Sep 24 | at Pittsburgh

[irishff1014]

This needs to be statement game. Where we play great in all aspects of the game and win by 20 points.

 

[BearGB]

This needs to be statement game. Where we play great in all aspects of the game and win by 20 points.

As much as I would love that, right now, I would be very happy with a win. I know we are capable of better, but I will never be upset with a win.

 

[Rudy89]

we should win but im always gonna be weary even moreso after USF but I hope we dominate and really get things going to have a great run, that and i want mark may to be humbled on college football final like he was last year.

 

[D-BOE34]

I want a slaughter! 55-14 type game.

 

[BobD]

I want a slaughter! 55-14 type game.

I hope like hell you mean 55-14 for ND or are you a NDOM disciple?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

As usual, Football Outsiders' 2011 preview of Pitt is well worth the read.

<table style="margin-top: 8px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 204); " border="1"><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; ">Four-Year F/+ Rk</td><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " align="right">22</td></tr><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; ">Five-Year Recruiting Rk</td><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " align="right">33</td></tr><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; ">TO Margin/Adj. TO Margin****</td><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " align="right">+1 / +1.5</td></tr><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; ">Approx. Ret. Starters (Off. / Def.)</td><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " align="right">16 (8, 8)</td></tr><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; ">Yds/Pt Margin*****</td><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; " align="right">-2.2</td></tr></tbody></table>
With quite a bit of experience returning to a team that has performed at a Top 25 level in recent years and recruited relatively well for a Big East team, Pittsburgh is going to be projected quite high in this year's Football Outsiders Almanac 2011. And with their offensive potential, they might live up to the projections. But the defense concerns me. They do not appear built for a smooth transition to the 3-4, with the shift in personnel placing extra emphasis on last year's weakest unit (linebacker) and turning a somewhat light line into a really light line. If the front seven holds up, and if the secondary avoids injury, then Pittsburgh could be outstanding in 2011. But as I've said before, give me two if's, and I can make just about any team really good.

The schedule is both encouraging and difficult. Of the ten BCS conference teams on the slate, six come to Heinz Field, which is good. The Panthers should certainly be able to sell tickets for a home lineup of Notre Dame, South Florida, Utah, UConn, Cincinnati and Syracuse. (They also host Buffalo and Maine, giving them a semi-obscene eight home games in all.) But with trips to Iowa, Rutgers, Louisville and West Virginia, it is difficult to determine Pittsburgh's ceiling. (Well, it's always difficult to determine their ceiling.) If they truly are a Top 20 team, then just about every game but @WVU is winnable ... but if they are no better at taking advantage of opportunity in 2010, then they could sink as low as 6-6 or 7-5. This should be a solid team, but the if's involved make this one of the shakier projections you will find in the upcoming Football Outsiders Top 25.

Then again, if the Pirates can find themselves in first place on July 20, then the Panthers can make a nice run, eh?

 

[koonja]

They don't have Jonathan Baldwin anymore which makes me very happy.

 

[nd1]

They don't have Jonathan Baldwin anymore which makes me very happy.

yea for real he hurt nd the last couple of years. I think we have no problem with this game. We got the first win and the rest will start flowing now.

 

[Riddickulous]

They don't have Jonathan Baldwin anymore which makes me very happy.

Shut down Ray Graham and their offense is finished. Tino Sunseri isn't good enough to carry the load.

 

[fitz_bu47]

45-17 ND.

 

[Rocket89]

They don't have Jonathan Baldwin anymore which makes me very happy.

Nor Dion Lewis, Jabaal Sheard, Dom Deccico, and Greg Romeus.

In Phil Steele tone: I'm going to go ahead and predict Pitt's worst season since 2007.

 

[Irish4Life09]

41-20 IRISH

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

Maine

371 Ttl Yds

334 Passing on 46 attempts
37 Rushing

Maine threw the ball all over the place with 37 yds rushed to (not) compliment it.

If we keep the turnovers out of the game this is another easy win.

 

[tankjeep]

go IRISH!!!!!!

i hope we whoop that arse!!!!

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Guess who is going to be a color commentator for the game on Saturday?

Urban Meyer himself will be working the game with Dave Pasch and Chris Spielman.

McGibblets can we get an over/under on the # of times it is mentioned that Urban was an assistant at ND during the telecast?

 

[arrowryan]

If we don't turn the ball over I think the score will be around 35-10. What do you guys think?

