Two weeks for Tennessee

[Irish Envy]

Well, Weis gets another two weeks before probably our second biggest challenge on our schedule in Tennessee.

While they are horrid on offense, they have a pretty solid defense filled with speed. If they are physical with our receivers, it could be a long day. In the end, I think Charlie prepares the squad like he has and we get another win.

This is the only game left on our schedule that I am even somewhat worried
about and this is the game that we can make a BCS statement since Tennessee took Bama (who is very overrated IMO) to the wire.

 

[irish9331]

Right now TN looks lost sometimes.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

This is a statement game, I believe our offense will jump out to an early 10-14 point lead and the UT offense won't be able to match it.

 

[irishnd31]

Just got an e-mail from my bro and he is stating that Gerald Riggs is out for possibly the rest of the season. He has a high ankle sprain. Just makes it that much easier.

 

[jiggafini19]

Just got an e-mail from my bro and he is stating that Gerald Riggs is out for possibly the rest of the season. He has a high ankle sprain. Just makes it that much easier.

Arian Foster got quite a few carries against Bama and gets 3.8 yards per carry to Riggs' 4.2.

At this point, nothing is easy for Minter's 11. Notre Dame's defense concerns me. The Tennessee offensive line is big, physical and has ability. Now this is either going to be a game for them to turn things around and do something, or Notre Dame's defense can gain some momentum and stop somebody for a change. With these two units, all bets are off.

Tennessee will be the best defense Weis and Quinn have seen all year. They play in the Speed Eastern Conference, where defenses have closing speed unlike anywhere else in America. This could be the defense that ends up pulling the reigns back a little.

Ultimately, I'm taking Notre Dame in a close one. They will finally distribute heartbreak at home rather than receive it.

 

[irishnd31]

great points Jig. I am hoping that the D has a game and that there are some D highlights to show on the tube. I am so freakin tired of seeing our corners getting torched by Leinart every two seconds and Bush hurdling our defenders en route to the endzone when they show highlights from the ND USC game on a certain network that i will not mention.

 

[jiggafini19]

I have tape of Tennessee against Florida, Georiga, LSU and Alabama.

This defense is good. Their third down pass rush on Brody Croyle was relentless. They don't need to blitz 6 or 7 because their front four is that good. They get to the QB. I thought Croyle did well taking what he could, but the Vols killed them on third down with sacks and pressure.

It will be a challenge for the Offensive line. Hopefully Coach Latina gets these guys ready to go. Walker, Schwapp and Co. had better be ready to pick up blocks for Quinn.

 

[bigdon]

I agree the Tenn defense is the best ND will see this year. I believe you will see Weis go to the run more than we've seen in any game this year. Ball control against Tenn will be of paramount import.

If we can keep our defense off the field we should be able to handle this group. Although the defense is great the offense is average and the QB slot is average at best. Stop the run and keep the ball will win.

 

[jiggafini19]

I am hoping for a balanced attack on offense. Spread the ball around, getting Walker, Thomas and Schwapp carries while picking them apart underneath.

 

[domerfor life]

ND will win

ND will win

Being from North Carolina, I have seen plenty of Tennessee. If our defense can't hold them to minus 300 yards passing, then maybe they shouldn't be playing. I don't think Tennessee is a threat to reach 200 yards passing the way they've been playing. Nevertheless, they have speed at the skill positions. Gerald Riggs being hurt is a crushing blow for them. When he's healthy, he's one of the best backs in that conference. If they don't have a RB that can get to the outside, then they will have trouble running on ND. If they have to revert to the pass, then ND wins by at least 2 touchdowns. Neither quarterback is that effective in the passing game. In saying that, you have to realize that ND's defense is nowhere close to many of the defenses that I have seen in the SEC. Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee have a lot of speed. Tennessee's front four is probably better than SC's. The offense is just not that good. The teams that have beat Tenn haven't scored that many points. ND has to win this game on offense (which is not unusual). If they can take advantage of Tennessee's aggressiveness, then they should win. Walker can't dance around in the backfield, because the holes will close much quicker than anything he's seen this year. This is a game where they'll probably want to use Travis Thomas as a change of pace. He just hits the hole. Sometimes Darius likes to dance around. As far as the cornerbacks, they'll probably be some of the best if not the best we've seen all year. This will probably be a close game. It'll probably turn into a grudge match, because Tenn. defense is stout. ND will have trouble picking this defense apart. They'll still win though. By 10 at least.

