> 1 attempt, 7 rushing yards, 7 yards per rush.<br />
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<b>Receiving:</b> 1 reception, -5 yards, -5 yards per reception.<br />
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<b>Career Single Game Highs:</b> 1 reception (at Navy, 2012), -5 receiving yards (at Navy, 2012), -5 yards per reception, 1 attempt (at Navy, 2012), 7 rushing yards (at Navy, 2012), and 7 yards per rush (at Navy, 2012). <br />
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<b>Additional Information: </b>Davonte Neal also wasn't used much on offense, but was the punt returner for the Irish in the 2012 season. Neal will also be expected to contribute more after not doing much as a true freshman on offense. <br />
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<b>Additional Information on wide receivers:</b> Even though there is a lot of youth at the position, it is one of the most well stocked positions for the Irish as nearly everyone is either a freshman or sophomore in the 2013 season. It's possible that one or two of the freshman wide receivers will be able to redshirt, and Corey Robinson and James Onwualu have a step up over other incoming freshman due to enrolling early. Torii Hunter, Jr. will be the one most likely to redshirt as he recovers from his injury. <br />
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<b>Projected Wide Receiver Depth Chart:<br />
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FL:</b> DAVARIS DANIELS SO. <br />
Justin Ferguson So.<br />
Daniel Smith Sr.<br />
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<b>SE:</b> TJ JONES SR.<br />
Corey Robinson Fr.<br />
James Onwualu Fr.<br />
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<b>SL:</b> Chris Brown So.<br />
Davonte Neal So.<br />
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Please join our group on facebook! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/425374454177452/">Domer Sports Report on Facebook</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.facebook.com/groups/425374454177452"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-39408220757522582022013-01-23T11:47:00.000-05:002013-06-21T11:51:08.529-04:00Notre Dame Running Back Analysis For The 2013 Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Notre Dame Football RB's 2013</b><br />
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<b>Players that return:</b> George Atkinson III, Cam McDaniel, Amir Carlisle, Will Mahone<br />
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<b>Players that leave: </b>Theo Riddick, Cierre Wood<br />
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<b>New Additions: </b>Greg Bryant, Tarean Folston<br />
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<b>Overview: </b>Notre Dame loses a good amount of its production at running back with Theo Riddick graduating and Cierre Wood declaring for the NFL draft. Riddick was just as important with catching the ball as he was running the ball and Wood finished pretty high on the all-time rushing list at Notre Dame. In the 2012 season, Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood combined for 304 carries, 1,659 rushing yards, and 9 rushing touchdowns. Riddick also was 4th on the team in receiving with 36 receptions for 370 yards and 2 touchdowns. George Atkinson and Cam McDaniel are the only returning Notre Dame running backs that had any playing time in 2012 as Amir Carlisle redshirted due to injury and Will Mahone redshirted. Even with the new additions of Greg Bryant and Tarean Folston, expect both to redshirt in 2013 to help preserve eligibility for the future. <br />
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<b>George Atkinson III 2012 Statistics:</b><br />
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<b>Rushing:</b> 51 attempts, 361 rushing yards, 7.08 yards per rush, 5 rushing touchdowns, 30.08 rushing yards per game.<br />
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<b>Receiving:</b> 2 receptions, 4 yards, 2 yards per reception, 0 receiving touchdowns, 0.3 receiving yards per game. <br />
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<b>George Atkinson III 2011 Statistics:</b><br />
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<b>Rushing: </b>9 attempts, 27 yards, 3 yards per rush, 2 rushing touchdowns, 2.08 rushing yards per game.<br />
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<b>Receiving:</b> 1 reception, 10 yards, 10 yards per reception, 0.8 receiving yards per game. <br />
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<b>Career Single Game Highs:</b> 10 attempts (vs. Miami FL, 2012), 123 rushing yards (vs. Miami FL, 2012), 12.3 yards per rush (vs. Miami FL, 2012), 2 rushing touchdowns (vs. Navy, 2012), 1 reception (at Purdue, 2011, vs Stanford, 2012, and vs. BYU, 2012), 10 yards (at Purdue, 2011)<br />
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<b>Additional Information:</b> George Atkinson III was one of 2 Notre Dame running backs to have 2 rushing touchdowns of 50 or more yards (the other was Cierre Wood, who had 2 that were 60+ yard touchdowns). The amount of playing time Atkinson had on offense varied throughout the 2012 season. In the first game of the season, he had 9 carries for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns, while in the next game he had only 1 carry for 0 yards. He missed the Oklahoma game due to illness. Heading into the spring, Atkinson will likely be the de facto starter at running back due to the most experience out of everyone returning.<br />
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<b>Cam McDaniel 2012 Statistics: </b><br />
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<b>Rushing:</b> 23 attempts, 125 rushing yards, 5.43 yards per rush, 1 rushing touchdown, 10.42 rushing yards per game.<br />
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<b>Receiving:</b> 2 receptions, 41 receiving yards, 0 receiving touchdowns, 3.4 receiving yards per game. <br />
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<b>Cam McDaniel 2011 Statistics:</b><br />
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<b>Rushing:</b> 3 attempts, 9 rushing yards, 3 yards per rush, 0 rushing touchdowns, 1 yard per game.<br />
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<b>Receiving:</b> N/A<br />
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<b>Career Single Game Highs:</b> 11 attempts (vs. Miami FL, 2012), 59 rushing yards (vs. Navy, 2012), 6.56 yards per rush (vs. Navy, 2012), 1 rushing touchdown (vs. Miami FL, 2012), 1 reception (vs. Navy, 2012 and Miami FL, 2012), 21 receiving yards (vs. Miami FL, 2012), 21 yards per reception (vs. Miami FL, 2012)<br />
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<b>Additional Information:</b> Cam McDaniel played sparingly during his second season with the Irish with only 3 games in 2012 where he had carries, and all of it had been when the outcome had been decided. McDaniel will likely see more carries in the 2013 season and could have a solid impact as well. While George Atkinson III is most likely the starter going into the spring due to experience, it might be McDaniel who is the 2nd string running back due to experience, but expect there to be an open competition to replace Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick.<br />
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<b>Information on remaining running backs:</b> Amir Carlisle redshirted after transferring from USC due to injury and Will Mahone redshirted during his freshman season. Both are capable of challenging for a starting role. Mahone might be the power back that the Irish are looking for. While Greg Bryant and Tarean Folston might redshirt in 2013, they could also potentially see playing time in 2013, but it just depends overall. <br />
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<b>Note:</b> A player who is all caps notes a returning starter. <br />
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<b>Projected Running Back Depth Chart:</b><br />
<br />
George Atkinson III Jr.<br />
Amir Carlisle So.<br />
or Will Mahone rFr.<br />
or Cam McDaniel Jr.<br />
Greg Bryant Fr.<br />
Tarean Folston Fr.<br />
<br />
Come join us on facebook! The group address is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/425374454177452/">Domer Sports Report on Facebook</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-6768403116424334772013-01-14T12:11:00.000-05:002013-01-14T12:11:02.603-05:00Notre Dame Quarterback Analysis For The 2013 Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.4184908.1351987419!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="375" width="512" src="http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.4184908.1351987419!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Notre Dame Football QB's 2013</b><br />
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<b>Players that return: </b>Everett Golson, Tommy Rees, Andrew Hendrix, Gunner Kiel <br />
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<b>Players that leave:</b> None<br />
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<b>New Additions:</b> Malik Zaire<br />
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<b>Overview: </b>The Irish return everyone at quarterback for the first time since 2009 when the Irish had returned Jimmy Clausen, Dayne Crist and Evan Sharpley that season. However, the depth at this position is at its best in some time as 3 players have all seen decent time during their careers as Tommy Rees was a 2-year starter in 2010 and 2011, and Everett Golson completed his first year of starting as a redshirt freshman. The Irish having a quarterback in each year also helps build consistency as well in addition to depth.<br />
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<b>Everett Golson 2012 Statistics: </b><br />
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<b>Passing:</b> 318 attempts, 187 completions, 58.8 completion percentage, 2,405 passing yards, 7.6 yards per attempt, 12 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 200.4 yards per game.<br />
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<b>Rushing:</b> 94 attempts, 298 rushing yards, 3.17 yards per rush, 6 touchdowns, 24.83 yards per game.<br />
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<b>Career Single Game Highs: </b>36 attempts (vs. Alabama), 23 completions (vs. Pittsburgh), 77.3 completion percentage (vs. Miami, FL), 346 passing yards (vs. Wake Forest), 11.5 yards per attempt (vs. Wake Forest), 3 passing touchdowns (vs. Wake Forest), 2 interceptions (vs. Michigan), 16 rushing attempts (vs. Purdue), 74 rushing yards (vs. Pittsburgh), 8.5 yards per rush (vs. Miami, FL), 1 rushing touchdown (6 different games with 1 rushing touchdown)<br />
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<b>Additional Information: </b>Everett Golson appeared in 12 games and started 10 games in 2012 as a redshirt freshman and helped lead the Irish to a 12-0 regular season record and a 42-14 bowl loss to Alabama. Golson will be the starting quarterback going into the 2013 season and should build upon the numbers he posted in 2012, he led all players on his team in rushing touchdowns with 6 rushing touchdowns in the 2012 season. While he did not start against Miami (FL), he came into play after the first 3 plays and played the whole game until the backups were brought in when the win was for sure, and missed the BYU game due to a concussion.<br />
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<b>Tommy Rees 2012 Statistics: </b><br />
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<b>Passing:</b> 61 attempts, 34 completions, 55.7 completion percentage, 436 passing yards, 7.1 yards per attempt, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 36.3 yards per game.<br />
<br />
<b>Rushing:</b> 5 attempts, -15 rushing yards, -3 yards per rush, 1 rushing touchdown, -1.25 yards per game.<br />
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<b>Tommy Rees 2011 Statistics:</b><br />
<br />
<b>Passing: </b>411 attempts, 269 completions, 65.5 completion percentage, 2,871 passing yards, 7 yards per attempt, 20 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 220.8 yards per game.<br />
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<b>Rushing:</b> 31 attempts, -56 rushing yards, -1.81 yards per rush, 0 rushing touchdowns -4.31 yards per game.<br />
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<b>Tommy Rees 2010 Statistics: </b><br />
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<b>Passing:</b> 164 attempts, 100 completions, 61.0 completion percentage, 1,106 passing yards, 6.7 yards per attempt, 12 passing touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 122.9 yards per game. <br />
<br />
<b>Rushing: </b>12 attempts, -2 rushing yards, 0 rushing touchdowns, -0.17 yards per rush, -2.0 yards per game<br />
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<b>Career Single Game Highs:</b> 54 attempts (vs. Tulsa, 2010), 33 completions (vs. Tulsa, 2010), 72.7 completion percentage (vs. Navy, 2011), 334 passing yards (vs. Tulsa, 2010), 10.8 yards per attempt (vs. Navy, 2011), 4 passing touchdowns (vs Air Force, 2011 and vs. Tulsa, 2010), 3 interceptions (3 vs. Tulsa, 2010 and 3 at USC, 2010), 5 attempts (at Pittsburgh, 2011 and vs. Maryland, 2011), 6 rushing yards (at Pittsburgh, 2011 and vs. USC, 2011), 1 rushing touchdown (vs. Michigan, 2012)<br />
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<b>Additional Information:</b> Tommy Rees appeared in 11 games in the 2012 season with all of them being consecutively and played as little as 1 play to a whole game. He started against Miami (FL), but was pulled after 3 plays for Everett Golson and started against BYU when Golson was out with a concussion. Rees helped rally the team against Purdue, Michigan, and Stanford in relief as well. A senior to be in the 2013 season, Tommy Rees will likely battle with redshirt freshman to be in Gunner Kiel for the number 2 spot behind starter Everett Golson. <br />
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<b>Andrew Hendrix 2012 Statistics:</b><br />
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<b>Passing: </b>7 attempts, 5 completions, 71.4 completion percentage, 55 passing yards, 7.9 yards per attempt, 0 passing touchdowns, 0 rushing touchdowns, 18.3 yards per game.<br />
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<b>Rushing:</b> 8 attempts, 41 rushing yards, 5.13 yards per rush, 0 rushing touchdowns, 13.67 yards per game.<br />
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<b>Andrew Hendrix 2011 Statistics:</b><br />
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<b>Passing:</b> 37 attempts, 18 completions, 48.6 completion percentage, 249 passing yards, 6.7 yards per attempt, 1 passing touchdown, 2 interceptions, 49.8 yards per game.<br />
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<b>Rushing:</b> 25 attempts, 162 rushing yards, 6.48 yards per rush, 1 rushing touchdowns, 32.4 yards per game.<br />
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<b>Career Single Game Highs:</b> 24 attempts (at Stanford, 2011), 11 completions (at Stanford, 2011), 45.8 completion percentage (at Stanford, 2011), 192 passing yards (at Stanford, 2011), 10.6 yards per attempt (at Navy, 2012), 1 passing touchdown (at Stanford, 2011), 1 interception (at Stanford, 2011 and vs. Florida St., 2011), 12 attempts (vs. Florida St., 2011), 111 rushing yards (vs. Air Force, 2011), 18.5 yards per rush (vs. Air Force, 2011), 1 rushing touchdown (at Stanford, 2011).<br />
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<b>Additional Information: </b>Andrew Hendrix played sparingly in 2012 with appearances in only 3 games, which were Navy, BYU, and Wake Forest. Hendrix will be a junior in the 2013 season and will likely provide additional depth at the quarterback position and also will likely be the 3rd or 4th quarterback on the depth chart. <br />
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<b>Information on remaining quarterbacks:</b> Gunner Kiel had redshirted in 2012 after being an early enrollee for the Irish. He played in the spring game and will likely battle with Tommy Rees for the 2nd spot on the quarterback depth chart behind starter Everett Golson. Malik Zaire is the next early enrollee at quarterback (previous ones were Gunner Kiel, Everett Golson, and Jimmy Clausen) and will see some playing time during the spring game. However, he will redshirt in 2013 and likely have an impact on the scout team. <br />
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<b>Note:</b> A player who is all caps notes a returning starter. <br />
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<b>Projected Quarterback Depth Chart</b>:<br />
<br />
EVERETT GOLSON SO.<br />
Tommy Rees Sr.<br />
or Gunner Kiel rFr.<br />
Andrew Hendrix Jr.<br />
Malik Zaire Fr.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-73706688235332146222012-12-31T18:03:00.000-05:002013-06-21T11:52:13.112-04:00Notre Dame-Alabama Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Notre Dame QB's: Redshirt freshman Everett Golson has continued to get better and better for Notre Dame this season on offense. He has been at his best since the win at Oklahoma, and for the season he has completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 2,135 yards along with 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. In addition to the numbers he has through the air, he also has been important in the running game as well with 305 rushing yards (4th on the team) and 5 rushing touchdowns (Tied for 1st on the team with 2 other players). Golson has done well at home and away from home as well. Backup quarterback Tommy Rees has seen playing time in 11 games this season and has completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 436 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Andrew Hendrix has also seen a little bit of playing time in 3 games this season and has completed 5 of 7 passes for 55 yards and rushed for 41 yards. <br />
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Notre Dame QB's vs. Alabama Pass Defense: Alabama will Notre Dame's third opponent this season that is currently in the top 10 in pass defense this season (Michigan is ranked 2nd overall and Michigan St. is 9th overall) and ranks 4th overall in pass defense in college football. They have allowed opposing teams to complete just 54.3 percent of their passes for 2,161 yards and allowed only 7 passing touchdowns and the defense has 17 interceptions this season. Everett Golson has managed to do a great job at avoiding interceptions and while he has thrown 5 interceptions, 3 of them were early in the season (1 against Navy, 2 against Michigan). He will face a bigger test in the Alabama defense who has a great amount of interceptions this season. The big factor in this is the ability that Golson has in being a threat on the ground (Alabama's lone loss this season was against a team that also had a quarterback that was a threat on the ground). Golson will need to manage the game and be important in running and passing the ball as needed.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Alabama QB's: AJ McCarron has been a highly efficient quarterback this season for the Crimson Tide. He has completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 2,669 yards, 26 touchdowns, and just 3 interceptions. He takes care of the football as evidenced by what few interceptions as they didn't happen until the loss at home to Texas A&M and in the SEC Championship against Georgia. He was perfect in the months of September and October by being interception free. McCarron also has experience as well in the National Championship when he led his team to victory over LSU in the previous seasons National Championship. Blake Sims has seen playing time with 5 of 10 completed passes for 77 yards and 187 rushing yards on 30 carries for an average of 6.2 yards a rush with 2 rushing touchdowns. Phillip Ely has completed 3 of 4 passes for 42 yards and 1 touchdown. Both have played in 9 and 6 games, respectively. <br />
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Alabama QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense: Notre Dame comes in with the 20th ranked passing defense in the nation and has allowed opponents to complete just 59.4 percent of their passes for 2,333 yards and similar to Alabama has allowed 7 touchdowns and intercepted 16 passes. Notre Dame's pass defense has the distinction of allowing just three opponents all season to throw for 200 or more yards with zero of those happening in the month of September on top of that. While the Irish won't be the highest ranked pass defense that Alabama has faced (Michigan, Georgia, and LSU hold these distinctions), they have significantly exceeded expectations this season despite the loss of 3 players to season ending injuries. Forcing McCarron into incompletions will be difficult as he has only completed under 60 percent of his passes just 2 times this season (against LSU and Michigan), but regardless he still faces a challenge in a passing defense that doesn't allow many opponents to get a lot of yards through the air. However, Alabama's passing offense is only ranked 85th in the nation with just 214.5 yards a game overall. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame RB's: Notre Dame comes in with the 28th ranked rushing offense that is led by Theo Riddick. Riddick has moved from running back (freshman year) to wide receiver (2010 and nearly all of 2011) before moving permanently back to running back for 2012. He leads the team with 880 rushing yards on 180 carries with 4.9 yards a carry. He also is tied with 2 other players for 1st overall on the team in rushing touchdowns with 5. Riddick has also been absolutely vital to receiving game as well with some very important receptions this season, and he has 35 catches for 364 yards and 1 touchdown this season. Cierre Wood has 740 rushing yards on 110 carries this season for 6.7 yards this season and 4 touchdowns in 10 games this season and also has 2 runs of 60+ yards (both went for touchdowns as well). George Atkinson III has 361 yards on the ground this season on 51 carries and has 7.1 yards per rush. He also is tied for 1st in rushing touchdowns with 5 and has 2 runs of 50+ yards and both went for touchdowns. Cam McDaniel has seen playing time as well with 125 rushing yards on 23 carries and has a 5.4 average and 1 touchdown. <br />
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Notre Dame RB's vs. Alabama Rush Defense: Alabama has the top ranked rushing defense in all of college football and has allowed opponents to average 2.7 yards a rush and allowed 79.7 yards a game and 9 rushing touchdowns. However, Notre Dame has faced top ranked rushing defenses before this season with the 2nd and 3rd ranked rushing defenses being opponents Stanford and BYU. Notre Dame rushed for 270 rushing yards against BYU (the most BYU allowed in a single game this season and Notre Dame was the only opponent that rushed for 200+ yards on BYU all season long) and Notre Dame had 150 rushing yards against Stanford (3rd most Stanford allowed in a single game all season long). What Notre Dame needs to do is establish the run early and use it to wear down Alabama's defense as Notre Dame has ran for 200+ yards in 7 games this season with 5 of those being in the last 6 games this season. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Alabama RB's: Alabama comes in with the 19th ranked rushing offense that averages 224.6 yards a game, has 2 running backs with 1000+ rushing yards and has 35 rushing touchdowns this season. Eddie Lacy leads the team with 1,182 rushing yards on 184 carries for a 6.4 yard average and 16 touchdowns. T.J. Yeldon has 1000 rushing yards on 154 carries for a 6.5 yard average and has 11 touchdowns. The drop off is big after that with Kenyan Drake having 274 rushing yards on 39 carries with a 7.0 average and 5 touchdowns. Regardless, Alabama's running game is extremely important for the team with 2 running backs having 1000+ yards this season and combine for 27 rushing touchdowns (out of 35 total for the ground game). <br />
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Alabama RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense: Alabama will go up against the best run defense they have seen all season long in Notre Dame. The Irish are ranked 4th in college football by allowing 92.4 yards a game and just 2 rushing touchdowns all season long as the 2 rushing touchdowns are the fewest allowed by any team this season. Notre Dame has allowed only 4 opponents to run for 100 or more yards this season with no team rushing for more than 161 yards (Michigan) all season long. Notre Dame has done a great job in shutting down running games this season behind a very impressive front seven. However they do face a team that has ran for 100+ yards in every game this season with the fewest being 103 (vs. Western Kentucky) and Alabama has 8 games with 200+ yards on the ground and 3 with 300+ on the ground. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame WR's and TE's: Notre Dame gets a big boost in the return of Davaris Daniels. Daniels played in the first 10 games before being injured against Boston College, he has 25 receptions for 375 yards this season and is important in deep passes. Tyler Eifert is having a great season and the winner of the 2012 Mackey Award to the best tight end in the nation. He also has quite a few school records when it comes to tight ends. On the season he has 44 catches for 624 yards and 4 touchdowns. TJ Jones is having his strongest season yet as a Notre Dame player with 43 receptions for 559 yards and 4 touchdowns. Robby Toma has been important on the shorter passes with 24 catches for 252 yards, while John Goodman has been used more later in the season with 7 catches for 159 yards and 3 touchdowns. Troy Niklas has 5 catches for 75 yards and 1 touchdown, while Daniel Smith has 7 receptions for 57 yards. Chris Brown should see a solid amount of time and has 2 catches for 56 yards.<br />
