Guest Preview: Notre Dame @ Stanford

In this week's special Thanksgiving Guest Preview, Irish Creed writer IrishGirl10 breaks down the matchup between #6 Stanford and 

#22 Notre Dame:

IrishGirl10's Game Preview:

In the words of quarterback Tommy Rees, last Saturday’s win over the Eagles of Boston College “wasn't pretty, it wasn't at times the most successful offense we have had, obviously, but anytime you can get a win this late in November you'll take it.”  Considering I would like to forget everything that happened after that beautiful 80-yard opening drive, capped off with a 26-yard scoring rush by Jonas Gray, I will wholeheartedly agree with him and move on.  And thus, with the defeat of BC officially in the books, these Irish eyes will turn to the last game of the season and, undoubtedly, the toughest one yet: Stanford.

Going into Saturday, the Cardinal will hold a #6 BCS ranking and a 10-1 record – their only loss at the hands of Oregon.  Notre Dame is sitting at #22 and 8-3.  The Irish have played 3 ranked teams this year.  Though they pulled out a win over Michigan State (#14), they had devastating losses to Michigan (#15) and USC (BCS ineligible, but currently #10 by AP).   Arguably USC is the best team the Irish have faced this season, and they walked away with a loss.  Stanford, on the other hand, brought the Trojans to triple-overtime and managed to scrape out a win.   However, there is more to this upcoming face-off than rankings and records – let’s break it down:

Offense:

For Stanford, this can be summed up in two words: Andrew Luck.  Back for another season after rumors of a move to the NFL, Luck dominates every field he steps onto – boasting 2,937 yards and 31 touchdowns thus far this year.  Although his Heisman candidacy has recently found itself on unsteady ground, there are many who believe he’s a shoe-in for the award; not to mention he’s already been flagged as the likely first overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft.  Luck may be known for his arm, but Stanford’s rushing attack is equally potent – bolstered by a strong offensive line featuring left tackle Jonathan Martin and right guard David DeCastro.  This all amounts to an offense that has scored at least 30 points in each game this year – topping out at 65.  Notre Dame’s offense, conversely, has struggled to find consistency (apart from its turnovers).  In terms of passing, quarterback Tommy Rees has some phenomenal options: Tyler Eifert, TJ Jones, Theo Riddick (in question due to a hamstring injury), Robby Toma, and, of course, Michael Floyd.  Lots of options, however, have often resulted in lots of interceptions – especially when the ball is forced to Michael Floyd, who is rarely, if ever, found in single coverage.  The running game, initially a victim of turnovers this season, has come to find steady success in the hands of Jonas Gray and Cierre Wood.  Unfortunately for the Irish, Gray is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL last week against Boston College, which effectively halves the rush options and shifts a greater share of the scoring burden onto a rocky pass game.

Advantage: Stanford.

Defense:

Among the better offensive teams they’ve seen this season, the Stanford defense has given up an average of 40 points (ND’s offense averages 32).  They have also been known to struggle significantly against the pass - ranking #78 overall in yards allowed per game and tallying only 4 interceptions, both of which will come in handy should the Irish find themselves unable to fill the shoes of Jonas Gray.  Their star linebacker Shane Skov (Freshman All-American 2009) is out with an injury, leaving the Cardinal with lineman and 5th year senior Matthew Masifilio as the lone returning starter.  Overall, the Cardinal defense is nowhere near the level of its stellar offense.  In a stark contrast, the effort of the Irish defense has often directly carried its team to a win – especially when the offense has struggled to put points on the board.  They have allowed an average of only 20 points per game this season and in their last four games they’ve managed to keep three of their opponents under this mark.  They are in the top thirty for both scoring defense and total defense and have a total of 7 interceptions for 152 yards.  Led by Manti Te’o and team captain Harrison Smith, the Irish defense is not to be taken lightly.

Advantage: Notre Dame

With a BCS Berth, Pac-12 Championship, and potential Heisman Trophy on the line, Andrew Luck and the Cardinal won’t go down easy.  They are an elite team and on a level above any of the opponents the Irish have faced thus far.  In the past two seasons, however, the Irish have caused Luck to experience his lowest passer rating (119.7), been one of only two teams to force more than 1 interception, and held Luck to under 60% completion.  In sum, Saturday is going to be a battle determined by Cardinal offense and Irish defense.  With an inspired offensive performance and consistent defense, Notre Dame has the potential to squash Cardinal dreams and regain the respect and reputation it deserves as a program.

