🏈 Bama's Defense vs Notre Dame

I'm with you, Irish#1. I think any Bama fan expecting a cake walk will be in for a rude awakening. I expect a dog fight between two fundamentally sound, defensively strong, well coached teams. It will, no doubt, be the toughest test of the Irish yet, but this is a team that has risen to the occasion and always found a way to win.

Btw, I'm not even going to start with the statistical arguments because our schedules are just too different to make them valid. The top end of yours is impressive, with wins at night in the real death valley, and the taming of the dawgs in the SECCG. The bottom half of the schedule is a puzzle. It seems to me that the only reason the Florida Atlantic Owls should be in Bryant Denny Stadium is because the bus driver pulled over to ask for directions to Middle Tennesee. The same is true of the Western Kentucky "Hilltopppers", the Western Carolina "Catamounts" and the Auburn "Tigers."


I kid you not when I say this.

That Western Kentucky team would beat several on the schedule ND faced this season. They'd kill Wake, but who wouldn't. I'd take WKU versus BC and Purdue.
 
I'll give you Wake and BC, but Perdue was a little tougher than they get credit for. They took the Buckeyes into overtime and eventually worked their way into a new years day bowl. Anyways, I just threw their name in there to make a tongue in cheek jab against Auburn!
 
I see your point, Chief, but trust me, that was a different Irish team. That game was Everet Golson's third collegiate outing. He completed three of eight passes for thirty yards and two interceptions before being pulled in the second quarter. I think you'll agree he's improved since then. And, let's face it, even with that crap performance, the Irish still found a way to win.

I think most Irish fans have no illusions. They recognize that Alabama is a formidable opponent, and that Nick Saban is among the very best coaches in college football. You may well be singing Rammer Jammer come the night of January 7th. My only suggestion is to hedge your bet, and learn to sing it to the tune of "The Victory Clog":cool:
 
If we are going to discuss the lower teams on the schedules, look at how Bama handled every one of those teams. 2nd and 3rd stringers playing early in the 3rd quarter of many. And I'm including teams like UT, Ole Miss, Miss State, Arky, even Michigan. I guess that would really be the middle of the schedule, not even the 3 lower teams. How did ND do against the middle teams like that? Yes, they won them, but they sure didn't dominate several of those. I'm just saying. Gotta look a little deeper than just who each beat, but how they handled the opponent.

And to the defense that the ND QB was in his 3rd game or whatever, I give you Texas A&M QB. I honestly believe he would shred ND at this point in the season. Unfortunately for him and their team, he had to open the season against a gritty Florida team. Not quite as strong as Navy I guess, but what a way to start your career.
 
There is a common opponent. Those two results will yield great insight into what is about to happen on January 7th.

41-14
13-6

BIG difference in all three teams from opening game 'til now.

One game I haven't looked at is the spread for Michigan vs South Carolina. If it's single digits, I'm taking UofSC quickly.
 
-4.5 for UofSC.

That's a taker.


I agree. There's some issues in scUM land that Hoke needs to fix. He's finally abandoned Robinson at QB and the team is kind of relearning at this point.

As I've said before, each game has to be evaluated at the time it was played and not at the end of the season. The Tide started a QB with experience while Golson had never started a game. WKY might give Purdue a good game, but I don't think they would beat them. They started well hit a tailspin, but finally recovered. They gave away the game to OSU. The best thing to happen to Purdue was firing Hope. He was in over his head.
 
Okay, just remember the names Louis Nix, Stephon Tuitt and Kappron Lewis-Moore. Nix and Tuitt will definitley play on Sundays. KLM will get some looks.

But you guys are getting a little too sensitive. Did you not read the part where I agreed that this will be the best o-line and team ND will have faced? Really? The second team will be playing after the first series of the second half?

Not getting sensitive, lol, just talking football...We're all good here :chat2_cheers:
 
Not getting sensitive, lol, just talking football...We're all good here :chat2_cheers:


Fair enough............Here's some points I thought I would share. These were written by another Irish fan but have some validity IMO.