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Notre Dame WR's vs. Alabama DB's: The Crimson Tide have a top pass defense that has not allowed an opponent to pass for 300 or more yards this season and only 6 have passed for 200+ yards in a single game. They face a team that has arguably the best tight end in the nation and one that attracts a considerable amount of coverage. If Golson continues to spread the ball around to other receivers, it will help considerably and open things up on the ground as well. Look for Davaris Daniels to have an impact with him back in the lineup and for TJ Jones to have a good game. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Alabama WR's and TE's: Freshman Amari Cooper leads the team with 895 receiving yards on 53 receptions and has 9 touchdowns. Kevin Norwood has 26 receptions for 395 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Christion Jones has 25 catches for 328 yards and 4 touchdowns. Michael Williams has 21 catches for 166 yards and 3 touchdowns and Kenny Bell has 17 receptions for 431 yards and 3 touchdowns. DeAndrew White has 8 receptions for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns this season. <br />
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Alabama WR's vs. Notre Dame DB's: The big matchup here will be Amari Cooper against Bennett Jackson. Jackson has been having a really good season in his first season starting at cornerback. Cooper having more than double the receiving yards and touchdowns will absolutely vital to shut down. Ever if Cooper is shut down, the other receivers will need to be accounted for as well. Notre Dame has done a great job in shutting down top receivers before (such USC's Marqise Lee and Robert Woods) this season, so this won't be unfamiliar territory for the young group of defensive backs that the Irish have.<br />
<br />
Edge: Even <br />
<br />
Notre Dame OL: The offensive line has done a great job as of late in the run and pass block areas. The line is helping the running game average 5 yards a carry, 202.5 yards a game, and 22 rushing touchdowns. They have allowed 16 sacks and 52 tackles for loss, and 42 quarterback hurries. The unit is particularly strong on the left side with juniors Zach Martin and Chris Watt, along with senior Braxston Cave at center. <br />
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Notre Dame OL vs. Alabama DL: Alabama has done a terrific job at getting into opposing backfields with 81 tackles for loss, 33 sacks, and 44 quarterback hurries this season. While not a single player has double-digit sack numbers, there are 14 players with at least a sack. Keeping Golson protected and opening things up for the running game will be needed to keep the offense going and help prevent Notre Dame's defense from wearing out. <br />
<br />
Edge: Even<br />
<br />
Alabama OL: Alabama has one of the very best offensive lines in college football that has a very experienced group overall. However, Rimington award-winning center Barrett Jones's status is in doubt for the game due to an injury and has yet to practice since the injury in the SEC Championship game. If the team captain is unable to play, then redshirt freshman Ryan Kelly will be the one to come in and start. The other four lineman have all started every single game this season. The unit has allowed 60 tackles for loss, 23 sacks, and 18 quarterback hurries this season. Run blocking has been very excellent as well since the average per rush is 5.6 yards along with 224.6 rushing yards a game and 35 rushing touchdowns. <br />
<br />
Alabama OL vs. Notre Dame DL: Alabama faces a really strong defense in Notre Dame that is a rather deep unit. Notre Dame's defense has had no problems getting into opposing backfields with 67 tackles for loss. Quarterback pressure is also top notch as well with 45 quarterback hurries and 34 sacks as well with Stephon Tuitt having 12 sacks to lead the way. If Barrett Jones is for sure out for the Crimson Tide, then the line will have a significant challenge in nose tackle Louis Nix III that really helps anchor the defensive line and is a massive presence at 6'3'' and 340 pounds. Regardless, this is going to be one of the biggest matchups in the entire game here in the trenches. If Notre Dame's defense continues to dominate as they have all season, it can shut down the running game and force Alabama to rely more on their passing game.<br />
<br />
Edge: Even<br />
<br />
Notre Dame DL: The defensive line has been one of Notre Dame's biggest strengths all season long. Stephon Tuitt is having a sensational season with 42 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 9 quarterback hurries, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 blocked kick. Tuitt hasn't been the only defensive lineman who has been dominant this season as Louis Nix III has 45 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 5 pass breakups, 3 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble. Kapron Lewis-Moore is having a great final season with 39 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 9 quarterback hurries, and 2 forced fumbles. Other lineman have seen time with Sheldon Day having 20 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 1 quarterback hurry. Tony Springmann has 11 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 3 quarterback hurries while Kona Schwenke has 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 0.5 sacks. <br />
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Notre Dame DL vs. Alabama OL: This is will be one of the most exciting matchups to watch in the National Championship game, even if center Barrett Jones might be out for Alabama with an injury. All three of Notre Dame's starters up front have been able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks and have little difficulty in getting into the backfield as well. If the Irish are able to consistently get pressure up front and stuff the run, then it will be beneficial. With the ability to rotate in other players, this prevents the starters from wearing out, but whoever wins this matchup will have arguably the largest impact on this game.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
<br />
Alabama DL: The defensive line of Alabama features an experienced unit thats leader in tackles is Jesse Williams who has 36 tackles along with 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, 4 quarterback hurries, and a blocked kick. Damion Square has 33 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 9 quarterback hurries, and 1 fumble recovery. Ed Stinson has 29 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 5 quarterback hurries while Brandon Ivory has 21 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 fumble recovery. Jeoffrey Pagan has 22 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 2 pass breakups while Quinton Dial has 21 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 4 quarterback hurries. <br />
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Alabama DL vs. Notre Dame OL: Once again, this is another important matchup in the trenches and will have an important impact on what happens with this game. Notre Dame's left side of the line is the biggest strength and will need to keep Golson protected and also consistently open holes for the running game to get through to help make progress and put points up on the board. This is a very even matchup and is one of the most important.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame LB's: The linebacker unit of Notre Dame is led by what is likely the best player in college football in Manti Te'o. Te'o has won numerous awards and is the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. On the season Te'o has 103 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 7 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, and 2 fumble recoveries. Dan Fox has 57 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, and 2 quarterback hurries while Prince Shembo has been important to the defense with 48 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 12 quarterback hurries, and 1 fumble recovery. Carlo Calabrese has 46 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 forced fumble and Danny Spond has 38 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, and 3 pass breakups. Ishaq Williams has 21 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 forced fumble. Others that will see playing time include Jarrett Grace, Kendall Moore, and Ben Councell. <br />
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Notre Dame LB's vs. Alabama: While Alabama has a pair of running backs with 1000+ rushing yards, Notre Dame has done a great job against the run and shutting down running games. This may not seem any different from what they have done all season against the run. Manti Te'o has been having a strong season and is always a threat to have an interception with the 7 he has this season. Look for Notre Dame to stuff the run often and give support to the defensive line that helps give Notre Dame a very excellent front seven. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Alabama LB's: C.J. Mosley leads the Crimson Tide by an overwhelming amount in tackles with 99, he also has 7 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, 3 quarterback hurries, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 forced fumble. Trey Depriest has 56 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 pass breakups, and 2 quarterback hurries. Nico Johnson has 54 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup, 1 quarterback hurry, and 2 forced fumbles while Adrian Hubbard has 39 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 4 quarterback hurries, and 3 forced fumbles. Xzavier Dickson has 33 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 4 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble. <br />
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Alabama LB's vs. Notre Dame: Notre Dame's Theo Riddick will present a challenge for Alabama's defense with his ability to run the ball and catch the ball. Riddick is able to line up in other areas and the Irish have other backs in addition to Riddick. Tight end Tyler Eifert will also be a matchup nightmare as well for the Crimson Tide, and should present more interesting matchups. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame DB's: The Irish secondary has significantly exceeded expectations this season with the fact that it was the youngest and most inexperienced unit going into the season, three season-ending injuries to Austin Collinsworth, Lo Wood, and Jamoris Slaughter later and Notre Dame has done a terrific job shutting down the pass despite what has happened. Zeke Motta has 61 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 pass breakups and 1 fumble recovery while Bennett Jackson has 61 tackles as well, 1.5 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. KeiVarae Russell has had a very good season as a true freshman and has 50 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, and 1 quarterback hurry. Matthias Farley stepped in for Jamoris Slaughter and has done well with 43 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 interception. Others have seen playing time in Elijah Shumate with 8 tackles and 3 pass breakups along with Nicky Baratti with 8 tackles and 1 interception. <br />
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Notre Dame DB's vs. Alabama WR's: Bennett Jackson will more than likely be the one lining up against Alabama's Amari Cooper. The other receivers must be accounted for, but the main target to watch out for is Amari Cooper. KeiVarae Russell and Matthias Farley will also be quite important for the Irish secondary as well. While Alabama runs the ball quite often, accounting for the passing game is just as important when a highly efficient quarterback is involved.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Alabama DB's: Vinne Sunseri leads the Crimson Tide's defensive backs in tackles with 52 and has 6 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, and 2 fumble recoveries. Dee Milliner has 51 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 18 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble, and 1 blocked kick. Robert Lester has 42 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. Nick Perry has 37 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery and Deion Belue has 36 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 6 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 forced fumble. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has 30 tackles, 4 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble while John Fulton has 15 tackles and 5 pass breakups.<br />
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Alabama DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's: Tyler Eifert is going to be a huge matchup nightmare for Alabama. The tight end can line up in many places and has massive size to catch the ball, and is important in the endzone as well. Davaris Daniels being back for the Irish gives them another deep threat. Alabama has been good defending the pass with an impressive 71 pass breakups by the defense. TJ Jones, Chris Brown, Robby Toma, and John Goodman will all be targeted by Golson and should provide an interesting matchup with Golson continuing to get better and better. <br />
<br />
Edge: Even <br />
<br />
Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza has made 23 of 31 field goals this season with a long of 52. While he has had some consistency issues, he has only missed 3 field goals away from Notre Dame Stadium (12 of 15 away from Notre Dame Stadium), but missed 5 field goals at home (11 of 16 at Notre Dame Stadium). With the redzone issues Notre Dame has had at times, he will be counted on. Ben Turk has averaged 40.6 yards a punt on 48 punts with a long of 53, 2 touchbacks, 19 fair caught, 13 inside the 20, and 8 of 50+ yards. Kyle Brindza handles kickoff duties with a 62.5 yard average on 68 kickoffs and 25 have gone for touchbacks.<br />
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Alabama Kicking Game: Cade Foster is 4 of 9 on field goals with him being 3 of 5 when it is 50 or more yards and a long of 52. He has had one blocked though. Jeremy Shelley is 11 of 11 with a long of 28. Cody Mandell is averaging 43.8 yards a punt on 46 punts with a long of 61 with 5 touchbacks, 13 fair caught, 17 inside the 20, and 12 of 50 or more yards. Cade Foster is handling kickoffs as well with a 63.4 yard average on 92 kickoffs and 42 have gone for touchbacks. <br />
<br />
Stronger Unit: Even<br />
Notre Dame Return Game: George Atkinson III has returned 19 kickoffs for 394 yards and an average of 20.7 yards with a long of 39. Cam McDaniel has 7 returns for 135 yards and a 19.3 yard average and a long of 25. Punt Returns have been a non-factor with Davonte Neal returning 18 for 44 yards and a long of 11. <br />
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Alabama Return Game: Cyrus Jones has returned 10 kickoffs for 250 yards and an average of 25 yards with a long of 41. Christion Jones has 6 returns for 182 yards and a 30.3 yard average. He also has a 99 yard kickoff return for a touchdown as well. Christion Jones is also the primary punt returner with 20 returns for 212 yards and a long of 31. <br />
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Stronger Unit: Alabama<br />
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Everything Else: When it comes down to it, this is a very evenly matched game, both teams have top defenses and are especially excellent agains the run. Notre Dame has a very good front seven that features a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy award and has received numerous other awards. However, Manti Te'o isn't the only important player on the front seven. Stephon Tuitt, Louis Nix III, and Prince Shembo all have had really great seasons and while the secondary is young, they have held a great majority of their opponents to below 200 yards passing this season. If Notre Dame shuts down the running game of the Crimson Tide, they will need to really focus on Amari Cooper and the other receivers. Interceptions will be rare since AJ McCarron has thrown very few this season. Golson will need to spread the ball around and know when to dump it off to Tyler Eifert and Theo Riddick. Both present matchup nightmares due to how versatile they are on offense. The game will really come down to it in the trenches, if Notre Dame is able to consistently open holes in the running game, and the defensive line pressures an Alabama offensive line that might be without it's best player will be important for the Irish. Its a very even matchup in nearly every area and Notre Dame will need to be able to move the ball against the Alabama defense to prevent the Irish defense from wearing out and need to be able to put it in the endzone.<br />
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Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Alabama 16 Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-219399938593357012012-12-24T22:25:00.000-05:002012-12-24T22:30:56.543-05:00How Members Became Notre Dame Fans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;">Recently, I asked members of Domer Sports Report's facebook group to write a paragraph on how they became Notre Dame fans. Below, is a sample of some of their stories. Notre Dame is a National University and Domer Sports Report members are made up of fans from all over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Brandon Nedoma, Minneapolis, MN, originally from
Milwaukee, WI - <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-weight: normal;"></span></b>I
became a Notre Dame fan around 2008. Nobody
in my family likes Notre Dame at all, but one of my best buddy’s dad is an
alumnus. I would always go to his house
and watch games, but I was a bigger Wisconsin fan. This year, I began my Freshman year at
University of Minnesota, and it is no longer okay to like Madison, so I pledge
my allegiance to the Irish as my number one team. In my life I have only seen 2 games (2010
against Stanford and 2011 against Air Force) and plan on going to more. My
friend’s dad may be hooking me up with face value ticket to the NC, and that
would be a dream come true. GO IRISH! We are one big family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Bobby Crawford, Kingsport, TN - </span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">When I was 6 years old,
before I really knew what football was, let alone tradition, my cousin, who was
12 at the time, gave me a Notre Dame hat.
I wore that hat forever. As I
grew older and started paying more attention to college football, I started to
research ND football and needless to say was blown away! I am now 27 and LOVE The FIGHTING IRISH! Growing up in Tennessee you can imagine the
hassling I got! But through all the ups
and downs, through the coaches and the so called "irrelevance", I
have stood firm! So, for me, my passion
and becoming a fan of ND started with a hand me down hat.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">Rick Madlem, Grand Rapids, MI, originally from South Bend, IN - </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Born and raised in South Bend, I lived 4 miles south of
campus. My dad was a huge Irish fan and
ran a concession stand at the stadium for home football games. At 5 years of age I started going out to help
him, and eventually ran my own stand for over 20 years. So, I was at every home game. My family actually managed about 10 of the
stands. During high school I worked at
the ACC for foodservice and met the likes of Moose Krause, Adrian Dantley,
Austin Carr, and many others. My Dad
also worked for the Notre Dame post office delivering mail across campus and
used to have nice chats with Tony Rice. Notre
Dame is very special to me and is in my blood. I lost my Dad in '03 and every year since I've
told him maybe this year........and this year I may just be right!!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>I currently live in Grand
Rapids, MI.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Sandra Grant, Atkinson, NH - </b><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Growing up with 4 brothers I always
loved the game of football, but it wasn't until I met my ex-husband in 1985
that I became a Notre Dame football fan. He had gone to South Bend every year during
the football season to see a football game since he was 18 years old. My first game seeing the Irish was in 1990 at
the Giants Stadium against Navy. My
first game in South Bend was in 1993 for the Pittsburgh game and that is when
you understand all the tradition, feel the history and meet all the other ND
fans who love Notre Dame they way you do. I saw other games in South Bend and up here at
Boston College but it was that first time going to the Grotto, going to the
house that Rockne built, going to the pep rally and staying at the Morris Inn
that I will always treasure. Notre Dame
represents tradition and delivers academics first and foremost as any
university should, which is what kept me loyal during all those times that
Notre Dame was far from number 1. My 4
children are all Notre Dame fans and have been to games in South Bend as
well...tradition! Go Irish!</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Craig Robinson, Temecula,
CA - </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
don't know if I can pin point that moment when it happened for me. I was young and no one in my family was a huge
football fan, let alone a Notre Dame fan. It was in the time before cable - Sunday
mornings were very boring. I was always
up before everyone else. Moving the
rabbit ears so I pick up something besides church on the TV, I came across a
replay of a football game. I can hear
the announcer in my head: "We more forward in the game. It is Notre Dame football at the Purdue 25,
1st and 10." Every Sunday I would
get up and watch the replay. They became
larger than life to me as a child and I never rooted for another team. As I turned the corner in my adolescence, Joe
Montana came to Notre Dame. I heard his
name over and over. Big win after big
win, they became my heroes and I have worshiped at the Golden Dome since.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Pam Geiselman, Valparaiso, IN -</b></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="background-color: #edeff4; font-weight: normal;"></span></span></div>
I moved
to Middlebury, Indiana and soon after, Rick Mirer became the QB for ND. Since he was from nearby Goshen and anyone and
everyone was watching him, I got hooked. Sorry he didn't do very well in the NFL, but
my passion for ND football never waned.
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="background-color: #edeff4; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">SGT Jonathan Johnson, Clarksville, TN
- </span></b><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;"> <span style="font-weight: normal;"> Since I was
the only one in my family born in Florida, you would think I would be a
Seminole, Gator or even a Hurricane fan.
Well, since I can remember I have watched the Fightin' Irish run out of
the tunnel onto the field with the 24kt Gold helmets and blue jersey's. I
remember watching Notre Dame play - I want to say I was five years old.
Back then, I didn’t really care to sit there and watch football. There
were four families that got together on the Holidays and Super Bowl
Sunday. I would never watch the Super
Bowl until I was around 15. There was one thing you could count on -
every Saturday, sitting in front of that T.V. and saying, “Go IRISH”. Now
I am 31 years old and have a family of my own. My 6 year old son and I go
back and forth with, “LET’S GO.....IRISH!”. One day I was sitting there
and my 19 month old daughter heard me say, “LET’S GO”. All you hear is, “IWISH”. I am proud to
be a Notre Dame fan because of the respect and tradition and honor that ND
stands for. I have watched them play in Iraq, Germany and hopefully soon,
Japan. I love to see players like Manti Te'o because people like him give
me joy and make me proud to serve my country and protect their freedom to do
what he is doing. Thanks and GO IRISH!</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">William J Becker Jr.,
Warsaw, IN, originally from South Bend, IN – </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Well, where do I start? I have tons of family history and stories. I was born into it. Grandfather played on the 1933-35 teams. I remember meeting Moose Krause and Joe
McArdle. I Grew up knowing Dick Rosenthal and Paul Harvey. I remember, in the 70's, players coming to the
house for dinner. I'm a Notre Dame
fanatic, so I've been told. Check out a
few pictures of the man-cave museum.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Pam Bauer, Nashville, TN - </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I live in Nashville where I
met and married my husband in 1979. I
hated sports and used to gripe at him when he would sit down to watch them.
Within the next couple of years I decided I was going to either have to learn
to like football or divorce my husband, so I began watching Notre Dame football
with him, learning everything I could. I
became hooked and in 1995 he took me to my first game against Vanderbilt. I fell in love with the school, the campus and
the rest they say is history. Now I
refuse to live without ND football and schedule my life around it. GO IRISH!!! (Note: Pam and her husband, Pat,
are ushers at Notre Dame games. They
just completed their seventh season.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Paul Mesirow, Evergreen
Park, IL - </b><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">I
didn't follow ND football as a small child. I do remember listening to the NFL
championship game in 1963 on a small transistor that my grandmother gave me,
and hearing the Bears win the championship.