Fightin' Irish seniors must rise above
 in their last regular season game.

TheNDleprechaun's Score Prediction:  

While Andrew Luck is undoubtedly the best all-around player the Fightin' Irish will have faced thus far, it will take more than one player to beat the Boys in Blue & Gold.  If the beasts along Diaco's defensive front can control the line of scrimmage and shut down the Cardinal running game, then we just may have a chance to throw Luck off his game with a fierce pass rush on 3rd and long situations.  Fittingly, the contest should come down to whether our three leaders (Smith, Te'o, Floyd) can rise above the rest in what will probably be the last regular season game any of them ever play for Notre Dame.  If Smith and Te'o can neutralize Luck, and Floyd can take control of the game every time he steps on the field similar to the way Golden Tate did last time Notre Dame played at Stanford, we just may be able to keep Kelly unbeaten in the month of November.

In the end, Luck's Cardinal falls prey to the Luck of the Irish: 34-30.

Hopefully the Leprechaun can pump out 34 handstand pushups this year.

GO IRISH! BEAT $C!

Notre Dame Law School Tuition: $42,870.00

Football Student Ticket Booklet: $215.00

Lane Kiffin's Face When the Irish Win: Priceless

Score Prediction:  

University of Notre Dame: 37

University of $anctioned Cheater$: 27

Game Balls:

Defense:  

Manti proves he made the right decision on Signing Day
by scoring his first career TD.

Offense: 

At 6'3", Floyd goes HAM against U$C's 5'8" and 5'9" corners.

Despite Snow, Kelly's Staff Strikes Recruiting Gold

Despite witnessing the aftermath of a record-setting snowfall that has blanketed much of campus, Florida native and highly touted football prospect Aaron Lynch finally committed to Notre Dame today over Miami and Florida. Lynch will enroll early three days from now, joining fellow incoming defensive end Ishaq Williams in the classroom as the newest members of Kelly's 2011 recruiting class.

Both Lynch and Williams have been highly regarded as two of the top pass rushers in the nation at the high school level, and they will be joining a lineup that brings together several more standout athletes on the defensive side of the ball, including Stephon Tuitt, another defensive end that remains "firmly committed" to the Fighting Irish despite his current visit to Georgia Tech.

Assuming that all 22 members of Kelly's first true recruiting class will remain committed until National Signing Day, the Notre Dame coaching staff will have brilliantly composed an army of reinforcements that could have an immediate impact as they supplement an already surging defense next season.

It has been a long time since the Notre Dame defense struck fear into the hearts of opposing players, but defense just might be the key to Kelly's vision of a hard-nosed football team and his desire to put the "fight" back in the Fighting Irish.

Coupled with the return of Hurricane Floyd, these mid-winter additions to an already powerful defensive front should warm the hearts of all those Fighting Irish fans who are looking forward to a successful 2011 season.

(View Lynch's film review here)

(View Tuitt's film review here)

Sun Bowl Awards

The 2010 Fighting Irish celebrate after defeating Miami 33-17
 in the Hyundai Sun Bowl (Louis Nix throws down an upside-down "U")

The Fighting Irish finished off 2010 with a 33-17 win over the Miami Hurricanes in the Hyundai Sun Bowl, completing a four-game winning streak during which they outscored opponents 108-39.  The offense jumped out to an early lead, and the defense completely shut down Miami's passing game en route to a dominating performance.

Top-Ten most valuable influences on the game:

1.  Brian Kelly –  It was evident from the outset that Kelly had his team motivated, focused, and ready to play despite the many distractions that go along with playing in a bowl game.  He obviously took advantage of the 15 bonus practices between the win over U$C and the Sun Bowl, coming up with a crisp game plan that utilized Notre Dame's strengths and took advantage of Miami's weaknesses perfectly.  It all starts at the top, and due to Kelly's coaching the Fighting Irish were worlds apart from a sloppy and flat Miami team who may have treated their trip to El Paso as nothing more than a vacation.  Unfortunately for them, their holiday was cut short with a rude awakening due to the lethal combination of sub-40 degree weather and an opponent that wanted it much more than they did.

