quiksilver253
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Boston College Offense vs. Notre Dame Defense
QB Matt Ryan appears to be gaining momentum in the Heisman race but he isn't the only member of the backfield that has excelled in first-year head coach Jeff Jagodzinski's offense. RB Andre Callender is a perfect match for Jagodzinski's zone blocking schemes, as he reads his blocks well, makes crisp cuts and explodes through seams as they open. He should be able to help keep Ryan out of situations with pass-heavy tendencies working against an Irish run defense that's giving up an average of 4.1 yards per carry. However, don't expect him to have a career day. Boston College's zone blocking principles, which require linemen to block areas rather than assignments, will be tested by a Notre Dame front that uses both three and four man fronts. That could be an issue for a relatively inexperienced front five that had some problems adjusting to different alignments against an aggressive Massachusetts defensive front two weeks ago. Backup L.V Whitworth, who is at his best pounding the ball between the tackles, won't have it easy either. ILB Maurice Crum is coming off a heroic performance against UCLA and he is a sound open field tackler who flashes the ability to deliver the big hit.
Boston College at Notre Dame
Boston College vs. Notre Dame
When: Oct. 13 (3:30 p.m. ET)
Where: South Bend, Ind.
Preview: Can Notre Dame make it two wins in a row?
Ryan has thrown for over 300 yards in four of the Eagles' six games and over 400 yards in two of those games. His poise, intelligence and accuracy has simply allowed him to pick opposing defenses apart so it's imperative the Irish force him to get rid of the ball before he can locate the open man. That won't be easy since few teams have given up fewer sacks than Boston College this year but Notre Dame has the edge in two areas. The first is the Eagles have had problems picking up blitzes and it should come as little surprise considering the entire right side of the line is first-year starters as is OC Matt Tennant. Both Crum and SS Tom Zbikowski have the closing speed and power to get to exploit this weakness given the opportunity. The second is LDE Trevor Laws will work against true freshman ROT Anthony Castanzo. Costanzo is tall and lacks ideal bulk, making it difficult for him to maintain a low center of gravity and anchor in pass protection. Meanwhile, Laws is versatile enough to line up at defensive tackle and has the lower body strength to drive Costanzo back into the pocket. It's also worth noting that Ryan must be aware of NT Pat Kuntz when throwing short over the middle. Kuntz, who has knocked down six passes this year, keeps his head up and gets his hands up when he isn't going to get to the quarterback. That said, it's important that the Irish don't show blitz too early and Laws stays alert to screens. Ryan and seasoned WRs Brandon Robinson and Kevin Challenger will make the correct adjustments if they see pressure coming. Callender is capable of turning a short gain into a big play.
Notre Dame Offense vs. Boston College Defense
The suspension of DT BJ Raji and absence of OLB Brian Toal because of a shoulder injury raised concerns about Boston College's ability to stop the run but the Eagles haven't blinked. Actually, they gave up an average of 3.5 yards per carry last year and are now giving up an average of just 1.9 yards per carry. Even without Toal in the lineup, the linebackers anchor this unit. Team captain ILB Jolonn Dunbar locates the ball quickly, takes sound pursuit angles and tackles well. On the outside, Tyrone Pruitt plays with a mean streak and Mark Herzlich has done an outstanding job of filling in for Toal. It also helps that they play behind DT Ron Brace who is a massive interior run stuffer. On the flip side, Notre Dame has struggled to establish an effective running game. Though he's run hard, RB James Aldridge is raw and he's still learning to read his blocks. The fact that short-yardage back Travis Thomas isn't consistently pushing the pile and picking up yards after contact only makes matters worse. And it certainly hasn't helped that their offensive line isn't driving defenders off the ball with any regularity. The bottom line is the Irish don't have the personnel to run the ball effectively against this Boston College defensive front.