My Dad was a subway alum of ND, that class of Chicagoan that loves the
school despite never having gone there. When I was 11, my Dad took me to a game
in South Bend, and we arrived at 10AM on a glorious September morning. We watched the bracing of the Irish guard,
went to the bookstore, and saw the game. I went to two games a year
during the 1965 season, and one of them stood out because a pass was
intercepted and Nick Rassas ran it back 92 yards for a touchdown (now we call
that a pick 6). My Dad was supposed to go to the ND-Michigan St game in
1966 with a friend - that didn't happen, but I got to go in the friend's
place! We saw the 10-10 tie in person! I still have the program
somewhere in my memorabilia boxes in the attic. I have more stories, but they could fill a
book, so I will stop now. That's how I became a fan of the FIGHTING
IRISH!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Luann Szalewski, Niles, MI,
originally from South Bend, IN – </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Well, being born into a Notre Dame crazy loving
family, I guess I became a fan in the womb. I went to high school across the way from ND. I used to take a bus out to my school and get
on a shuttle and go to the stadium. Faust
was coach then. After kick off , I
always had someone come up to me with tickets...here honey go on in. I sure did! I, then, waited till all the players came out,
and I got so many autographs!!! Then in ‘87/’88
I worked at a barber shop and Lou and his son Skip got their hair cut there. I cut Skip's hair!! Every time Lou came in, he always made time to
speak to me. He once called my Mother
who is the biggest ND fan. She was so
excited. During those years while he
coached, um, well, um, I was a stinker. Somehow, I snuck into all home games; it was
easy back then...lol. I was on the field
for every game - right by the team :))) I stood next to Regis and met Ahmad Rashad . After every game in ‘88 we stormed the
field!! It was awesome high fiving the
players. I was on TV many times and
after the Miami game, I walked out of the stadium and a little girl said
"I saw you on TV!!!" Those
were the glory days. My Mom passed away
4 years ago and she said when she goes, "Don't bury me in a dress, I want
to be buried in my ND gear." She
loved ND as I always have and always will.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Thanks to all of those who sent in a paragraph. In time, there might be a part II. Merry Christmas to everyone and GO IRISH!</span></span></span></div>
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<br />South Bend Irishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11037787415675179564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-556694454676610642012-11-21T21:22:00.000-05:002012-11-21T21:22:02.241-05:00Notre Dame-USC Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://atlantablackstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/notre-dame-vs-wake-forest-1117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="225" width="300" src="http://atlantablackstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/notre-dame-vs-wake-forest-1117.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<br />
Notre Dame QB's: Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson is coming off his finest performance yet as a Notre Dame quarterback as he set career highs in multiple areas. The redshirt freshman has completed 59 percent of his passes for 1,918 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. His rushing numbers are also impressive as well as he has 258 rushing yards (4th on the team) and 5 rushing touchdowns (tied for 1st on the team with George Atkinson III). Tommy Rees has seen playing time in the last 10 games in a row and has completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 436 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions on the season. Andrew Hendrix has appeared in 3 games this season as well and has completed 5 of his 7 passes for 55 yards this season. <br />
<br />
Notre Dame QB's vs. USC Pass Defense: USC comes in with the 68th ranked pass defense overall. They have allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 61 percent of their passes and allow 241.7 yards per game. In addition, they have also allowed 18 passing touchdowns and have intercepted 18 passes as well. Everett Golson has been very impressive in the last 4 games and has done quite well in prime-time games. Despite missing one of his best receivers in Davaris Daniels, he set career highs in a few passing areas against Wake Forest, look for Golson to continue playing at the strong level that he has been playing at in the last few games.<br />
<br />
Edge: Notre Dame<br />
<br />
USC QB's: USC quarterback Matt Barkley is out against Notre Dame with an injury that he sustained last weekend in the loss to UCLA. The 4-year starter had completed 63.6 percent of his passes for 3,273 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. With Barkley out, redshirt freshman Max Wittek will make his first career start against the Irish. On the season he has appeared in 6 games and he has completed 8 of 9 passes for 95 yards and 1 touchdown. Cody Kessler appeared in 8 games and completed 2 of 2 passes for 9 yards.<br />
<br />
USC QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense: Notre Dame has done a great job on pass defense this season by allowing only 3 of their 11 opponents to throw for more than 200 yards this season. The Irish pass defense is ranked 24th in the nation and has allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 59.4 percent of their passes for 195.2 passing yards a game. Notre Dame has also only allowed 6 passing touchdowns all season and has intercepted 14 passes on the season. With a redshirt freshman making his first career start rather than the injured 4-year starter starter, there is a drop off. However, Max Wittek has the best receivers that Notre Dame faces all season, but Notre Dame should be able to apply pressure on Wittek and be able to drop enough defenders in coverage to shut down USC's passing offense.<br />
<br />
Edge: Notre Dame<br />
<br />
Notre Dame RB's: Theo Riddick leads the Irish in rushing yards with 734 rushing yards on 160 carries for an average of 4.6 yards a carry and has 4 rushing touchdowns. Theo Riddick has been very good in the receiving game as well with 331 receiving yards on 32 catches and also has 1 receiving touchdown as well. Cierre Wood is coming off a strong game and in 9 games this season he has 720 rushing yards this season on 102 carries with 7.1 yards a carry. He also has the two longest rushing touchdowns by the Irish with a 62 yard touchdown and a 68 yard touchdown. George Atkinson III has rushed for 346 yards this season 49 carries and also has a 7.1 yard average. He also has 5 rushing touchdowns (tied for 1st overall with Everett Golson) as well. Cam McDaniel has seen time as well with 125 rushing yards on 23 carries for a 5.4 yard average and has 1 rushing touchdown as well.<br />
<br />
Notre Dame RB's vs. USC Rush Defense: The Trojans has the 50th ranked run defense in the nation. They have allowed opponents to rush for 150.4 rushing yards a game, average 3.9 yards per rush, and they also has allowed 15 rushing touchdowns as well. Notre Dame comes in with the 33rd ranked rushing offense that averages 200.7 yards a game. Notre Dame should be able to get the run game going against USC considering that they have two running backs with 700+ rushing yards this season and the team has 21 rushing touchdowns overall. Theo Riddick didn't get a lot of touches against Wake Forest, which was likely to rest him for USC, but look for both Wood and Riddick to get a solid amount of carries against USC. Look for another strong rushing performance by the Irish. Ball control will be very important and Notre Dame will need to establish the run as soon as possible. It will help keep USC's offense off the field and keep the Notre Dame defense rested so they don't tire out. <br />
<br />
Edge: Even<br />
<br />
USC RB's: Silas Redd leads the Trojans in rushing with 740 rushing yards on 138 carries and also has 9 rushing touchdowns and a 5.4 yard average. Curtis McNeal also has a good amount of rushing yards with 658 yards on 103 carries and has a 6.3 yard average with 2 rushing touchdowns. The only other running back with notable rushing numbers is D.J. Morgan with 201 rushing yards on 41 carries and he has 1 touchdown and a 4.9 yard average. <br />
<br />
USC RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense: The 66th ranked rushing offense of USC goes up against one of the best run defenses in college football. Notre Dame's run defense is ranked 5th in the nation and has allowed only 2 rushing touchdowns all season and is allowing opponents to average just 3.1 yards a carries and 92.2 yards a game. Notre Dame has allowed only 4 opponents to gain 100 or more rushing yards in a single game this season with the most being 161 in the 13-6 win over Michigan. Notre Dame has done a great job in shutting down opposing run offenses this season and should be able to do the same against USC.<br />
<br />
Edge: Notre Dame <br />
<br />
Notre Dame WR's and TE's: The receiving unit is doing a great job despite losing Davaris Daniels for the regular season to injury who had 25 catches for 375 yards this season. Tyler Eifert and TJ Jones are tied in receptions and receiving touchdowns and the receiving yards are close to. Both are having good seasons with TJ Jones having his best season yet for the Irish. Tyler Eifert set the school record for career receptions in the win last weekend over Wake Forest, on the season he has 40 receptions for 555 yards and 4 touchdowns. TJ Jones has 40 receptions for 519 yards and has 4 touchdowns. Robby Toma has 22 receptions for 218 yards this season and Daniel Smith has 7 catches for 47 yards. John Goodman has stepped up in the last couple weeks and has 6 receptions for 136 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 2 coming in the last 2 games and Troy Niklas has 5 catches for 75 yards.<br />
<br />
Notre Dame WR's vs. USC DB's: USC comes in with the 68th ranked pass defense and one that has been unimpressive in the last 4 games, in which they have allowed 9 passing touchdowns and 3 of the 4 opponents to complete 60 percent or more of their passes, with 2 completing 87 percent and 73.3 percent. With Golson able to get the ball to his receivers on short and deep passes, especially as of late, look for Golson to target TJ Jones and Tyler Eifert quite often, both of whom have been really good for the Irish as of late. Tyler Eifert is quite dangerous in the endzone as he has caught all of his touchdowns this season in the endzone as well. In addition, Tyler Eifert has been important in moving the chains or getting points on the boards as 29 of 40 receptions have been for a touchdown or a first down. Even if Eifert does get a lot of coverage, it will open things up for other receivers, particularly TJ Jones and John Goodman. <br />
<br />
Edge: Notre Dame <br />
<br />
USC WR's and TE's: USC comes in with arguably the best receiver in college football this season in Marqise Lee, who has 107 catches for 1,605 yards and 14 touchdowns. Lee is having one of the best single seasons for a receiver and is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the best wide receiver in the nation. He isn't the only dangerous receiver the Trojans have, as Robert Woods has 66 catches for 721 yards and 10 touchdowns. Tight Ends Xavier Grimble has 26 receptions for 288 yards and 5 touchdowns while Randall Telfer has 12 catches for 100 yards and 4 touchdowns. Nelson Agholor has 19 receptions 340 yards and 2 touchdowns as well. These 5 get a majority of the receptions, yards, and touchdowns has they combine for 230 of the 256 total receptions out of every player, 3,054 receiving yards out of 3377 receiving yards, and 35 of 37 receiving touchdowns.<br />
<br />
USC WR's vs. Notre Dame DB's: The Irish come in with the 24th ranked pass defense that has held 8 out of 11 opponents to below 200 yards passing this season. They face their biggest challenge yet in the receiving game of the Trojans which has 5 players that account for a very large majority of the receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Despite the fact that USC is starting a backup, it will be vital to stop Marqise Lee the most out of all the receivers, but also account for the other receivers and tight ends too. <br />
<br />
Edge: USC<br />
<br />
Notre Dame OL: The offensive line of Notre Dame has been really good as of late. One of the biggest reasons has to be junior left tackle Zach Martin, who has started all 37 games in his career so far for Notre Dame and is also a captain on offense as well. Notre Dame has done a good job in the run block area by allowing them to average 200.7 yards a game, 5 yards per rush, and accumulate 21 rushing touchdowns. The offensive line has also allowed 49 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, and 42 quarterback hurries as well. <br />
<br />
Notre Dame OL vs. USC DL: The Trojans have been able to get into opposing backfields pretty easily by accumulating 88 tackles for loss and 42 sacks, but only 2 quarterback hurries. Keeping Golson protected is extremely important for the Notre Dame offensive line as Morgan Breslin leads USC with 17.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks most notably. It will also be important to keep USC out of the backfield as well to reduce tackles for loss and Golson will need to get the balls to his receivers quickly. <br />
<br />
Edge: Even <br />
<br />
USC OL: The offensive line of USC has allowed 61 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, and 4 quarterback hurries this season. They have been solid in run blocking as they are averaging 160.5 yards a game, 5.1 yards per rush, and have 12 rushing touchdowns as well. They did have a bit of a drop off since they lost the 4th overall pick to the 2012 NFL Draft in offensive tackle Matt Kalil as Max Tuerk, a true freshman now starts on the line this season. <br />
<br />
USC OL vs. Notre Dame DL: The Trojans face one of the best defenses in the country that has racked up 61 tackles for loss and 32 sacks, and also gets a lot of pressure on quarterbacks with 46 quarterback hurries as well. Stephon Tuitt is a major challenge to keep out of the backfield with 13 tackles for loss and 12 sacks this season. Tuitt won't be the only player on the line that USC has to account for and with a backup in as starter at quarterback will make things interesting.<br />
<br />
Edge: Notre Dame<br />
<br />
Notre Dame DL: Stephon Tuitt has been a dominant force for the Irish on the defensive line as he ranks first overall in sack yardage with 89 yards. On the season he has 40 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 9 quarterback hurries, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 blocked kick. Louis Nix III has also had a huge impact on the defensive line at his nose tackle position and has 42 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 4 pass breakups, 3 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble. Kapron Lewis-Moore is having a strong senior season as the 4-year starter has 34 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 9 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble. Sheldon Day has had a lot of playing time with 20 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 1 quarterback hurry. Tony Springmann has 11 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 3 quarterback hurries. <br />
<br />
Notre Dame DL vs. USC OL: With USC starting a backup quarterback, it will mean that Notre Dame will be able to drop more defenders into coverage and still be able to get pressure with little difficulty. Stephon Tuitt is nearing the single season sack record and Louis Nix III is able to plug up the middle. Look for a strong game out of the defensive line of the Irish. <br />
<br />
Edge: Notre Dame<br />
<br />
USC DL: Morgan Breslin is having a pretty good season for USC with 49 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. Leonard Williams is also having a good season as well with 42 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, and 2 fumble recoveries. Wes Horton has 32 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. George Uko has 24 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 forced fumble while Antwaun Woods has 16 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. <br />
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USC DL vs. Notre Dame OL: With the amount of sacks and tackles for loss that the defensive line has accumulated for USC this season, it means that protecting Golson is top priority for the Notre Dame offensive line while also keeping them out of the backfield so that the running game can get moving as well. It should be an interesting matchup overall. <br />
<br />
Edge: Even <br />
<br />
Notre Dame LB's: Manti Te'o is having a legendary season for the Irish as he has a team-leading 98 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 6 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, 4 quarterback hurries and 2 fumble recoveries. His 6 interceptions are a school record by a linebacker. He is a finalist for many awards such as the Maxwell Award, the Bednarik Award, and many others. In addition, he also is one of the top candidates for the Heisman Trophy. Te'o also helps give Notre Dame one of the best front sevens in the nation and the best scoring defense as well. Prince Shembo also has been having a tremendous impact as well with 43 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 12 quarterback hurries, and 1 fumble recovery. Dan Fox also has been doing well with 54 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, and 2 quarterback hurries. Carlo Calabrese has 46 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and forced fumble while Danny Spond has 36 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 3 pass breakups this season. Ishaq Williams has 19 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 forced fumble. Other linebackers that have played a decent amount include Jarrett Grace, Ben Councell, Kendall Moore, and Romeo Okwara. <br />
<br />
Notre Dame LB's vs. USC: The linebackers have a couple of tight ends to account for in the pass coverage as Xavier Grimble and Randall Telfer combine for 38 receptions, 388 yards, and 9 touchdowns. Run coverage is important to with Silas Redd and Curtis McNeal. With Manti Te'o leading the defense, Notre Dame should be able to account for all of them as needed. Manti Te'o should yet again have another strong game and could also more or less be the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. <br />
<br />
Edge: Notre Dame<br />
<br />
USC LB's: Hayes Pullard is 2nd overall in tackles by a USC defender with 78 and he also has 6.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 forced fumble. Dion Bailey has 71 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 4 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble. Lamar Dawson has 64 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble while Anthony Sarao has 36 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 1 fumble recovery. Tony Burnett has 22 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. <br />
<br />
USC LB's vs. Notre Dame: The linebackers should have more to account for with Notre Dame having a really good running game that has three running backs that are able to be rotated often and a quarterback that can take off as well. Tyler Eifert also will make things interesting in the pass coverage as well as he has been quite dangerous in the last 6 games with 29 receptions and 3 touchdowns as well. Golson continues to find him more and more and that will make it harder to cover him as well.<br />
<br />
Edge: Notre Dame<br />
<br />
Notre Dame DB's: The secondary has done a terrific job at containing opposing quarterbacks as only 3 opponents this season have passed for 200 or more yards all season against Notre Dame. Zeke Motta leads all defensive backs in tackles with 56 and has 1 tackle for loss, 2 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. Bennett Jackson is having a really good season and has 55 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. KeiVarae Russell is having a good freshman season and has done a great job in tackling as well. He has 47 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, and 1 quarterback hurry. Matthias Farley has done well in replacing the injured Jamoris Slaughter earlier this season and he has 34 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1 interception. Other defensive backs have played a decent amount as well, especially Elijah Shumate. <br />
<br />
Notre Dame DB's vs. USC WR's: The big matchup here will be Bennett Jackson vs. Marqise Lee who is among the best receivers in college football. Robert Woods will also prove dangerous as well in shutting down, along with Nelson Agholor. Of the three wide receivers that have to be accounted for, none are bigger that 6'1'' which means that they wont have the size to beat defenders with. The two tight ends will need to be accounted for too, but Notre Dame should be able to drop more defensive backs into coverage as well, and need to also prevent short passes and the big play too.<br />
<br />
Edge: USC<br />
<br />
USC DB's: T.J. McDonald leads USC in tackles with 89 and has 6 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 blocked kick. Nickell Robey has 45 tackles, 1 interception, 4 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble and 1 blocked kick. Torin Harris has 30 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 6 pass breakups while Jawanza Starling has 30 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 3 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 forced fumble. Josh Shaw has 23 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 5 pass breakups. <br />
<br />
USC DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's: The Trojan defensive backs have quite a bit to account for despite the fact that Notre Dame doesn't have Davaris Daniels playing. TJ Jones is coming off a career high in receiving yards and tied his career high in receptions in the win over Wake Forest, John Goodman has been strong in the last 2 games particularly and should close out his senior season strong. Tyler Eifert is always dangerous and can attract double or triple teams. However, Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson continues to get better and better and has been getting the ball to his receivers and really doing well at extending plays. Look for the receivers of Notre Dame to have a strong game as Golson has another strong prime-time performance. <br />
<br />
Edge: Notre Dame <br />
<br />
Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza has made 18 of 25 field goals this season with a long of 47 yards. Ben Turk is averaging 40.3 yards a punt with a long of 53. He has punted the ball 45 times, and 2 were touchbacks, 18 fair caught, 13 inside the 20, and 7 of 50+ yards. Kyle Brindza is the kickoff specialist as well with a 62.4 yard average on 62 kickoffs with 23 touchbacks.<br />
<br />
USC Kicking Game: Andre Heidari is 8 of 13 this season with a long of 41 and is 2-6 when it is 40 or more yards. He also has had 2 blocked kicks this season as well. Kyle Negrete is averaging 42.2 yards a punt on 33 punts with a long of 65 and has had 9 fair caught, 15 inside the 20, and 8 of 50+ yards. Craig McMahon and Andrew Heidari have both done kickoffs. McMahon is averaging 61.1 yards on 37 kickoffs with 17 touchbacks while Heidara is averaging 61.7 yards a kickoff on 34 kickoffs with 12 touchbacks.<br />
<br />
Stronger Unit: Even<br />
<br />
Notre Dame Return Game: George Atkinson III has returned 15 kickoffs for 307 yards and averages 20.5 yards a return and Cam McDaniel has 7 returns for 135 yards and a 19.3 yards average. Punt returns remain a non-factor with Davonte Neal returning 18 for just 44 yards all season long.<br />
<br />
USC Return Game: Marqise Lee has been dangerous in kickoff returns with a 29.3 yard average. He has returned 24 kickoffs for 704 yards and 1 touchdown. Nelson Agholor has 5 returns for 121 yards as well. Robert Woods has a majority of the returns with 11 for 42 yards and Nickell Robey has 8 for 72 yards. Anthony Brown has returned one 21 yards for 1 touchdown too.<br />
<br />
Stronger Unit: USC<br />
<br />
Everything Else: Notre Dame is coming off a 38-0 win over Wake Forest which featured the defense posting its first shutout of the season. Golson was unstoppable through the air and the ground game got it going as well. With Matt Barkley out for USC at quarterback, it becomes for more difficult for them. However, they are still dangerous, especially with the receiving unit that is headlined by Marqise Lee, who is the best player on USC's roster as well. Notre Dame will need to get the running game going early and move the chains and control the clock. Golson should be able to build upon his strong performance last weekend and find his targets. Escaping pressure from the USC defense will be vital. Should Notre Dame win this one, they will remain the number one team in the nation and be going to the National Championship.<br />
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Prediction: Notre Dame 27, USC 10Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-16104952498419574252012-11-15T10:36:00.000-05:002012-11-15T10:36:06.578-05:00Notre Dame-Wake Forest Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a.espncdn.com/media/motion/2012/1111/com_121111_NCF_VBlog_Fortuna_NDBCpostgame_121110/com_121111_NCF_VBlog_Fortuna_NDBCpostgame_121110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="324" width="576" src="http://a.espncdn.com/media/motion/2012/1111/com_121111_NCF_VBlog_Fortuna_NDBCpostgame_121110/com_121111_NCF_VBlog_Fortuna_NDBCpostgame_121110.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Notre Dame QB's: Notre Dame Quarterback Everett Golson is coming off another strong performance in a 21-6 at Boston College. On the season he has completed 58 percent of his passes for 1,572 yards with 8 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. In addition to his passing numbers, Golson has rushed for 258 yards (4th overall) and 5 touchdowns (1st overall) as well. Backup quarterback Tommy Rees has appeared in 9 games this season and has completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 419 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Andrew Hendrix has only appeared in 2 games with him completing 5 of 6 passes for 55 yards.<br />
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Notre Dame QB's: Wake Forest comes in with the 100th ranked pass defense, and are allowing opposing teams to complete 61.4 percent of their passes for 260.9 yards a game. They also have allowed 17 passing touchdowns and have intercepted 9 passes this season. This will be among the worst pass defenses that the Irish face all season. Considering that Golson has been doing very well in the last 3 games (4 passing touchdowns, 3 rushing touchdowns, and a 2-point conversion), he should have another strong performance and throw for a couple touchdown passes as well while possibly setting a career high in a passing category as well.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Wake Forest QB's: Tanner Price is the starting quarterback for the Demon Deacons, the junior has completed 55.4 percent of his passes for 1,965 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Tanner Price isn't the only quarterback that has played as in the last game, a 37-6 loss at North Carolina St. had 3 quarterbacks play and had a wide receiver throw a touchdown pass for the only score in the loss. Patrick Thompson has completed 4 of 5 passes for 20 yards and Brendan Cross has completed 1 of 3 passes for -2 yards on the season. The pass offense overall is ranked 88th overall with an average of 207 yards a game.<br />
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Wake Forest QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense: The Irish have been pretty good at defending the pass, as they have only allowed 3 opponents this season to pass for more than 200 yards all season. This is still despite the fact that they lost 2 players in the preseason to injury, and another early on in the season as well. The Irish have allowed 199.3 passing yards a game this season and allow opposing players to complete 58.8 percent of their passes, along with 6 passing touchdowns allowed, but have intercepted 14 passes this season. Look for Notre Dame to hold its 8th opponent to below 200 yards and for the first interception for a touchdown this season by the Notre Dame defense. <br />
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Notre Dame RB's: Theo Riddick has been the leading rusher for Notre Dame this season, and has rushed for 714 yards and 4 touchdowns this season. He has done it on 154 carries and has a 4.6 yard average. Riddick has also been vital in the receiving game too with 29 receptions for 273 yards and 1 touchdown. Cierre Wood is 2nd in rushing with 570 rushing yards on 91 carries with a 6.3 yard average. He also has 3 rushing touchdowns and the longest running play, a 62 yard touchdown run against Oklahoma. George Atkinson III is 3rd in rushing with 312 rushing yards on 42 carries, with an average of 7.4 yards a carry and 4 rushing touchdowns on the season. Cam McDaniel has 114 rushing yards on 20 carries, a 5.7 yard average, and 1 rushing touchdown. <br />
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Notre Dame RB's vs. Wake Forest Rush Defense: Wake Forest is ranked 65th in run defense and is allowing 156.9 rushing yards a game. Opponents are getting in 3.7 yards a carry, but Wake Forest has allowed 17 rushing touchdowns. This actually looks good for the Irish as they have ran for 19 touchdowns on the ground this season and this will also allow for Notre Dame to rotate running backs as well to keep them from wearing down, especially with the final regular season game at USC. Look for a solid performance from the ground game of Notre Dame that is averaging 198.7 yards a game and 4.8 yards a carry on top of that. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Wake Forest RB's: Wake Forest has one of the weakest running games in college football with the 114th ranked rush offense that averages 102.7 yards a game. Josh Harris leads the Demon Deacons in rushing with 607 rushing yards on 136 carries with a 4.5 yard average and 5 touchdowns. Freshman Deandre Martin is second in rushing with 371 yards on 88 carries with a 4.2 yard average and 5 touchdowns. Beyond those two running backs are very few rushing yards as the next leading rusher is actually wide receiver Michael Campanaro who has 69 rushing yards on 14 carries with 1 touchdown and a 4.9 yard average. <br />