 

[RyCo1983]

If we don't turn the ball over I think the score will be around 35-10. What do you guys think?

If the last three games have shown us anything...its that we WILL turn the ball over.
we could still easily win by 25-30 points with 2 or 3 turnovers. It is Pitt...they have that defensive secondary that is ripe for the picking.

 

[nsisk157]

Hoping for an offensive clinic by the Irish. Floyd and Eifert should have a field day. I see Cierre breaking 100+ again. Irish roll 40-14.

Side note: Ray Graham does Elizabeth, NJ proud with a couple TDs

 

[jakerbluegold]

They don't have Jonathan Baldwin anymore which makes me very happy.

I almost wish they still did, then my Chiefs wouldn't have drafted him. It's turning out to be a huge mistake so far.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Side note: Ray Graham does Elizabeth, NJ proud with a couple TDs

What aspect of ND's performance against MSU gives you the impression that Graham will be averaging over 3 YPC? Let alone rushing for 2 TDs...

 

[CarrollVermin]

Has anyone actually watched them play this year? I know that the box scores are out there, but those are not always indicative of what is going on.

 

[Rocket89]

What aspect of ND's performance against MSU gives you the impression that Graham will be averaging over 3 YPC? Let alone rushing for 2 TDs...

He'd also be the first running back to score a touchdown against Notre Dame this year.

We've given up only one this year on the ground, that Denard fumble recovery.

 

[Buster Bluth]

He'd also be the first running back to score a touchdown against Notre Dame this year.

We've given up only one this year on the ground, that Denard fumble recovery.

That said, Ray Graham is the best running back Notre Dame will see all season...no?

I think he gets 65 yards.

 

[BurningRiver]

That said, Ray Graham is the best running back Notre Dame will see all season...no?

I think he gets 65 yards.

does pitt run a spread or pro? if they run pro, with our DLine's size and the way they played last week, he'd be lucky to get 65

 

[Buster Bluth]

does pitt run a spread or pro? if they run pro, with our DLine's size and the way they played last week, he'd be lucky to get 65

They ran what Tulsa ran last year. A crazy spread loaded with gimmicks and whatnot, no?

The smile meant I was being slightly facetious. Notre Dame's DL has shut down OL's as good as this one, but I do have a ton of respect for Graham. Personally I feel that Diaco should load the box, roll toward Shanahan and let Sunseri do his thing. "His thing," naturally, isn't all that great; I don't think he's bad at all, but I think he'll do a worse job than Cousins against the rush and will turn the ball over.

Eliminate Graham and you eliminate 85% of what Pittsburgh can do. I think that is pretty obvious at this point.

The Irish OL needs to get after it and dominate the Panther DL though. That is the strength of their team. We don't need to see Rees on the ground and coughing up fumbles to let Pittsburgh get a victory.

I thought, for the first time in Kelly's tenure at Notre Dame, that the offense was overly predictable last week. Maybe it's because I watch all of the games 2-3x during the week and know my fair share of football knowledge, but I thought the second half was pretty weak. I realize he knew that Michigan State, outside of Cunningham, couldn't do anything and he could simply play "not to lose".....but I still didn't like the creativity. I want to see Rees air it out a ton and rack up 350 yards in the air and another 500-yard offensive output.

 

[IrishGiant]

Wayyy too early, unless I get up really early I cannot get a good buzz in by then.

I like the start time. I'm sick of staying up until midnight when I have to get up for work at 5am the next day.

 

[koonja]

I have to work until 2:30pm on Saturday so will miss the whole game.

It's on ABC, I believe. Does anyone know if ABC streams their games online?

 

[nsisk157]

In response to why I think Graham will do well...

1. Arguably, the best back we'll face this year.

2. Very good in space, so if he gets a dump
screen pass he can bust one. (ie Michigan)

3. Hometown prejudice.

Just a humble opinion.

 

[meowmix]

Remember, last year we held BC to around 5 rushing yards and beat them 31-13. The next game we gave up 110 yards to Pitt and Graham averaged 5.5/carry. We also only won by 6. So let's not automatically assume our run defense has suddenly become godly. Not only is it a different type of offense this week, but Ray Graham is a damn good back.

 

[military_irish]

I have to work until 2:30pm on Saturday so will miss the whole game.

It's on ABC, I believe. Does anyone know if ABC streams their games online?

Not sure if it will be on here because you can't view there future schedule but they have everything else so I would assume it would be on there.

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