Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/87622
GAME PREVIEW: BYU rushing defense, the going doesn't get any easier for Notre Dame. BYU allowed an average of 59.5 rushing yards in its first six games, which is better than any other team in the country. The Cougars have 50 tackles for loss, including 10.5 One week after facing the sixth-ranked Stanford NOTRE DAME RUNNING GAME VS. BYU RUN DEFENSE from outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, the defense's top playmaker. Fifth-year senior Brandon Ogletree leads a veteran group of linebackers with 49 tackles through six outings. That group is a big reason why teams were averaging 1.9 yards per carry and 8.8 points per game against the Cougars. Irish head coach Brian Kelly said his team took a major step forward in its new zone blocking scheme during its bye week. That showed against Miami for sophomore George Atkinson III and se- nior Cierre Wood, both of who ran for more than 100 yards. Getting sophomore quarterback Everett Golson into the rushing attack also helped loosen up the Hurricanes and should be a bigger part of the game plan going forward. The Irish have had no problem bullying weak opponents in the run game, but they have yet to establish themselves as a group that can compete with a physical defense like BYU. Advantage: BYU leading receiver through the first half of the sea- son. He is the only one on the team averaging more than three receptions per outing. Through five games, Notre Dame had only five catches for 30 yards or more, which ties them for 91st in that category in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Senior tight end Tyler Eifert's absence (11 Running back Theo Riddick was Notre Dame's NOTRE DAME PASSING GAME VS. BYU PASS DEFENSE catches for 189 yards) in the passing game has been obvious. If defenses are selling out to stop the preseason All-America pick, his teammates aren't doing enough to take advantage of the Fifth-year senior Brandon Ogletree, who made a team-best 49 tackles through six games, anchors a group of linebackers that has helped the Cougars boast the top run defense (59.5 yards allowed per game) in the nation through Oct. 6. PHOTO COURTESY BYU extra space. Golson continues to develop on a weekly basis, which provides reason to believe the passing game will improve during the second half of the season. The Cougars defense starts two sophomores in the secondary, but they have held their own against teams like Washington State and Hawaii that are known for airing it out. Similar to the Irish, their biggest asset in the pass game might