Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/881912
38 OCT. 9, 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED receptions (16) and receiving yards (270) through four games, but is out for the season after suffer- ing a broken left clavicle versus Duke, depleting an already shorthanded receiving corps. Sophomore Anthony Ratliff-Williams led the offense with 19.2 yards per catch, including a 45-yard score just be- fore halftime against Duke. The numbers for Notre Dame's pass defense through four games are a bit misleading. The Irish ranked 76th nationally in passing yards allowed, but checked in at 22nd in yards allowed per com- pletion and 30th in yards allowed per attempt. Each of Notre Dame's first three victories came by at least 20 points, and having big second-half leads resulted in opponents having to pass fre- quently. Only two teams nationally had opponents attempt more passes against its defense through four weeks than the Irish. Sophomore cornerback Julian Love bounced back from a rough first three games to pick off a pass that he returned for a touchdown early in Notre Dame's victory over Michigan State. Junior Shaun Crawford has returned from back- to-back season-ending injuries to become a disrup- tive force for the Irish defense. He had two inter- ceptions and two passes broken up in the first four games, and also forced and recovered a fumble in a crucial moment against Michigan State. Notre Dame's defense has been disruptive, com- piling nine turnovers, eight sacks and 15 hurries in the first four games. Advantage: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME RUNNING GAME VS. NORTH CAROLINA RUN DEFENSE This matchup is without question the biggest mismatch in the game, at least from a statisti- cal standpoint. Simply put, North Carolina's run defense isn't very good and Notre Dame's ground game is one of the nation's best. Through the season's first four contests, the Irish ranked seventh nationally in rushing yards per game (293.5). In addition, their average of 6.8 yards per carry ranked third and their 16 rushing touchdowns were fourth. Junior running back Josh Adams ranked ninth in the land for rushing yards (499) and 11th in yards per carry (7.7) after the first four games. In addition, junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush was third in the country for rushing touchdowns (seven) and 26th in rushing yards (366). Wimbush's average of 6.4 yards per carry ranked 25th in the country, and fifth among all quarter- backs, while his total rushing yards ranked fourth among signal-callers. North Carolina ranked 86th in yards allowed (176.5 per game) and 89th in yards allowed per rush (4.5) through four games despite playing a schedule that contained just one top-50 rushing offense. Matters were made worse when starting Mike linebacker Andre Smith was lost for the season during North Carolina's victory over Old Dominion. Smith, who racked up 113 tackles in 2016, was arguably North Carolina's top run defender. GAME PREVIEW: NORTH CAROLINA Senior safety Donnie Miles made 102 tackles last season, and he will be a key figure in North Carolina's run defense against Notre Dame. PHOTO BY JEFFREY A. CAMARATI/COURTESY UNC Offense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. WR 6 E. St. Brown 6-5 203 Jr. 81 Miles Boykin 6-4 225 Jr. WR 10 Chris Finke 5-9½ 181 Jr. 83 Chase Claypool 6-4½ 228 So. LT 68 Mike McGlinchey 6-8 315 5th-Sr. 74 Liam Eichenberg 6-6 300 So. LG 56 Quenton Nelson 6-5 330 Sr. 75 Joshua Lugg 6-7 300 Fr. C 53 Sam Mustipher 6-2½ 305 Jr. 57 Trevor Ruhland 6-3½ 302 Jr. RG 71 Alex Bars 6-6 312 Sr. 70 Hunter Bivin 6-6 315 5th-Sr. RT 78 Tommy Kraemer 6-5½ 314 So. 72 Robert Hainsey 6-4½ 292 Fr. TE 80 Durham Smythe 6-5½ 257 5th-Sr. 86 Alizé Mack 6-5 251 Jr. WR 15 Cameron Smith 5-10½ 202 5th-Sr. 87 Michael Young 5-10 190 Fr. or 3 C.J. Sanders 5-8 181 Jr. QB 7 Brandon Wimbush 6-2 228 Jr. 12 Ian Book 6-0 208 So. RB 33 Josh Adams 6-2 225 Jr. 2 Dexter Williams 5-11 215 Jr. or 34 Tony Jones Jr. 5-11 225 So. Defense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. DE 93 Jay Hayes 6-3½ 290 Sr. or 98 Andrew Trumbetti 6-4 263 Sr. DT 55 Jonathan Bonner 6-4 291 Sr. 95 M. Tagovailoa-Amosa 6-2½ 293 Fr. NT 99 Jerry Tillery 6-7 306 Jr. 41 Kurt Hinish 6-2 298 Fr. Drop 9 Daelin Hayes 6-4 258 So. or 98 Andrew Trumbetti 6-4 263 Sr. Mike 5 Nyles Morgan 6-1 235 Sr. 44 Jamir Jones 6-3 240 So. Buck 48 Greer Martini 6-3½ 236 Sr. or 4 Te'von Coney 6-1 240 Jr. Rover 23 Drue Tranquill 6-2 231 Sr. 22 Asmar Bilal 6-2 230 Jr. CB 27 Julian Love 5-11 193 So. 20 Shaun Crawford 5-9 176 Jr. Stud 24 Nick Coleman 6-0 192 Jr. 17 Isaiah Robertson 6-1½ 195 Fr. Whip 21 Jalen Elliott 6-0½ 205 So. or 14 Devin Studstill 6-0 195 So. CB 7 Nick Watkins 6-1 207 Sr. 8 Donte Vaughn 6-3 206 So. NOTRE DAME DEPTH CHART Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. KO 19 Justin Yoon 5-10 192 Jr. 39 Jonathan Doerer 6-3 193 Fr. PK 19 Justin Yoon 5-10 192 Jr. 39 Jonathan Doerer 6-3 193 Fr. P 85 Tyler Newsome 6-2½ 210 Sr. 42 Jeff Riney 5-10 180 Jr. H 4 M. VanGorder 6-1 222 Sr. 85 Tyler Newsome 6-2½ 210 Sr. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. LS 54 John Shannon 6-2 230 So. 82 Nic Weishar 6-5 243 Sr. PR 10 Chris Finke 5-9½ 181 Jr. 3 C.J. Sanders 5-8 181 Jr. KR 3 C.J. Sanders 5-8 181 Jr. 34 Tony Jones Jr. 5-11 225 So. Special Teams