Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/573499
GAME PREVIEW: UMASS BY LOU SOMOGYI PASSING TEST The first three games on the 2015 Notre Dame schedule were not ex‑ pected to test the Fighting Irish pass defense. Texas had question marks at quar‑ terback and on offense overall, as did Virginia, while Georgia Tech was a triple‑option team whose calling card was a prolific running attack, with the passing game more of an offshoot ele‑ ment. It wasn't until October that Notre Dame defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder's troops were expected to face prolific aerial attacks propelled by Clemson quarterback Deshaun Wat‑ son and USC signal‑caller Cody Kes‑ sler, both of whom have a wide array of receivers and speed to target. That quickly changed when Virginia quarterback Matt Johns (26‑of‑38 pass‑ ing for 289 yards) and wide receiver Canaan Severin (11 catches for 153 yards) took the Irish defense to the wall before a late rally in the final sec‑ onds enabled them to survive with a 34‑27 victory. Maybe overshadowed in that Sep‑ tember prelude was the test Mas‑ sachusetts also could provide the Fighting Irish as a warm‑up act head‑ ing into October. The Minutemen boast a strong combination with 6‑6, 238‑pound fifth‑year senior quarter‑ back Blake Frohnapfel and rangy 6‑3 senior wide receiver Tajae Sharpe, both All‑MAC selections and bona fide NFL prospects that could provide a Johns‑to‑Severin type of potency. Frohnapfel, whose twin brother Eric is a tight end for the San Diego Chargers, was referred to by USA To- day this summer as "the best quarter‑ back you've never heard of." He was fourth in the NCAA last year in pass‑ ing yards per game (334.5). Sharpe, whose 85 catches last season averaged 15.1 yards per reception, opened this season by catching 11 passes against Colorado for 138 yards in defeat. They are part of a pro‑style offense directed by head coach Mark Whipple, the second straight national title coach the Irish face. The year before Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson directed Georgia Southern to consecutive Division I‑AA TOP STOrylineS In 2014, senior wide receiver Tajae Sharpe ranked ninth nationally in receiving yards per game (106.8), 10th in total receiving yards (1,281) and 11th in receptions per game (7.1). PHOTO BY THOM KENDALL/UMASS ATHLETICS