2.  Bob Diaco –  Our defensive coordinator took a tremendous amount of heat after an embarrassing defensive performance against Navy followed by a loss to Tulsa.  Since then, he has engineered a total transformation by forming a defense that has been truly lights-out.  The trend began against the high-powered Utah offense, which could not find the endzone in Notre Dame Stadium, and it continued when U$C could not establish a run game on senior night in the Coliseum.  In the Sun Bowl, Miami's ground attack never had a chance to get going and Diaco's defensive scheme tormented the Hurricane quarterbacks from the outset.  For the first time in a while, defense has become a strength at Notre Dame thanks to Diaco.

3.  Tommy Rees – Kelly's choice for the game ball, the now 4-0 signal caller looked like anything but a true freshman against Miami.  He showed poise in the pocket as he methodically and systematically picked apart a defense that ranked #2 in pass efficiency during the regular season.  Not only did he connect on accurate throws all game long, but he easily recognized and exploited the mismatches that his receivers created.  Most importantly, he played within himself while executing Kelly's game plan brilliantly.

4.  Michael Floyd - Nobody was going to stop Mike from playing like Mike in what may turn out to be his last game for the Fighting Irish.  The superstar receiver broke the all-time record for touchdown receptions in the first quarter, going on to finish the game with 6 catches for 109 yards with 2 scores.  He earned the MVP accolades he was awarded at the end of the game by imposing his will on Miami's secondary, just as he did against U$C and throughout his career at Notre Dame.  He will be sorely missed if he does end up heading to the NFL in 2011, but his leadership and many clutch performances will not be forgotten.

5.  Harrison Smith – Harry became the definition of ball-hawk against Miami, flying all over the field on his way to 7 tackles and 3 interceptions.  Every time Miami looked like they might get a drive started while the game was still within reach, he snatched away all hope by coming up with a big play.  More than once, he came out of absolutely nowhere to jump a route and rip the ball away from a receiver.  Not only did he force Harris our of the game after picking him off for the second time, but he added one against Morris as well.  Needless to say, both quarterbacks are probably still having nightmares about #22.

6.  Theo Riddick – The Chronicles of Riddick continued as Theo returned to his true form by making Riddick-ulous plays in various roles within the Fighting Irish offense.  He helped establish the running game by presenting a dangerous threat every time he lined up in the wild-cat (or Leprechaun, as Kelly calls it) formation, and he showed off his natural ability by gaining positive yardage several times even when plays broke down.  Hopefully his Sun Bowl performance was just a glimpse of future greatness as Kelly continues to come up with creative ways to get him the ball.

7.  Robert Hughes – The only downside to Hughes' recent explosion is that it took this long for him to realize his full potential.  The big bruiser ran with authority in the Sun Bowl, leaving bruised and battered Hurricanes in his path.  His power provided the perfect compliment to Cierre Wood's speed and Theo Riddick's moves, and he even showed off some impressive speed when he caught up to his own fumble along the sideline.

8.  The Irish O-line: Zack Martin, Chris Stewart, Braxston Cave, Trevor Robinson, and Taylor Dever - These beasts gave Rees more than enough time to shred Miami's secondary, and they opened up holes for Hughes, Wood, and Riddick early and often against a defense that was ranked #1 in tackles-for-loss during the regular season.  Most importantly, they set the tone early on by smashing the Hurricane defense in the mouth and letting everyone know that the Fighting Irish came to play.

9.  David Ruffer – Can everyone please beg Brian Kelly to give this kid a scholarship?  (Ask him via twitter!)  Even though he had his first miss of the season, he accounted for 12 points, including an impressive 50 yarder that effectively put the game out of reach before halftime.  Notre Dame hasn't had a consistent kicker in years, and Mr. Dependable continued to prove himself worthy of a scholly with this latest performance.

