Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/87622
GAME PREVIEW: BYU each peak, a valley also was likely, at least emotionally. That's where physical talent often had to take over. Against a team like BYU, though, which is laden with mature 22- to 24-year-old men who have served two-year Mormon missions, the physi- cal challenge might be greater. If one had to pick out the most tax- Joe Montana-led defending national champ Irish, 3-0, to open the 1978 cam- paign. Entering the weekend of Oct. 13, ing three-week stretch of this season for Notre Dame, it would be the Stan- ford, BYU and Oklahoma triumvirate. To be at an emotional and physical peak in each game is unlikely, so men- tal resolve will be put to the test dur- ing the mid-season grind. One benefit on Notre Dame's side is that the week of practice for Brigham Young is when the university is on its mid-term fall semester break. The abil- ity to concentrate on football while not having to attend classes, write papers or take scholastic exams that week should appreciably aid Notre Dame's concentration and preparation. Furthermore, Brigham Young en- Notre Dame ranked in the top 20 na- tionally in nine different defensive categories, none more significant than No. 2 in scoring defense (7.8 points al- lowed per game). Right behind the Irish at No. 3 in scoring defense was BYU with an 8.83 average. The Cougars also were: • No. 1 in rushing defense (59.50 yards allowed per game). • No. 5 in total defense (229.33 yards surrendered per game). • No. 12 in pass defense (169.83 yards allowed per game) and No. 13 in pass efficiency defense (102.19 rat- ing), highlighted by allowing a paltry 5.31 yards per passing attempt. Granted, the schedule hasn't been tered its own three-game gauntlet from Oct. 5 through the Oct. 20 game at Notre Dame. After emerging with the victory in the 6-3 slugfest with Utah State at home Oct. 5, the Cougars hosted 4-0 and No. 10 Oregon State Oct. 13 before making the trip to Notre Dame. Which team will better sustain a con- sistent mental framework and physi- cal strength over those three weeks? best defensive tussle in Notre Dame Stadium since Missouri stunned the On paper, this has the makings of the DEFENSIVE MENTALITY igan State, Michigan and Miami from Sept. 15 through Oct. 6, Notre Dame did not allow a touchdown — the first time it has held opponents out of the end zone in three straight contests since 1980, head coach Dan Devine's final season. Brigham Young became renowned murderers row, but in today's era of prolific passing attacks and rules that favor 70-63 shootouts such as the West Virginia-Baylor game Sept. 29, it is quite amazing that BYU did not per- mit a touchdown in four of its first six games. The lone score by Boise State in its 7-6 victory over BYU Sept. 20 came on nose guard Mike Atkinson's 36- yard interception return for a touch- down. Meanwhile, in outings against Mich-