Shamrock Series: Washington D.C.

"You know what the difference is between you and me?  
I make this look good."

The Fightin’ Irish might want to borrow Wil Smith’s classic line from "Men in Black" when they take the field against Maryland in Washington D.C. this Saturday.  Both teams will be wearing alternate versions of their standard uniforms, with Notre Dame rocking the two colors that all Leprechauns love (Green and Gold), and Maryland featuring the look of their unique state flag split down the center in an ensemble that Harvey Two-Face would be proud to call his own. 

These Terps are wearing the same jersey...

Since Maryland lacks any significant sense of football tradition, no one really cares about the ridiculous changes they continue to implement with their uniforms each week. At Notre Dame, on the other hand, so-called “purists” and “traditionalists” of the less-than-enlightened sort tend to exclaim that the end is near every time a single stitch appears contrary to their liking.  What these naysayers fail to understand, however, is that shamrocks and holographic helmets do not equate to the end of all tradition. Rather, these uniforms provide a fresh way to celebrate the highly successful “Home Away From Home” games each year while staying true to the FIghtin’ Irish brand.  Plus, when viewed in their entirety, these Emerald Green and 24K Gold beauties purvey a sense of badass Fightin’ Irish swagger that should prove to be really really ridiculously good-looking under the lights in FedEx Field. If it’s true that the way you look impacts the way you feel, which in turn impacts the way you play, then the FIghtin’ Irish are going to be really really ridiculously good in all respects on Saturday night. 

Putting all bias aside, it's clear to see that Adidas and Notre Dame have outdone UnderArmour and Maryland in this one.  You should expect a similar outcome on the scoreboard at the end of the game as well.  Here's why:

Defensive Analysis:

Maryland’s offense has enjoyed spurts of success this season by catching defenses off-guard as they utilize a dual-quarterback system. They have shown a lack of consistency against well-prepared opponents, however, and I trust the Notre Dame coaching staff has made sure to take the element of surprise out of the equation, especially considering the talented scout team quarterbacks at their disposal during practice. The Fightin' Irish defense may be pretty banged up, but Ethan’s return will provide the veteran leadership that has been lacking along the line. One area of weakness that may be a cause of concern is the lack of depth along a Fightin’ Irish secondary that will be forced to line up against multiple WR sets early and often.  Even so, this should give Jamoris plenty of opportunities to continue his ball-hawk ways from the nickel position.  If I was a betting man, I would put some money on another INT for #26. Finally, Manti will continue to assert his presence as the anchor of Diaco’s defense despite being hobbled by an ankle injury.



Offensive Analysis:

Year one of the Randy Edsall era has been less than smooth for the 2-7 T(w)erps of Maryland. Much of this can be attributed to his defense (or lack thereof). It's more than fair to say that they have done little if anything to stop the run this year, serving up huge helpings of yardage to far less physical offensive lines blocking for far less talented running backs (reference: Backup College). They can’t tackle, they can’t shed blocks, and when they stack the box to stop the run they can’t seem to cover wide receivers (which presents a problem when faced with the likes of Mike). This will be a great game for Mike Golic Jr. to get his feet wet in his first career start by doing what offensive linemen love most: run-blocking all day long. I’ve been itching to see the special edition “Swagger” gloves that allegedly have Golden palms with a shamrock printed across them. Luckily, I shouldn’t have to wait too long for Cierre Wood to flash them into the camera in signature style after his first trip to the endzone. 

Score Prediction:

Fightin’ Irish: 41

Fightin’ Turtles: 13

Offensive Game Ball: 

Cierre Wood – The shiftier of our two prize ponies will make Maryland defenders miss time after time as he gallops his way to well over 100 yards against a team that had trouble making tackles all season.



Defensive Game Ball: 

Jamoris Slaughter – The ball-hawk / X-factor of our nickel defense will see ample playing time against an offense that uses multiple WR sets regularly. Unfortunately for Maryland, this will only present him with more opportunities to make big plays. Pick 6 anyone?

Do you think this Terp wears matching socks to class?