10.  El Paso, Texas – The hometown crowd sent a volley cheer on high when the Fighting Irish took the field, and they continued to provide Notre Dame with the clear home-field advantage throughout the contest.  The 37 degree temperature coupled with a dusting of snow didn’t hurt either.  Even though the Miami quarterbacks probably won’t blame all those interceptions on their ridiculous neck-warmers (shouldn't the Convicts be well accustomed to wearing ski-masks?!) their discomfort was evident.  While almost all of the men from South Bend went sleeveless, the boys from South Beach looked eager to pack their bags and head back to warmer weather (ironically, chants of "Warm up the bus!" could be heard before the first half even ended).

Film Review: DaVaris Daniels

Chicagoland athlete and fresh commit DaVaris Daniels is a do-it-all high schooler who will almost surely play receiver at ND.

According to Scout.com, he’s 6-2 with a 41-inch vertical. While his junior film doesn’t fully showcase that vertical, he looks all of 6-2 and possibly larger. These measurables are Daniels’ greatest strengths, and they allowed him to pick up yards as a QB receiving shotgun snaps in a run-first spread. He’s a long strider with similar speed but purer running form than Michael Floyd. Daniels showed smooth cuts for his size on a punt return 4:04 into his junior tape:




Daniels’ most glaring weaknesses result from not being an every-down WR and from playing relatively weak competition. Extrapolating from highlights how the team’s offense works in a game, the scheme doesn’t ask him to block as a WR because when he’s in as a WR, they’re throwing and probably to him. Fortunately, Daniels’ strong frame gives him the potential to overcome this weakness in college. His inability to protect the football is also a concern. Daniels holds the ball far away from his body, and on the last-minute, game-winning score featured in the first three minutes of the film, he was fortunate his unnecessary fumble stayed in the endzone for him to fall on it.

I don’t think anybody can be called a possession receiver in Kelly’s offense, but he fits this scheme similar to slightly bigger but less athletic Armon Binns of Cincinnati. Daniels’ frame also at least opens the door for him to play defense, but I expect Kelly to use him solely as an outside receiver. While he isn’t polished now because he’s not an every-down receiver, rarely leaving the field for Vernon Hills might keep Daniels in good enough shape to handle the Kelly work volume right away. Even so, Daniels will need time getting fully acquainted with the receiver position before Kelly is comfortable playing him.

Film Review: The Atkinsons

In addition to sustaining ND's recruiting presence in California, Sunday commitments from twin brothers Josh Atkinson and George Atkinson III provided a bright spot a day after Saturday's painful loss.

Josh is a prep running back and cornerback, and he definitely projects as a corner in college. Josh compensates a lack of elite speed and burst with a smooth backpedal, 6-0 size, and press coverage technique, as shown in his junior highlights. He is comfortable defending WRs man to man with no help. While Josh uses his frame to jam WRs at the line, he wasn't as strong a tackler as I expected. Luckily, ND defensive backs coach Chuck Martin seems to be able teach sound tackling. Fellow commit Jalen Brown is a more ready-made option at this stage, but Josh can also play early, and he gives ND the benefit of sliding Eilar Hardy or Matthias Farley to safety.

While Josh meets a specific skill and dramatic need, George has 'big skill' versatility. In his run-heavy film, George receives hand-offs both as a tailback and a WR in motion. The frequency of end arounds and sweeps clouds George's value as a college RB. Opposing teams in the highlights didn't challenge George to do much other than get to the corner and take off. Given that the style George played in high school will rarely work in college, the tape is more entertaining than evaluative, such as when George breaks 4 tackles at the 1:56 mark:



Nonetheless, credit George for top-shelf speed (10.59 100 meters) and fluidity. He is less polished as a WR than as a back, but that's a product of his high school's basic passing attack. Long arms, a slender 6-2 frame, and ability to get downfield make George an outside receiver instead of a tailback in college. He is a game breaker and a constant threat for YAC chunks. Atkinson's open-field ability will challenge the Wood-Riddick return duo from day one.

Atkinson III is a playmaker more in the mold of Golden Tate than Michael Floyd. Like Tate, this all-around athlete with a high ceiling might take a year learning the system and the position. However, Kelly has been unsatisfied with the WR corps he inherited and has played only 4 true WRs, including Theo Riddick, for 3 spots. Floyd's possible early exit could make George a freshman starter. Although he has neither of TJ Jones' built-in advantages (playing in a high school spread and enrolling early to get acclimated to BK's work volume), George is probably more athletic than Jones. His impact is only a matter of time, and he's a future star in Kelly's offense.