 

[weisfaninmass]

Tennesee has historically been a team that 'packs it in' when the going gets tough. It will be interesting to see if they fall apart or view the ND game as a season changing game and revenge game.

 

[jiggafini19]

In saying that, you have to realize that ND's defense is nowhere close to many of the defenses that I have seen in the SEC. Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee have a lot of speed. Tennessee's front four is probably better than SC's. The offense is just not that good.

Your first point, ND's defense compared to that of the SEC is off the charts. Nowhere close to the likes of the teams mentioned above.

Second, the speed of this group above is simply remarkable. Human beings as big as these guys moving the way they do is amazing to me.

Third, the Vol front four IS, IS, IS better than SC's, no probably about it.

Fourth, you are correct. Their offense is bad.

Also, expect a lot of screen passes. Clausen does quite a bit of this when everything breaks down. They use the RB as a safety valve quite often. It worked against Bama a few times.

 

[domerfor life]

I wasn't really comparing ND's defense with any of those teams. I was saying that ND's defense isn't even close to those teams. They will see speed on defense that they haven't seen all season. What will they do to counteract that speed? Tennessee's D-line is ferocious. ND will have to pass to soften them up a little bit. Like I said before, if Tennessee had even a slightly above-average offense they would be undefeated. That offense is just horrible right now. Who knows though? They could find their mojo against the Gamecocks and come out firing two weeks from now. I think Charlie will have a pretty good gameplan in place to exploit their tendencies and I still think ND wins by 10.

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

Weis seems to do very well when he has an extra week to prepare. I think ND wins a cose one.

 

[KMac151993]

ND got no help from Tenn. this week in the polls, so pretty much ND is on the outside looking in due to the poor records of their opponents this year.

 

[domerfor life]

ND got no help from Tenn. this week in the polls, so pretty much ND is on the outside looking in due to the poor records of their opponents this year.

What's up with our opponents this year? Michigan is usually on top of the Big 10, Tenn is usually Top 10, Purdue is usually respectable, Pittsburgh is usually respectable. All these teams are having down years at the same time. That's crazy. After Tenn, we have Navy, Syracuse, and Stanford...............yuck! That's deplorable. Even Syracuse has been a respectable program and they suck this year too. What happened to Purdue and Pitt? We get beat by MSU and then they do their classic post-Michigan loss breakdown. We really needed that win against USC. I think Alabama will lose twice. I think Georgia will lose. I think Texas Tech has no shot if it came down to them and Notre Dame. I think some other teams that are ahead of ND will take another loss. Many of these teams are getting into the heart of their conference schedule. There are big games still left to be played in the ACC, SEC, Big 10, and Pac-10. I don't think Texas or USC lose another game. That's just my opinion. I think VT will get beat at least once. Anyway, somebody needs to lose and ND needs to keep winning. As long as ND keeps winning, they will be all right.

 

[jiggafini19]

ND got no help from Tenn. this week in the polls, so pretty much ND is on the outside looking in due to the poor records of their opponents this year.

2 months ago, we thought ND was doomed. 5-2 and a bunch of disappointing seasons later, it looks like it wasn't very daunting after all.

scUM has been a big surprise this year. I'm shocked that the loss of Braylon Edwards has been so severe to their offense. Avant and Breaston are plenty talented.

If scUM can beat Northwestern, that would help some.

I see them losing to NU, though, and Ohio State.