Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/204831
Game Preview: pittsburgh Oct. 26. To compound matters, Savage has been sacked 24 times, which ranked 115th in the country (3.43 sacks allowed per game). Fifth-year senior wide receiver Devin Street and freshman wide receiver Tyler Boyd are Savage's favorite targets, compiling 35 receptions for 645 yards and four touchdowns and 34 receptions for 526 yards and five touchdowns in seven games, respectively. Redshirt junior tight end Manasseh Gardner has notched the next highest totals, with 11 catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Chryst's pro-style offense favors balanced rushing and passing attacks, and the success for Pittsburgh depends on establishing the rushing game early. Unfortunately for the second-year coach, the passing game is not explosive enough to overcome issues on the ground. Notre Dame's pass defense continues to rise in the rankings after struggling in losses to Michigan and Oklahoma. The Irish stood at No. 46 in passing yards yielded per game through eight contests (220.4 yards allowed per game). Head coach Brian Kelly would like to see the unit continue to gain momentum in the turnover department. Advantage: Notre Dame Notre Dame Running Game Vs. Pittsburgh Run Defense Junior running back Cam McDaniel has pulled away from the rest of the pack in total carries (91 to junior George Atkinson III's 70 through eight games), but in no way does that signify a shift from the runningback-by-committee formula Kelly has employed throughout 2013. Typically, Atkinson has received the bulk of the first-quarter carries before Kelly and offensive coordinator Chuck Martin turn to McDaniel for most of the remainder of the game. The national ranking of 96th (135.9 rushing yards per contest) through eight games is more indicative of what the 2013 Irish are at the running back position, rather than a team ready to turn the corner and opt for one or two primary backs. Through seven games, Pittsburgh ranked 50th in rushing defense (148.0 yards allowed per game) with its experienced front seven (five starters along the defensive line and linebacking corps returned after starting in 2012). One of the fresh faces, however, is leading the way defensively. Redshirt junior Anthony Gonzalez has emerged this season to lead the team in tackles (46) through seven games. Advantage: Even Notre Dame Passing Game Vs. Pittsburgh Pass Defense One of Notre Dame's essentials to surviving the road trip to Pittsburgh is protecting senior quarterback Tommy Rees. Through October, only 10 teams allowed fewer sacks than the Notre Dame offensive line (seven). Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald is one of the nation's top pass rushers (13.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks in seven games) and will attack the interior of the Irish offensive line that has undergone some shuffling due to injuries in recent games. Although Rees focused on senior wide receiver TJ Jones and junior tight end Troy Niklas in the first several games, Notre Dame has employed a more balanced attack the past few games, highlighted by the Air Force contest in which five different players caught a touchdown pass. Rees is approaching Jimmy Clausen (2007-09) for second on the school's all-time list for career touchdown passes. Through October, he trailed the former Irish signal-caller by only six scores. He posted underwhelming stats against Pittsburgh in 2011 (24 of 41 for 216 yards with one touchdown and one interception) and as a brief replacement for Everett Golson in 2012 (6 of 11 for 64 yards with an interception). Senior cornerback K'waun Williams leads Pittsburgh with two interceptions and will be called upon to slow Jones, who caught a touchdown pass in six of Notre Dame's first eight games. Advantage: Notre Dame