"When Irish Backs Go Marching By"

As the oft-forgotten lyrics of the traditional ND football song proudly proclaim, "...when the Irish backs go marching by, the cheering thousands shout their battle cry..."  This year, more so than those of recent past, two "Irish Backs" in particular have proven the once-famous line true.  For that reason, the Irish rushing attack, which was originally pegged as a weakness by experts during the preseason, just may be the key to the rest of our season.  With little depth behind them, it is up to running backs Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray to share a heavy load as the workhorses that drive our offense.  Luckily, they seem to be hitting a galloping stride at just the right moment.

Cierre Wood has steadily built his game up to a level deserving of the
praise given by Brian Kelly during the preseason when he described him
as a "complete player."  Expect big things out of
"Two Oh" over the remainder of the season.

Through our first 5 games, we are averaging an impressive 5.41 yards per carry and 179.6 yards per game on the ground.  In our most recent game, we racked up 289 rushing yards against a Purdue defense that prides itself on stopping the run.  This bodes extremely well for us as we hit the heart of our season, especially considering both Wood and Gray recorded career highs on the same night.  If they can continue their ways, a mountain of pressure will be lifted off of Tommy Rees's shoulders (see our game against Purdue) as the ability to establish the run early on forces the opposing defense to commit, thus rendering their line unable to go all out rushing the pass and their secondary unable to double-cover Michael Floyd (which prompted the announcer to describe Mike as "a weapon that cannot be stopped" midway through our game in West Lafayette).

Next up, we have a matchup against the most talented service academy team, the ever-scrappy and never-quitting Air Force squad that boasts one of the nation's best rushing attacks with the type of option-style offense that keeps Bob Diaco up at night.  While we know we will be seeing almost nothing but running plays from them, they should expect much of the same from us as we look to exploit their  114th ranked rushing defense with our two aforementioned workhorses.  Hopefully doing so will allow both Wood and Gray to peak in confidence prior to facing the staunch rushing defense of U$C (ranked 37th) after the bye.  Due to that bye, both backs should have had enough rest to get their legs back by the time we play the Trojans.  Thus, I expect Brian Kelly to run them ragged against the Flying Falcons of Air Force.

Gray has been able to bounce back from the costly fumble that turned the tide against the Irish during the opening drive of the season against Southern Florida.  Not only has he proven his ability to pick up tough yards between the tackles, but he showed Pitt that he can be a home run threat as well by breaking a 79 yard touchdown.

As a former running back, I personally prefer run-oriented play calling that allows the backs to develop into a rythm.  I'm excited to watch what Wood and Gray can do against an Air Force defense that our offensive line should have no problem dominating due purely to size differential.  Look for Cierre to build upon, and possibly top, his career high 191 yard performance last week as the line gives him time to choose his holes and make the moves that have launched him into the spotlight as the 14th ranked leading rusher in the NCAA.  When we need tough yards against their gritty defense that we should expect to go all out every single play, Jonas should be able to prove that his past two 90-plus yard games weren't flukes.  If all goes according to plan, we may even get to see some carries from upcoming freshman speed demon George Atkinson III.

IBG: Let’s Get This Party Started Edition

Thanks to Frank at UHND for writing the questions for the ND v. Purdont week Irish Blogger Gathering. Check out our responses, and feel free to let us know what you think:

1. Name one offensive player and one defensive player you are most excited to see in the new systems and why.

tendomer:
Kyle Rudolph - Wildcat possibility is a savage wrinkle.
Darius Fleming - The mike makes the calls, but the cat makes the big plays.

TheNDleprechaun:
Theo Riddick - Playing slot WR in the spread will give him opportunities to unleash his talent and rack up YACS.
Ethan Johnson - Returning to his rightful position as a DE will set him up for a breakout year.

2. What’s one reason you think Brian Kelly is the right coach this time. What’s one reason you think he might not be?

tendomer:
- He went 34-6 at Cincinnati.
- I prefer a run-first power offense, although Kelly’s preference for the pass is generally overstated because of last year’s departure from his usual balance.

TheNDleprechaun:
- BK understands the true significance of his job as the head football coach at Notre Dame.
- Trick question, he is the right coach.

3. A lot of people are labeling Purdue, Boston College, and Michigan State as toss up games. Considering Notre Dame beat all three of these teams during the disappointing 2009 season, do you consider these games toss-ups or games you expect Notre Dame to win?

tendomer: Notre Dame is heavily favored against and will defeat Purdue. BC and MSU are toss-ups largely because they’re on the road and likely both at night, and I expect ND to split this pair.