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Wake Forest RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense: Considering the weak rushing offense of the Demon Deacons, they do not matchup well against the Irish run defense that is ranked 6th in the nation and is allowing just 95.9 rushing yards a game and have allowed just 2 rushing touchdowns all season long. If Harris and Martin are shut down in the running game, it will completely nullify the running game of Wake Forest and force Wake Forest into a one-dimensional offense. Notre Dame has one of the best front sevens in all of college football and should have another strong performance that could move the run defense up in the rankings. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Notre Dame WR's and TE's: The Irish suffered a big loss when starting wide receiver Davaris Daniels was lost for the regular season with an injury against Boston College. He had 25 receptions for 375 yards and averaged 15 yards a catch as well. With Daniels out until the bowl game, look for senior John Goodman to step up in his place, even though Goodman only has 4 receptions for 77 yards and 2 touchdowns, but senior receivers have been known to step up late in the season when needed (example: Duval Kamara caught 3 touchdown passes in the final few games of his senior season back in 2010, including an important touchdown in the win over USC.). Tyler Eifert leads the Irish in receiving yards with 470 and has been targeted quite often in the last few games, expect that to continue even more with Daniels out, he also has 34 receptions and 3 touchdowns as well. TJ Jones is having his best season yet for the Irish with 34 catches for 422 yards and 3 touchdowns. Robby Toma has been reliable as always with 20 receptions for 181 yards. Other players in addition to Goodman that will be expected to step up with Daniels out will be Daniel Smith (6 receptions, 37 yards) and Chris Brown (1 reception, 50 yards). Troy Niklas caught his first career touchdown and could be targeted more too and has 5 catches for 75 yards and 1 touchdown. <br />
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Notre Dame WR's vs. Wake Forest DB's: With Wake Forest having a weak pass defense, look for Eifert to be targeted often, especially in the endzone and Eifert will be able to use his size to his advantage as well. This is also in part to not having Davaris Daniels available as well in the receiving game. Look for TJ Jones and John Goodman to be targeted often as well. It would also be wise to use Chris Brown on other types of passing plays so that the deep pass to Brown isn't as expected as well. Also look for Golson to spread the ball around as well, which has been important this season as no player has more than 34 receptions this season. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Wake Forest WR's and TE's: Michael Campanaro is the leading receiver for Wake Forest with 65 catches for 618 yards and 6 touchdowns. Terence Davis is 2nd with 37 receptions for 495 yards and 2 touchdowns, while fullback Tommy Bohanon has 20 receptions for 192 yards and 5 touchdowns. Sherman Ragland has 19 receptions for 220 yards and averages 11.6 yards a catch. Brandon Terry has only 14 catches, but it has gone for 287 yards and a 20.5 yard average a catch, and he is a big target at 6'5'' and 205 lbs. <br />
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Wake Forest WR's vs. Notre Dame DB's: Michael Campanaro is the top receiver, but he is a small target at 5'10'' and averages just 9.5 yards a catch. With Brandon Terry being a big target and also 3rd in receiving yards, he might be just as important to shut down along with Terence Davis and Tommy Bohanon. Look for the Irish to have 5 defensive backs in on most plays with the weak running game of Wake Forest. Notre Dame having KeiVarae Russell to play after being hurt late against Boston College will help too as Notre Dame cannot afford to lose any more players in the secondary. Despite this, the Notre Dame secondary should be able to keep Wake Forest's receivers under control. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame OL: The offensive line has done well as of late in staying consistent and are doing well in the run blocking and pass blocking too. The run game is averaging 198.7 yards a game, 4.8 per rush, and have 19 rushing touchdowns as well. They have allowed 15 sacks on the season, along with 37 quarterback hurries and 45 tackles for loss as well. <br />
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Notre Dame OL vs. Wake Forest DL: Wake Forest has accumulated 23 sacks by its defense with defensive end Zach Thompson and linebacker Justin Jackson tying for the lead with 4 sacks each. The defense also has 15 quarterback hurries and an impressive 68 tackles for loss as well. Keeping opposing defenders out of the backfield will be absolutely important when factoring in how many tackles for loss that the Demon Deacons have this season. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Wake Forest OL: Wake Forest has been less impressive on the offensive line. Run blocking has been very poor with an average of 102.7 yards per game, and 3.1 yards per rush. Opponents are also able to get into the backfield easily as well as Wake Forest has allowed 23 sacks, 16 quarterback hurries, and 66. Part of this is due to losing 4 starters from the 2011 team with the lone returning starter being senior center Garrick Williams. <br />
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Wake Forest OL vs. Notre Dame DL: With the young offensive line allowing opponents to get into the backfield often along with allowing many sacks does not look good for the Wake Forest offensive line. Notre Dame's defense has totaled 57 tackles for loss, 31 sacks, and 41 quarterback hurries on the season. Stephon Tuitt is getting closer to the single season record for sacks and potentially break that record against Wake Forest. The Irish have one of the best front sevens that should be able to put pressure on the Demon Deacons offensive line without much difficulty and may not need to stack the box with all of the deficiencies of the offensive line.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Notre Dame DL: Stephon Tuitt is having a sensational season, the defensive end leads all defensive lineman in tackles with 37, has 12 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 9 quarterback hurries, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 blocked kick. Louis Nix III is good to go after a late game ejection against Boston College and won't miss any time. He has 35 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 3 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble this season. Kapron Lewis-Moore continues to provide a veteran presence on the defensive line with 31 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 7 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble. Sheldon Day has seen extensive playing time with 15 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 1 quarterback hurry. Tony Springmann has also seen time in every game with 8 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 2 quarterback hurries. <br />
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Notre Dame DL vs. Wake Forest OL: Notre Dame should have no difficulty in applying pressure to Wake Forest's offensive line and should be able to get in quite a few sacks on Wake Forest quarterback Tanner Price. Look for a strong game out of the line and for the Irish to win this one in the trenches. It is also possible for Notre Dame to get its first safety in years. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Wake Forest DL: Zach Thompson leads all Wake Forest defensive lineman in tackles with 48, and also has 5.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 interception, 1 quarterback hurry, 1 fumble recovery and 1 forced fumble. Nikita Whitlock has 41 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 2 quarterback hurries. Kris Redding has 30 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 forced fumbles. Hasan Hazime has 23 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 1 quarterback hurry, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 forced fumbles. Tylor Harris has 18 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 1 quarterback hurry, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 forced fumble. <br />
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Wake Forest DL vs. Notre Dame OL: The offensive line has been consistent as of late, but Wake Forest has been great at getting into the opponent's backfield with the 68 tackles for loss. Notre Dame will need to keep up the consistency and prevent the Wake Forest defense from getting into the backfield to win this battle.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame LB's: Manti Te'o continues to have one of the greatest seasons in school history and is one of the top candidates for the Heisman. He set the school record for interceptions by a linebacker in a single season with 6 after getting an interception against Boston College. On the season Te'o has 92 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 6 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, 4 quarterback hurries, and 2 fumble recoveries. Manti Te'o helps give the Irish one of the top linebacker units and front sevens in the nation. Dan Fox has 51 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, and 2 quarterback hurries. Prince Shembo is having his best season yet and has 43 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 11 quarterback hurries, and 1 fumble recovery. Carlo Calabrese has 39 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. Danny Spond has 33 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 3 pass breakups. Ishaq Williams has 18 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 forced fumble. Other players that have seen playing time include Jarrett Grace, Kendall Moore, Ben Councell, and Romeo Okwara. <br />
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Notre Dame LB's vs. Wake Forest: The linebackers will be relied upon in run and pass coverage, while also in generating pressure on Wake Forest quarterback Tanner Price. With the amount of sacks and tackles for loss that the offensive line of Wake Forest has allowed, this should not be an issue. Look for Te'o and Shembo to have a big game, and for Te'o to have another big moment that could have him be in bigger consideration of the Heisman Trophy. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Wake Forest LB's: Justin Jackson leads the Demon Deacons in tackles with 75, he also leads in tackles for loss at 8.5, and also has 4 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 2 quarterback hurries, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 blocked kick. Mike Olson has 68 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, and 2 quarterback hurries. Riley Haynes has 58 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 interception. Joey Ehrmann has 46 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 2 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble. Zach Allen has 36 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 forced fumble. Scott Betros has 22 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup, and 1 forced fumble. Brandon Chubb has 21 tackles and 1 tackle for loss, while Darricus Ellis has 9 tackles and 1 tackle for loss.<br />
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Wake Forest LB's vs. Notre Dame: Wake Forest has many linebackers who are able to get into the backfield and linebackers who can force fumbles. The linebackers will have to worry about a Notre Dame offense with multiple running backs, a tight end who is a big target, and a quarterback that continues to get better and better as the season has progressed. Notre Dame must prevent the linebackers from getting into the backfield. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame DB's: The defensive backs of Notre Dame have done a much better job than projected before the season started. The unit is ranked 25th in the nation and KeiVarae Russell was cleared to play despite a late injury in the win over Boston College. Bennett Jackson is having an amazing season with 52 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. Zeke Motta has 52 tackles as well, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 pass breakups. KeiVarae Russell has 46 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, and 1 quarterback hurry. Matthias Farley has 30 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1 interception. Other defensive backs that have seen time are Dan McCarthy, Elijah Shumate, Nicky Baratti, and Josh Atkinson. <br />
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Notre Dame DB's vs. Wake Forest WR's: The defensive backs will need to primarily account for Michael Campanaro, Terence Davis, and Brandon Terry in the receiving game. However, Tommy Bahanon and Sherman Ragland must be accounted for as well. Brandon Terry is the big target and averages more than 20 yards a reception and could prove to be dangerous. If Notre Dame shuts down the run game, and forces Wake Forest to be one-dimensional on offense, it will be easier. Notre Dame should be able to have more guys in coverage to handle the Wake Forest receivers.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Wake Forest DB's: AJ Marshall has 61 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions with 1 being returned for a touchdown, 4 pass breakups, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 forced fumble. Kevin Johnson has 53 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 12 pass breakups, 1 quarterback hurry, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 forced fumbles. Daniel Mack has 50 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 fumble recovery. Kenny Okoro has 38 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 4 pass breakups. Merrill Noel has 28 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and 3 pass breakups and Duran Lowe has 28 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 fumble recovery.<br />
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Wake Forest DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's: The defensive backs may not have to worry about Davaris Daniels, but Tyler Eifert still must be accounted for and he is a big target that can use his size to get the ball and also is dangerous in the endzone. TJ Jones also has really emerged, and Notre Dame will have other receivers step up in the absence of Daniels. Look for the Demon Deacons defensive backs that have the 100th ranked pass defense to have difficulty with Eifert and the rest of the Notre Dame recievers.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza is 17 of 23 on the season in field goals and the last game against Boston College was the first game this season that did not have a single field goal attempt. Ben Turk averages 40.7 yards a punt on 41 punts with a long of 53. He also has 2 touchbacks, 16 fair caught, 12 inside the 20, and 7 punts of 50 or more yards. Kyle Brindza is also the kickoff specialist and has a 62.4 yard average on 55 kickoffs with 22 going for touchbacks. <br />
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Wake Forest Kicking Game: Field goal kicking has been minimal compared to Notre Dame for Wake Forest. Jimmy Newman is 2 of 6 in field goals and is 1 of 5 when beyond the 40. Chad Hedlund is 3 for 3 with a long of 44 yards. Alexander Kinal is the punter and averages 40.7 yards a punt on 80 punts with a long of 61. 5 have gone for touchbacks, 23 were fair caught, 24 have been inside the 20, and 12 have been for 50 or more yards. Jimmy Newman is the kickoff specialist as well with a 62.4 yard average on 41 kickoffs with 24 touchbacks, but 1 went out of bounds. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame Return Game: George Atkinson III is the primary kickoff returner with 15 kickoffs returned for 307 yards and a 20.5 yard average. Cam McDaniel has returned 6 kickoffs for 118 yards and a 19.7 yard average. Punt Returns have been a non-factor with Davonte Neal returning 14 punts for 31 yards.<br />
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Wake Forest Return Game: Orville Reynolds has returned 11 kickoffs for 162 yards and has a 14.7 yard average. Lovell Jackson has 7 kickoff returns for 137 yards and also returns punts with 9 returns for 123 yards and a long of 60 yards. <br />
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Stronger Unit: Wake Forest<br />
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Everything Else: Notre Dame is 10-0 and heads home for the final home game of the regular season against 5-5 Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons haven't been really good this season with a 0-52 shutout loss at Florida St., a 13-42 home loss against Clemson. They also are 1-3 on the road with the win being a 16-10 over Virginia, 2 blowout losses to Florida St. and NC St., and a 14-19 loss to Maryland. They also barely beat Division 1-AA Liberty 20-17 and beat Army 49-37 for non-conference games. Notre Dame has played it close at home this season with a late field goal needed to beat Purdue, a 13-6 win over Michigan, overtime was needed for Stanford, beat BYU 17-14, and needed triple-overtime for Pittsburgh. With it being senior saturday, look for strong performances out of many seniors, especially Manti Te'o, who has been the heart and soul of the Notre Dame Football Team. Everett Golson should have his best game yet for Notre Dame as well and also look for Notre Dame to have its best performance at home this season as well.<br />
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Prediction: Notre Dame 30, Wake Forest 3Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-77200156802655414402012-11-08T11:43:00.000-05:002012-11-08T11:43:09.233-05:00Notre Dame-Boston College Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/GenericImages/2012/11/03/usp-ncaa-football_-pittsburgh-at-notre-dame-4_3_r560.jpg?f061b7ce9937c38b702e6f308816ac2a14e2a4ec" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="421" width="559" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/GenericImages/2012/11/03/usp-ncaa-football_-pittsburgh-at-notre-dame-4_3_r560.jpg?f061b7ce9937c38b702e6f308816ac2a14e2a4ec" /></a></div><br />
Notre Dame QB's: Everett Golson is coming off a triple overtime win at home over Pittsburgh where he rallied the Irish down from a 20-6 deficit to force overtime before eventually scoring the game winning touchdown. Golson was effective on the ground and in the air during this rally to win against Pittsburgh. On the season he has completed 56.9 percent of his passes for 1,372 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. He also has ran for 219 yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground, which is 4th best on the team in the rushing department. Tommy Rees has seen playing time in every game this season except the first game, he has completed 58.5 percent of his passes for 410 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Third-string quarterback Andrew Hendrix has seen playing time in the games against Navy and BYU this season and has completed 5 of 6 passes for 55 yards. Hendrix also has 34 rushing yards on 7 carries as well this season.<br />
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Notre Dame QB's vs. Boston College Pass Defense: The Eagles have the 73rd ranked pass defense in college football and have allowed 245.2 passing yards a game and are allowing opponents to complete 63 percent of their passes this season and have allowed 14 passing touchdowns while also intercepting 10 passes this season. Despite being temporarily pulled midway through the game against Pittsburgh, Golson has done very well in the last 2 games and should have a more opened up offense and have a strong game in the air for the Irish and could put up career highs in passing yards and touchdowns even. Should another quarterback have to come in, be it for relief or to close out a game that is well in hand, it would be wise for Andrew Hendrix to come in over Tommy Rees. This is mainly due to the running ability of Hendrix that matches up well against a Boston College run defense that is ranked near the bottom and among the worst in the nation. Overall, Golson should have no issue building upon the comeback win over Pittsburgh.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Boston College QB's: Chase Rettig is in his third year in a row as starting quarterback for Boston College, he has completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 2,561 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions this season. Backup Josh Bordner has appeared in 2 games this season and has completed 1 of 2 passes for 7 yards on the season. Rettig is having his best season statistically and this is despite him having 4 different offensive coordinators in the last year or so.<br />
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Boston College QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense: The Irish have the 21st ranked pass defense and have allowed only 2 opponents this season to pass for more than 200 yards this season. Notre Dame is allowing 194 passing yards a game and opponents are completing 58.2 percent of their passes and Notre Dame has allowed 6 touchdown passes and have intercepted 13 passes as well. Rettig and the Eagles come in with the 27th ranked passing offense and what the Irish need to do is shut him down in the air. Considering that the secondary had some issues at time against Pittsburgh, they ought to be able to improve on tackling and make Boston College the 8th opponent Notre Dame that holds below 200 passing yards as well. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame RB's: Theo Riddick is the leading rusher for the Irish this season, he has been a very important player in the running game and receiving game for Notre Dame. He has rushed for 610 rushing yards on 136 carries with a 4.5 yard average with 4 touchdowns. In the receiving game he has 25 catches for 217 yards and 1 touchdown that helped lead to the tie that forced overtime against Pittsburgh. Cierre Wood has ran for 537 yards on 85 carries for a 6.3 yard average and 3 touchdowns. George Atkinson III has 38 carries for 303 yards and 4 touchdowns. All three of them have a long run of 55+ yards with George Atkinson III having 2 of them go for touchdowns. Cam McDaniel has ran for 114 yards and 1 touchdown, but his rushing yards have come only in blowout wins this season.<br />
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Notre Dame RB's vs. Boston College Run Defense: Boston College has been one of the worst teams against the run this season, they are 119th overall and are allowing 235 rushing yards a game and 18 rushing touchdowns. Opponents are also getting a 5.0 yard average per carry as well and their defense had allowed 516 rushing yards to Army earlier this season most notably. Considering Notre Dame's depth and success at running the ball this season, this matchup clearly favors the Irish who could potentially have a season high in rushing yards against Boston College and should be able to rotate between Theo Riddick, Cierre Wood, George Atkinson III, and Cam McDaniel frequently while also using Everett Golson's running ability. Notre Dame should easily have at least 2 players exceed the 100 yard rush mark against Boston College as well.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Boston College RB's: Andre Williams is the leading rusher and has nearly all of the rushing yards, carries and touchdowns. He has ran for 599 of the teams 697 yards (86 percent), has 130 of the teams 248 carries (52 percent), 4 of the teams 5 rushing touchdowns (80 percent). However, he is out this week with an injury. Rolandan Finch returns and has played in only 2 games this season and has 114 rushing yards on 25 carries with a 4.6 yard average. David Dudeck has 25 rushing yards on 24 carries as well. The running game has been largely ineffective at times this season with only 30 rushing yards against Northwestern, 42 vs. Georgia Tech, 8 rushing yards vs. Maryland, and 12 against Wake Forest. Only 2 games this season have they exceeded 100 rushing yards this season which are 166 against division 1-AA Maine and 186 against Army.<br />
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Boston College RB's vs. Notre Dame Run Defense: The Eagles face the 11th ranked rushing defense of Notre Dame who has allowed 100.6 rushing yards a game and opponents to get 3.2 yards a carry, while only allowing 2 rushing touchdowns all season. This matchup also favors the Irish as Boston College has 122nd ranked run defense, which is 3rd worst in all of college football. Boston College will have a difficult time getting things going against a very strong front seven led by Manti Te'o and it is potentially possible for Notre Dame to hold Boston College to negative yards rushing as well.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Notre Dame WR's and TE's: Tyler Eifert leads the Irish with 403 receiving yards on 28 receptions and has 3 touchdowns. TJ Jones has been having his best season yet with 383 receiving yards on 31 catches and 3 touchdowns, while Davaris Daniels has 23 receptions for 353 receiving yards as well. Robby Toma has 20 catches for 181 yards. Other players that have seen playing time include Daniel Smith (6 catches for 37 yards), Troy Niklas (4 catches for 68 yards), John Goodman (3 catches for 59 yards and 1 touchdown), and Chris Brown (1 reception for 50 yards). <br />
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Notre Dame WR's vs. Boston College DB's: The 73rd ranked pass defense hasn't been too good by surrendering quite a few touchdowns and letting opponents catch the ball often. This can play a big part in the short and deep passing game. By using TJ Jones on the short passes will help gain yards and first downs, while using Daniels, Eifert, and Brown in the deeper passing game will help too. It would also be good to involve younger players on the roster like Davonte Neal and Justin Ferguson as well to gain more playing time and help make an impact as well.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Boston College WR's and TE's: Alex Amidon is having a very good season for Boston College with a team leading 67 receptions for 1,073 yards and 6 touchdowns. He has been the main target of Chase Rettig and is averaging 119 receiving yards a game as well and has more than double the number of yards the number 2 player has as well. Johnathan Coleman has 29 catches for 434 yards and 4 touchdowns. Bobby Swigert has 20 receptions for 245 yards and 1 touchdown, while Spiffy Evans has 17 catches for 193 yards and 1 touchdown. Chris Pantale has 10 receptions for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns.<br />
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Boston College WR's vs. Notre Dame DB's: Considering how many yards and receptions that Alex Amidon has this season, it is expected to see him line up against Bennett Jackson, and double coverage could be necessary in taking Amidon out of the receiving game as well. However Johnathan Coleman has to be accounted for as he is a big target at 6'4'' and 228 lbs. Considering how weak the running game is for Boston College and the high amount of sacks and tackle for loss that have been allowed, it is likely that Notre Dame will drop more players into coverage and need fewer players to rush. If Amidon and Coleman become non-factors in the game, it will be over quickly for Boston College.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame OL: Notre Dame's offensive line has done a solid job this season, especially in the run blocking area as they average 200 yards a game, 4.8 yards per rush, and have 18 rushing touchdowns. They have allowed 15 sacks this season, along with 37 quarterback hurries and 43 tackles for loss. The strength of the line is on the left side with senior center Braxston Cave and juniors Zach Martin and Chris Watt at left tackle and left guard.<br />
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Notre Dame OL vs. Boston College DL: Boston College has done a horrible job in quarterback pressure they have only had 6 sacks and 2 quarterback hurries all season long, while getting 31 tackles for loss as well. Considering the difficulties in getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, this should mean that Golson will have plenty of opportunities to complete deep passes and be able to get the ball off in time and taking off to run will be fine with the poor rushing defense of Boston College.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Boston College OL: The Eagles lost one of their best lineman in Ian White with a leg injury. The offensive line has allowed opponents to get into the backfield often with 22 sacks allowed along with 51 tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hurries. Run blocking has been very poor with the average per rush being only 2.8 yards and 77.4 rushing yards a game as well. <br />
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Boston College OL vs. Notre Dame DL: With Boston College's difficulties in keeping opposing defenders out of the backfield, it could be a long day with the defense of Notre Dame being one of the best this season, they have been able to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks with 41 quarterback hurries, 26 sacks and 48 tackles for loss as well. Rotating in players on the line will not be difficult and Stephon Tuitt has a chance to get close to the single season record for sacks as he leads the team with 10 this season. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Notre Dame DL: The defensive line of Notre Dame has been an absolute force for the Irish this season. The starters up front have all done a very impressive job this season. Stephon Tuitt has 35 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 9 quarterback hurries, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown, 1 forced fumble, and a blocked kick. Louis Nix III played little in the early part of the game against Pittsburgh due to the flu, but couldn't be held down as he was a major reason behind the defense dominating in the second half and overtime. He has done a great job anchoring the middle at nose tackle with 34 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 pass breakups and 1 forced fumble. Kapron Lewis-Moore has been a major leader amongst the defensive line with 29 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup and 7 quarterback hurries. Sheldon Day has played extensively with 13 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 1 quarterback hurry. Tony Springmann has also been in on the action too with 8 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 2 quarterback hurries. Kona Schwenke also has played a lot and like everyone previously mentioned, has played in every game this season and has 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 0.5 sacks. <br />
