[November 5, 2005] #8 Notre Dame (5-2) vs Tennessee (3-4)

[BGIF]

Reports are mixed as to the health of backup RB Arian Foster (knee and shoulder) and LG Rob Smith (possibly the best OL) for the ND game. Recent reports say they should play but at the least Foster and Smith are banged up. The loss of RB Riggs for the season and possibly Foster coupled with the wounded Smith has got to lessen the threat of a running attack. Riggs averaged 88 yds/game and Foster only 40 - while healthy. Together they represent 128 yds/game on a team ranked 98th on Division I averaging only 110 yds/game. Putting it another way, Riggs (530 yds) and Foster (285yds) total 815 yds rushing between them, while as a TEAM, UT has 775 yds rushing. The entire team has negative yardage without Riggs and Foster.

Ainge and a likely one back set (FB Anderson 4 carries for 9 yds in 7 games) if Foster is out sound like UT's foregoing the running game for an air assault on the ND secondary. UT's leading receivers Fayton, Mecham, and Swain each average 3 catches/game. Swain leads with 36 receiving yds/game. None of the WRs are considered burners. The FB Anderson is the leading receiver out of the backfield with 11 catches for 105 yds, no TDs. The TE is featured in the UT passing game, TE Chris Brown averages 1 catch/game for 10 yds, no TDs.

Ainge is completing 41% of his passes 38/85 for 323 yds, 2TDs and 4 ints while averaging only 3.8 yds/attempt. His QB Efficiency Rating is 71.45. Clausen's is 118.68. By comparison Brady Quinn's is 161.87.

Recently demoted OC Randy Sanders was in his 7th season as UT's OC. The problem seems to be the talent rather than his system considering UT's won loss record over the past 7 years. UT has struggled with dual QBs, the lack of a deep threat WR, and the lack of the home run threat TB they've usually had.

Despite playing a competitive struggle they only given up 16.0 points/game the problem is they've only scored 16.14 points/games. UT has scored 113 points while allowing 112. On a quarter basis, UT and Opponent have scored 31 points each in the 1stQ. In the 2nd Q UT has a 2 point edge, 22 -20. In the 3rd Q UT also has a 2 point edge 17-15. The 4th Q has been the most prolific for UT AND the Opponents with the Opponents outscoring UT 43-37. UT outscored LSU 6-3 in their only OT game. For the season UT has a negligible, 7 second/game, Time Of Possession advantage.

The clear advantage UT has demonstrated is a pass rush. They have recorded 21 sacks while allowing 10.


UT has lost 3 in a row for the first time under Phil Fulmer. The last time UT lost 3 in a row in 1992, head coach Johnny Majors was fired and replaced by Fulmer. The Vols have not lost 4 in a row since '88.

 

[BGIF]

Keys to the Big Games - Tennessee vs. Notre Dame
By John Harris College Football New

a. What Next? – All year long, the Tennessee offense has struggled to, well, do much of anything. Run or pass, there has been no consistency in either phase of the game. The offense that tore Texas A&M a new one in last year’s Cotton Bowl has been nowhere in the vicinity of Knoxville or any other SEC city where the Vols have gone to visit. The lack of success for Tennessee finally was too much for offensive coordinator Randy Sanders to handle. Well, former offensive coordinator, that is. With Sanders ‘resigning’ this week, it’s difficult to say how this will affect the Vol offense for the rest of the year. A bowl is still a question mark, but with games against Memphis, Kentucky and Vanderbilt, it’s still plausible, even with a loss this week to Notre Dame. But, this was a team with a potential Heisman candidate at RB, an experienced offensive line and an underrated group of receivers. Offensive impotency was not expected at all. But, it’s come to this for the underachieving Vols, and what transpires could be both good or bad on Saturday. The bad is that, even head coach Phil Fulmer, has no clue what to expect. Will Fulmer want to continue to pound the ball and establish the run against the Irish? Or, will he go to more three receiver sets and let the QB, be it Rick Clausen or Erik Ainge, sling the ball all over South Bend? The sad thing, for as much as he shot himself in the foot, on and off the field, former Vol QB Brent Schaeffer was such a change up in the offense. He could generate some offense just by scrambling away from pressure. Once he was gone, teams didn’t fear this offense at all. Sure, Schaeffer couldn’t throw the ball that well, but he gave this team such a different dimension. Enough about the past. The good may be that Notre Dame has no idea what to expect either. There’s no sense to make a change in this position, no matter whether Sanders resigned or not, if you’re not going to mix it up a little bit on offense. So, throw the defense some new curve balls. See if they can adjust. Get them running over to the sideline yearning for adjustments and confused as could be. Notre Dame has been rattled much this year, but that’s what Tennessee has to try to do. The ultimate key will be how hard this group competes on Saturday. No matter what they do, if they don’t get after it, a fifth loss will be on the horizon.

