Complete Challenge Awaits BC in South Bend
November 21, 2019 | Football, #ForBoston Files
This is as well-rounded of a Notre Dame team as any in its history.
In many ways, Saturday's matchup between Boston College and Notre Dame represents an important milestone in the college football universe. It's the 25th matchup between the two schools, but it's the renewal of a commitment. In an era defined by its ability to unravel long-term rivalries, one of the youngest matchups maintains the bonds and ties by simply undertaking a concerted effort to preserve this game.
When BC arrives at Notre Dame Stadium, it will find a program completely transformed from its last trip in 2011. New head coach Brian Kelly was still only beginning his rebuilding project, and the Fighting Irish were a shell of the program known for trips to the national championship playground. They were only two years removed from declining a bowl bid in 2009 and finished that season unranked for the fifth consecutive year.
That Notre Dame is starkly different from the one that will run out of the tunnel opposite the Eagles on Saturday. This year's iteration is well on its way to a third consecutive top-tiered bowl game with an opportunity to qualify for a New Year's Six game for the second straight season. It comes a year after the Fighting Irish played in the College Football Playoff with an undefeated roster and finished the season ranked No. 5 in the nation.
"This is a team that's very talented," BC head coach Steve Addazio said. "They're a Top 20 offense and defense. I've watched an extensive amount of tape on (this team). I have a great deal of respect for Brian Kelly and what he's accomplished there. They have a great staff, and they have a very, very, very outstanding team."
This year's Irish team is as complete as any of its best years. It rolled Louisville in the first week of the season, 35-17, and hung with No. 3 Georgia despite losing, 23-17. It responded with a resounding two-touchdown victory over No. 18 Virginia, and simply keeps finding ways to win football games. After struggling to decisively beat both Southern California and Virginia Tech, Notre Dame rebounded with a 38-7 win over Duke before blasting No. 23 Navy last week, 52-20.
It's a completely different brand of domination. Notre Dame is capable of piling up points and yards against defenses, and its defense can smother and neutralize opposing attacks. It's the ultimate sum of its parts, a synergistic approach between units littered with elite athletes who transform under the golden dome helmet they represent.
On offense, the Irish rank 19th in the nation with 36 points per game, and quarterback Ian Book operates behind an offensive line averaging just over a sack allowed per game. Book is a true dual-threat with almost 3,000 yards this season through both the air and ground; he's thrown for 2,293 yards and 26 touchdowns, while rushing for 421 yards and six scores, but he's committed just six interceptions passing.
Book toasted the Navy defense last week, completing 14-of-20 passes for 284 yards and five scores. He also served as the team's leading rusher with 31 yards on five carries, but it was Tony Jones, Jr. who scored for the ground game despite only averaging 2.9 yards per carry.
"They're explosive on offense," Addazio said. "I'm not surprised with (their success). I think when you have a good offense, you like to get going early and get out of the blocks. We try to do the same thing. If we win the toss, we take the ball. We feel like we're going to establish momentum right away and do everything in our power to do that."
It's a unique blend because the weapons come from a number of different directions. Book is the obvious threat, and he has a number of receivers who can dust a defensive backfield. Chase Claypool is averaging just over 75 yards per game with 49 catches for 768 yards, and Chris Finke is a possession receiver who had five catches in each game against Duke, Virginia Tech and USC. He posted two scores against the Blue Devils and offers a different look from Claypool, whose tall, strong frame more than augments his ridiculous speed.
"They've got star power on both sides of the ball," Addazio said. "They've got a receiving corps that has size and tremendous athleticism and speed. (They have) a veteran running back, an outstanding offensive line and a quarterback that I think is extremely mobile and throws great deep balls. He has great command of their offense. So I'm very, very impressed, and, of course, they have an elite tight end."
Notre Dame is nowhere near one-dimensional, though, and the Fighting Irish represent the embodiment of the synergy approach used by Boston College. A smothering defense is capable of getting off the field, which prevents opposing defenses from resting. It creates fast starts, and Notre Dame enters this weekend with a 208-89 scoring advantage in the first two quarters of games this year.
"They're 18th in scoring defense," Addazio said. "They're 28th in total defense. They're 5th against the pass. They play great team defense. When you freeze the film upon contact of tackling a back, there's nine, 10, 11 hats at the ball. They rip off the blocks, and they pursue to the ball as good as I've seen to the very end."
That team-built approach utilizes linebackers and defensive backs for tackle numbers generated by the defensive linemen. Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa runs 285 pounds on the defensive and only has 12 tackles and less than one sack on the year, but is incredibly disruptive at the point of attack. His approach next to players like Khalid Kareen and Jayson Ademilola is an enabling force for linebacker Drew White, who leads the team with 65 tackles.
White is an old-fashioned type of Notre Dame player, and he plays next to Asmar Bilal, another player with more than 60 tackles. They're two of four players with more than 50 tackles and among a greater list of eight players with 30 or more tackles.
"Their free safety - (Alohi) Gilman - is an excellent player, and (Bilal) really, really impressed (me)," Addazio said. "But I just like the way they play team defense."
