Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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GAME PREVIEW: STANFORD and Daniel Cage — have provided much-needed depth, which has helped the Irish rank 19th na- tionally in rushing defense (99.0 yards allowed per game). If Notre Dame can avoid Stanford grinding it down, the Irish should control the battle in the trenches. Advantage: Notre Dame STANFORD PASSING GAME VS. NOTRE DAME PASS DEFENSE Since starting toward the end of his freshman sea- son, Hogan has displayed an accurate arm, complet- ing 61.0 percent of his passes last season and 73.0 percent through this season's first three games. His accurate passing plus a deep, experienced receiving corps led by the lightning-on-the-field Montgomery (958 receiving yards in 2013, and 246 through three games in 2014) creates an always-volatile threat. Notre Dame's defensive backfield has been surpris- ingly stout through the first quarter of the season. Fifth-year senior cornerback Cody Riggs has an- chored a secondary that at one point against Purdue was missing six expected contributors due to various reasons. Of those six, fifth-year senior safety Austin Collinsworth is working his way back from an MCL strain, but is at least available once again, and sopho- more cornerback Cole Luke has been cleared after a head/neck injury. Missing parts or not, the Irish have held opposing passers to 62.2-percent passing while picking them off six times in three games. In years past, a threat such as Montgomery spelled certain doom for Notre Dame's secondary, but the combination of the savvy veteran Riggs and athletic sophomore safety Max Redfield (who was ejected for targeting against the Boilermakers) presents a chance at keeping the All-American in check. Advantage: Even NOTRE DAME RUNNING GAME VS. STANFORD RUN DEFENSE Aside from senior quarterback Everett Golson's scrambles, some designed and some improvised, the Irish rushing game has been lacking this season with an average of 158.0 yards per game. During the bye week following the Purdue victory, Notre Dame reshuffled its offensive line, hoping to create more space for its three-headed running back committee to explore. Through the Purdue contest, those three — senior Cam McDaniel and sophomores Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant — combined for 326 yards, including just 90 yards on 24 carries against Purdue and only 67 yards on 25 carries versus Michigan. Fifth-year senior inside linebacker A.J. Tarpley is a key part of the Cardinal's veteran front seven, ranking second on the team in tackles with 19 after three contests. PHOTO COURTESY STANFORDPHOTO.COM