No team has surrendered more sacks than Notre Dame thus far and there's reason to believe its problems keeping QB Jimmy Clausen upright will continue. First off, the protection has been shaky. LOT Sam Young has been far to slow getting into his pass sets so he's having a difficult time preventing edge rushers from turning the corner. He'll face off against RDE Nick Larkin who returned from a knee injury last week and retuned an interception for a touchdown. His blend of quickness and athletic ability will give Young problems. It doesn't get any better for the Irish on the other side where ROT Paul Duncan lacks the foot speed to counter double moves. He'll face LDE Alex Albright. Albright has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the nation this year and he has the athletic ability to exploit Duncan's weakness. Secondly, WRs David Grimes, George West, Robby Paris and Duval Kamara aren't getting open quick enough and they will struggle to separate from DCs DeJuan Tribble and Taji Morris. Tribble is one of the best in the nation and Morris is an effective complement. And as an added advantage, Tribble and Morris can crowd the line of scrimmage because Notre Dame isn't taking many shots downfield. Clausen hasn't been as accurate and has a tendency to lock onto receivers when throwing downfield. On that note, if Clausen doesn't do a better job of using his eyes to keep the defense off balance the result could be a costly turnover because FS Jamie Silva intercepted three passes last week. Thirdly, Clausen is holding onto the ball too long when he does get protection. He's raw and still learning how to make accurate presnap reads as well as adjustments on the fly. Last week the Irish shored up the protection in two ways, which were keeping up to three tight ends to help out and running a lot of play action. Both were effective in the sense that they gave Clausen time. However, keeping seven-to-eight blockers limited Clausen's option forcing him to throw into tighter space. Play action was more effective because the offensive line is better flying off the ball than it is dropping back into pass protection and it can still give Clausen plenty of options. It also helps free up one of Clausen's best targets in TE John Carlson.
Special Teams
Key individual matchup
Boston College LOT Gosder Cherilus vs. Notre Dame OLB John Ryan
Ryan, who played defensive end last year, can line up at either defensive end or outside linebacker allowing Notre Dame to make smooth transitions from three-man to four-man fronts. He is quick, athletic and relentless, but he'll struggle against Cherilus regardless of where he lines up. Cherilus uses sound footwork to mask his lack of ideal quickness, and he has the long arms to ride Ryan past the pocket when he's at defensive end. He also keeps his head up, so he'll be able to locate Ryan when DE Dwight Stephenson shoots inside and Ryan rushes from the outside linebacker position. Once in position, Cherilus has the size, power and balance to stop Ryan's forward momentum. It will be an even greater mismatch when Boston College runs the ball. Cherilus is a powerful drive blocker who is capable of engulfing Ryan at the point of attack.
Boston College PK Steve Aponavicius has been reliable hitting on seven of his eight field goal attempts, and he's shown some range with a long of 45 yards. KOS Billy Bennett is averaging just 57.1 yards a kick and has recorded only three touchbacks in 33 attempts this season. P Johnny Ayers is averaging 40.7 yards per punt and he's been accurate placing 12 of his 32 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. For the Irish, Zbikowski is a fearless punt return man with adequate speed and he has a long of 47 yards on the season. The kickoff return unit poses less of a threat to the Eagles, as Armando Allen is averaging a pedestrian 20.4 yards a return. In addition, Boston College's punt and kick coverage have been excellent this year.
Notre Dame PK Brandon has connected on four of his five field goal attempts and displayed a strong leg with a long of 48 yards. Nate Whitaker hasn't gotten a lot of work on kickoffs because the Irish have only had to kick off 14 times this far. He has recorded no touchbacks and is averaging a par 60.1 yards an attempt. Making matters worse, the punt coverage has been amongst the most porous in the nation and Jeff Smith and Robinson both had kick returns of 50 plus yards for the Eagles last week. Notre Dame P Geoff Price is averaging 41 yards per punt and has placed seven of 38 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Tribble returns punts for the Boston College. Though he is averaging 7.2 yards a return, he is explosive and he faces an Irish punt cover unit that has been adequate at best.
Scouts' Edge
On the surface, this appears to be a trap game for Boston College. With a trip to Blacksburg on the horizon, an Eagles team that unexpectedly finds itself in the top five could overlook struggling Notre Dame. On the flip side, the Irish are coming off their first win of the season and playing at home. Here's why the upset doesn't happen: Coach Jagodzinski has done an excellent job of keeping his team focused, and he isn't going to need much help this week because of the rich history between these two schools. In addition, unlike programs like Auburn and West Virginia, Boston College isn't the only show in town. The Eagles have to compete with the Red Sox playoff run, an impressive start from the Patriots and a revamped Boston Celtics team for media coverage. The chances of their players getting big heads are far less than in other towns.