1). Alabama scores a fair number of points if the runners do not go down when we arrive for the tackle --- i.e. yards-after-contact is probably the key to the entire defense. Despite how good their O-Line is, we WILL arrive quickly on the scene. Georgia was a bunch of wimps at the point of contact. We have never been so far. Our only spectacular tackle whiff all year was due to Matthias playing with a broken wrist. Their runners are powerful. We have put down powerful runners already this season with little YAC. What will happen in this game? Let's play it and find out.
2). I can only hope that Saban underrates our linebackers like some opposing fans do. Their opinions are understandable, even though in error. There is no reason why they should know how good Spond and Shembo are, and how solid the Fox/Calabreese chimaera has been. And they have no reason to know how big these guys are. But I know better --- Saban has already mentioned the linebackers and not as if they are "Te'o and the other guys". He knows that it's going to be a true test and it's likely that a lot is riding on how well McCarron plays.
3). Notre Dame's offense will depend almost entirely on Everett having a good game. Alabama's secondary and linebacking speed will probably prevent a big gasher running play, like we've surprised so many opponents with to date. Still, they are understandably underrating the simmering dynamite that all three of our running backs and several of our receivers bring to the field. There is no reason for them to understand that Notre Dame's lack of consistent big numbers from any one player is due not simply to Kelly's need to be a little conservative with a rookie QB, but even moreso with his philosophy of distributing the offense in unpredictable ways, while still going with the hot runner.
4). I REALLY hope that Saban underrates Tyler Eifert like some fans seem to. Anyone looking just at stat sheets might do that. But Eifert is a monstrous threat and all the pro scouts know it. From the second game of the season onwards, opposing DCs have had to scheme to double Eifert and force the young QB to go elsewhere. Even then it doesn't always work, as we know. Eifert is a defense-warper. He gets things a little out-of-balance --- the only way to survive him. But, I have already heard Saban mention "the tight end", so he knows too.
Everett and McCarron are the keys. Fans from both sides are almost certainly far too ignorant to accurately assess the opponent's true strength. McCarron is the vet --- one would think that he'd show up. Everett is the dazzler --- if he shows up, too, it just might be the difference. If Golson avoids rush [and he can], and gets lanes-of-sight to throw through, I believe that nobody in the country realizes what a bunch of jocks Eifert, TJJones, Daniels, Toma, Riddick, CBreezy, and Niklas are. People think that we have a mediocre receiving core... I'll bet Saban doesn't agree.
People believe that because we don't run up a lot of points that this offense is mediocre. Well, we'll see, of course, but there is a much more relevant factor. It is Diaco's defensive philosophy. Diaco protects against the big play and counts on one of two things happening: a]. the opponent doesn't have the discipline and precision to maintain a many-play drive, or b]. once they get to the red zone, he doesn't have to protect as much field, and the great front seven makes life very difficult for every offense faced so far. The relevance of this to offense is that ND almost always has a long field that it must negotiate. A sack or a 15-yarder in there somewhere stops the drive. We usually get in the endzone more than "they" kick field goals, and it's a win so far. Kelly tolerates this defensive theory because the front seven warrants it. If they can limit Alabama to no long plays and mainly field goals, it will be the same story that we've seen this season... score just enough to win.[/
 
I can guarantee that Saban is not underestimating anything ...With 35 days, he's probably evaluating how good your scout team is right now lol

My biggest concern, as you mentioned, is your TE...Big threat on 3rd down(which has been our achilles heel), big play possibility...Sunseri did a pretty good job at shutting down Georgia's TE until that last drive, where he had 3-4 catches I believe. SO that should be an intriguing match-up, thank god we have that time off though to fix some issues and get back to fundamentals.

From a physical stand point, I think ND matches up as well as anyone against Alabama. But you have to believe with this time off and Alabama getting healthy again, the defense having this time off, it surely will be hard to run the ball, and nothing Saban wants more is to get a inexperienced QB without a running game.

As I have said in almost every game, time of possession....its the absolute most important thing in this game..With two great defenses like this, whoever can maintain long consistent drives and score inside the redzone will win this game.
 
I can guarantee that Saban is not underestimating anything ...With 35 days, he's probably evaluating how good your scout team is right now lol

My biggest concern, as you mentioned, is your TE...Big threat on 3rd down(which has been our achilles heel), big play possibility...Sunseri did a pretty good job at shutting down Georgia's TE until that last drive, where he had 3-4 catches I believe. SO that should be an intriguing match-up, thank god we have that time off though to fix some issues and get back to fundamentals.

From a physical stand point, I think ND matches up as well as anyone against Alabama. But you have to believe with this time off and Alabama getting healthy again, the defense having this time off, it surely will be hard to run the ball, and nothing Saban wants more is to get a inexperienced QB without a running game.

As I have said in almost every game, time of possession....its the absolute most important thing in this game..With two great defenses like this, whoever can maintain long consistent drives and score inside the redzone will win this game.

Eifert is one of the two best TE's in the country along with the kid from Stanford. At 6'6" he's a matchup nightmare and has better then average speed for a TE. He'll beat a LB almost everytime and when they line him out wide on a CB, they just throw high and outside where only he can get it. He was always Tommy Rees first target when he was in the game. Over the course of the season Golson has come to learn what a valuable receiver he is and has thrown a lot more to him which is good for us.

