Notre Dame vs Alabama Game Preview

NDGiantsKings · Dec 13, 2012

Looking forward to a great game, its already been a huge year for my rooting interest with the Kings winning the Stanley Cup and Giants winning the World Series this would be the ultimate icing on the cake.

Here's some information about ND

Offense - We are mostly a ball control run first team out of the spread. High time of possession, low turnovers. I can't say we have a true "go to guy". Our #1 RB Riddick is a good all around player and very reliable. Our TE Eifert is the go to guy in the passing game, he is pretty much everything you could ask for in a TE. Our most talent player on offense is sophomore RB George Atkinson III 6'1 210 lbs and the fastest player on the team, he hasn't gotten to many carries but most ND fans hope he'll be the "secret weapon" on 1/7. Our OL is a big, strong, experienced unit who can pass block as good as anyone in the country they are lead by Braxston Cave who is one of if not the strongest football player in the country. Finally the QB freshman Everett Golson, he has been the quintessential game manager for us. The offense is asked to keep us in good field position and not lose the game.

Defense - The best D Notre Dame has fielded in many decades if not ever. We run a 3-4 with 2 likely first round picks on DL in Nose Guard Louis Nix and DE Stephen Tuitt. However its the linebackers that are the best unit. The best way to describe Manti is he's a 1st round talent but a Hall of Fame leader. Prince Shembo is the pass rusher, Carlo Calabrese is the proto-type big downhill thumping middle linebacker, and Danny Spond and Dan Fox excellent all around players. We are pretty much 2 deep at every position on the front 7. If we have a weakness its our corners they are fantastic 1 on 1 tacklers and are excellent on jump balls but they can be beaten deep. Our 2 safeties are excellent all around players. Just an amazing group we have only allowed 10 touchdowns in 12 games.

Special Teams - We have a great punting game, excellent kickoff coverage, and a proven clutch kicker. Our kick and punt return games are average.

Coaching - BK has been a god this year navigating though a impossible tough schedule. He's the perfect mix of old school yet still rational and innovative. Our DC Bob Diaco is one of the best defensive minds in football. And last but not least Charlie Weis gets immense credit for what ND is doing right now his 2009 recruiting class led by Manti is the best recruiting class ND has had in decades and the foundation for everything ND is doing right now.

If I had to rank them our top 8 players are
1.ILB Manti
2.NG Nix
3.DE Tuitt
4.C Cave
5.OLB Shembo
6.TE Eifert
7.ILB Fox
8.S Motta

Hope to see a similar breakdown from the Alabama perspective

rgw · Dec 13, 2012

I don't know a lot about Kelly's mentality...but I bet he won't be putting the ball in the hands of a tailback who didn't get many carries during the season. Well, unless somebody gets hurt.

DrollTide · Dec 13, 2012

Nice breakdown, the official Tidefans preview from JessN will be out the week of the game.

GP for Bama · Dec 13, 2012

Thanks for the break down. I am expecting a tight defensive struggle. Big plays at a premium. As often is the case in tight games...turnovers could be the key.

rgw · Dec 13, 2012

I guess I'll break down Alabama too:

Offense: Alabama is a run-first team but they like to keep balance on offense when the game is still competitive. Our rush to pass attempt balance skews towards the run but it has to be considered that often we are taking the air out of the ball in the second half this season. Despite injuries at WR, this is probably the best pass and catch combo we've had in school history. Cooper has emerged as a true down-field threat and Norwood is a solid possession receiver. Christion Jones has been very off and on but he can burn guys out of the slot position. Injuries have effected some things in the backfield but Lacy and Yeldon are as good of a tandem a team could hope to have. We like to throw screens to the backs and receivers. Crossing routes with natural picks are a favorite for possession passing. The difference in the offense this year is that McCarron is completing well over 50% of his deep passes this season.