TheNDleprechaun: Unfortunately for Purdue, they drew the unlucky slot as the first opponent BK and the new Fighting Irish will face. Also, I don't care what the circumstances are, every Domer should always expect to beat Backup College. As for little sparty... this picture should sum it up:


4. What’s one reason you think Notre Dame could shock the world and pull of another 1964-type season? What’s one reason you’re concerned we might see more of a 1997-type season?

tendomer: The parallels to the book Resurrection are startling, and Kelly's recent admission that he could not imagine ND being his first head coaching job evokes Parseghian's quote about needing every one of his previous years as a head coach. BK's 19 seasons means there's no chance of a '97 repeat.

TheNDleprechaun: BK inherited extremely talented players, and the changes he has already made since coming here will produce a newly energized team focused on doing everything possible to win.

5. Which freshmen do you see contributing the most on the field this year (outside of TJ Jones – that’s too easy)?

tendomer: Austin Collinsworth: Occasional minutes at WR will supplement his time starting on all four special teams units with fellow freshman Danny Spond, whose spot behind Manti Te’o means he won’t play much outside special teams

TheNDleprechaun: Do redshirt freshmen count? Cierre Wood will be the next big time Irish RB to become a household name. Start preordering your #20 jerseys now.

6. Other than Dayne Crist (too easy again) who is the one player Notre Dame can least afford to lose to injury for any significant period of time?

tendomer: Ethan Johnson: The drop off from starters to reserves is steep at both ends in the three-man front.

TheNDleprechaun: Manti Te'o...then again... you can't hurt steel...

7. 2010 Season Predictions

a. Notre Dame record
tendomer: 10-3
TheNDleprechaun: 13-0

b. Bowl game for Notre Dame with opponent
tendomer: Orange v. VT
TheNDleprechaun: National Chamionship v. Boise St.

c. Final ranking
tendomer: 14
TheNDleprechaun: 1

d. Opponent with the highest final ranking
tendomer: Boston College
TheNDleprechaun: Stanford

e. Notre Dame’s offensive & defensive MVP
tendomer: Dayne Crist, Manti Te’o
TheNDleprechaun: Michael Floyd, Manti Te’o

f. Best opponent offensive & defensive player
tendomer: Ronald Johnson, USC; Greg Romeus, Pitt
TheNDleprechaun: Andrew Luck, Stanford; Greg Romeus, Pitt

g. Best opposing coach
tendomer: Kyle Whittingham
TheNDleprechaun: Lane Kiffin...wait, best for our program or for theirs?

h. Game you are most excited to watch
tendomer: Purdue
TheNDleprechaun: Witnessing the Fall of Troy when the Irish storm the Coliseum

i. Game you wouldn't mind watching on DVR
tendomer: Re-watching the game is the only acceptable answer
TheNDleprechaun: What is Tulsa?

j. National Champion
tendomer: Alabama
TheNDleprechaun: Notre Dame

k. Heisman Winner
tendomer: Mark Ingram
TheNDleprechaun: Michael Floyd

l. Purdue game prediction
tendomer: Notre Dame 45, Purdue 21
TheNDleprechaun: ND 41 - PU 17 (haha their initials are PU)

GO IRISH! BEAT BOILERS!

Film Review: Justice Hayes

Four-star running back and new commit Justice Hayes is quicker than he is fast, using agile footwork to overcome average height (5-10) and lack of breakaway speed (though Rivals lists a 4.44). Top-shelf acceleration and a self-reported 35-inch vert are his best traits athletically. Hayes shows fundamentals by moving the ball to his outside hand when necessary, but he also has serious moves, such as the nasty stop-and-start at the 1:52 mark of his junior tape.

Please note to turn off sound if you're at work:



Hayes needs to work on pass blocking and following blocks, especially when collegiate defenders marginalize his quickness. He looks comfortable running in a spread offense, and he will probably play RB at Notre Dame. His ability to catch passes out of the backfield will help his cause either as a back or moonlighting as an inside receiver. He has the talent to take some carries away from probable future starter Cierre Wood. Even if or when Hayes isn't the featured back, his moves and pass-catching ability will earn him touches in some capacity.