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!

Coordinating the Irish

During Friday’s media session, ND offensive and defensive coordinators dug into personnel specifics and were generally more critical than Kelly’s even-keeled opener that didn’t give away many secrets, promises, or even sound bites for that matter.

Sure, our Kelly green-clad leader highlighted a couple freshman WRs, but about the boldest declaration he made was that ND is “going to be dynamic” returning kicks. It probably made for the second-best sound bite, right next to his sarcastic nod to the media asking if they knew the goal is always to win ‘em all. Kelly, who seemed pumped up, didn’t make any promises he can’t keep or hype any player up too much, and that’s a good thing. He even admitted that “the jury’s still out” on if he was the right hire. Kelly played his cards right today.

Defensive coordinator Bob Diaco largely kept to this script but went deeper with his trademark emphasis on a player’s size profile. After laughing when reporters asked what 6-3, 350 freshman Louis Nix has been eating, Diaco lost the smile on his face when he said a college nose tackle should be in the 290-300 range with possibly more weight as the exception. “Nix is getting his body in position to compete,” according to Diaco, adding that “it’s going to be awhile.”

Offensive coordinator Charley Molnar was jovial and charismatic throughout the portion of the interview that UND.com aired live. Reading his body language, Molnar seemed ecstatic to have so many offensive weapons at his disposal. He actually reminded me a lot of Kelly’s spring mantra: super excited to be at ND and to work with our great players, but still staring down a ton of work.

Molnar offered more sound bites about our skill position guys: He confidently asked, “If you double team Kyle Rudolph, what kind of coverage are you playing on Michael Floyd?” Negatively, he said Floyd “was not there at the end of spring ball” in terms of work rate and that “he can get better in so many ways,” including adding moves and “a shake.” Molnar said Floyd’s biggest weakness is blocking consistency, similar to Duval Kamara, whom Molnar said “needs to be a great blocker every single play.”

BK said ten linemen are in the serious mix, but Molnar singled out center as “a position of great competition.” Similarly, Molnar talked about the tackle battles but wasn’t afraid to show his concern that none of the four options for two spots have any career starts.

Kelly admitted strengths, “vulnerabilities,” (I guess he truly doesn’t like weakness) and question marks but didn’t put any too high or too low. The more detailed and critical assessments by Molnar and Diaco complimented Kelly’s part as the calculated, confident leader. Overall, the three segments showed that the staff has a solid grip on what to do this August and how to manage the players physically and mentally.

Early-Impact Freshmen

Most ND freshman football players report to campus today. Here are the five freshmen most likely to contribute in the fall. The Irish aren’t counting on many freshmen to play immediately. For 2010, freshman impact generally constitutes competing with the second unit.

1. T.J. Jones
Probable starter at WR after fast-paced spring. Expect his 2010 numbers to fall somewhere between Floyd’s freshman receiving record from ’08 and Kamara’s then-best ’07 numbers.

2. Luke Massa
Top Kelly target since the coach’s UC days, and Massa should give Nate Montana serious competition for the second-string job right away. He’s already been participating in voluntary summer drills for two weeks.

3. Christian Lombard
Played well in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Could be an instant second teamer at right tackle. On signing day, Kelly said Lombard was “going to help us short term.”

4. Austin Collinsworth
More likely to play in part because he’s the ultimate in versatility, although the coaches like him at WR. Kelly said Collinsworth “physically is going to be able to compete immediately.” Dad Cris included former pro teammates in saying he’s “never met a more competitive kid in my entire life.” Austin’s a winner whose high school dominated Kentucky competition to three consecutive state championships and a No. 3 USA Today national finish. Assuming his broken thumb from last fall is fully healed, he could make a special teams unit or possibly inroads at safety, a position of concern.

5. Bennett Jackson
He’ll be hard pressed to break into the WR two-deep but track speed and YAC penchant give Jackson a chance. More likely, he’s one solution to Kelly’s trial-and-error search for a dynamic returner.