Defense: When you have defenses like 2009 and 2011 which were dominant, any slippage makes us feel like the unit stinks. The truth is that the defense isn't probably as good as their statistics but they aren't as bad as us fans have bad mouthed them late in the season either. CJ Mosley is the best player on defense but he isn't even the base defense starter at the two ILB positions. The DL is sturdy against the run but not much of a factor as pass rushers. The OLBs are the basis of the pass rush and the two Sophomores are hit or miss at times. The secondary is the weakness of the unit but Milliner may be one of the best players on the team. They moved away from the 3 safety nickel mid-game against TAMU and the secondary has improved since.

Special Teams: We have a big problem with fumbles from the returners which looms large in a big game off a long break. The coverage units have consistently been outcoached under Saban...very prone to off the wall trick plays. The kickers have done well but offensive effectiveness has kept us from having to use our long FG specialist very often.

Coaching: You know what you're going to get from Saban, if you don't you have been living under a rock. He will try to prevent the run and unleash some blitz packages specifically prepared for your team on 3rd and long. The team will run the ball but they will look for explosive play opportunities.

Top 10 Players:

1. CJ Mosley, ILB
2. Barrett Jones, C
3. Chance Warmack, LG
4. DJ Fluker, RT
5. Jesse Williams, NT
6. Demarcus Milliner, CB
7. AJ McCarron, QB
8. Amari Cooper, WR
9. Eddie Lacy, RB
10. TJ Yeldon, RB

BigBama · Dec 13, 2012

Nice preview and welcome to the board. As DrollTide has already stated, JessN is our preview guru and is much more informed than a typical message board poster. However, we like to think we know a few things about our team. Here are a few features:

Our offense: We run a pro-style, run heavy, play-action pass scheme. The priority is always establishing the run with a very experienced and large O-line and our two power runners.

RB: Lacy is a redshirt junior that is nicknamed "circle," because of his spin move. He hovers around 220 pounds and is very reliable and rarely fumbles. Sharing carries is true fresheman T.J. Yeldon, who is listed at 217 pounds and is an excellent combination of quick feet, speed, and power. Behind them experience and production plummets.

WR: With two starters getting injured this year Amari Cooper, true freshman, has been the saving grace of this group. He has good speed, route running ability and is excellent at pulling the ball down in a crowd. Other WR's include Kevin Norwood, Christion Jones, Marin Shinn and Cyrus Jones. Norwood is probably best known for shredding coverage in the 2012 BCS championship game against the honey badger. This group blocks fairly well and takes just enough pressure off the running game to make things interesting.

TE: Michael Williams is your typical blocking TE and is in the 270-275 range. He has been known to slip out of the back of the endzone on a goaline play every now and again. Vogler and Kelly Johnson are also in much of the time because many times two TE's make up many of the formations.

OLine: The strength of this team is upfront with three time All-American Barrett Jones at center, and serious road graters Warmack and Steen at Guard, and C. Kouandjio and Fluker at Tackle. If there is a weakness in this group is with the tackles with defenses using speed rushing DE's.

QB: McCarron is a pocket passer with just enough moxy to catch defenses cheating up on the run to throw over the top on play action. He doesn't have great speed, isn't a scrambler, but he is a winner. Many were caught off guard in the 2012 BCS championship game when he came out throwing against LSU on first and down.

The offense isn't flashy but very effective. They amassed 350 yards rushing against a Georgia defense that was suppose to be stout. If ND can stop the run they win. Sounds simplistic but its true. Screens and 3 WR packages are sprinkled in there but everybody knows the running game is what butters the bread.

Anybody want to tackle the defensive side?

ND1976 · Dec 13, 2012

Our punt return game is awful. I am very concerned about starting field position in this game.

So far we have not had to put eight in the box to stop the run, but Alabama will be the strongest rushing attack we have faced. If we have to have a safety play near the line to slow down the run, it could be a long night for our secondary.

NDGiantsKings · Dec 13, 2012

ND1976 said:
Our punt return game is awful. I am very concerned about starting field position in this game.