Prediction: Fighting Irish 35, Eagles 10
QB Matt Ryan appears to be gaining momentum in the Heisman race but he isn't the only member of the backfield that has excelled in first-year head coach Jeff Jagodzinski's offense. RB Andre Callender is a perfect match for Jagodzinski's zone blocking schemes, as he reads his blocks well, makes crisp cuts and explodes through seams as they open. He should be able to help keep Ryan out of situations with pass-heavy tendencies working against an Irish run defense that's giving up an average of 4.1 yards per carry. However, don't expect him to have a career day. Boston College's zone blocking principles, which require linemen to block areas rather than assignments, will be tested by a Notre Dame front that uses both three and four man fronts. That could be an issue for a relatively inexperienced front five that had some problems adjusting to different alignments against an aggressive Massachusetts defensive front two weeks ago. Backup L.V Whitworth, who is at his best pounding the ball between the tackles, won't have it easy either. ILB Maurice Crum is coming off a heroic performance against UCLA and he is a sound open field tackler who flashes the ability to deliver the big hit.
Boston College at Notre Dame
Boston College vs. Notre Dame
When: Oct. 13 (3:30 p.m. ET)
Where: South Bend, Ind.
Preview: Can Notre Dame make it two wins in a row?
Ryan has thrown for over 300 yards in four of the Eagles' six games and over 400 yards in two of those games. His poise, intelligence and accuracy has simply allowed him to pick opposing defenses apart so it's imperative the Irish force him to get rid of the ball before he can locate the open man. That won't be easy since few teams have given up fewer sacks than Boston College this year but Notre Dame has the edge in two areas. The first is the Eagles have had problems picking up blitzes and it should come as little surprise considering the entire right side of the line is first-year starters as is OC Matt Tennant. Both Crum and SS Tom Zbikowski have the closing speed and power to get to exploit this weakness given the opportunity. The second is LDE Trevor Laws will work against true freshman ROT Anthony Castanzo. Costanzo is tall and lacks ideal bulk, making it difficult for him to maintain a low center of gravity and anchor in pass protection. Meanwhile, Laws is versatile enough to line up at defensive tackle and has the lower body strength to drive Costanzo back into the pocket. It's also worth noting that Ryan must be aware of NT Pat Kuntz when throwing short over the middle. Kuntz, who has knocked down six passes this year, keeps his head up and gets his hands up when he isn't going to get to the quarterback. That said, it's important that the Irish don't show blitz too early and Laws stays alert to screens. Ryan and seasoned WRs Brandon Robinson and Kevin Challenger will make the correct adjustments if they see pressure coming. Callender is capable of turning a short gain into a big play.
Notre Dame Offense vs. Boston College Defense
The suspension of DT BJ Raji and absence of OLB Brian Toal because of a shoulder injury raised concerns about Boston College's ability to stop the run but the Eagles haven't blinked. Actually, they gave up an average of 3.5 yards per carry last year and are now giving up an average of just 1.9 yards per carry. Even without Toal in the lineup, the linebackers anchor this unit. Team captain ILB Jolonn Dunbar locates the ball quickly, takes sound pursuit angles and tackles well. On the outside, Tyrone Pruitt plays with a mean streak and Mark Herzlich has done an outstanding job of filling in for Toal. It also helps that they play behind DT Ron Brace who is a massive interior run stuffer. On the flip side, Notre Dame has struggled to establish an effective running game. Though he's run hard, RB James Aldridge is raw and he's still learning to read his blocks. The fact that short-yardage back Travis Thomas isn't consistently pushing the pile and picking up yards after contact only makes matters worse. And it certainly hasn't helped that their offensive line isn't driving defenders off the ball with any regularity. The bottom line is the Irish don't have the personnel to run the ball effectively against this Boston College defensive front.