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Notre Dame DL vs. Boston College OL: The dominating defensive line of Notre Dame will have plenty of opportunities to get to the quarterback and in the backfield since Boston College has allowed 22 sacks and 51 tackles for loss. Look for frequent substitutions on the defensive line to keep players fresh and allow the backups to get playing time as well. Tuitt has a good chance of getting really close to the single season sack record as well and the defensive line should have a pretty strong effort against the Eagles. <br />
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Boston College DL: The defensive line hasn't been too great this season as the line as a whole has only accumulated 4 sacks all season. The unit didn't have many losses after the 2011 season and getting sacks was difficult the previous season as well with the defense getting only 11 in 2011. Many young players have played such as redshirt freshman Kieran Borcich, soph's Brian Mihalik and Mehdi Abdesmad. The interior is young and also features underclassmen in the two deep as well. Kasim Edebali has been one of the better defensive lineman statistically with 40 tackles (leads defensive line), 5 tackles for loss (leads team), and 1.5 sacks (leads defensive line). <br />
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Boston College DL vs. Notre Dame OL: Considering the shortcomings of the defensive line, Notre Dame's offensive line should have little difficulties in keeping the Eagles defensive line at bay. With only a small amount of sacks and only 2 quarterback hurries accumulated all season, Everett Golson will have little difficulty in getting the ball to his receivers or gaining yards on the ground too. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Notre Dame LB's: Manti Te'o has been having an outstanding season for Notre Dame and is a major candidate for the Heisman Trophy. He has a team leading 87 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 5 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, 4 quarterback hurries and 2 fumble recoveries. Te'o is the leader of the defense and the heart of the team as well and has had a tremendous impact in his four years at Notre Dame. Dan Fox has stepped his game up this season with 47 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, and 2 quarterback hurries. Prince Shembo has done great in quarterback pressure and has a team leading 11 quarterback hurries along with 38 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 1 pass breakup. Carlo Calabrese has 35 tackles and 1 tackle for loss while Danny Spond has 30 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 2 pass breakups. Ishaq Williams has 15 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 forced fumble. Others have played such as Jarrett Grace, Kendall Moore and Ben Councell. Overall, this is a very deep unit that gives Notre Dame one of the top front sevens in the nation. <br />
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Notre Dame LB's vs. Boston College: Boston College will more than likely rely on the passing game with their top running back out and having one of the worst running games too. It doesn't matchup well in that area, but shutting down the passing game is a higher priority as well, which could impact coverage and how many players are up front. The Irish might drop more players into coverage and have to shut down Alex Amidon and Johnathan Coleman in the receiving game. Look for strong games out of Manti Te'o and Prince Shembo in particular, but expect substitutions in the linebacker area to get more players playing time as needed. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Boston College LB's: Boston College will be without one of their best linebackers in Kevin Pierre-Louis who battles injuries. He had 68 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 2 pass breakups this season. The unit is a step down this season after the loss of first round draft pick Luke Kuechly. Nick Clancy is having a good season with 107 tackles (leads team), 1.5 tackles for loss, and 8 pass breakups. Steele Divitto has 75 tackles, 3 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble this season. Many younger players have seen time like freshmen Tim Joy and Steven Daniels, along with soph's Josh Keyes and Sean Duggan. <br />
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Boston College LB's vs. Notre Dame: Considering that one of the biggest weaknesses of Boston College is the run defense, the linebackers will be run support often, but it will open up the passing game more for Everett Golson too. Even if Boston College loads up the box to try and generate pressure, it won't be enough since they have had difficulty in getting to the quarterback all season long and could lead to single coverage and allow Golson to get the ball to bigger targets like Tyler Eifert and Davaris Daniels. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Notre Dame DB's: The secondary for the Irish has been a big surprise and has significantly exceeded expectations across the board. They have only allowed 2 opponents to pass for more than 200 yards on them, and this is despite losing 3 players to season-ending injury before or during the season. Zeke Motta has emerged as the leader of the secondary and has 45 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 pass breakups. Bennett Jackson is doing great in his first year starting with 44 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. KeiVarae Russell has been having a great season and has been very good at tackling as well and has 43 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup, and 1 quarterback hurry. Matthias Farley has done well in stepping in for injured Jamoris Slaughter, but Farley was wearing a cast on his arm due to an injury, but should recover okay and play like normal, and he has 29 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1 interception. Elijah Shumate and Nicky Baratti have both seen playing time that has been vital at the same time. <br />
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Notre Dame DB's vs. Boston College WR's: Since Alex Amidon and Johnathan Coleman have a majority of the receiving yards, along with touchdowns, what the Notre Dame secondary needs to do is shut those two down. Considering how one-dimensional that Boston College's offense, if those two are taken out of the equation, it will greatly limit Chase Rettig's targets and not being able to get the ball to the 1,000+ yard receiver or the 6'4'' receiver will make it harder for Boston College to put drives together on offense. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Boston College DB's: This has been one of the better areas for Boston College this season, but not by much. Sean Sylvia has 75 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 2 pass breakups this season while Manual Asprilla has 34 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble. Spencer Rositano has 33 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 3 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble. Justin Simmons has 33 tackles, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, and 2 forced fumbles while Jim Noel has 30 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble. The unit has been good at generating turnovers as the Boston College secondary has 9 interceptions and 5 forced fumbles. <br />
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Boston College DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's: Golson has done a good job at getting the ball to not only receivers like TJ Jones and Davaris Daniels, but also to running back Theo Riddick who has had a tremendous impact in both the running and receiving game and tight end Tyler Eifert. With that in mind, Golson has options and other players could also see playing time as well in addition to those mentioned as well. Eifert has been targeted more and more as of late after being a non-factor at points earlier in the season. Daniels has really emerged as a deep threat as well and Chris Brown is capable of catching deep passes as well. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza has made 17 of 23 field goals this season with a long of 47. He has had consistency issues and has missed field goals in 4 of the last 5 games. Ben Turk has punted 38 times and has a 41 yard average with a long of 53 yards. He has 1 touchback, 15 fair caught, 10 inside the 20, and 7 that are 50 or more yards. Kyle Brindza has also been the kickoff specialist with 51 kickoffs with a 62.4 yard average and has 21 touchbacks as well. <br />
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Boston College Kicking Game: Nate Freese has made 12 of 14 field goals but his longest field goal has only been 39 yards. Gerald Levano has a 42.2 yard average in punting on 47 punts with a long of 66. He also has 3 touchbacks, 6 fair caught, 7 inside the 20, and 10 of 50 or more yards. Nate Freese is also the kickoff specialist with a 61.2 yard average on 40 kickoffs and 17 have been touchbacks, but one kickoff has been out-of-bounds. <br />
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Stronger Unit: Even <br />
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Notre Dame Return Game: George Atkinson III has returned 12 kickoffs for 229 yards with a 19.1 yard average, while Cam McDaniel has 6 returns for 118 yards and a 19.7 yard average. Punt returns are more or less a non-factor with Davonte Neal returning 13 for 34 yards this season.<br />
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Boston College Return Game: Spiffy Evans is the primary return specialist in both kickoffs and punts. For kickoffs he has returned 26 kickoffs for 487 yards and has a 18.7 yard average and in punt returns he has returned 7 punts for 221 yards and 1 touchdown and a long of 82 and a 31.6 yard average.<br />
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Strong Unit: Boston College<br />
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Everything Else: Boston College has been in an absolute tailspin since the firing of Jeff Jagodzinski after the 2008 season who went 22-8 in 2 seasons. Frank Spaziani stepped in after many years of being defensive coordinator and his record each season has become worse and worse. After 8-5 in 2009 and 7-6 in 2010, it has slipped to 4-8 in 2011 and currently 2-7 in 2012. Boston College is the worst team that Notre Dame this season. Their two wins have come against a division 1-AA team in Maine and a 20-17 win over Maryland that was down to their 4th string quarterback in that game. The passing game has been good this season and they have a 1,000+ yard receiver this season but are one-dimensional on offense. The defense has been awful this season, especially against the run and in getting to opposing quarterbacks. Injuries have also been an issue as well for the team on both offense and defense. If the Irish defense consistently gets pressure on Chase Rettig and shuts down his top 2 receivers while also taking the run game out of the equation, it will lead to many three-and-outs. A balanced attack on offense is best while also rotating players to get playing time is also vital. The running backs should be able to get yards without difficulty on the Boston College defense. Younger receivers also should be able to get playing time that helps in the long run as well. Notre Dame has also performed at its best on the road as well this season and should have an easy win over Boston College.<br />
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Prediction: Notre Dame 51, Boston College 3 Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-70018206080982118332012-10-31T09:40:00.000-04:002012-10-31T09:42:54.435-04:00Notre Dame-Pittsburgh Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://isportsweb.com/wp-content/uploads//2012/10/Teo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="404" width="583" src="http://isportsweb.com/wp-content/uploads//2012/10/Teo.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Notre Dame QB's: Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson had a great performance against Oklahoma after missing the BYU game to a concussion. On the season he has completed 57.5 percent of his passes for 1,145 yards with 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. In addition to his passing numbers, he has done a good job on the ground too as the teams 4th leading rusher. He has rushed for 145 yards and 3 touchdowns this season with the rushing numbers against Oklahoma being the best of the redshirt freshman's college career at Notre Dame. Backup quarterback Tommy Rees had a one-play appearance against Oklahoma where he converted a very important 3rd down. Rees has appeared in 7 of 8 games this season with the only missed game being due to a suspension. Rees has completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 346 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception this season. Andrew Hendrix has appeared in 2 games this season, and he has completed 5 of 6 passes for 55 yards, and rushed for 34 yards on 7 carries this season. <br />
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Notre Dame QB's vs. Pittsburgh Pass Defense: The Panthers are currently ranked 29th overall in pass defense this season and are allowing 198.9 passing yards a game this season. Opposing teams have completed 57.1 percent of their passes and have allowed 8 passing touchdowns, but have intercepted 6 passes on the season. Golson did a good job against the then 9th ranked pass defense of Oklahoma and faces a secondary that has experience in players like Jason Hendricks and Jarred Holley. Despite facing a top 30 pass defense, Golson should be able to build upon the turnover-free performance he had against Oklahoma.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Pittsburgh QB's: Tino Sunseri is in his 3rd season in a row as starting quarterback for Pitt, the senior quarterback completed 69.2 percent of his passes for 2,199 yards. He also has thrown for 13 touchdown passes and just 2 interceptions. His numbers are a significant improvement over his 2011 numbers where he completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 2,616 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. This can also be seen as a surprise too considering he has had 3 different head coaches in his 3 years starting as Pittsburgh quarterback. Backup quarterback Trey Anderson has only appeared in 1 game this season with him completing 2 passes out of 2 passes for 53 yards. <br />
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Pittsburgh QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense: The Irish have done a surprisingly great job in the pass defense and are ranked 26th in the nation in pass defense. They have allowed opponents to complete 57.5 percent of their passes and allow 197.8 passing yards a game. They also have only allowed 5 passing touchdowns this season and have intercepted 13 passes too this season. Notre Dame has also only allowed 2 of their 8 opponents to pass for more than 200 yards this season as well. Tino Sunseri has improved as a quarterback in his third and final season as a starter for Pittsburgh, it will be important to also shut down his top 2 targets who are 6'4'' and 6'5'' and give him the benefit of having two big targets in the passing game. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame RB's: The running game has been very good for Notre Dame this season as they have the 33rd ranked rush offense and are averaging 196.5 yards a game and have 17 rushing touchdowns total this season. Theo Riddick has had a majority of the carries this season, he is the leading rusher with 525 rushing yards on 114 carries and is averaging 4.6 yards a carry with 4 rushing touchdowns as well. Riddick has also been vital to the receiving game too with 21 receptions for 182 yards and is the only running back besides Cam McDaniel to appear in all 8 games this season so far. Cierre Wood has done a great job this season too and in 6 games this season he has ran for 467 yards on 72 carries and has a 6.5 yards a carry average with 3 rushing touchdowns. George Atkinson III missed the previous game to illness, but should be ready to go for Pittsburgh, he has ran for 301 yards on 37 carries for a 8.1 average and has 4 rushing touchdowns. Cam McDaniel has rushed for 114 yards on 20 carries and has averaging 5.7 yards a carry and 1 touchdown, but has accumulated these numbers in late game situations as well. <br />
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Notre Dame RB's vs. Pittsburgh Rush Defense: Pittsburgh is 43rd in run defense this season and has allowed opponents to average 4.1 yards a carry and is allowing 141 rushing yards a game and 10 rushing touchdowns this season. 5 of those 10 rushing touchdowns came in the loss to Louisville earlier this season, but the front seven is younger this season as they returned 2 starters from the 2011 season and don't have any seniors starting and only 2 overall in the two-deep as well. Establishing the run would be wise for the Irish as well and rotate Wood, Riddick, and Atkinson frequently. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Pittsburgh RB's: Ray Graham has bounced back from getting an ACL injury in the latter part of the 2011 season. The senior is a smaller back at 5'9'' and leads the team with 622 rushing yards on 134 carries with a 4.6 yard average and 7 touchdowns. However, Graham's rushing numbers are down from the previous season, as in 8 games last season he ran for 958 rushing yards on 164 carries with a 5.8 yard average and 9 touchdowns before tearing his ACL in Pittsburgh's 8th game of the season. He also has been vital in the catching game as the 3rd leading receiver too with 22 catches for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns. Rushel Shell has rushed for 441 yards on 87 carries with a 5.1 yard average with 4 touchdowns. Shell is a true freshman and is a bigger running back at 6'0'' and 215 lbs. Issac Bennett has ran for 126 yards on 27 carries with a 4.7 average and 3 rushing touchdowns this season.<br />
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Pittsburgh RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense: Notre Dame has done an amazing job in the run defense category as they are ranked 9th overall in run defense and allow opponents to average just 3.1 yards a carry and allow 95.3 rushing yards a game this season. Prior to the game against Oklahoma, they hadn't allowed a rushing touchdown since the Boston College game back in 2011, or for 9 games in a row. Oklahoma rushed for the only rushing touchdown that the Notre Dame defense has allowed all season and have still allowed only 1 rushing touchdown all season. Notre Dame has done a terrific job in shutting down running games this season and should be able to keep Ray Graham and Rushel Shell in check.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Notre Dame WR's and TE's: Tyler Eifert leads the Irish with 341 receiving yards on 22 receptions and 3 touchdowns. Eifert has managed to be more involved in the receiving game in the last 3 games and gives the Irish an important target in the passing game. TJ Jones is having his best season yet as a Notre Dame Football player and has a team-leading 26 receptions for 330 yards and 2 touchdowns. Davaris Daniels is doing a good job as a redshirt freshman and has 16 catches for 267 yards this season. Robby Toma has 14 receptions for 131 yards this season as well. Chris Brown had his first career reception last weekend against Oklahoma on a 50-yard catch and should continue to be more involved in the receiving game after finally getting his first reception this season. Troy Niklas has 4 receptions for 68 yards and John Goodman has 3 receptions for 59 yards and 1 touchdown this season. <br />
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Notre Dame WR's vs. Pittsburgh DB's: Pittsburgh's most veteran area on the team is in the secondary with Jason Hendricks, K'Waun Williams, and Jarred Holley being upperclassmen starters. The other starter in the secondary, Lafayette Pitts is a redshirt freshman. The secondary of Pittsburgh ought to be in for a test against a young, but talented receiving unit of Notre Dame. Golson should get the ball to Eifert, Daniels, and Jones often. However, it would also be wise to target other receivers as well like Chris Brown too. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Pittsburgh WR's and TE's: Devin Street and Mike Shanahan have been very important targets in the passing game, both are big targets and have more than half of the teams receptions, yards and touchdowns overall. Devin Street leads with 50 catches for 695 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Mike Shanahan has 37 receptions for 631 yards and 3 touchdowns. Cameron Sadler is a smaller receiver at 5'7'' and 170 lbs. And has 13 catches for 186 yards and 1 touchdown. Ronald Jones has 6 receptions for 62 yards, and tight end Hubie Graham has 6 catches for 52 yards. <br />
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Pittsburgh WR's vs. Notre Dame DB's: Considering the size of Devin Street and Mike Shanahan and the fact that they have a good majority of the numbers in the receiving game, it is extremely important to shut those two down. If they are kept in check, it will drastically reduce the effectiveness of the passing game. Bennett Jackson and KeiVarae Russell have done a great job so far this season as they both are converted over from the offense and in their first year starting at cornerback too. Notre Dame has done a great job in preventing the big play as well since the longest passes caught by Street and Shanahan are 58 and 77 yards, respectively. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame OL: The offensive line had an amazing game against Oklahoma by limiting false starts, opening up things up in the running game, and keeping opponents out of the backfield. The offensive line has allowed 14 sacks this season, 27 quarterback hurries, and 37 tackles for loss this season. Run blocking has been great with the Irish averaging 196.5 yards a game and 4.9 yards a rush as well. Consistency is important and continuing to keep penalties reduced is important too. <br />
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Notre Dame OL vs. Pittsburgh DL: Pittsburgh has done a pretty good job in getting into the opponents backfield and putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Panthers defense has 47 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, and 26 quarterback hurries. Notre Dame will need to build upon the performance by their offensive line and keep false starts to a minimum, protect Golson, open lanes in the running game, and prevent opponents from being in the backfield on a constant basis.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Pittsburgh OL: The Pittsburgh offensive line has done a decent job in the run blocking area with average per game being 150.4 yards and the average per rush being 3.9 as well. The same might not be said for other areas, as they have allowed 42 tackles for loss, 20 sacks, and 27 quarterback hurries. These numbers are rather high considering the fact that they have not played a difficult schedule that has 2 division 1-AA opponents and a MAC school. <br />
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Pittsburgh OL vs. Notre Dame DL: Pittsburgh will face a huge test in the Notre Dame defensive line and the defense in general. The Irish have 40 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, and 34 quarterback hurries this season. This can be seen in the defensive line with Stephon Tuitt and his 8.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss and 8 quarterback hurries. He isn't the only defensive lineman that has had an outstanding season as Louis Nix III anchors the line at the nose tackle position. Pittsburgh will have a real handful with the great defensive front of Notre Dame and if the Irish win this battle in the trenches, Pittsburgh will have difficulty in putting drives together on offense.<br />
Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Notre Dame DL: The defensive line has done a great job this season and is one of the most talented defensive lines in all of college football. Stephon Tuitt has been a big reason for that and has 29 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 8 quarterback hurries, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown, 1 forced fumble, and a blocked kick. He has more or loss, done it all this season. Louis Nix III leads all defensive lineman in tackles with 30, but also has 4 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 3 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble this season. Kapron Lewis-Moore has 26 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 pass breakup and 6 quarterback hurries. Sheldon Day, Tony Springmann, and Kona Schwenke all have seen extensive playing time with all 3 playing in every single game this season. <br />
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Notre Dame DL vs. Pittsburgh OL: Pittsburgh's offensive line has allowed opponents to be able to get into the backfield and also put pressure on opposing quarterbacks by allowing 42 tackles for loss, 20 sacks, and 27 quarterback hurries. If Tuitt and the defensive line are able to get pressure constantly at the Pittsburgh offensive line, it will over quick for the Pittsburgh offense and lead to many 3 and outs. Tuitt has the opportunity to potentially hit the double digit mark in sacks and tackles for loss in this game as well. Look for a strong performance from Notre Dame's defensive line.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Pittsburgh DL: The defensive line of Pittsburgh is young as they returned 1 starter this season. However, that one starter has been important in Aaron Donald, who has a defensive lineman leading 31 tackles (4th overall on the team), 8.5 tackles for loss (leads team), 3.5 sacks (leads team), 10 quarterback hurries (leads team) and 1 forced fumble. Tyrone Ezell has 21 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 1 quarterback hurry. TJ Clemmings has 18 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 quarterback hurries. Bryan Murphy has 17 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and 4 quarterback hurries. Shayne Hale is the lone senior amongst the entire defensive line and has 10 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 fumble recovery. Devin Cook has 10 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 quarterback hurries, and 2 forced fumbles. <br />
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Pittsburgh DL vs. Notre Dame OL: The Panthers face a Notre Dame offensive line that has at times allowed opponents to get into the backfield and also pressure the quarterbacks as well. However, they did well against Oklahoma and need to build upon that consistency as well. If the Irish keep the young Pittsburgh defensive line at bay and allow the running backs to get through while also protecting Golson, it will be quite important.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame LB's: Manti Te'o, the heart of the defense and the entire Notre Dame Football team, has been having a sensational senior year and is a major Heisman Trophy candidate as well. He has a team-leading 80 tackles along with 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 5 interceptions (leads team), 3 pass breakups, 4 quarterback hurries, and 2 fumble recoveries as well. The linebacker unit has been great and gives the Irish one of the best front sevens in all of college football. Dan Fox has 38 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, and 2 quarterback hurries. Carlo Calabrese has 32 tackles and 1 tackle for loss, while Prince Shembo has 30 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 9 quarterback hurries (leads team). Danny Spond has 27 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 2 pass breakups. Ishaq Williams has 14 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 forced fumble as well. The unit is a deep one that has seen many others play such as Jarrett Grace, Kendall Moore, and Ben Councell.<br />
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Notre Dame LB's vs. Pittsburgh: The linebackers will needed to help put pressure on the offensive line, contain Ray Graham and Rushel Shell, and get to Tino Sunseri as well. Te'o will have a great opportunity to keep building upon his amazing season that could help when it comes to the Heisman Trophy. Considering all of this, it would also be important to frequently rotate players and make use of the depth that the irish have here. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Pittsburgh LB's: Shane Gordon leads all linebackers in tackles with 33 and is 3rd overall on the team in that area. He also has 5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 5 pass breakups and 1 quarterback hurry. Eric Williams has 29 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, 5 quarterback hurries, and 2 fumble recoveries. Dan Mason has 27 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 1 quarterback hurry, while Nicholas Grigsby has 27 tackles as well. Todd Thomas has 21 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, and 1 blocked kick. <br />
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Pittsburgh LB's: The big thing for the linebackers is handling the Notre Dame running backs as they can use Theo Riddick, Cierre Wood, and George Atkinson III. Tyler Eifert will also attract attention as the tight end can be used in various spots on the offense while also attracting double and triple teams as well. The Panthers could also use the linebackers in pressuring Golson as well and could lead to an interesting matchup here. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame DB's: The secondary of Notre Dame has continued to greatly exceed expectations this season. When 2 players went down before the season started, it made a young unit to begin with even younger and lacking in depth. However, even with another season-ending injury in Jamoris Slaugther against Michigan St. earlier this season, the unit has done quite well and has allowed only 2 opponents to pass for more than 200 yards all season long. Zeke Motta has provided a veteran presence in the secondary and has 42 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 pass breakups. KeiVarae Russell has done a great job as a true freshman who was converted over from offense and has done particularly well with tackling and in coverage. He has 38 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup. Bennett Jackson has been really good as well and has 30 tackles, 4 interceptions, 1 pass breakup and 1 fumble recovery. Matthias Farley has done well in stepping into a starting role and has 26 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1 interception this season. Others who have seen playing time are true freshman Elijah Shumate who has 6 tackles and 3 pass breakups and Nicky Baratti who has 4 tackles and 1 interception. <br />
