Setting The Stage for Boston College at Notre Dame

by CW on Oct 11, 2007 4:10 PM EDT in Football Comment 0 comments

Just a few quick hitters before we unveil something resembling a preview. Rob's been MIA as he's on the job hunt, impressing in interview after interview. You should see him in his suits, he's absolutely adorable. Moving on...

BlueGraySky does some electronic interrogation of Eagle in Atlanta about Saturday's game, and it's some nice insight from the opposition's view. On the BC offensive line:

I think even the coaches were worried about the offensive line. We had to fill holes left by two departed NFL draft picks, changed schemes and fired their position coach in spring ball. Given all that went on, the Oline play has been very good. Teams are trying all sorts of different defensive looks against them and for the most part, they are adapting. Ryan has been hit (especially in the Wake and UMass games) but he's had enough time to get the ball off.

[Freshman right tackle] Anthony Castanzo has played very well for a true freshman. He's been called for a few penalties, but considering his experience and what he's been asked to do, I have no complaints. I imagine he'll hold his own against Neal. And he'll get help. Steve Logan has done a great job of using the TEs and RBs in protection.

To win this game, we need pressure. Trevor Laws, not that you need any sort of motivation or calling out, but let's lay some smack down.

I'm sure there are a few readers of this site more than interested in the potential demise of Southern Cal, the rumors of which may be greatly exaggerated in the anti-hype following the flukey Stanford loss which featured a 4th-and-20 conversion and a set of goal-to-go playcalling that went "Naked bootleg, fade route, kind of a fade route, fade route." SMQ does some wonderful work drawing comparisons to the fall of the Miami dynasty. The parallels between the 2001 Miami and 2004 Southern Cal teams' championship domination followed by undefeated heartbreak against wunderkinds Craig Krenzel and Vince Young the next year are eerie even before you see statistical evidence. Just a fun read I think many Irish fans will hope and pray holds true.

This is the sort of "Ignoring context, blind devotion" Irish stuff that gives us a bad name. Yikes:

This is the big matchup in this game. Fredo has the 11th ranked passing offense, averaging over 300 yards per game. Notre Dame has the 4th best pass defense in the country, allowing only half that.
Also, last week's game against UCLA showed that the Irish pass defense is not just a function of their poor rush defense. When this defense got a lead, they brought pressure and gobbled up passes like they were tic-tacs.

Say what you will about the Irish defense, but they are not weak against the pass.

This is strength versus strength, and if the Irish D can continue to be stingy through the air, this bodes very well for the Irish overall.

We gobbled up passes because we were playing against a third-string, walk-on quarterback working in an offense that is mocked week-in and week-out by fans of the programs. There's a reason UCLA quarterbacks keep getting hurt: Their offensive line is not good at pass protection. McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Matt Ryan are not the same beast, I assure you. Please, I want to win Saturday as much as anyone else, but let's be realistic.

Finally, a little throwback to an earlier Holy War, one won by the Irish 54-7. Can we get a recap?

This was going to be their stage. For the Boston College Eagles, there could be no better place to establish credibility in an unbeaten season than Notre Dame Stadium.

Eagles of all ages invaded the Midwest, singing "For Boston" at 31,000 feet and hauling stuffed plastic bags from the campus bookstore. But from the beginning of a shocking afternoon, the Eagles were left to wonder how they could suddenly have been reduced to such a mess.

Notre Dame's 54-7 victory may have changed the direction of two seasons. The Fighting Irish, 7-1-1 but struggling to gain consistency in a controversial and sometimes frustrating season, asserted themselves in every area.

Granted, the only thing teams can establish against this Irish team is not embarrassing themselves, but don't think this isn't a monster game for the Eagles going into the heart of their ACC schedule with Virginia Tech and Florida State. Trounce the Irish, carry all the momentum in the world against two potentially flawed opponents. Lose to the 1-5 Irish and all the happy-action-good-times go away and are replaced with doubts.