Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 30, 2019 37 ground game, which opened up 59- and 54-yard touchdown receptions on shovel passes that were run away from where the line was blocking for the run. While those snaps don't count as runs, both touchdowns were a result of how much New Mex- ico was focused on stopping the Irish ground game. Advantage: Virginia NOTRE DAME PASSING GAME VS. VIRGINIA PASS DEFENSE Virginia had one of the nation's top pass defenses in 2018, ranking 12th in pass efficiency defense (107.63), 16th in yards allowed per game (183.0) and 26th in yards allowed per attempt (6.4). The return of preseason All-America corner- back Bryce Hall has fueled a UVA defense that has picked up where it left off a season ago. Through its first three contests, the Cavaliers ranked 28th in pass efficiency defense (111.35), 35th in yards al- lowed per game (183.0) and 36th in yards allowed per attempt (6.0). Virginia ranked 69th in sacks last season, regis- tering just 26 in 13 games. Through three games in 2019, the Cavaliers already had 14 sacks, which ranked second in the nation. Notre Dame's pass attack was erratic in the opener against Louisville, but it was dominant in the win over the Lobos. Senior quarterback Ian Book set career highs with 360 passing yards and five passing touchdowns in the victory. Despite not playing at his best to start the sea- son, Book ranked fifth in the nation with a 202.66 pass efficiency ranking, due in part to a 6-0 touch- down-to-interception ratio. Senior wideout Chase Claypool was expected to be a top playmaker for the Irish offense, and after two games he was performing that way. He led the Irish with nine catches for 190 yards in the first two games, which puts him on pace for 54 catches, 1,140 yards and 12 touchdowns on the season. In the win over the Lobos, the Irish had passing touchdowns of 65, 59, 54, 37, 22 and 20 yards, and five different players scored those touchdowns. Senior Javon McKinley caught two passes for 85 yards in the win, and both of his receptions went for scores. The return of junior tight end Cole Kmet, who missed the first two games with a broken clavicle, should provide a boost to the pass offense. Advantage: Even SPECIAL TEAMS Virginia is a sound football team, and that is re- flected in the play of its special teams. Senior kick returner Joe Reed ranks fourth in the country with a 45.8-yard average through three games, which includes a 100-yard return for a touchdown against William & Mary. Reed ranked 12th nationally with a 27.0-yard average in 2018. Virginia kicked off or punted 30 times in the first three games, but opponents returned just three. The one weak spot in the Cavaliers' special teams is the kicking game, with placekicker Brian Delaney missing two field goals and an extra point in the first three games. Notre Dame's kick return unit is ranked 23rd through its first two games, and its punt coverage unit held opponents to just two yards on 10 kicks. Notre Dame's first two opponents averaged just 17.8 yards on its five kick returns. Junior kicker Jonathan Doerer has made all 12 of his extra points and his lone field goal attempt through two contests. Advantage: Even COACHING Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall is in his fourth season in Charlottesville and his 15th over- all after spending the previous 11 years at BYU. Mendenhall accumulated a 99-43 record in Provo, which included a 43-9 stretch from 2006-09. Mendenhall inherited a Virginia program that went just 15-33 and failed to have a winning sea- son in the four years prior to his arrival. By the end of his third season in 2018, Mendenhall had Virginia 8-5 after beating South Carolina 28-0 in the Belk Bowl. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly became the first coach to lead the Irish to back-to-back 10-win seasons since Lou Holtz accomplished that in 1992- 93. The Fighting Irish earned their first playoff berth after going 12-0 during the 2018 season, the second time Kelly led the Irish to an undefeated regular season. Advantage: Notre Dame INTANGIBLES Notre Dame has won its last 13 home games, and it has gone 10-1 against ACC opponents in the regular season since the beginning of the 2017 campaign. In those 10 wins, the Fighting Irish outscored opponents by an average of 39.8-17.8, and all but one of those victories was by double digits. Virginia has gone just 1-5 against ranked oppo- nents under Mendenhall, and the one win came at home. Advantage: Notre Dame GAME PREVIEW: VIRGINIA Offense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. WR 13 Terrell Jana 6-0 190 Jr. or 9 Terrell Chatman 6-3 190 Sr. LT 72 Ryan Swoboda 6-10 300 So. or 70 Bobby Haskins 6-7 285 So. LG 54 Ryan Nelson 6-4 315 So. 52 Joe Bissinger 6-4 305 R-Fr. C 55 O. Oluwatimi 6-3 305 So. 63 Tyler Fannin 6-3 295 So. RG 69 Chris Glaser 6-3 305 Jr. 75 Ja'Quay Hubbard 6-5 335 Fr. RT 79 D. Reinkensmeyer 6-6 300 Jr. 67 Derek Devine 6-6 295 R-Fr. TE 44 Tanner Cowley 6-4 240 Sr. 85 Grant Misch 6-4 250 R-Fr. QB 3 Bryce Perkins 6-3 215 Sr. 36 Lindell Stone 6-0 220 So. SB 21 Wayne Taulapapa 5-9 210 So. or 6 PK Kier 6-0 235 Jr. or 5 Lamont Atkins 5-10 205 Jr. BB 27 Jamari Peacock 6-0 245 Jr. or 31 Chris Sharp 6-1 200 Sr. or 20 Mike Hollins 5-9 200 Fr. H 88 Tavares Kelly Jr. 5-8 160 So. or 80 Billy Kemp IV 5-9 175 So. WR 8 Hasise Dubois 6-3 215 Sr. 84 Dorien Goddard 6-3 220 Fr. WR 2 Joe Reed 6-1 215 Sr. 19 Chuck Davis 5-10 170 Jr. Defense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. LE 16 Richard Burney 6-4 275 Sr. or 94 Aaron Faumui 6-1 285 So. NT 99 Jowon Briggs 6-1 295 Fr. 76 Jordan Redmond 6-0 290 So. RE 58 Eli Hanback 6-4 300 Sr. or 91 Mandy Alonso 6-2 280 Jr. SLB 11 Charles Snowden 6-7 235 Jr. 17 Elliott Brown 6-5 210 Jr. MLB 4 Jordan Mack 6-2 230 Sr. 42 Nick Jackson 6-1 225 Fr. BLB 33 Zane Zandier 6-3 230 Jr. or 22 Robert Snyder 6-2 240 Jr. WLB 14 Noah Taylor 6-5 215 So. or 56 Matt Gahm 6-3 240 Jr. FC 1 Nick Grant 6-1 200 Jr. 39 Jaylon Baker 6-2 170 R-Fr. SABRE 28 Brenton Nelson 5-11 185 Jr. 7 Chris Moore 6-0 210 Jr. FS 29 Joey Blount 6-1 190 Jr. 15 De'Vante Cross 6-2 210 Jr. BC 34 Bryce Hall 6-1 200 Sr. 23 Heskin Smith 5-11 175 So. VIRGINIA DEPTH CHART Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. P 81 Nash Griffin 6-2 225 Jr. 26 Brian Delaney 5-10 200 Jr. PK 26 Brian Delaney 5-10 200 Jr. 43 Justin Duenkel 5-11 195 Fr. KO 26 Brian Delaney 5-10 200 Jr. H 81 Nash Griffin 6-2 225 So. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. LS 62 Lee Dudley 6-0 215 R-Fr. or 61 Enzo Anthony 5-10 225 Fr. PR 80 Billy Kemp IV 5-9 175 So. 88 Tavares Kelly Jr. 5-8 160 So. KOR 2 Joe Reed 6-1 215 Sr. 37 Perris Jones 5-8 175 R-Fr. Special Teams