The Holy War will renew on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. when Boston College travels to Notre Dame. The game can be seen on NBC and via Internet streaming on NBCSports.com. Audio from the game is available on the BC Learfield IMG Sports Network, locally in Boston on WEEI 93.7 FM. The game can also be heard on satellite radio via Sirius channel 129, XM channel 382 and Online channel 971 and on the TuneIn app on mobile devices.
When BC arrives at Notre Dame Stadium, it will find a program completely transformed from its last trip in 2011. New head coach Brian Kelly was still only beginning his rebuilding project, and the Fighting Irish were a shell of the program known for trips to the national championship playground. They were only two years removed from declining a bowl bid in 2009 and finished that season unranked for the fifth consecutive year.
That Notre Dame is starkly different from the one that will run out of the tunnel opposite the Eagles on Saturday. This year's iteration is well on its way to a third consecutive top-tiered bowl game with an opportunity to qualify for a New Year's Six game for the second straight season. It comes a year after the Fighting Irish played in the College Football Playoff with an undefeated roster and finished the season ranked No. 5 in the nation.
"This is a team that's very talented," BC head coach Steve Addazio said. "They're a Top 20 offense and defense. I've watched an extensive amount of tape on (this team). I have a great deal of respect for Brian Kelly and what he's accomplished there. They have a great staff, and they have a very, very, very outstanding team."
This year's Irish team is as complete as any of its best years. It rolled Louisville in the first week of the season, 35-17, and hung with No. 3 Georgia despite losing, 23-17. It responded with a resounding two-touchdown victory over No. 18 Virginia, and simply keeps finding ways to win football games. After struggling to decisively beat both Southern California and Virginia Tech, Notre Dame rebounded with a 38-7 win over Duke before blasting No. 23 Navy last week, 52-20.
It's a completely different brand of domination. Notre Dame is capable of piling up points and yards against defenses, and its defense can smother and neutralize opposing attacks. It's the ultimate sum of its parts, a synergistic approach between units littered with elite athletes who transform under the golden dome helmet they represent.
On offense, the Irish rank 19th in the nation with 36 points per game, and quarterback Ian Book operates behind an offensive line averaging just over a sack allowed per game. Book is a true dual-threat with almost 3,000 yards this season through both the air and ground; he's thrown for 2,293 yards and 26 touchdowns, while rushing for 421 yards and six scores, but he's committed just six interceptions passing.
Book toasted the Navy defense last week, completing 14-of-20 passes for 284 yards and five scores. He also served as the team's leading rusher with 31 yards on five carries, but it was Tony Jones, Jr. who scored for the ground game despite only averaging 2.9 yards per carry.
"They're explosive on offense," Addazio said. "I'm not surprised with (their success). I think when you have a good offense, you like to get going early and get out of the blocks. We try to do the same thing. If we win the toss, we take the ball. We feel like we're going to establish momentum right away and do everything in our power to do that."
It's a unique blend because the weapons come from a number of different directions. Book is the obvious threat, and he has a number of receivers who can dust a defensive backfield. Chase Claypool is averaging just over 75 yards per game with 49 catches for 768 yards, and Chris Finke is a possession receiver who had five catches in each game against Duke, Virginia Tech and USC. He posted two scores against the Blue Devils and offers a different look from Claypool, whose tall, strong frame more than augments his ridiculous speed.
"They've got star power on both sides of the ball," Addazio said. "They've got a receiving corps that has size and tremendous athleticism and speed. (They have) a veteran running back, an outstanding offensive line and a quarterback that I think is extremely mobile and throws great deep balls. He has great command of their offense. So I'm very, very impressed, and, of course, they have an elite tight end."
Notre Dame is nowhere near one-dimensional, though, and the Fighting Irish represent the embodiment of the synergy approach used by Boston College. A smothering defense is capable of getting off the field, which prevents opposing defenses from resting. It creates fast starts, and Notre Dame enters this weekend with a 208-89 scoring advantage in the first two quarters of games this year.
"They're 18th in scoring defense," Addazio said. "They're 28th in total defense. They're 5th against the pass. They play great team defense. When you freeze the film upon contact of tackling a back, there's nine, 10, 11 hats at the ball. They rip off the blocks, and they pursue to the ball as good as I've seen to the very end."
That team-built approach utilizes linebackers and defensive backs for tackle numbers generated by the defensive linemen. Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa runs 285 pounds on the defensive and only has 12 tackles and less than one sack on the year, but is incredibly disruptive at the point of attack. His approach next to players like Khalid Kareen and Jayson Ademilola is an enabling force for linebacker Drew White, who leads the team with 65 tackles.
White is an old-fashioned type of Notre Dame player, and he plays next to Asmar Bilal, another player with more than 60 tackles. They're two of four players with more than 50 tackles and among a greater list of eight players with 30 or more tackles.
"Their free safety - (Alohi) Gilman - is an excellent player, and (Bilal) really, really impressed (me)," Addazio said. "But I just like the way they play team defense."
The Holy War will renew on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. when Boston College travels to Notre Dame. The game can be seen on NBC and via Internet streaming on NBCSports.com. Audio from the game is available on the BC Learfield IMG Sports Network, locally in Boston on WEEI 93.7 FM. The game can also be heard on satellite radio via Sirius channel 129, XM channel 382 and Online channel 971 and on the TuneIn app on mobile devices.
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