Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1034282
36 OCT. 8, 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED better, with the Irish ranking 15th nationally in yards allowed per attempt (5.6) and 22nd in yards per completion (10.0) after their first four games. Notre Dame also ranked 18th in the land in pass ef- ficiency defense (100.43 rating), giving up just two touchdowns through the air to start the season. This matchup would have been graded even had Jackson not gone down with an injury, but with him out this is an area that should now favor the Irish. Advantage: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME RUNNING GAME VS. VIRGINIA TECH RUN DEFENSE The Fighting Irish ground attack has been up and down to start the year. It went for 132 yards in a win over Michigan in the season opener and only 117 yards a week later versus Ball State, averaging just 2.8 yards per carry in both contests. Over the next two games, Notre Dame racked up 245 yards and 5.1 yards per carry in the win over Vanderbilt and 241 yards and 6.0 yards per rush in a 56-27 victory on the road against Wake Forest. Vanderbilt ranked 77th in rush defense after four weeks of the season and Wake Forest was 79th, while Michigan checked in at 14th. With Virginia Tech sitting at eighth in the country through its first three games (88.3 yards allowed per game), the Hokies would seem to be much closer to the Wolverines unit that mostly kept the Irish in check. Notre Dame's leading rusher in the victory over Michigan was senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush, who has since been replaced by junior Ian Book. Virginia Tech held two of its first three oppo- nents to less than 100 rushing yards, including giving up just 94 yards and 3.4 yards per carry to a Florida State offense that Athlon Sports said in Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Ricky Walker recorded 12.5 tackles for loss last season, but had just four stops and one tackle behind the line of scrimmage in the Hokies' first three games this season. PHOTO BY DAVE KNACHEL/COURTESY VIRGINIA TECH ATHLETICS GAME PREVIEW: VIRGINIA TECH Offense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. WR 81 Miles Boykin 6-4 228 Sr. 4 Kevin Austin 6-2 210 Fr. LT 74 Liam Eichenberg 6-6 308 Jr. 55 Jarrett Patterson 6-4½ 290 Fr. LG 71 Alex Bars 6-6 315 5th-Sr. 76 Dillan Gibbons 6-4 313 So. C 53 Sam Mustipher 6-2½ 306 5th-Sr. 57 Trevor Ruhland 6-3½ 295 Jr. RG 78 Tommy Kraemer 6-6 316 Jr. 75 Joshua Lugg 6-7 314 So. RT 72 Robert Hainsey 6-4½ 295 So. 69 Aaron Banks 6-6 319 So. TE 86 Alizé Mack 6-5 247 Sr. 84 Cole Kmet 6-5½ 258 So. WR 10 Chris Finke 5-9½ 180 Sr. 88 Javon McKinley 6-2 219 Jr. WR 83 Chase Claypool 6-4½ 227 Jr. 87 Michael Young 5-10 192 So. QB 12 Ian Book 6-0 203 Jr. 7 Brandon Wimbush 6-2 222 Sr. RB 8 Jafar Armstrong 6-1 218 So. or 6 Tony Jones Jr. 5-11 220 Jr. Defense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. DE 53 Khalid Kareem 6-4 265 Jr. 91 Ade Ogundeji 6-4½ 255 Jr. DT 99 Jerry Tillery 6-7 305 Sr. 57 Jayson Ademilola 6-3 284 Fr. NT 55 Jonathan Bonner 6-4 295 5th-Sr. 41 Kurt Hinish 6-2 295 So. DE 9 Daelin Hayes 6-4 265 Jr. 42 Julian Okwara 6-4½ 241 Jr. Mike 4 Te'von Coney 6-1 240 Sr. 52 Bo Bauer 6-3 225 Fr. Buck 23 Drue Tranquill 6-2 235 5th-Sr. 2 J. Genmark Heath 6-1 225 So. ROV 22 Asmar Bilal 6-2 225 Sr. 33 Shayne Simon 6-3 222 Fr. CB 5 Troy Pride Jr. 5-11½ 190 Jr. 35 TaRiq Bracy 5-10 170 Fr. S 21 Jalen Elliott 6-0½ 205 Jr. 24 Nick Coleman 6-0 194 Sr. S 11 Alohi Gilman 5-10½ 202 Jr. 3 Houston Griffith 6-0 205 Fr. CB 27 Julian Love 5-11 193 Jr. 8 Donte Vaughn 6-3 211 Jr. NOTRE DAME DEPTH CHART Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. K 19 Justin Yoon 5-10 198 Sr. 39 Jonathan Doerer 6-3 200 So. P 85 Tyler Newsome 6-2½ 214 5th-Sr. 42 Jeff Riney 5-11 181 Sr. KO 39 Jonathan Doerer 6-3 200 So. 19 Justin Yoon 5-10 198 Sr. H 12 Ian Book 6-0 203 Jr. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. LS 54 John Shannon 6-2 235 Jr. 46 Matt Bushland 6-2 210 Jr. KR 87 Michael Young 5-10 185 So. 6 Tony Jones Jr. 5-11 220 Jr. PR 10 Chris Finke 5-9½ 180 Sr. 87 Michael Young 5-10 185 So. Special Teams