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Notre Dame DB's vs. Pittsburgh WR's: The big task for the Notre Dame defensive backs is to stop wide receivers Devin Street and Mike Shanahan as they are the big targets at 6'4'' and 6'5'' and have 87 of the teams 164 receptions (53 percent), 1326 of the teams 2252 receiving yards (59 percent), and 7 of the teams 13 touchdowns (54 percent). If they can shut down the two big targets, it will greatly limit the options that Pittsburgh quarterback Tino Sunseri has. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Pittsburgh DB's: Jason Hendricks is having a good season for the Panthers as he leads the team in tackles with 54 and has 0.5 tackles for loss, 4 team-leading interceptions, and 2 pass breakups. Jarred Holley has 51 tackles (2nd overall) and has 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, and 3 pass breakups. K'Waun Williams has 29 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup. Andrew Taglianetti has 26 tackles and 1 pass breakup, while Lafayette Pitts has 21 tackles, 5 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery, and forced fumble. Cullen Christian has 12 tackles and 1 pass breakup, and Ray Vinopal has 9 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. <br />
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Pittsburgh DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's: Pittsburgh has a young and talented group of receivers to account for. In addition to TJ Jones, Davaris Daniels, and Robby Toma, they must account for tight end Tyler Eifert who is one of the best tight ends in all of college football and attracts considerable amounts of coverage as well. Pittsburgh would be wise to not move their coverage primarily on Eifert, since it could open things up in the passing game and see another deep completion to Chris Brown as seen in the Oklahoma game. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
<br />
Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza is 14 of 19 on the season and has had good moments (game winning kick over Purdue, 2 made field goals over 40+ yards against Oklahoma) and bad moments (missing 2 field goals against BYU). Ben Turk is averaging 40.9 yards a punt on 33 punts and there has been a long of 53 yards. His punts also have led to 1 touchback, 13 fair caught, 9 inside the 20, and 7 of 50 or more yards. Kyle Brindza is also the kickoff specialist and is averaging 62.7 yards a kickoff on 46 kickoffs and 21 have been touchbacks. <br />
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Pittsburgh Kicking Game: Kevin Harper is 10 of 15 on the season in field goals with the longest going for 45 yards. Matt Yokilic is the punter and has a 42.1 yard average on 30 punts and has a long of 54. He also has 4 touchbacks, 4 have been fair caught, 11 inside the 20, but has had one punt blocked this season. Kevin Harper also is the kickoff specialist and has a 59.7 yard average and 9 of his 45 kickoffs are touchbacks, but 2 kickoffs have gone out-of-bounds. <br />
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Stronger Unit: Even<br />
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Notre Dame Return Game: George Atkinson III has returned 8 kickoffs for 155 yards and Cam McDaniel has returned 5 punts for 102 yards this season. Davonte Neal has returned 12 punts for 34 yards this season. <br />
<br />
Pittsburgh Return Game: Lafayette Pitts has returned 17 kickoffs for 472 yards and has a long of 64 yards, Cameron Saddler has 5 kickoffs returned for 102 yards, and Brendon Felder has 3 kickoffs returned for 70 yards. Cameron Saddler has 11 punts returned for 72 yards, and Todd Thomas returned one punt for 41 yards and a touchdown.<br />
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Stronger Unit: Pittsburgh <br />
<br />
Everything Else: Pittsburgh is with it's third different head coach in the last three seasons, and is 4-4 on a weak schedule that features 2 division 1-AA teams (Pittsburgh defeated Gardner-Webb, but lost to Youngstown St.), a MAC team in Buffalo, a former MAC team back in the Big East in Temple. They beat a Virginia Tech team that is set to have its first season without 10 or more wins since 2003 and is also currently 4-4. In fact, the same 4-4 Virginia Tech team is the best win Pitt has had all season since Temple is 3-4, Buffalo is 1-7, and Gardner-Webb is a Division 1-AA team that is 2-6. In 3 of Pittsburgh's 4 losses they scored 17 or less points in each of those games, but scored 35 points in a 35-45 loss at home to Louisville. Pittsburgh is 1-2 on the road with the win being over Buffalo. The Irish are coming off a 30-13 win at Oklahoma, and should continue to do great this season. What they need to do on offense is establish the run early and mix it up with Wood, Riddick, and Atkinson. Balance will still be important on offense and this could be the first game this season that Golson throws for more than 1 touchdown pass in a game this season. The defense of Notre Dame has been outstanding this season and should put pressure on Pittsburgh's offensive line and get a few sacks and potentially the first safety in a very long time, and containing the two big wide receivers as well. In addition, if the Irish are able to do all of this, it can lead to Pittsburgh being unable to sustain drives on offense and lead to many three and outs.<br />
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Prediction: Notre Dame 37, Pittsburgh 6 Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-8521560430954288302012-10-24T09:36:00.000-04:002012-10-24T09:41:53.639-04:00Notre Dame-Oklahoma Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://nbcirish.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/riddick-byu-2.jpg?w=300" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="211" width="300" src="http://nbcirish.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/riddick-byu-2.jpg?w=300" /></a></div><br />
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Notre Dame QB's: After sitting out the game against BYU due to a concussion, Everett Golson returns as starting quarterback for Notre Dame. Golson has completed 58.5 percent of his passes for 968 yards, and has 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Golson has also rushed for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground as well. Tommy Rees started the game against BYU, and was solid in the first quarter, but after that, completed only a single pass for the rest of the game and the team only attempted 3 passes in the entire second half. Rees has also played in every game but the opener this season, and only missed the opener due to a suspension. He has completed 58.5 percent of his passes for 335 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also had a 2 yard rushing touchdown in the game against Michigan after relieving Golson early on, and has come into relief at varying points this season. Andrew Hendrix came in for all of 2 plays against BYU, but has appeared in 2 games overall this season. He has completed 5 of 6 passes for 55 yards, and also has 34 rushing yards as well. <br />
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Notre Dame QB's vs. Oklahoma Pass Defense: The Sooners are currently 9th in the nation in pass defense, they have allowed opponents to complete just 51.9 percent of their passes for 164.3 yards a game and have also only allowed 3 passing touchdowns and have intercepted 8 passes on the season as well. Golson gives the Irish the best shot overall against the Sooners and will need to use his ability to extend plays as needed to give the Irish a shot in defeating Oklahoma, as this is one of the best pass defenses that Notre Dame will face this season. The other big factor is how well Golson has recovered from this concussion has it was a game-time decision against BYU that led to backup Tommy Rees getting the start and Golson being sidelined the whole game. <br />
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Edge: Oklahoma<br />
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Oklahoma QB's: Landry Jones is in his 4th year in a row as starting quarterback. The 4-year starter has completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 1,643 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He also hasn't been the only quarterback to play either as backup Blake Bell has completed 7 of 12 passes to have a 58.3 completion percentage and has 82 passing yards. However, Bell is more dangerous on the ground with with a team leading 8 rushing touchdowns with 59 rushing yards on 31 carries. Bell gives the Sooners an additional option and is used at the goal line often. <br />
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Oklahoma QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense: Notre Dame is currently ranked 14th overall in pass defense and is allowing opponents to complete only 54.7 percent of their passes and are allowing 174 yards a game. 5 of the 6 touchdowns that Notre Dame opponents have scored all season were passing touchdowns. The Irish have allowed 5 passing touchdowns and have intercepted 12 passes as well this season. Landry Jones is the best quarterback the Irish will face this season so far, and Notre Dame will also need to account for Blake Bell when he comes in as well. It ought to be one of the most interesting matchups to keep an eye on the game.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame RB's: Theo Riddick is coming off his best game ever as a Notre Dame Football player, as he had the two longest runs of his career and along with Cierre Wood and George Atkinson III, carried Notre Dame to victory over BYU. Riddick has 451 rushing yards on 95 carries for a 4.7 average, and also has 3 rushing touchdowns. Cierre Wood has been quite consistent for the Irish as well, and has 393 rushing yards on 65 carries for 6 yards a carry, and has 2 touchdowns as well. George Atkinson III scored the game-winning touchdown over BYU and has 301 rushing yards on 37 carries for an 8.1 average, and leads the team overall with 4 touchdowns as well. Cam McDaniel has seen playing time generally late in games, but has 114 rushing yards on 20 carries for a 5.7 average, and he also has 1 rushing touchdown as well.<br />
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Notre Dame RB's vs. Oklahoma Rush Defense: Oklahoma is currently the 49th ranked team in terms of rushing defense. They allowing opponents to have just 3.8 yards a carry, allow 139.8 rushing yards a game, and have allowed 5 rushing touchdowns as well. Notre Dame was able to wear BYU down with the running game, even though BYU had a top 5 run defense going into this game. The Irish need to establish the run early against Oklahoma to gain further advantage in this game, and if they control the clock and keep the ball away from Oklahoma's offense, it would be very significant in determining the result of this game. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Oklahoma RB's: Damien Williams is the leading rusher for the Sooners with 552 rushing yards on 74 carries for an impressive 7.5 average, 7 rushing touchdowns, and has a long of 95 yards on a rush. Dominique Whaley may not have as many touchdowns, but he does have 241 rushing yards on 38 carries for a 6.3 average and has 1 rushing touchdown. Brennan Clay has 211 rushing yards on 29 carries and 3 touchdowns. Trey Millard has 14 carries for 109 rushing yards and has a 7.8 average, but also has made an impact in the catching game with 13 catches for 201 yards, 2 touchdowns, and a long of 73 yards on a reception. Blake Bell may be a quarterback, but also has his impact on the running game as previously noted. <br />
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Oklahoma RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense: The Irish are ranked 15th in the nation in run defense, and are allowing 106.7 yards a game and holding opponents to 3.4 yards a carry and are the only team to not allow a rushing touchdown so far this season. This is in part to a deep and strong front seven that is headlined by many players such as Manti Te'o, Stephon Tuitt, and Louis Nix III. Oklahoma has been really good on the ground with 20 total rushing touchdowns this season and 3 of the top 4 rushers (Williams, Clay, and Millard) all have yards per carry above 7 yards. This can prove to be dangerous as Oklahoma is able to run the ball at will as the team averages 199.8 rushing yards a game and a backup quarterback can punch the ball in if needed as well.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame WR's and TE's: Tyler Eifert has had the ball come his way more often in recent games and has a team-leading 319 receiving yards on 19 receptions and also has a team-leading 3 receiving touchdowns. TJ Jones is having his best season at Notre Dame with 275 receiving yards on 21 receptions (leads team) and 2 touchdowns as well. Davaris Daniels has 14 catches for 231 receiving yards, Robby Toma has 118 receiving yards on 12 catches, and Troy Niklas has 68 receiving yards on 4 receptions. <br />
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Notre Dame WR's vs. Oklahoma DB's: The Sooners are a top 10 pass defense and are in part to players such as Javon Harris, who has a team-leading 4 interceptions, and Aaron Colvin who has 2 interceptions and 6 pass breakups. Eifert is coming off a game where he had 4 receptions for 73 yards and 1 touchdown. Notre Dame would be wise to line up Eifert up in various spots and use his size to go up and get it, or even is a decoy and utilize players like TJ Jones and Davaris Daniels. This is one of the best pass defenses, if not the best pass defense that the Irish will face this season.<br />
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Edge: Oklahoma <br />
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Oklahoma WR's and TE's: Kenny Stills leads the Sooners with 38 receptions for 471 yards and 4 touchdowns. Justin Brown has 23 catches for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns, Sterling Shepard has 19 receptions for 252 yards and 2 touchdowns, and he is also a freshman on top of that. Trey Metoyer has 13 catches for 108 yards and 1 touchdown. <br />
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Oklahoma WR's vs. Notre Dame DB's: Oklahoma ought to give the Notre Dame secondary a major challenge as one of the most talented receiving units is boosted by a talented quarterback as well. The secondary will need to step up their game and shut down the Oklahoma receiving unit as Notre Dame has held 6 of 7 opponents below 200 passing yards, with the only opponent breaking the 200 mark having just 201. However, Landry Jones and the Oklahoma receivers will be the biggest test yet for the Notre Dame secondary.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame OL: The Irish have been good in the run blocking area as the team is averaging 194 rushing yards a game, opponents have been able to get into the backfield as they have allowed 35 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, and 20 quarterback hurries as well. There have been some consistency issues and some players have been flagged for false starts quite a bit as well.<br />
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Notre Dame OL vs. Oklahoma DL: Chuka Ndulue is the leader in sacks for the Sooners with 2.5 as the Sooners have 13 sacks and 31 tackles for loss this season and the team has 17 quarterback hurries as well. The line will need to stay consistent, keep up the good job in opening holes for the running game, protect Golson, and avoid penalties as well. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Oklahoma OL: The offensive line has done a good job this season, and has only allowed 9 sacks and 29 tackles for loss while also doing a great job in run blocking as Oklahoma is averaging 199.8 rushing yards as well. This unit features 3 upperclassmen as starters, with the others being redshirt So. as<br />
well. The unit is clearly a very experienced unit up front.<br />
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Oklahoma OL vs. Notre Dame DL: The Oklahoma offensive line is a great unit, but they face a defensive line of Notre Dame that also is a great unit as well. Stephon Tuitt is having a very impressive season with a team-leading 8 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, and 8 quarterback hurries. Tuitt isn't the only player on the defensive line who is doing well as Louis Nix III anchors the line at nose tackle and Kapron Lewis-Moore had a great game against BYU. Notre Dame has done a great job in getting into the opponents backfield with 33 quarterback hurries, 33 tackles for loss and 19 sacks on the season.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame DL: The defensive line has been quite dominant this season and is in part to Stephon Tuitt. He has been a huge factor in the pass rush and has a defensive line-leading 28 tackles, 8 tackles for loss (leads team), 8 sacks (leads team), 8 quarterback hurries (tied for 1st overall), a fumble recovery for a touchdown, 1 forced fumble, and 1 blocked kick. The only thing he has yet to do is intercept a pass or cause a safety. Louis Nix plugs up the middle and has 26 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 3 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble. Kapron Lewis-Moore has 23 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 6 quarterback hurries as well. Many other players see solid amounts of playing time such as Sheldon Day, Tony Springmann, and Kona Schwenke. <br />
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Notre Dame DL vs. Oklahoma OL: The Oklahoma offensive line will be one of the best that Notre Dame faces, the Irish had some issues in the pass rush, but have since rebounded after a slump earlier this season. They need to keep this up as Oklahoma only has allowed 9 sacks, 29 tackles for loss, and 10 quarterback hurries. However, Notre Dame will most likely have the best defensive line that Oklahoma faces all season. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Oklahoma DL: Stacy McGee, a senior defensive tackle, has been reinstated for the Sooners after sitting out the first 6 games for a suspension that was due to a violation of university rules. Chuka Ndulue leads the defensive lineman with 24 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 3 quarterback hurries. RJ Washington has 22 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass break up, and 3 quarterback hurries. Jamarkus McFarland has 17 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 quarterback hurries. Casey Walker has 11 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 fumble recovery that went for 45 yards. <br />
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Oklahoma DL vs. Notre Dame OL: The defensive line features many seniors in the 2-deep and with the addition of a reinstated player makes them deep and experienced at the same time. They face an offensive line that has to stay consistent, but does a good job with the run blocking. However, this should be an even matchup as no player that Oklahoma has seems to have accumulated a lot of sacks so far this season. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame LB's: The linebacker unit is a deep unit that it led by Manti Te'o. Te'o is the heart of the defense and the team overall, and has 69 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, 4 quarterback hurries, and 2 fumble recoveries. He is considered one of the top candidates for the Heisman trophy and is having his best season yet as a Notre Dame Football player. Dan Fox is having a solid season and has 33 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 pass breakup, and 2 quarterback hurries. Despite missing the first game of the season that was due to a suspension, Carlo Calabrese is 6th overall in tackles at 29, and also has 1 tackle for loss and 0.5 sacks. Prince Shembo has done well, and especially at quarterback pressure and has 28 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 8 quarterback hurries. Danny Spond has had a strong impact after missing the first 2 games of the season with injury, and has 23 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 2 pass breakups. The unit is deep and many have seen playing time in every game this season. <br />
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Notre Dame LB's vs. Oklahoma: The linebackers will have to help keep the running backs in check, as most of the top running backs have yards per carry that exceeds 7 yards. If they keep them in check, while also helping shut down the passing game, it will be vital, but the Sooners are quite dangerous on the ground with multiple running backs all able to get carries. This will be quite an interesting matchup to keep an eye on, and shutting down the Oklahoma running game is as important as shutting down the passing game.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Oklahoma LB's: Tom Wort is 3rd overall on the team in tackles with 26, and he also has 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 pass breakup, 1 quarterback hurry, and 2 forced fumbles. Corey Nelson has 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, and 2 quarterback hurries. Aaron Franklin has 19 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack. Frank Shannon has 14 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack on the season. <br />
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Oklahoma LB's vs. Notre Dame: The Irish were able to wear down BYU's defense by running the ball, and they had 2 running backs break the 100 yard mark on rushing yards. Oklahoma will have to account for 3 running backs that get used regularly, as Notre Dame would be wise to establish the run early on, and use that to their advantage as well. It ought to be an interesting matchup to see if the Irish continue to run the ball often after they ran it for 270 rushing yards on BYU and had 6.3 yards a rush too against the then 3rd ranked run defense.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame DB's: The defensive backs of Notre Dame continue to be one of the biggest surprises of the season as they have held 6 of their 7 opponents this season under 200 passing yards, with the most being allowed in a single game being just 201. This is despite 3 season ending injuries with 2 happening before the season even started and having players converted from the offense starting. Zeke Motta has provided a veteran presence in the secondary with 40 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 pass breakup. Bennett Jackson has been having a really good season so far with 30 tackles, 4 interceptions, 1 pass breakup and a fumble recovery. KeiVarae Russell is also been a surprise considering that he is a true freshman and was converted over from running back. He has 29 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup. Matthias Farley has also been good with 23 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1 interception. <br />
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Notre Dame DB's vs. Oklahoma WR's: This ought to be one of the best receiving units that Notre Dame faces this season, and they must succeed in shutting down the receivers of Oklahoma. By doing so, it will continue to show how much of an impact the unit has had, and also be a factor in future games this season as well. Shutting down Kenny Stills, Justin Brown, and Sterling Shepard will be important, but also know that the running backs play a role in the catching game as well. It seems like quite a few players to account for on top of the Oklahoma running game, but it is absolutely vital that the Notre Dame secondary continues to keep up the pace in shutting down passing games this season.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Oklahoma DB's: Safety Tony Jefferson leads the team in tackles with 48 overall, and has 2 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup. Javon Harris is 2nd overall in tackles with 34, and has 1 tackle for loss, 4 interceptions with 1 being returned for a touchdown this season, and has 2 pass breakups. Aaron Colvin is 4th overall in the tackle area and has 24 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 6 pass breakups. Demontre Hurst has 22 tackles, 2 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. Gabe Lynn has 14 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss as well this season. <br />
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Oklahoma DB's: The Sooners have had one of the pass defenses in the country and face a team that has one of the best tight ends who has been targeted more often in the last couple games. Accounting for Tyler Eifert will be important as he is a big target, good at catching passes in the endzone, and he also attracts a large amount of coverage. This can be a benefit for Notre Dame as it means that the coverage won't focus as much on other players and open things up in the passing and running game even. Regardless, the Oklahoma secondary has a good edge in this matchup and the Irish will need to be able to pass when needed in order to succeed, take pressure off the running game, and keep the defense honest. <br />
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Edge: Oklahoma<br />
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Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza has had a decent season, and had a period where he went 10-11, but is 11-15 overall this season and missed 2 field goals in the previous game (but made the last one). Ben Turk is averaging 40.9 yards a punt with a long of 53. He also has 1 touchback, 10 were fair caught, 8 inside the 20, and 6 punts of 50 or more yards. Kyle Brindza is also the kickoff specialist and is averaging 62.6 yards a kickoff and has 18 touchbacks this season.<br />
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Oklahoma Kicking Game: Mike Hunnicutt is of 8 of 9 in field goals with the only miss being a blocked kick. He has made 8 in a row after having that first one blocked against UTEP early this season. Tress Way is the punter and is averaging 43.2 yards a punt with a long of 71. 2 of his punts have gone for touchbacks, 5 were fair caught, 8 were inside the 20, and 5 were of 50 or more yards. However, he has also had 1 punt blocked this season. Two players have seen time in the kickoff area, Patrick O'Hara has a 63.8 yard average on 28 kickoffs and 13 have been touchbacks. Mike Hunnicutt has a 62.6 yard average on 18 kickoffs and 6 were touchbacks.<br />
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Stronger Unit: Even<br />
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Notre Dame Return Game: George Atkinson III has not had as strong of a season in returning kicks as he did last season. He has returned 8 kickoffs for 155 yards for a 19.4 yard average and a long of 32. Cam McDaniel also had 1 return back against Purdue for 25 yards. Davonte Neal has returned 12 punts for 34 yards. The return game has not done as well this season in the kickoff area, while the numbers for punt returns can be seen as an improvement. <br />
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Oklahoma Return Game: Roy Finch has returned 6 kickoffs for 214 yards, has a 35.7 yard average, and has a 100 yard kickoff return for a touchdown as well. Clay Brennan has returned 6 kickoffs for 178 yards and is averaging 29.7 yards a return with a long of 42. Justin Brown has been the primary punt returner this season with 16 punts returned for 304 yards and is averaging an amazing 19 yards a return, and has a punt return for a touchdown as well. The return game of Oklahoma has been quite a strength for them this season. <br />
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Stronger Unit: Oklahoma <br />
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Everything Else: Notre Dame is coming off a close win over BYU where they started a backup quarterback who was solid in the first quarter, but completed only one pass for the remaining 3 quarters of the game. However, Tommy Rees, said backup, goes back to the bench with Everett Golson resuming his position as starting quarterback for Notre Dame. The Irish will need him to make plays in the air when needed, on the ground as well, and help extend plays. Notre Dame would be wise to lean on their running game as they did against BYU and use Cierre Wood, Theo Riddick, and George Atkinson III often in the ground game. If Notre Dame can establish the run and control the clock to keep Oklahoma's offense on the bench, it would be very significant to prevent the defense from tiring out. Oklahoma has one of the best home-field advantages in the entire nation and the game is a prime-time game on top of that. Shutting down the Oklahoma offense will be absolutely important if Notre Dame is to win this game.<br />
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Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Oklahoma 16Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-33210122700482829182012-10-18T14:08:00.002-04:002012-10-18T14:08:38.283-04:00Notre Dame-BYU Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/gameon/2012/10/14/usp-ncaa-football_-stanford-at-notre-dame_001-4_3_r560.jpg?f061b7ce9937c38b702e6f308816ac2a14e2a4ec" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="421" width="559" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/gameon/2012/10/14/usp-ncaa-football_-stanford-at-notre-dame_001-4_3_r560.jpg?f061b7ce9937c38b702e6f308816ac2a14e2a4ec" /></a></div><br />
Notre Dame QB's: Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson has been cleared to practice after passing concussion tests. He had suffered a concussion late in the 4th quarter of the win over Stanford. Golson has completed 58.5 percent of his passes this season and has passed for 968 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. In addition to passing numbers, Golson has rushed for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns as well this season. Golson is expected to continue to be the starting quarterback for the Irish. Backup quarterback Tommy Rees has come into relief multiple times this season, and on the season has completed 68 percent of his passes for 218 yards and 1 touchdown. Depending on how things progress with Golson and his return from the concussion, it is possible that Tommy Rees will again see playing time against BYU.<br />