No team has surrendered more sacks than Notre Dame thus far and there's reason to believe its problems keeping QB Jimmy Clausen upright will continue. First off, the protection has been shaky. LOT Sam Young has been far to slow getting into his pass sets so he's having a difficult time preventing edge rushers from turning the corner. He'll face off against RDE Nick Larkin who returned from a knee injury last week and retuned an interception for a touchdown. His blend of quickness and athletic ability will give Young problems. It doesn't get any better for the Irish on the other side where ROT Paul Duncan lacks the foot speed to counter double moves. He'll face LDE Alex Albright. Albright has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the nation this year and he has the athletic ability to exploit Duncan's weakness. Secondly, WRs David Grimes, George West, Robby Paris and Duval Kamara aren't getting open quick enough and they will struggle to separate from DCs DeJuan Tribble and Taji Morris. Tribble is one of the best in the nation and Morris is an effective complement. And as an added advantage, Tribble and Morris can crowd the line of scrimmage because Notre Dame isn't taking many shots downfield. Clausen hasn't been as accurate and has a tendency to lock onto receivers when throwing downfield. On that note, if Clausen doesn't do a better job of using his eyes to keep the defense off balance the result could be a costly turnover because FS Jamie Silva intercepted three passes last week. Thirdly, Clausen is holding onto the ball too long when he does get protection. He's raw and still learning how to make accurate presnap reads as well as adjustments on the fly. Last week the Irish shored up the protection in two ways, which were keeping up to three tight ends to help out and running a lot of play action. Both were effective in the sense that they gave Clausen time. However, keeping seven-to-eight blockers limited Clausen's option forcing him to throw into tighter space. Play action was more effective because the offensive line is better flying off the ball than it is dropping back into pass protection and it can still give Clausen plenty of options. It also helps free up one of Clausen's best targets in TE John Carlson.
Special Teams
Key individual matchup
Boston College LOT Gosder Cherilus vs. Notre Dame OLB John Ryan
Ryan, who played defensive end last year, can line up at either defensive end or outside linebacker allowing Notre Dame to make smooth transitions from three-man to four-man fronts. He is quick, athletic and relentless, but he'll struggle against Cherilus regardless of where he lines up. Cherilus uses sound footwork to mask his lack of ideal quickness, and he has the long arms to ride Ryan past the pocket when he's at defensive end. He also keeps his head up, so he'll be able to locate Ryan when DE Dwight Stephenson shoots inside and Ryan rushes from the outside linebacker position. Once in position, Cherilus has the size, power and balance to stop Ryan's forward momentum. It will be an even greater mismatch when Boston College runs the ball. Cherilus is a powerful drive blocker who is capable of engulfing Ryan at the point of attack.
Boston College PK Steve Aponavicius has been reliable hitting on seven of his eight field goal attempts, and he's shown some range with a long of 45 yards. KOS Billy Bennett is averaging just 57.1 yards a kick and has recorded only three touchbacks in 33 attempts this season. P Johnny Ayers is averaging 40.7 yards per punt and he's been accurate placing 12 of his 32 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. For the Irish, Zbikowski is a fearless punt return man with adequate speed and he has a long of 47 yards on the season. The kickoff return unit poses less of a threat to the Eagles, as Armando Allen is averaging a pedestrian 20.4 yards a return. In addition, Boston College's punt and kick coverage have been excellent this year.
Notre Dame PK Brandon has connected on four of his five field goal attempts and displayed a strong leg with a long of 48 yards. Nate Whitaker hasn't gotten a lot of work on kickoffs because the Irish have only had to kick off 14 times this far. He has recorded no touchbacks and is averaging a par 60.1 yards an attempt. Making matters worse, the punt coverage has been amongst the most porous in the nation and Jeff Smith and Robinson both had kick returns of 50 plus yards for the Eagles last week. Notre Dame P Geoff Price is averaging 41 yards per punt and has placed seven of 38 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Tribble returns punts for the Boston College. Though he is averaging 7.2 yards a return, he is explosive and he faces an Irish punt cover unit that has been adequate at best.
Scouts' Edge
On the surface, this appears to be a trap game for Boston College. With a trip to Blacksburg on the horizon, an Eagles team that unexpectedly finds itself in the top five could overlook struggling Notre Dame. On the flip side, the Irish are coming off their first win of the season and playing at home. Here's why the upset doesn't happen: Coach Jagodzinski has done an excellent job of keeping his team focused, and he isn't going to need much help this week because of the rich history between these two schools. In addition, unlike programs like Auburn and West Virginia, Boston College isn't the only show in town. The Eagles have to compete with the Red Sox playoff run, an impressive start from the Patriots and a revamped Boston Celtics team for media coverage. The chances of their players getting big heads are far less than in other towns.
Prediction: Fighting Irish 35, Eagles 10
