Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/208902
Game Preview: BYU son, a repeat performance is highly unlikely. Much of Notre Dame's early-season defensive struggles revolved around mobile quarterbacks such as Michigan's Devin Gardner, Temple's Connor Reilly, and Oklahoma's Blake Bell and Trevor Knight. Advantage: BYU BYU Passing Game Vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense Hill struggled early, throwing four interceptions versus just one touchdown pass during BYU's 2-2 start, but he has protected the ball better since then. Through eight contests, he was 146-of-276 passing for 2,019 yards with 12 scores and eight picks. The Cougars employ a passing attack with balanced distribution. Four players caught between 20 and 29 passes and at least one touchdown in the first eight games. Junior wide receiver Ross Apo is a dependable red-zone threat, turning three of his first 13 catches into touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Cody Hoffman's 6-4 frame also makes him a valuable target near the end zone. He led the team in receptions (29) and yards (524) to go along with his three touchdowns in eight games. The Cougars ranked 50th in passing offense (252.4 yards per game) through eight games. The Irish, meanwhile, shot up to 23rd in pass defense (205.7 yards yielded per contest) after playing Air Force and Navy. Notre Dame has stifled opposing passing games consistently since the end of September, when the Irish stood at a disappointing 3-2. Last year, the vaunted Irish defense held Cougars quarterback Riley Nelson to 177 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but Hill will provide a more difficult test for Notre Dame this season. Advantage: Even Notre Dame Running Game Vs. BYU Run Defense Notre Dame survived BYU's attempt to derail its perfect season in South Bend a year ago largely because of its 270 rushing yards against the Cougars. Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick both reached the 100-yard mark, and George Atkinson's touchdown in the fourth quarter clinched the Irish win. This season, Notre Dame needs another strong effort on the ground to top a talented BYU team. The inconsistent Irish ground game (87th with an average of 150.1 yards through nine games) continues to use four backs (juniors George Atkinson, Cam McDaniel and Amir Carlisle, and freshman Tarean Folston) to spark the unit each week. BYU's rushing defense ranks 42nd (145.2 yards allowed per contest) and is led by senior linebacker Kyle Van Noy, one of the top players at his position in the country. He recorded 46 stops, 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, one safety and an interception in the first eight games. The more anonymous standout on the defense is senior middle linebacker Uani 'Unga. His 84 tackles are easily the most on a defense (the next highest total is 46) that is breaking in seven new starters, including Unga, in 2013. Only once, however, have the Cougars held an opposing offense to fewer than 100 rushing yards. Advantage: Even Notre Dame Passing Game Vs. BYU Pass Defense Senior quarterback Tommy Rees made one of his two 2012 starts against BYU after Everett Golson suffered a concussion the week before. The performance was one of Rees' least productive as a starter. He completed 7 of 16 passes for 117 yards with one touchdown and one interception. With the aerial struggles, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly opted to run the ball 43 times compared to 17 pass attempts (backup quarterback Andrew Hendrix completed his only attempt for two yards). The Cougars' pass defense is more vulnerable in 2013 with a pair of new starters in the secondary. It was torched in the last two games of October (Houston and Boise State) for 720 yards and five touchdowns, but otherwise the unit has fared well