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Notre Dame QB's vs. BYU Pass Defense: BYU currently has the 24th ranked pass defense in the nation. They have allowed opposing teams to complete 58.9 percent of their passes for 193 passing yards a game, while also allowing 5 touchdowns, and intercepting 4 passes as well. They haven't faced many opponents with strong offenses, but the best team they played, Oregon St., passed for 332 yards and 3 touchdowns with a backup starting at quarterback. It all depends on Golson and how is progress goes with the concussion, but BYU was beaten quite will by a team with a backup quarterback starting as well. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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BYU QB's: BYU lost quarterback Taysom Hill for the season to an injury. Hill had completed 59.2 percent of his passes for 425 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Hill was more dangerous on the ground as he was previously the teams leading rusher with 336 yards on 55 carries for an average of 6.1 yards a carry. He also had 4 rushing touchdowns and his longest rush being for 68 yards. Riley Nelson will be the quarterback for the Cougars and on the season has 1,059 passing yards on a 57.5 percent completion rate. Also, he has 6 passing touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and has 113 rushing yards as well. He also has missed playing time this season due to injury as well. <br />
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BYU QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense: The Notre Dame pass defense has been quite impressive this season and currently is 14th overall in the nation. They have allowed opponents to complete just 52.9 percent of their passes, while only allowing 173.5 passing yards and 3 touchdowns all season. The defense has also managed to intercept 10 passes, which helps give an advantage with BYU quarterback Riley Nelson throwing for more interceptions than touchdowns this season. Look for the Notre Dame secondary to have a strong game and continue to exceed expectations as they have all season.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Notre Dame RB's: The Irish primarily use three running backs who are close together in total rushing yards. Theo Riddick has the most yards with 308 rushing yards on 80 carries and has 3 touchdowns. George Atkinson III has 290 rushing yards on 32 carries and has 3 touchdowns, while Cierre Wood has 279 rushing yards on 47 carries and has 2 touchdowns. Cierre Wood's numbers look quite impressive considering he has only played in the last 4 games, and George Atkinson III has a 9.1 yard average in yards per carry. Cam McDaniel has also seen playing time as well with 114 rushing yards on 20 carries with 1 touchdown as well.<br />
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Notre Dame RB's vs. BYU Rush Defense: BYU has been quite strong on the run defense with the unit being 3rd in the nation by allowing 67.8 rushing yards a game and 4 rushing touchdowns, and opponents are averaging just 2.2 yards a carry as well. However, three opponents were able to run for over 100 yards with Division 1-AA Weber St. getting 115 rushing yards with 2 touchdowns, Boise St. getting 116 yards, and Oregon St. having 118 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns as well. This is one of the best running games that the Cougars face all season long and should provide an interesting matchup between both teams. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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BYU RB's: Jamaal Williams is the primary ballcarrier for BYU and leads with 345 rushing yards on 65 carries with 5 touchdowns on the ground. Michael Alisa is the other back with 222 rushing yards on 58 carries and has 1 touchdown. Quarterback Taysom Hill was a big component of the running game and his loss will continue to have an impact. The other back that has seen a solid amount of playing time is David Foote with 97 rushing yards on 24 carries.<br />
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BYU RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense: The Irish have also been strong against the run, as they are 24th in the nation and are allowing 113.5 rushing yards a game and 0 rushing touchdowns as well, and opponents are averaging 3.5 yards a carry as well. Stopping Jamaal Williams is key as he is the main back and is averaging 5.3 yards a carry on top of that. Notre Dame has been great in stopping players on the ground like Le'Veon Bell, Denard Robinson, Duke Johnson, and Stepfan Taylor this season. Look for Notre Dame to continue to dominate up front and shut down another running game as they have this season. <br />
<br />
Edge: Notre Dame<br />
<br />
Notre Dame WR's and TE's: Tyler Eifert is coming off a good game against Stanford and leads the team with 246 receiving yards on 15 receptions and has 2 touchdowns. TJ Jones has rebounded from an unimpressive second season and is having his best season yet as a junior. He has 235 receiving yards on 19 receptions and has 2 touchdowns, Jones is also very effective in the short passing game as well. Davaris Daniels is having a good season as a redshirt freshman with 14 catches for 231 receiving yards. Robby Toma is also a key receiver in the short passing game with 12 receptions with 118 receiving yards. <br />
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Notre Dame WR's vs. BYU DB's: The defensive backs of BYU face a receiving unit that is a young one, but also very talented at the same time. The unit has a high ranking in the pass defense, but was shredded by a backup quarterback of Oregon St. and showed that the BYU defense is not as great as they may seem. Tyler Eifert and Davaris Daniels ought to give the Cougar secondary a good test, it also will depend on quarterback Everett Golson and how fast he recovers from his concussion, but Tommy Rees should be ready to go if not. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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BYU WR's and TE's: Cody Hoffman has been the main target for BYU with 534 receiving yards on 41 receptions and 2 touchdowns. He has double the amount of yards over the number 2 guy, which is Kaneakua Friel who has 23 catches for 266 yards and 4 touchdowns. JD Falslev has 124 receiving yards on 16 receptions and also 1 touchdown. Ross Apo has 94 receiving yards on 13 catches and 1 touchdown as well. <br />
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BYU WR's vs. Notre Dame DB's: The big thing for the Irish is stopping Cody Hoffman, he is a big target at 6'4'' and having basically double the receptions and receiving yards as the number 2 guy, Kaneakua Friel. Accounting for Friel is important too since he has 4 touchdowns as well. Bennett Jackson will likely be the guy opposite of Hoffman and if Hoffman and Friel are stopped, it should limit them significantly.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame OL: The offensive line had issues at times against Stanford, notably with the large number of false start penalties, and while he is a tight end, Troy Niklas had difficulties in blocking as well with Chase Thomas of Stanford getting consistent pressure winning the battle more often than not. The line has been able to open things up in the running game with 181.2 rushing yards a game and 4.5 yards a carry. The offensive line has allowed 12 sacks on the season and opponents have accounted for 29 tackles for loss. <br />
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Notre Dame OL vs. BYU DL: BYU has done a very good job in getting into the opponents backfield with 22 sacks and 54 tackles for loss by the defense. BYU uses a 3 man front that is headlined by senior defensive lineman Romney Fuga and Eathyn Manumaleuna. The defense is strong up front and the battle in the trenches will be a big matchup as the Irish need to reduce false starts and work on consistency as well. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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BYU OL: The Cougars have had trouble in keeping opponents out of the backfield with 18 sacks allowed this season and 39 tackles for loss by opposing defenses. They have done a solid job in run blocking with the team averaging 173.6 rushing yards a game and 4.2 yards per rush. These numbers might go down with the loss of Taysom Hill, however. The offensive lineman had lost many starts from the previous season and dealt with injury issues in the offseason when 9 players on the line were injured for them. <br />
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BYU OL vs. Notre Dame DL: The Irish are very strong up front with the defensive line, Stephon Tuitt has been very strong in his second season with a team leading 6.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss and 7 quarterback hurries. Louis Nix III has great at nose tackle and the unit as a whole is deep. Considering that BYU has allowed quite a few sacks and tackles for loss, this means that the Irish should be able to get pressure up front and win this battle in the trenches. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame DL: This is one of the best units on the entire Notre Dame football team. Stephon Tuitt leads all defensive lineman in tackles at 23, 6.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 7 quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, and a blocked kick. Louis Nix has 22 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. Kapron Lewis-Moore has 18 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a sack, and 4 quarterback hurries. The unit is deep as Sheldon Day and Tony Springmann have seen extensive amounts of playing time as well this season. <br />
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Notre Dame DL vs. BYU OL: BYU hasn't been great on the offensive line with 39 tackles for loss and 18 sacks allowed. With a team that gets pressure on the quarterback and gets into the backfield often, it looks good for the Irish to consistently rotate players in the defensive line and allow younger players to continue to get a solid amount of playing time as well. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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BYU DL vs. Notre Dame OL: BYU used a 3 defensive lineman up front with 2 seniors leading the unit in Romney Fuga and Eathyn Manumaleuna. Fuga has 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Manumaleuna has 11 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble. Other players that have seen time include Russell Tialavea and Bronson Kaufusi.<br />
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BYU DL vs. Notre Dame OL: The offensive line of Notre Dame faces a defensive line that is strong, but not to the level of Stanford. Notre Dame's offensive line has had consistency issues at times, and false starts were a clear issue as well in the previous game. If the Irish don't improve on this, it will be a long day for them as BYU has a good front seven overall as well.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame LB's: The linebackers of the Irish are led by the heart of the entire Notre Dame team in Manti Te'o. Te'o leads the team in tackles at 59, and also has 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, 3 quarterback hurries, and 2 recovered fumbles. The unit is also deep and gives the Irish a very strong front seven. Dan Fox has stepped up his game and has 31 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, a pass breakup and 2 quarterback hurries. Prince Shembo has been really great at quarterback pressure and has 7 quarterback hurries along with 22 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. Danny Spond missed the first two games of the season with injury and has since returned and started every game. Other players getting time include Carlo Calabrese, Ishaq Williams, Jarrett Grace, Ben Councell, and Kendall Moore. <br />
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Notre Dame LB's vs. BYU: The big matchup to keep an eye on would have to be Te'o and Jamaal Williams of the Cougars. However, the linebacker will also keep an eye on Kaneakua Friel, who leads the team in receiving touchdowns. The linebackers should be able to keep up a strong rotation as well and look for Manti Te'o to have another big game for the Irish. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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BYU LB's: This has to be by far the best unit on the entire BYU team. Brandon Ogletree leads the team in tackles with 57 and has 6 tackles for loss, 4 pass breakups, and a quarterback hurry. Spencer Hadley is also having a good season and has 34 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and a forced fumble. Uona Kaveinga has 27 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and a fumble recovery. Ezekiel Ansah is having a good season as well with 30 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 4 pass breakups, and 5 quarterback hurries. Kyle Van Noy is likely the best player of them all with 26 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 5 pass breakups, 8 quarterback hurries, and 3 forced fumbles. The unit is a very experienced unit that starts 4 upperclassmen and had 3 returning starters going into the 2012 season.<br />
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BYU vs. Notre Dame: The linebacker unit as a whole is one of the better units in college football, and a few players are having good seasons. Kyle Van Noy has been one of the best players on the team, if not the best one overall and has accounted for almost all of the defensive stat groups, the unit has been great in getting to opposing backfields, while also keeping pressure on opposing quarterbacks as well. Notre Dame might be the best team they face all season, and it will be an interesting matchup on how they do against the Notre Dame offense. <br />
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Edge: BYU<br />
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Notre Dame DB's: Despite losses in the injury department, the defensive backs of Notre Dame have put together a surprisingly strong season together. Bennett Jackson has really emerged as a great corner back in his first season as starter. The former wide receiver has 27 tackles, 4 interceptions, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery. Zeke Motta is the most experienced member in the secondary and has 37 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and a pass breakup. KeiVarae Russell is having a good season as a first year starter and true freshman. The former running back has 23 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and an interception. After losing Jamoris Slaughter for the season, redshirt freshman Matthias Farley came in to start. He has responded well and is coming off his best game so far as a Notre Dame football player. He has 17 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1 interception. Notre Dame has kept 5 of its 6 opponents below 200 passing yards, with the only player to break the 200 mark had just 201 passing yards. <br />
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Notre Dame DB's vs. BYU WR's: The big matchup here is Bennett Jackson vs. Cody Hoffman. Hoffman is a big target for BYU and leads in receptions and receiving yards as well. He also isn't the only player to account for as as Ross Apo is also a bigger player a 6'3'', tight end Kaneakua Friel is 6'5'' as well. Notre Dame's secondary has been a real surprise this season and has helped give them one of the best defenses in the country. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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BYU DB's: The Cougars secondary has only had 3 interceptions in their 7 games this season. Preston Hadley has 38 tackles, 2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 5 pass breakups, and 2 quarterback hurries. Daniel Sorenson has 33 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups, and a forced fumble. Jordan Johnson has 26 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, an interception, and 8 pass breakups. Joe Sampson has 28 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 pass breakups, and 1 quarterback hurry. <br />
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BYU DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's: BYU faces a talented unit that has options in the short passing game and the deep passing game. They will have to also account for Tyler Eifert, the tight end who can line up at various spots for the Irish as well. TJ Jones has had his best season so far as a Notre Dame player and caught the game winning touchdown in the overtime win over Stanford. This ought to be an interesting matchup between these two teams to keep an eye on. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza has been having a pretty good season as a first time starter. He has made 10 of 12 field goals, including a game winner over Purdue, and a game tying kick to force overtime against Stanford. Ben Turk is averaging 40.5 yards a punt and opponents have fair caught 9 punts, 7 punts have been inside the 20, and 4 were of 50 or more yards. Kyle Brindza is doing well with kickoff duty with a 62.5 yard average and 16 touchbacks on 35 kickoffs. <br />
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BYU Kicking Game: Riley Stephenson has been both the kicker and punter this season. He has made 4 of 6 field goals and only has a long of 33 yards. He has done better at punting with a 46.5 yard average on 34 punts. In addition he has had 2 touchbacks, 5 fair caught, 16 inside the 20, and 17 that were 50 or more yards. Kickoff duty has seen two players in the stat department. Justin Sorensen has a 62.2 yard average and 11 touchbacks on 28 kickoffs, while Riley Stephenson has 8 kickoffs and a 60 yard average, but 0 touchbacks and 1 out of bounds as well. <br />
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Stronger Unit: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame Return Game: The return game for Notre Dame hasn't been as strong as it was in 2011, as George Atkinson III has just 6 returns for 118 yards, and only a 19.7 yard average. Cam McDaniel had 1 return back against Purdue and it went for 25 yards. Davonte Neal has 10 punt returns for 37 yards on the season. <br />
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BYU Return Game: Joe Sampson has 6 kickoff returns for 138 yards, Cody Hoffman has 3 returns for 72 yards, and Mike hague has 2 returns for 55 yards. JD Falslev has 13 punt returns for 147 yards this season.<br />
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Stronger Unit: BYU<br />
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Everything Else: BYU is coming off a blowout loss against Oregon St. where a backup quarterback shredded the BYU pass defense for more than 300 yards and 3 passing touchdowns. The Cougars have won 1 game on the road, and will playing their 3rd road game this season, but BYU has lost only once at home this season. They are also 1-2 against opponents from the Pac-12 conference with the losses at 2-4 Utah and at home against an undefeated Oregon St. team that started a backup against BYU. Notre Dame has been strong on defense this season and has not allowed an opponent to score a touchdown since late in the game against Purdue back in early September. Everett Golson is also a factor as he returned to practice Wednesday after passing concussion tests very recently. Even if Golson isn't ready to go, Tommy Rees has enough experience to manage the game or close out the game. BYU has shown that a backup quarterback can do damage against a BYU. Notre Dame should be able to again have another strong game defensively as well. <br />
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Prediction: Notre Dame 28, BYU 3 Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-89778580892987858632012-10-10T09:50:00.000-04:002012-10-10T09:50:38.063-04:00Notre Dame-Stanford Preview <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cbschicago.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/notre-dame.jpg?w=300" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="242" width="300" src="http://cbschicago.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/notre-dame.jpg?w=300" /></a></div><br />
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Notre Dame QB's: After sitting out the first series due to a team rules violation, Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson had a strong performance against the Hurricanes. On the season he has completed 60.4 percent of his passes for 827 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Golson also was able to run the ball on the ground with effectiveness against the Hurricanes as well, and now has 40 rushing yards on 27 carries, and has 2 touchdowns as well. Tommy Rees has also seen time as well, in 4 games he has completed 56.5 percent of his passes for 175 yards, and also has a rushing touchdown as well. <br />
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Notre Dame QB's vs. Stanford Pass Defense: Stanford ranks near the bottom in college football in pass defense with the team being ranked 117th (out of 124th) in the nation. In 5 games this season, they are allowing 299.4 passing yards a game, and have allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 61.2 percent of their passes and have allowed 5 passing touchdowns and intercepted 8 passes. Look for Golson to build upon his efficient performance against a weak Stanford game and post career highs in passing yards and passing touchdowns against Stanford. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Stanford QB's: Josh Nunes has replaced Andrew Luck at quarterback, who is now in the NFL. In his first year as starter for the Cardinal, Nunes has completed 54.1 percent of his passes for 1,150 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. He also is able to run when needed, as he has carried 16 times for 40 yards and 3 touchdowns and is the teams 4th leading rusher.<br />
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Stanford QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense: Prior to the game against the Hurricanes, the Irish had held every opponent to below 200 passing yards in each game. Against the Hurricanes, they allowed their first opponent to pass for over 200 yards, as Stephen Morris passed for 201 yards against the Irish. The Hurricanes had a few key drops as well. The Irish are currently 22nd in the nation and are allowing opponents to complete just 53.7 percent of their passes and 183.2 passing yards a game this season. They also have allowed just 3 passing touchdowns and have intercepted 8 passes as well this season. The Cardinal aren't as strong with passing the ball this season, but Josh Nunes has been able to get the ball to his two tight ends who have half of his passing touchdowns this season and a solid portion of the receiving yards and receptions as well. If the Irish contain the two tight ends, it will limit the targets that Nunes has significantly and give the Irish a very strong edge. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame RB's: The Irish were able to run the ball at will against the Hurricanes, totaling 376 rushing yards and also had 5 touchdowns rushing with all 4 running backs having touchdowns as well. George Atkinson III leads the Irish with 269 rushing yards, an impressive 9.3 yards a carry, and 3 touchdowns, and also 2 of his touchdowns were 50+ yard runs as well. Theo Riddick is the 2nd leading rusher with 263 rushing yards, 3.9 yards a carry, and 3 touchdowns. Riddick also has 17 receptions for 132 yards as well. Cierre Wood has been quite strong for the Irish after returning from a 2 game suspension early this season. In his 3 games played this season, Wood has rushed for 213 yards, 6.1 yards a carry, and 2 touchdowns. Cam McDaniel also has seen a good amount of playing time with with 20 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown as well. <br />
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Notre Dame RB's vs. Stanford Rush Defense: The Cardinal have been very strong against the run, as they are 6th in the nation in run defense. They have allowed 77.2 rushing yards a game and opponents are only getting 2.6 yards a carry as well. However, they have allowed 8 rushing touchdowns on the season as well. The Irish face one of the best run defenses in the nation, but would be wise to build upon the performance they had against the Hurricanes and use Cierre Wood and George Atkinson III frequently and take advantage of Golson's mobility and ability to make plays in the run game.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Stanford RB's: Stepfan Taylor has been the workhorse for Stanford this season, he has 119 (which is 68 percent) of the teams 175 carries this season. He also has rushed for 560 rushing yards and 5 Touchdowns, and has 4.7 yards a carry as well. His backup, Anthony Wilkerson has just 41 yards on 9 carries as well. The other running backs, Ricky Seale and Remound Wright have done little this season, as Seal has 26 yards on 6 carries, while Wright has 25 yards on 7 carries. Depth could be a concern with the backups all having under 10 carries each and a combined total amount of rushing yards that is under 100 yards as well. <br />
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Stanford RB's vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense: Notre Dame has been also quite impressive against the run this season as well. The Irish are ranked 18th in the nation and are allowing 106.8 rushing yards and opponents are only averaging 3.4 yards a carry, and the run defense has not allowed a single rushing touchdown this season. If they continue to contain running games as they have all season, and not allow Stepfan Taylor to do much in the running game, it will make the Cardinal one-dimensional on offense as Taylor is more or less the Stanford running game. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame WR's and TE's: Davaris Daniels leads the team in the receiving area, he has 207 yards off 12 receptions this season. Tight end Tyler Eifert is second with 189 yards on 11 catches and has a touchdown as well. TJ Jones has 15 receptions for 183 yards and touchdown, while Robby Toma has 11 receptions for 113 yards. Troy Niklas has a 3 catches for 66 yards and John Goodman has 3 receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown as well. <br />
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Notre Dame WR's vs. Stanford DB's: Stanford lost three starters to graduation heading into the season and are considerably less experienced this season as the lone returning starter was cornerback Terrence Brown. The pass defense is ranked near the bottom and the Irish should be able to move the ball in the air and use Eifert, Daniels, and Jones often, considering how weak the Stanford pass defense is as well, it might be time to get younger players like Chris Brown and Davonte Neal more playing time. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Stanford WR's and TE's: The Cardinal had major losses with the top 3 players all gone heading into the season. The Cardinal use multiple tight ends with Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo leading the way. Ertz has 21 receptions for 316 yards and 2 touchdowns. Toilolo has 13 receptions for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns and also is a big target at 6'8'' and 263 lbs. Ty Montgomery has 18 catches for 168 yards, but is likely going to miss the game against Notre Dame due to injury. Drew Terrell has 10 receptions for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns, Jamal-Rashad Patterson has 4 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. <br />
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Stanford WR's vs. Notre Dame DB's: Notre Dame has exceeded expectations greatly with a young secondary. The big thing for them is containing the two tight ends in Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo as both are big targets at 6'6'' and 6'8'' respectively. The receiving game relies more on the tight ends, but the Irish will need to keep an eye on the receivers as well as Jamal-Rashad Patterson is averaging 25 yards and a catch and Drew Terrell has 14.3 yards a catch too.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame OL: The offensive line of the Irish has done a good job at protecting Everett Golson with 8 sacks allowed on the season. The running game has done well in part to the offensive line as it is averaging 187.4 yards a game with 4.7 yards a carry overall. Opponents have at times been able to get into the backfield with 23 tackles for loss allowed as well by the offensive line. <br />
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Notre Dame OL vs. Stanford DL: The Cardinal use a 3-4 defense, and have a primarily veteran defensive line that has upperclassmen in Ben Gardner and Terrence Stephens. Gardner leads the team in sacks with 3 sacks on the season. The defense has 16 sacks on the season and a big factor on how the game will go will be in the trenches with the lineman.<br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Stanford OL: The offensive line of Stanford has done a great job at protecting the quarterback as they have allowed only 5 sacks this season. They have opened lanes for Stepfan Taylor to run through as the running game is averaging 155.8 yards a game and 4.5 yards a carry as well. Opponents haven't been able to get into the backfield as well as the Stanford defense, as the offensive line has allowed 22 tackles for loss this season as well. <br />
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Stanford OL vs. Notre Dame DL: The defensive line of the Irish has been one of the strong points for the Irish that is headlined by Stephon Tuitt, Louis Nix III, and Kapron Lewis-Moore. The offensive line of Stanford has done a very good job at keeping opponents out of the backfield and protecting the quarterback as well. This will be a major challenge for the Cardinal offensive line as Tuitt has more sacks this season alone than the entire Stanford offensive line has given up all season. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame DL: The defensive line has been very impressive for the Irish this season and also uses its depth wisely. Louis Nix III leads all defensive lineman in tackles with 17, he also has 3 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 2 pass breakups. Stephon Tuitt has been dominant for the Irish with 16 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 5 quarterback hurries, and a 77 yard fumble return for a touchdown. Kapron Lewis-Moore continues to provide the veteran presence on the line and also puts a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks with 4 hurries, half a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Sheldon Day has had a lot of playing time as well and has really come on for the Irish for a true freshman.<br />
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Notre Dame DL vs. Stanford OL: The Stanford offensive line has kept Josh Nunes protected with only 5 sacks allowed all season and doing a solid job in opening up holes for the running game. This will be one of the best offensive lines that the Irish face all season and will be full of interesting matchups with Tuitt having been one of the best players on defense for the Irish this season. It is pretty even matchup overall. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Stanford DL: The defensive lineman of the Cardinal have done their damage and largely are in part to Ben Gardner, who has 19 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. Those numbers lead all defensive lineman, and the numbers in tackles for loss and sacks lead the team overall. Henry Anderson has done a solid job with with 17 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. <br />
