Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BY ANDREW OWENS N otre Dame's defense appeared to be one of the nation's best last season until it faced its first up-tempo opponent. Prior to the 50-43 shootout victory against North Carolina Oct. 11, how- ever, the Irish had faced some of the country's worst scoring offenses — units that placed 66th, 111th, 98th, 121st and 79th, respectively, once the season had concluded. Those five teams, against which the Irish allowed 12.0 points per contest, had one other aspect in common. They didn't feature up-tempo looks. Notre Dame's defense crumbled af- ter those first five games due to a com- bination of devastating injuries and debilitating up-tempo offenses. De- fensive coordinator Brian VanGorder went from being the fan favorite fist- pumper against Michigan to one many complained could not adjust to con- temporary college football during the 41.6-points-per-game downslide in the final seven regular-season contests. VanGorder admits 2014 was a learn- ing experience not only for the play- ers, but also for himself. "Early in the season, we played in some games that allowed us — since we're so multiple in fronts, coverages, personnels — to use our system," VanGorder said. "As the season wore on and we played more of the tempo teams, I don't think I did a very good job in that scenario. We put a lot of hard work into that. We're not that much different from anyone across the country that's running a defense. It's a problem, and the statistics show that it's a major problem. The emphasis of it and certainly the plan we take into a ball game becomes critical. "We've evolved. We've all learned from it. … We're trying to create a package that allows our defenses to keep inventory and still be able to be rather multiple and not just live in one defense. It's a very difficult thing and it's a difficult thing for players to dig their cleats in the grass and see an of- fense and develop a thought process and, at the same time, cover all the things schematically that you've got to take on. It's a difficult thing for young kids in college ball with some of the tempo." VanGorder explained how much the sport has changed since he was on staff at Georgia from 2001-04. "When I was at Georgia, tempo wasn't a big part of the ball game," VanGorder said. "I think South Caro- lina in the SEC was doing some of that. We had some really good quar- terbacks in the league, including Eli Manning, a real effective thrower. But the read zone, the quarterback run- ning game, single-wing football, the game has changed and we can look at statistically over the years in terms of defense, it's just a different game. "To line up back then like we did at the University of Georgia probably would be difficult in today's game." The offseason focus revolved around that predicament, not only in how Notre Dame will adjust to such looks this season, but what types of players to recruit for future seasons. "How I've seen football requires your recruiting, your personnel, your profiling of players, you've got to