So far we have not had to put eight in the box to stop the run, but Alabama will be the strongest rushing attack we have faced. If we have to have a safety play near the line to slow down the run, it could be a long night for our secondary.

Yup that will be the test stopping the run on first down with 7 in the box.

rgw · Dec 13, 2012

I haven't seen a team consistently stop Alabama with a base front and no safety support. Now, I think you can "cheat" the safety - in a fashion - so they retreat on passes easier but get in there to fill a gap on runs. You know, 8 yard depth instead of 5 yard depth. UGA tried to keep their safeties back to prevent the deep passes but Alabama eventually ran them into using their safety like a 5th LB by the fourth quarter then they hit them with that pass to Cooper.

CrimsonEyeshade · Dec 13, 2012

Good stuff from both sides.

Both sides intend to significantly alter how the other team runs the ball. Whoever does that best, wins.

BamaBuc · Dec 13, 2012

NDGiantsKings said:
Yup that will be the test stopping the run on first down with 7 in the box.

Stop fibbing, there's no test for ya'll! :conf3:

We can't run, our RB's won't be able to cope with Mr. Manti Te'o & the passing game is almost non-existant, we don't have any wide outs that can get seperation! Our OL just can't stand up against all those athletes ya'll have on defense, at least that's what espn says!

We all know their never wrong!

As for our D-Line, well they cant run so your qb will have a field day, and your RB's will be bouncing out to the edge all night! As for our DB's they can't run press coverage, don't know how to do man-to-man, and just barely know how to run zone coverage, just gonna be a very long night for us, just go ask Cowherd, Herbstreit, Holtz and even Mark may is now leaning towards the little green men, I think Mike Golic has got 'em all scared!

Oh and our coach is a no-name, not like the annointed, (by TD-Jesus), one BK, although when I say those initials I start getting hungry, (reminds me of one of those fast-food sandwiches)! :biggrin:

Well here's hoping we can manage to keep from getting blown away by the little green Leprechaun's at Sun-Life Stadium, in Miami Gardens, FL

What the heck am I worried about, ya'll are only ranked #1, that's what the last victim was ranked!

PS:
If ya'll buy this post, I've got a stadium in Miami Gardens, FL that I'll sell ya for oh let's say A-POT-OF-IRISH-GOLD! :biggrin:
ND-17
UA-23
ROLL~TIDE!!!

TIDE-HSV · Dec 13, 2012

BamaBuc said:
Stop fibbing, there's no test for ya'll! :conf3:

We can't run, our RB's won't be able to cope with Mr. Manti Te'o & the passing game is almost non-existant, we don't have any wide outs that can get seperation! Our OL just can't stand up against all those athletes ya'll have on defense, at least that's what espn says!

We all know their never wrong!

As for our D-Line, well they cant run so your qb will have a field day, and your RB's will be bouncing out to the edge all night! As for our DB's they can't run press coverage, don't know how to do man-to-man, and just barely know how to run zone coverage, just gonna be a very long night for us, just go ask Cowherd, Herbstreit, Holtz and even Mark may is now leaning towards the little green men, I think Mike Golic has got 'em all scared!

Oh and our coach is a no-name, not like the annointed, (by TD-Jesus), one BK, although when I say those initials I start getting hungry, (reminds me of one of those fast-food sandwiches)! :biggrin:

Well here's hoping we can manage to keep from getting blown away by the little green Leprechaun's at Sun-Life Stadium, in Miami Gardens, FL

What the heck am I worried about, ya'll are only ranked #1, that's what the last victim was ranked!

PS:
If ya'll buy this post, I've got a stadium in Miami Gardens, FL that I'll sell ya for oh let's say A-POT-OF-IRISH-GOLD! :biggrin:
ND-17
UA-23
ROLL~TIDE!!!

A little humor is OK, but let's not let this turn into a trash talk thread. There're plenty of other places for that...

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Notre Dame vs Alabama Game Preview

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