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Stanford DL vs. Notre Dame OL: The Irish offensive line has largely overcome consistency issues that were notably seen against Purdue when they allowed 5 of the 8 sacks they had allowed on the season. The big thing will be keeping Ben Gardner out of the backfield as he has been able to do it on a consistent basis with 6 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. If the offensive line keeps up the consistency and contains the Cardinal defensive line, then it would have a big impact. <br />
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Edge: Even <br />
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Notre Dame LB's: The heart of Notre Dame's defense lies in the linebacker unit with Manti Te'o. Te'o has overcome personal tragedy earlier this season and is considered a major candidate for the Heisman Trophy award. On the season he has a team leading 48 tackles, he also has 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, 2 quarterback hurries, and 2 fumble recoveries as well. Dan Fox has been productive with 25 tackles, while Carlo Calabrese has 19 in 4 games this season. Prince Shembo has been great too and has 18 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and a team leading 6 quarterback hurries. Depth is at its strongest with Danny Spond having 13 tackles and a forced fumble in 3 games. Ishaq Williams has 9 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and a forced fumble as well. Other players that see time include Ben Councell, Jarrett Grace, and Kendall Moore. <br />
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Notre Dame LB's vs. Stanford: The depth at linebacker will be important with a Stanford team that has a running game that relies primarily on Stepfan Taylor. Pass coverage will also be important with the two tight ends that Stanford also relies upon often in the passing game as well. Containing them all will be important in this matchup as well. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Stanford LB's: Chase Thomas leads the team and linebackers in the tackle area with 31 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and an interception. Trent Murphy has been big too with 23 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, an interception for a touchdown, 2 pass breakups, and a forced fumble. The linebackers help give Stanford a pretty strong front seven that has a top 10 rush defense as well. <br />
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Stanford LB's vs. Notre Dame: The Irish running game ran for nearly 400 rushing yards and now faces the 6th ranked rushing defense. The running game is also deep and the linebackers are one of the strongest units on the team with Chase Thomas and Trent Murphy most notably. Accounting for Tyler Eifert and even Troy Niklas will also be important in pass coverage for the Cardinal as well. It is overall an even matchup and this will be one of the best running games that the Cardinal will face all season. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame DB's: The defensive backs have managed to exceed expectations greatly this season, despite the youth in the unit, losing three players to season ending injuries, and being forced to moving players from other positions to the secondary. Zeke Motta has been the leader of the secondary with the loss of Jamoris Slaughter to a season ending injury in the game against Michigan St. Motta is second on the team in tackles with 27, and he also has 1 tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Bennett Jackson has really emerged in his first year as starting cornerback and being a former wide receiver. Jackson has 23 tackles, 3 interceptions, a pass breakup, and recovered a fumble. KeiVarae Russell is also in his first year starting and is a true freshman who moved over from running back. Russell has 16 tackles and an interception this season so far. Matthias Farley has stepped in for Jamoris Slaughter and has 9 tackles this season. Despite being the youngest unit, many others have had solid playing time in the secondary, as Elijah Shumate and Nicky Baratti (both true freshman), have played in all 5 games so far this season. <br />
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Notre Dame DB's vs. Stanford WR's: Prior to the game against the Hurricanes, the secondary had kept every opposing team below 200 passing yards, but the Hurricanes broke that streak with 201 passing yards, and the secondary has emerged as a major surprise this season for the Irish. Stopping the tight ends who have 50 percent of the teams receiving touchdowns (4 touchdowns out of 8 overall), 34 (about 39 percent of the receptions) of the 88 receptions, and 594 (roughly 51 percent of the yards) of the 1156 receiving yards. They are the big targets in the passing game, but the wide receivers must be accounted for as well. The big matchup is seeing how the defensive backs handle bigger and taller targets this season. It overall should be another even matchup for between Notre Dame and Stanford. <br />
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Stanford DB's: The unit was ravaged by graduation with the loss of three starters, the lone returning starter was Terrence Brown, who has 25 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 interception on the season. Jordan Richards one of many underclassmen starting in the secondary, and has 30 tackles (most out of all defensive backs), 3 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 7 pass breakups as well). Ed Reynolds has 22 tackles, 3 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), and 3 pass breakups. Others have played a lot in the secondary like Usua Amanam, Wayne Lyons, and Devon Carrington. <br />
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Stanford DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's: The Cardinal are allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete a solid amount of passes as opponents have completed 61.2 percent of their passes. The team is ranked 117th in the nation in pass defense and allow 299.4 yards a game, but only have allowed 5 passing touchdowns so far. They will have to account for Tyler Eifert, a tight end that can line up at many spots on the field, but has been double covered a lot of the time. However, this has opened things up for other players in the pass game, such as TJ Jones and Davaris Daniels for instance. While the receiving unit of the Irish is a younger one, it is quite talented and should present quite a test for the Stanford secondary.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza is having a pretty good start in his first season as the starting kicker for the Irish. He has made 8 out of 10 field goals, but missed the last attempt after making 8 in a row at one point. Ben Turk has had some consistency issues at times as the punter, but is averaging 40.3 yards a punt on 20 punts, but has been able to get opponents to fair catch often and put opponents inside their 20 as well, with the punt coverage doing a pretty good job so far. Kyle Brindza is also the kickoff specialist and is averaging 62.1 yards a kickoff, with 12 of his 31 kickoffs being touchbacks as well.<br />
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Stanford Kicking Game: Jordan Williamson had a good start to the season with him making his first 5 field goals of the season, but missed 4 in a row (including 3 misses against USC), but has made the last 2 field goals to put him at 7 out of 11 on the season. He has had one kicked blocked, and the longest was for 46 yards. He also is 1-3 when it is 40 or more yards as well. Daniel Zychlinski is averaging an impressive 42.9 yards a punt and has had 9 punts go for 50+ yards (long is 67 yards), 4 punts have gone for touchbacks, while 12 have been fair caught as well, and 6 were inside the 20 as well. Jordan Williamson is also the kickoff specialist and has been averaging 63.9 yards a kickoff and 11 of the 30 have gone for touchbacks. However, 2 kickoffs went out of bounds as well.<br />
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Stronger Unit: Even<br />
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Notre Dame Return Game: The kickoff return game hasn't done a huge amount this season, which is in part to not allowing many points and opponents doing touchbacks on the kickoffs. George Atkinson III has returned 4 kickoffs for 82 yards, while Cam McDaniel has 1 return for 25 yards. The punt return game hasn't done a lot this season, with Davonte Neal having 8 returns for 28 yards on the season. <br />
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Stanford Return Game: Stanford has done a solid job in the kickoff return game, with Ty Montgomery returning 10 kickoffs for 258 yards and the long being 64 yards as well, but Ty Montgomery will also likely be out vs. Notre Dame with injury. Alex Carter has also returned 5 kickoffs for 110 yards. Drew Terrell has done a great job in the punt return game with 7 returns for 140 yards and a touchdown as well. <br />
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Stronger Unit: Stanford <br />
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Everything Else: Stanford is in the first year without Andrew Luck, who has taken his talents to the NFL as the number one overall draft pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Josh Nunes has done a decent job in getting the ball to his playmakers, which are the two tight ends Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo. Stepfan Taylor is the heart of the offense as the running back is not only a senior, but has accumulated a large majority of the rushing yards, touchdowns, and carries as well. Stanford is also a very physical team, especially in the front seven that helps give it a 6th ranked rushing defense as well. If the Irish take advantage of a young and weak Stanford secondary that gives them the 117th ranked passing defense, it will help in many ways. This would be an ideal time to continue to open up the offense for redshirt freshman Everett Golson, who had a very accurate game and was able to run with the ball as well. The defense for the Irish has been very great, especially when keeping opponents out of the endzone and forcing opponents to kick field goals often. If they shut down Stepfan Taylor, Zach Ertz, and Levine Toilolo on offense, it will be over for the Cardinal offense.<br />
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Prediction: Notre Dame 35, Stanford 13 Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344341341975720155.post-44620102587745982862012-10-04T16:02:00.000-04:002012-10-04T16:02:07.096-04:00Notre Dame-Miami (FL) Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site525/2010/1231/20101231__0101-C1-SunBowlMain_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="340" width="500" src="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site525/2010/1231/20101231__0101-C1-SunBowlMain_500.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Notre Dame QB's: Everett Golson is the starter at quarterback for the Irish and has completed 56.2 percent of his passes for 641 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions on the season. Golson has also rushed for 2 touchdowns this season. Golson apparently had a shoulder injury earlier this season that has healed over the bye week. Tommy Rees has also come in at times this season and has completed 11 of 17 passes for 150 yards, and also has a 2 yard rushing touchdown. Rees has appeared in every game except the opener against Navy, which was due to a one game suspension. Andrew Hendrix has only appeared in one game and completed 4 of 5 passes for 53 yards in the game against Navy.<br />
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Notre Dame QB's vs. Miami (FL) Pass Defense: The Hurricanes are currently ranked 94th in the nation in pass defense. They have allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 56.5 percent of their passes this season, and have allowed 269 passing yards a game along with 7 passing touchdowns, but have intercepted 5 passes this season. This will be the lowest ranked pass defense that the Irish will face so far this season, and look for Golson to have his best game as a Notre Dame quarterback so far against the Hurricanes.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Miami (FL) QB's: Stephen Morris has completed 59.9 percent of his passes so far this season for 1,635 yards along with 9 touchdowns and 4 interceptions as well. Morris has had a large majority of these numbers in the last games where he combined for 1,002 yards, 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in those two games. Backup quarterback Ryan Williams has appeared in 3 games and completed 2 passes out of 2 passes for 7 yards and a touchdown on the season.<br />
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Miami (FL) QB's vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense: The Irish have done quite well in the pass defense even with three players in the secondary having season ending injuries and the secondary being one of the youngest units on the entire team. Notre Dame is currently 19th in the nation in pass defense and has allowed 178.8 passing yards a game, opponents have only completed 54.3 percent of their passes as well, and the Irish have allowed only 3 passing touchdowns all season and have intercepted 8 passes as well. Morris will be the biggest test of the season so far for the Irish, if the secondary continues to give strong performances as they have done all season and shut down Morris, it will continue to climb up in the rankings in the pass defense department and show how far the unit has come as a whole.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame RB's: Theo Riddick has had a majority of the carries in part to Cierre Wood being suspended for the first two games of the season. He has 63 carriers for 242 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns, while George Atkinson III has 19 carries for 146 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns as well. Wood has 17 carries for 95 yards, and should get a larger workload as the season continues to progress as he has contributed with many strong runs this season in the clutch. Cam McDaniel had accumulated all of his rushing numbers against Navy with 9 carries for 59 yards, and is the 4th string running back for the Irish.<br />
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Notre Dame RB's vs. Miami (FL) Rush Defense: The Hurricanes have been horrible against the run this season as they are ranked 115th in the nation and have allowed 225.6 rushing yards a game along with 14 rushing touchdowns. They allowed 96 yards to Boston College in the first game of the season, but since then have allowed well over 200 each game with Division 1-AA team Bethune-Cookman rushing for 233 yards on the Hurricanes defense. Look for the Irish to have the strongest game of the season on the ground as they can rotate between Wood, Atkinson, and Riddick often and have rushing yard numbers comparable to the game against Navy. <br />
Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Miami (FL) RB's: Duke Johnson has had a strong season so far with 359 rushing yards and is averaging 6.9 yards a carry and he also has 5 rushing touchdowns. He has also been a factor in the receiving game with 15 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown. Mike James has also been a factor for the Hurricanes as well with 278 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. Eduardo James is the third-string running back with 50 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on the season. Johnson is one of the best offensive players for the Hurricanes and is only a freshman on top of that. <br />
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Miami (FL) RB's vs. Notre Dame Run Defense: Notre Dame has been very strong in the run defense department this season and are ranked 30th overall in college football. They have allowed 112.5 rushing yards a game this season and have the distinction of being the only team in Division 1-A to have not allowed a single rushing touchdown all season and have played teams that can run the ball often, which makes it look even more impressive on top of that. Containing Duke Johnson is critical for the Irish, and it is more than possible after containing a run-heavy team like Navy, Michigan St.'s LeVeon Bell and Michigan's Denard Robinson so far this season. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame WR's and TE's: DaVaris Daniels and Tyler Eifert are the leading receivers for the Irish and have near identical numbers. Daniels has 159 receiving yards on 9 receptions, while Eifert has 9 catches for 158 yards, and has a touchdown. TJ Jones has 11 receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown and has been vital in the short passing game. Robby Toma continues to be reliable as well with 9 receptions with 91 yards. John Goodman has made 2 important receptions, with one being a 36 yard touchdown as well along with a 10 yard reception for a first down in the game winning drive against Purdue. <br />
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Notre Dame WR's vs. Miami (FL) Secondary: The Hurricanes haven't been strong in the pass defense area and face key matchups with Tyler Eifert and Davaris Daniels. Notre Dame would be best to use Daniels and Eifert in the deep passing game, along with TJ Jones and Robby Toma in the short game, along with utilizing freshman Chris Brown, Davonte Neal, and Justin Ferguson. Brown has had some playing time and has been used on deep routes, but has yet to make a reception, but he should be used more in this game against a 94th ranked pass defense overall.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Miami (FL) WR's and TE's: Phillip Dorsett is having a strong season for the Hurricanes with 28 receptions for 464 yards and 3 touchdowns. Rashawn Scott has also been strong with 17 catches for 326 yards and 2 touchdowns. Davon Johnson has 12 receptions for 194 yards, and Allen Hurns has 14 catches for 177 yards and a touchdown on the season. The Hurricanes spread the ball around with the receivers. Clive Walford is the leading tight end with 10 receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown as well. <br />
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Miami (FL) WR's vs. Notre Dame Secondary: With the way the Hurricanes spread the ball between 4 receivers, it will be the biggest test for the young secondary of Notre Dame. The secondary has defied expectations greatly with multiple season ending injuries and losses such as Harrison Smith and Robert Blanton to graduation and the NFL. If the secondary keeps up the pace and is able to contain the receiving unit, it will be significant.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame OL: The offensive line of Notre Dame has allowed 8 sacks on the season and 22 tackles for loss as well. They have opened up lanes for the Irish to rush for 140.2 yards a game and 8 rushing touchdowns as well. The line is most experienced on the left side with Zach Martin, Chris Watt, and Braxston Cave. <br />
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Notre Dame OL vs. Miami (FL) DL: The defensive line of the Hurricanes has a mix of upper upperclassmen and under underclassmen for starters this season and the defense has accounted for 7 sacks and 26 tackles for loss in 5 games this season and while they don't many sacks, they do seem to be able to get into the backfield often at least. They face an experienced unit in the Notre Dame offensive line that has allowed 2 sacks per game on average and a few tackles for loss a game as well. The offensive line of the Irish should be able to keep the defensive line contained as the run defense of the Hurricanes is one of their biggest weaknesses on the team. <br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Miami (FL) OL: The offensive line of the Hurricanes has been solid with the unit allowing only 7 sacks in 5 games and opening up holes for Duke Johnson and Mike James to run through with a rushing yard average of 144.2 per game and 10 touchdowns overall. The unit features 4 under underclassmen as starters, with 3 of the 4 being sophomores. <br />
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Miami (FL) OL vs. Notre Dame DL: The defensive line of Notre Dame has been absolutely amazing this season and is a young one with sophomores in Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix III. Tuitt has been an absolute force this season with 6 sacks and 6 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery for a touchdown, while Nix has been great at stuffing the run and anchoring the line at nose tackle. The offensive line faces a big matchup with a young and very talented Notre Dame defensive line that has easily able to get into opposing backfields this season.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame <br />
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Notre Dame DL: The defensive line has been extraordinary this season, even with the loss of Aaron Lynch to transfer back in the spring and backup Chase Hounshell being out for the season with an injury. Stephon Tuitt has been one of the best players this season with 6 sacks and 6 tackles for loss. Tuitt also has 14 tackles, 4 quarterback hurries, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Louis Nix III has been great in the interior part of the line with 3 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 passes batted down and has also forced a fumble too. Kapron Lewis-Moore provides the veteran presence on the line as he is in his 4th year starting. Sheldon Day has been great with 2 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss, and the unit overall is very strong too. <br />
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Notre Dame DL vs. Miami (FL) OL: The offensive line has been decent for the Hurricanes by allowing just 7 sacks over 5 games so far, and doing a good job in opening lanes for the running backs, but they face one of the best lines in the country and should be a strong matchup for the Irish down in the trenches. If the defensive line continues to play strong and pressure Stephen Morris and contain the running game, it will be over for the Hurricanes fast.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Miami (FL) DL: The defensive line of the Hurricanes has not accounted for many sacks this season with the defensive line having 6 of the Hurricanes 7 sacks. The unit had many losses after the 2011 season (6 total defensive lineman) and has 2 upperclassmen and 2 underclassmen starting on the line. <br />
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Miami (FL) DL vs. ND OL: The defensive line faces an offensive line that is experienced, but has had consistency issues at times (see Purdue), the line will need to play at a consistent level and repeat what happened last October for the Irish (no sacks allowed in October at all).<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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ND LB's: Manti Te'o is the heart of the defense and has been playing his best season yet for the Irish, he currently has 38 tackles (1st overall for the Irish), 3 interceptions (tied for 1st overall with Bennett Jackson), 2 tackles for loss, 2 pass breakups, 3 quarterback hurries, and 2 fumble recoveries. Te'o isn't the only linebacker who is having a strong season, as Prince Shembo has 17 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and 4 quarterback hurries as well. The unit is pretty deep with many players getting meaningful playing time like Carlo Calabrese, Ishaq Williams, Jarrett Grace. Danny Spond has made 10 tackles on the season after missing the first two games of the season with an injury.<br />
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ND LB's vs. Miami (FL): The big assignment for the linebackers will be containing Duke Johnson and Mike James of the Hurricanes. The two running backs have most of the yards and carries and will provide an interesting matchup for the front seven and if the Irish contain the running game, it will make the Hurricanes more predictable on offense.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Miami (FL) LB's: The linebackers haven't been as strong and had lost an important player to the NFL in Sean Spence and the unit has had issues staying healthy as well. Eddie Johnson is 2nd on the team with 31 tackles and also has 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack and has forced 3 fumbles as well. Denzel Perryman intercepted a pass and ran it back for a touchdown as well. <br />
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Miami (FL) LB's vs. Notre Dame: The linebackers give the Hurricanes one of their weaker front sevens in recent times as the defense has been awful against the run, with 4 of their 5 opponents this season running for more than 200 yards on them, and the only one that didn't was the first game of the season, which means the Hurricanes have allowed 200+ rushing yards a game for 4 games in a row now. The Irish can rotate a lot at running back with Cierre Wood, Theo Riddick, and George Atkinson III. Despite some consistency issues at times for the Notre Dame running game, they should have a really strong game and bounce back.<br />
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Edge: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame DB's: The secondary has greatly exceeded expectations this season by allowing less than 200 passing yards in every single game this season and on top of that have lost a few players to season ending injuries. Bennett Jackson has really come on as a strong cornerback and is third overall on the team in tackles at 22 and has 3 interceptions and recovered a key fumble in the red zone against Michigan. KeiVarae Russell has done well for a true freshman that switched over from running back and has a interception as well. Many other young players have played like Matthias Farley starting after losing Slaughter for the season, and Elijah Shumate and Nicky Baratti getting a lot of playing time as well. <br />
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Notre Dame DB's vs. Miami (FL) WR's: The Hurricanes spread the ball around very well between four different wide receivers. All four have caught passes for over 40 yards, with Phillip Dorsett having a 65 yard reception and Rashawn Scott with a 76 yard reception. This will be a very interesting matchup and the secondary will need to contain them and stay consistent all game and prevent the Hurricanes from spreading it around between the main four receivers. <br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Miami (FL) DB's: The pass defense has also been poor for the Hurricanes as well. The defensive backs only have 3 interceptions (out of 4 overall) this season and have had a couple players miss time this season as well. Defensive backs Brandon McGee, A.J. Highsmith, and Thomas Finnie are the three players who have interceptions this season in the secondary. <br />
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Miami (FL) DB's vs. Notre Dame WR's: The Irish give the Hurricanes a matchup nightmare with Tyler Eifert who can line up at many spots on offense in addition to TE. Davaris Daniels is a great deep threat who had an injury earlier this season, but is healthy now. TJ Jones and Robby Toma get used in the short passing game and should give the defensive secondary another interesting matchup as well.<br />
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Edge: Even<br />
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Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza has made his last 6 field goals to put him at 6 out 7 on the season, with one being the game winner against Purdue earlier this season. Ben Turk is having his best season yet as a punter with a 40.7 yard average and pinning opponents inside the 20 as well and forcing the return specialists to fair catch often. Kyle Brindza handles the kickoff duties with a 62.8 yard average and 10 touchbacks as well. <br />
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Miami (FL) Kicking Game: Jake Wieclaw has made 7 of 11 field goals so far this season, but has missed the last 4 of them, including short field goal attempts (22 and 19 yards) and long attempts (41 and 43). He missed 3 in the last game against NC State and his longest made field goal was for 38 yards. Dalton Botts has had a strong season punting with a 40.2 yard average on 22 punts. He has also put opponents deep in their own territory with 9 inside the 20 and 9 punts were fair caught as well. Jake Wieclaw hasn't been as good on kickoffs with only a 56.4 yard average 2 touchbacks, 2 also went out of bounds too.<br />
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Stronger Unit: Notre Dame<br />
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Notre Dame Return Game: The return game for the Irish has not been able to make an impact this season with George Atkinson III having just 3 returns for 69 yards, while Cam McDaniel has a 25 yard return. The Punt Return game hasn't been strong, but looks improved compared to 2011 with Davonte Neal having 28 yards on 7 returns. <br />
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Miami (FL) Return Game: Duke Johnson has been amazing on kickoff returns with a 29.6 yard average on 14 returns and has a 95 yard kickoff return for a touchdown as well. Phillip Dorsett handles the punt return duties with 9 returns for 62 yards. <br />
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Stronger Unit: Miami (FL)<br />
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Everything Else: The Hurricanes are coming off back to back close wins that were headlined by strong performances by Stephen Morris. The Irish are coming off a bye week after winning back to back games over ranked Big 10 opponents. Notre Dame won the last meeting, the 2010 Sun Bowl where Harrison Smith famously intercepted multiple passes and set a Sun Bowl record in just the first half. The weather calls for temperatures in the 40's during game time that night and this will be the third prime time game in a row for the Irish this season. Look for Golson to bounce back from an off night against Michigan and the running game to have one of their strongest performances yet in the Brian Kelly era. If the defense that is led by Tuitt and Te'o continues to play as strong as they have all season, it will be over quick for the Hurricanes.<br />
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Prediction: Notre Dame 41, Miami (FL) 10 Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0