I agree about the TOP. Both teams want to run the ball and control the clock. As far as time for preparation, I would imagine both coaches will be looking over everything time and again. With Kelly new to the big stage, he doesn't get the attention Saban does for preparing, but the changes Kelly made from last year to ths year shows me he is a fast learner and doesn't overlook anything.
 
I'm with you, Irish#1. I think any Bama fan expecting a cake walk will be in for a rude awakening. I expect a dog fight between two fundamentally sound, defensively strong, well coached teams. It will, no doubt, be the toughest test of the Irish yet, but this is a team that has risen to the occasion and always found a way to win.

This Bama fan agrees. I certainly don't take the Irish lightly. I'm sure Saban doesn't either.
 
130.png

(18) Michigan 6

(2-2, 0-2 away)


87.png

(11) Notre Dame 13

(4-0, 2-0 home)




Team Stat Comparison



[TABLE="class: mod-data, width: 0"]
<tbody>[TR="class: team-color-strip, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]MICH[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]ND[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]1st Downs[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]19[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Total Yards[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]299[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]239[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Passing[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]138[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]145[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Rushing[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]161[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]94[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Penalties[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]5-38[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]5-49[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]3rd Down Conversions[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]8-15[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]3-9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]4th Down Conversions[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]1-1[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]0-0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Turnovers[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]6[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Possession[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]33:19[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]26:41[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

130.png

(8) Michigan 14

(0-1, 0-1 away)


333.png

(2) Alabama 41

(1-0, 1-0 home)



Team Stat Comparison



[TABLE="class: mod-data, width: 0"]
<tbody>[TR="class: team-color-strip, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]MICH[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]ALA[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]1st Downs[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]11[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]20[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Total Yards[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]269[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]431[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Passing[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]200[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]199[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Rushing[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]69[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]232[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Penalties[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]8-99[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]7-55[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]3rd Down Conversions[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]3-12[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]3-10[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]4th Down Conversions[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]0-1[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]0-0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Turnovers[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]3[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Possession[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]28:34[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]31:26[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
 
Last edited:
130.png

(18) Michigan 6

(2-2, 0-2 away)


87.png

(11) Notre Dame 13

(4-0, 2-0 home)




Team Stat Comparison



[TABLE="class: mod-data, width: 0"]
<tbody>[TR="class: team-color-strip, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]MICH
[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]ND
[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]1st Downs
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]19
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]14
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Total Yards
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]299
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]239
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Passing
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]138
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]145
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Rushing
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]161
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]94
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Penalties
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]5-38
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]5-49
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]3rd Down Conversions
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]8-15
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]3-9
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]4th Down Conversions
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]1-1
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]0-0
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Turnovers
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]6
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]2
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Possession
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]33:19
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]26:41
[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

130.png

(8) Michigan 14

(0-1, 0-1 away)


333.png

(2) Alabama 41

(1-0, 1-0 home)



Team Stat Comparison



[TABLE="class: mod-data, width: 0"]
<tbody>[TR="class: team-color-strip, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]MICH
[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]ALA
[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]1st Downs
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]11
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]20
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Total Yards
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]269
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]431
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Passing
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]200
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]199
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Rushing
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]69
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]232
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Penalties
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]8-99
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]7-55
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]3rd Down Conversions
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]3-12
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]3-10
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]4th Down Conversions
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]0-1
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]0-0
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: left"]Turnovers
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]3
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #F1F1F1, align: right"]1
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TD="class: bi, bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: left"]Possession
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]28:34
[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, align: right"]31:26
[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

I don't think this means much as of today. Too many variables and changes. First this was early in the season and Golson was still trying to get his feet under himself with the offense. Remember Rees came in and finished the game. Also, as big of a game that it was for UM to play Alabama, it was not a rivalry game for them. The history of ND & UM is bitter. Many ND faithful think the UM game is bigger than the USC game. With UM having lost to the Tide they certainly didn't want to lose that second game and take themselves out of contention for a BCS game or possible run at the NC.
 
I mentioned Eifert last week several days before we played UGA. In the same post I mentioned we have to be careful of what Riddick and do lining up in the slot.

I make that point not in an "I told you so" vein, but to make this point.

If I can see those two players being a faction of the ND offense that has to be accounted for I'm fairly confident saying our defensive coaching staff will notice as well.
 
I mentioned Eifert last week several days before we played UGA. In the same post I mentioned we have to be careful of what Riddick and do lining up in the slot.

I make that point not in an "I told you so" vein, but to make this point.

If I can see those two players being a faction of the ND offense that has to be accounted for I'm fairly confident saying our defensive coaching staff will notice as well.

Eifert just won the Mackey Award. I would tend to agree with this. :tennis:
 
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