Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/181992
Game Preview: arizona state in consecutive games to Wisconsin and Stanford. Six Special Teams starters returned along the front seven of Arizona State's 3-4 scheme, which makes the performances against Stanford and Wisconsin perplexing, even if both opponents annually boast two of the nation's top rushing offenses. Senior defensive tackle Will Sutton, the reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, leads the charge after recording 13 sacks a year ago. Senior linebacker Chris Young finished third on the team in tackles a year ago and led the Sun Devils in the category through three games with 19. Advantage: Arizona State Notre Dame Passing Game Vs. Arizona State Pass Defense While the Sun Devils' rush defense took time to jell during the season's opening month, the pass defense performed admirably while breaking in a pair of new starters. In the first three games, Arizona State recorded as many interceptions (three) as passing touchdowns allowed (three), albeit against run-focused offenses in Wisconsin and Stanford. The Sun Devils' pass rush has not been spectacular thus far (three sacks in the first three games) but should bounce back after finishing third in the country with 53 sacks a year ago. For the most part, the strategy against the Irish offense led by senior quarterback Tommy Rees has been to give him room in the intermediate passing game. When Michigan State took that away and forced Rees to throw deep, he finished with his least productive performance of the season by connecting on just 14 of 34 throws for 142 yards with a touchdown. Rather than rely on the vaunted-but-inconsistent pass rush to get after Rees, the Sun Devils might try to replicate Michigan State's game plan and eliminate the intermediate passing game and force the senior to throw deep. Rees has been effective in avoiding turnovers to this point in the 2013 season. Advantage: Notre Dame Notre Dame has struggled in the special teams department, but Arizona State has been nothing short of a train wreck. Graham uses many of his starters on the unit and often emphasizes the importance of special teams. Stanford dominated the first half against Arizona State and took a 29-0 lead to the locker rooms, due in large part to field position. The Cardinal started each possession on average at its own 44, compared to its own 19 for the Sun Devils. Arizona State's punt unit has struggled, having already suffered a blocked punt, a punt into a teammate and a long snap over the punter's head. Advantage: Notre Dame Coaching Graham faces the Irish for the third time in four years at three different programs. He has settled in at Arizona State and just missed out on a berth in the Pac-12 championship game a year ago. A signature win over Kelly and the Irish would go a long way to legitimize the program nationally. As head coach of Tulsa, Graham defeated Notre Dame 28-27 in South Bend in 2010 and lost 15-12 at home to the Irish in his only season as Pittsburgh's coach. For Kelly's squad, BCS hopes largely hinge on the outcome of this Shamrock Series matchup. Advantage: Even Intangibles Arizona State appears to be turning the corner as a program but, if the first month is any indication, the Sun Devils still have some weak spots. Notre Dame has hardly been free of errors after reaching the BCS National Championship Game a year ago. Both teams are concluding the toughest stretch of their respective schedules with this neutral-site game. The team that makes the fewest mental miscues just might escape with a win. Advantage: Notre Dame