So if you're the D coordinator for Notre Dame which do you pick?

Do you choose to stuff the run and hope your secondary can cover, or do you cover the pass and hope your big D line can get penetration and disrupt Bell's passing? Also, how did you come to that conclusion?

 

Attack the run first and see if Bell can do it again. He's still inexperienced with only one start so if I were the DC I'd make him prove he can pass over a defense that should be alot better than Tulsa.

 

Agree 100%... But, I think most defenses do the same thing..

 

...and thus we'll see Bell rolling out and flipping 5-8 yard passes to Shepard, Millard and Bester all night long.

 

Defensive gameplan:

Hope the offense scores more than the opponent.

 

It will be interesting. I haven't watched ND games this year, so I'll be watching the MSU game on Saturday. Going by the Tulsa game, our running attack wasn't that effective early in the game. ND may think they can limit our run w/o putting extra men in the box. Then they could try to limit YAC on short throws and make Bell beat them with his arm on medium to long throws which are higher risk. Bell's long throws really floated, but he did have a few medium throws that were beauties.

 

I would load just 7 at most in the box.

I would allow Nix and the other front 7 to attack the run and play zone to protect agains the pass as well.

I dang sure wouldn't put my DBs on an island against OUs WRs.

 

The Irish played a 3-4 against Purdue, and played heavy against the run. They did a pretty good job of keeping Purdue's ground game limited (38 yards, or 1.8 ypc). So, they basically wanted Purdue to beat them through the air, and they couldn't. Purdue is a very mediocre team (their only win was against Indiana State 20-14).

Against Michigan, they played a base 3-4, but brought the OLBs up to the line a lot. The difference was that Michigan had more success running the ball (166, or 4.3 ypc). It's hard to know exactly how successful ND's run defense was, because Gardner accounted for over 80 of the 166 yards. However, ND gave up almost 300 yard passing. Last week, they gave up over 250 yards passing to Purdue.

So, I figure they'll play us just like they played Michigan. Expect a lot of odd man fronts, and a focus on stopping the run. If we can establish a ground game early, it's going to be a long night for ND. If, on the other hand, they are able to shut down our run game (like last year), it'll be interesting to see how they defend the pass.

The zone read could play a big role in this one.

 

I see a lot of zone read and speed option coming into this game. But then again, who knows?

 

Thinking about it some more, I don't see why ND wouldn't just go with the same plan as last year. They completely stuffed our run and limited the passing game to short stuff between the 30s. They don't have Teo this year, but otherwise I think they have a lot of the same starters. Bell could be the key difference on offense. Very small sample, but he seems more confident in the redzone than LJ. And we know for sure he's more mobile and will make a few plays with his legs. Other difference is that we seem to have a better run game (break out game for Ford anyone? ) Brown and Stills will be missed, but Shepard has another year experience and Bester seems solid. I see us scoring more than 13 points for sure.

Off topic, but the real key may be our D against the ND O. They no longer have a mobile QB and our LBs seem to be in position to make tackles this year. That long TD run by Wood last year should have never happened. It was well blocked by ND, but should have gone for 8-10 yards at most with good LB play.

 

Agreed. But, since we think that, then the ND DC probably thinks that...so who knows what will happen?!

 

I have to disagree - my guess is limited zone read with Bell. He just doesn't have the quicks to make someone miss.

 

I don't think you have to be quick and shifty to run the zone read. Vince Young had just a little success with it and he was neither. Bell is not as fast as VY, but he is plenty athletic to have success running it too.

I believe ND will play a lot of 3-4 and expect their big guys up front to be able to hold their own against the run. When we go 4 wide, will probably counter with a 3-3 look because their LBs cannot match up with our slot guys.

It will be a chess match back and forth, but that is what is exciting about our offense this year. We are much more capable of being multiple: 4 wide, zone read pistol, and the 4 back (incl QB) power game. Much more balance and the ability to take what the defense is giving us than we've had in years.

 

See this:

Plus, I know we have some wrinkles in our zone-read that offers a run/pass option. The key is going to be to keep ND off balance on defense. Something we didn't do very well last year.

 

I stick with my prediction

 

VY was plenty fast. He just didn't look like it because he was so tall, but when he got out in the field, he was tough to catch. He also was shiftier than he looked and with his long strides, a simple change in direction could mean another 15 yards instead of 5. I like BB, but he is neither as fast nor as shifty as VY. Bad comparison. He is more akin to a taller, bigger, slightly faster Tebow when he runs.

I do pretty much agree with all of the rest of your post, though.

 

As you should my friend.

 

ND will do like others have surmised; shut down the run and see if Bell can perform in his first road start. Look to see ND play very "chippy" in the 1st Q, to try and get under OU's skin with some almost late-hits and plenty of snagging at receivers...

 

Coaches don't plan for what they haven't seen on film

 

You don't have to make people miss. You have to be able to read the end. The end crashes down with the zone blocking tackle, the QB keeps. The end stays at home, he gives the ball to the RB.