Im an Aggie but my wife is an ND Alum, and you guys consitently put up top notch stuff. Great Job!
HMFIC04 | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 3:10 pm | #

This is great analysis, info you would never get from watching the game, and will surely enhance my viewing come Saturday night. Keep up the great work!
Hoosier95 | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 3:13 pm | #

In the words of Ty Willingham, we just have to "execute."
Andrew | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 3:15 pm | #

This is defintely a great analysis that I will keep in mind during the game. All of this talk is just making me more and more nervous though... only 77 hours till kickoff.

I also figured out why GTechs cover 3 zone blitz works so well, the offense only has 10 guys! I have enough faith in Charlie to assume that we can get 11 guys on the field (even without the use of the "11 player Mat" that MSU uses)
Chris | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 3:21 pm | #

If they play bump and run they are going to get burned.
Rusty | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 3:24 pm | #

Man, BGS has been content-o-riffic lately. Go Irish.
Phil K. | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 3:25 pm | #

Chris, you can picture the last offensive guy lined up at TE or RB or even another WR...I debated what to show, but figured it didn't really matter where that last guy was. The zone blitz would still be the same, more or less.
Jay | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 3:36 pm | #

It is so on.

The only thing I fear is GATEch just throwing bombs to Johnson repeatedly. Over the past decade, ND has developed a reactive illness to the deep pass (See OSU, Beavers and Buckeyes, in Fiesta Bowl), and I believe I'm not the only one who goes, "Oh, shit, not again." Whenever a 68-yard touchdown is scored against ND. It's like an abusive relationship, and I don't know how much it affects the players knowing that history, but I know it sure as hell affects me.
Pete | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 3:47 pm | #

I use the moustache to motivate my players, but, if I want to indicate something special to them, I may shave it.
Ty | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 4:55 pm | #

You just gotta make plays.
Boob Davie | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 5:13 pm | #

Pete-

I originally would have agreed with...except the fact the Reggie Ball completes only 48% of his passes (with CJ to throw to) and has actually lowered his completion percentage every year. (I'm not even mad, I'm impressed). I don't think Ball can consistently get the ball (ha.) to CJ.
Chris (numero dos) | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 6:08 pm | #

I'm looking forward to talkin' some foot-BAAAAAAAAAAAAAW on Saturday night! Wouldn't you rather see me boldly lead this Irish team to a 5-7 record?!
Best Commentator Ever (Bob Dav | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 6:09 pm | #

Hey... 5-7 is a great year!
Coach Ty | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 6:11 pm | #

I haven't been to this site since laast year. WOW. I forgot how much great "real" content is here. Thanks. You've made Saturday's game better for me.
greg Bachand | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 6:19 pm | #

Just thought people should know that Ara is gonna be on the Hugh Hewitt show a little before 4pm west coast time today.
irishguy | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 6:20 pm | #

You guys better be ready for my new schemes come September 30th. It is gonna be on like James Woods' schlong...
Brock Spack | Email | Homepage | 08.30.06 - 6:40 pm | #

I have a question about this.

It was good to see an attempt to try to explain what this zone blitzing will look like.

I also understand that two linebackers can come from separate sides of where the ball is hiked.

So my question is, how does Brady Quinn read these situations? Does he see it after the ball is hiked? Or can he identify it before the ball is hiked and call a hot route or two?

In other words, I'm not sure BQ won't get knocked around if the TE, RB, X,Y, Z or whatever is moving in a route that's difficult to reach in the face of the blitz.

I guess I'm excited for year 2 because I want to see just how much upside ND can capture this season. What will a hard working intelligent coach be able to accomplish in his off season when he does NOT have to install a new offense?

I can't wait.

GO ND!
atepesm | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 2:06 am | #

This is one of the best breakdowns of a game I've read. Excellent job, Michael.
suave andrew | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 6:11 am | #

Most of Quinn's reads will be after the snap. There really is no hot receiver, because that's what the zone blitz was created to do...to take away the hot receiver in the west coast offense.

Generally corners sit back about 7 yards in a zone blitz/cover 3, so I would expect their DBs to show that and then move up into press before the snap, or vice versa. They'll try to create lots of confusion.

Here's what I'm guessing will occur. Notre Dame will use their scouting reports to predict what they believe Georgia Tech will call on defense - based on our personnel grouping, down and distance, and field position. Weis will then call a play that should work against that defense. For a QB of Quinn's experience, making post-snap reads isn't difficult. For each play that Weis calls, there will be a defender who Quinn keys on. Based upon where that defender rotates to in the zone, that will tell Quinn which of his receivers "should" be open against that defensive playcall. Remember, it's a zone so there will be holes - especially with only 3 underneath defenders. It's just a matter of patience, and the line/backs giving him the time to be patient enough in his reads.
Michael | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 9:14 am | #

This game will be won or lost by ND's offensive line. If they can't keep our d-line from creating pressure on stunts and spacing - then BQ's going to get his bell rung like he's never seen before. Tenuta LOVES hitting QB's, there's a bloodlust there at some level (and yes, Tenuta is a whacked out mofo - maybe why he's not a head coach anywhere yet).

If ND's o-line can negate our d-line and force Tenuta to bring pressure with just linebackers and safeties, Quinn will make his reads and make enough plays to win.

GT probably needs 2-3 sacks from the d-line to win this game. If DRich and Anoai can create pressure straight up the center of the field, it will help GT's cause immensely.
Nathan | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 12:03 pm | #

Tech's O scares me a little. A top 5 WR in the nation, and an experienced athletic QB make me a lil ancy in my pancy, but...
ND can score with anyone and against anyone. Tech cannot hang with NDs offense.
Excellent stuff by the way!
Patrick | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 1:20 pm | #

Quinn is not going to get his bell rung by anybody. Weis will never "hang a QB out to dry" and the GT faithful are going to be dissapointed Sat. night when Quinn repeatedly gets rid of the ball before pressure gets to him.
Frankus | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 3:34 pm | #