b. V is for Victor – Overshadowed by the success of the Notre Dame offense and also by other more well-known defensive ends in college football, Victor Abiamiri is quietly making a name for himself. If you don’t think that Abiamiri is a disruptive force off of the edge, just ask Winston Justice from USC. Early in the first quarter, USC QB Matt Leinart dropped to pass, but just as he was throwing the ball, Abimiri planted the Trophy, after having embarrassed Winston on his way to the USC QB. As the season has transpired, Abiamiri has evolved into a solid replacement for former DE Justin Tuck, and may end up being better than the former Irish star when he’s done in South Bend. At 6’4” and 260, he’s the perfect size for a 4-3 rush defensive end, and if you’re talking explosiveness and quickness off of the snap, this is your guy. With the secondary giving up more than 300 yards through the air, the Irish DE has to be even more disruptive in the pass rush than in any game this year. As mentioned above the Tennessee offense is dying a slow death, and a couple of key plays by Abiamiri could help contribute to the on-going free fall. The Vol offensive tackles haven’t shown that they can effectively protect the QB, so this could be a huge game for the emerging Irish DE.

c. Hot Stov(all) – Every week, defensive coordinators have more than likely looked at film and pinpointed the one guy that their defense has to stop. Darius Walker has to be stopped. Michigan did that, then the Shark, WR Jeff Samardzija took over. Then, USC and BYU tried to focus on the Shark, and Maurice Stovall went nuts. So, who do you stop now? Stovall lit up the Notre Dame record book (14 catches and four touchdowns against the Cougars) with what he did to BYU and another few performances like that and the physically gifted star might find himself moving up the NFL draft charts rapidly. Regardless, against Tennessee, there may be no answer for either Stovall or Samardzija, the Shark. The Vols haven’t seen two big, physical and capable receivers like the two they’re going to see on Saturday, and all the safety help in the world won’t be able to help them. The Vols are a speedier bunch, but the Notre Dame receivers have seen fast, and that hasn’t stopped them this year. The problem for Tennessee is that Stovall and the Shark are so tough to tackle after the catch that, as long as Brady Quinn has time to throw, the Irish passing game can put up a large number to say the least. Tennessee has to hope that their front four can put Quinn on the move or they may get burned by the hot Stov(all). Get it?

Conclusion – Now, you wouldn’t think that the Irish would lose the first game after Charlie Weis signed a new contract extension, would you? Tennessee is a desperate team and that can be dangerous, but the offense is in such disarray that the defense is going to have to carry them. But, they don’t match up well with this Notre Dame offense. Tennessee may score, as the Irish defense is still a step behind their offensive brethren. But, in this ‘new’ college football world, offense wins championship, the defense is just along for the ride. Okay, so that’s not as catchy, but this week in South Bend, it should ring true.

Notre Dame – 27 vs. Tennessee – 20

 

[bigdon]

Tenn is going to be mad in this game. They have been put to shame on their own field and fumbled away two of their losses.

Their passing game is ashambles and if they have any hope against ND it will have to come from the defense.

ND should take them but beware of the "cornered rat". They have nothing to lose.

 

[jiggafini19]

I don't see any heart or fire in this team. None.

I really hope that Minter's 11 take action. Act, not react. ATTACK. This offense is a stuck boar right now. Finish it off and put them out of their misery. Make Erick Ainge wish he was playing for Pat Summit and not Phil Up My Plate Fulmer.

Then show Jimmy Clausen what could happen to him if he goes to SC and hit big brother in the mouth a few times too.

ND will score enough points to win this game. I am leaving this game in the hands of Minter's 11 against a horrible Vol offense.

And I still have no idea who has the advantage....

 

[bigdon]

This Tenn class is filled with 4 and 5 star people. It is a solid lesson that the chemistry of the team is much more important then the glitter of the recruits.

We can go back to the Weis comments when he took the job. Recruits coming to see ND either feel it is the place for them or not. He wants those who fit the mold because 4 years of discontent can wear on a team.

Fulmer is a great coach--his statistics are awesome. but sometimes you get a team that doesn't jell and there's nothing you can do. Many coaches lose jobs because of it.

 

[guff]

A couple of times I've said ND has to be careful, this is a 'trap' game. The more I think about the more I realize it isn't.

Unprepared teams get 'trapped'. This team will not be unprepared. The defense for all its faults has handled lesser offenses (Pitt, Michigan, Washington) pretty well. The offense has improved every week. And scary thought for any defense, the offense will improve again this week.

After the @ss whipping ND hands 'em, the Vols will be wondering why the hell they volunteered in the first place.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

What is the status of Foster at the moment? probable to play? I knew he had some nagging injuries