Notre Dame will look to earn its first home win of the season this weekend when the Irish host Miami (Ohio). Bryan and Ryan break down the keys to victory for the Notre Dame defense, who will look to put together another dominant defensive performance.
Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore.irishbreakdown.com/
Join the Irish Breakdown premium message board: https://boards.irishbreakdown.com
Stay locked into Irish Breakdown for all the latest news and analysis about Notre Dame: https://www.irishbreakdown.com
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/irish-breakdown/id1485286986
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/irishbreakdown
Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/irish-breakdown-newsletter
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The NFL season is finally here, so make sure you're ready with NFL Sunday Ticket and YouTube TV. It gives you the most live NFL games all in one place, exactly what you need to make your Sundays more magical. Sign up today at youtube.com/Sundayticket. Local and national games on YouTube TV, NFL Sunday Ticket for Out-of-Market Games excludes digital only games. Reporting live from under my blanket, I'm Susan Curtis with Duncan at Home. Breaking news, pumpkin spice, iced and hot coffees are back. I'll pass it to Mr. Curtis with his blanket for the full story. That is so right, Susan. You know, it's never too early to get in a spicy mood. I'm talking cinnamon-y goodness that's so tasty. People don't want to leave their blankets either. Back to you. No, back to you. All you. The home with Duncan Pumpkin Spice is where you want to be. [Music] Let's dive into the defense, Ryan, and we don't have as many keys in this one because this is a bit more of a mismatch in my opinion. Then we've seen on the other side of the ball. I think the Notre Dame offense has a talent advantage over Miami, Ohio, certainly, but they have not played to the way where you expect them. Where I assume, I should say, they're going to take advantage and roll Miami, Ohio. They got to prove it. This side of the ball is a little bit different. And unlike Northern Illinois, this is, yes, Mac team. You know, there's a couple offensive skill players I really like for Miami, Ohio. They got a veteran quarterback. It's not for me. It's accurate on the football. It's not for mayor. It's a lot like the kid at Northern Illinois, except this kid has way more experience. The difference is that overall Miami is philosophically. What they're good at is just not what Notre Dame's not good at. And that's what's true against Northern Illinois. Notre Dame's not a great run defense. And Northern Illinois was a pretty good running football team. Big veteran offensive line. Very talented running back. We've been talking about him for a while now. And they kind of, their strengths kind of win against what Notre Dame's not their strength. This is an exact opposite. This is a team that hasn't run the ball well. They throw the ball effectively. So there's not a lot of variety of keys. It's kind of do what you do. But here's three things that kind of that we're going to dive into that you look at and say, this is the key to really not just winning, but dominating the way that they need to dominate. And number one is shut down to run game. Now that's going to sound kind of like, uh, they suck at running the football. Exactly. Yeah, because what you can't do is come out and again, what was that? They're really bad at it. Like not. Yeah, they've got 64 yards in two games. I was going to say they're averaging like 32 yards a carry in like one four yards a carry. Like they're very bad at running the football. They're very different than they were last year where they were a decent running team. You know, they averaged over 150 yards a game. Rashad Amos was a thousand yard runner. Last season on fourth. Who transferred to be the like fourth string for Ole Miss for some reason. Never. And some of these kids, but you know, whatever. He has got five carries in two games for Ole Miss. So probably didn't, wasn't real smart, but they're not very good at running the football, Ryan. And what the reason that's key number one is because when a team's not good at something, don't let them have success at that. The only chance Miami, Ohio has is to have some semblance of balance. You have to be disciplined and you have to dominate that part of the game and make them one dimensional. They don't want to be one dimensional, Ryan. They have to be. This isn't like a, you know, how mummy offense from back in the day or a Mike Leach air raid, where they don't care about running the football. They'd like to be able to run the football. They just can't. And you've got to make sure that continues and come out and shut that down. First down dominant. I mean, keep them in second and long, third and long, all game. Because if you do, they have no chance. And I thought after two games of they were just kind of average against the run against A&M. They were bad. Stop in the running is Northern Illinois, they did dominate Purdue's ground game. Now you just needed. Okay. Now you've got to figure it out. Now you're going to keep that thing rolling. And if you shut down this run game, I don't think Miami has much of a chance because they're going to just be in so many long down and distant situations. And then their name's pass rush gets to pin its ears back. And that's not good news for Miami. Prize picks is America's number one daily fantasy sports app with over five million active members. Prize picks is the easiest and most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports. Unlike other apps on prize picks, it's just you against the numbers. All you do is pick more or less on two to six player stat projections and watch the winnings roll in. Get in on the daily action with your friends and become part of the prize picks community today. You can now win up to a hundred times your money on prize picks with as little as four correct picks. You can turn ten dollars into a thousand dollars. I'm a Bears fan, so this one gets me really excited. One Caleb Williams passing yard gets you one win on prize picks every week in September. That's right. Only one yard gets you an automatic win every football weekend in September. Four weeks of free W's. Don't miss this deal on prize picks because it's gone when September ends. Think Tyreke Hill will get more than 90.5 yards in week one. Aaron Jones runs for more than 66.5 yards. Cook up hot takes with your friends and win real money this football season when you and your crew run your game on prize picks. Prize picks also has college picks all ready to go for you as well. Get in before game one hits and you can predict how many passing yards your favorite college quarterback will hit. For me, I think Riley Leonard's going to go above two thousand five hundred and fifty and a half yards. So I'm going to take that one and I'm going to combine it with Quinn yours to throw two thousand nine hundred and ninety nine and a half yards. Put those together and bang bang boom baby. I'm going to be a winner. You just wait and see. I'm coming up on my one year anniversary of depositing my first ten dollars and I received an instant ten dollar bonus. If you have the skills you can play for a shot at turning your ten dollars into a thousand dollars. Download the prize picks app today and use code Irish for a first deposit match up to a hundred dollars. That's code Irish on prize picks for a deposit match up to a hundred dollars. Prize picks run your game. You've had Wendy's nugs dipped in sauce. But have you had them covered in sauce? Wendy's new saucy nugs takes the crispy and spicy nugs that you love and turn them up to eleven. Choose between flavors like buffalo, honey barbecue, garlic palm or if you're a real heat seeker try spicy ghost pepper only on Wendy's signature spicy nugs. I dare you. That's seven delicious ways to try the nugs you already love. Pick a flavor grab some extra napkins and prepare to nug like you've never nugged before. For a whole new way to nug it's got to be Wendy's at participating US Wendy's. It I mean like like again I don't think that you guys can do the work yourself here right 32 yards a game on 22 carries a game that is 1.4 yards per carry like they are a and yes that is lost yardage due to sacks that are put into that total but guys. They're leading ball carriers average of like one point something yards and carry right now 13 carries for 23 yards or something like that like it's it is wildly inefficient how bad they are running the football and. Don't let someone be something they're not against you ultimately keep a weakness a weakness whatever cliche you want to throw out there. They're a terrible running team like they're just very poor running team and ultimately it isn't just stopping the run in a vacuum. Brett Gabbert is a rhythm based player right so what is rhythm work off of well it's run the football or PO game run the football play action game. That's when Brett Gabbert is at his best when you don't give him a run game it becomes a lot harder for him to be an efficient thrower of the football stop the run game. That is the main area success if you stop the run game and shut it down and let it be what it's just been the last couple games Notre Dame's going to feast defensively like there's no reason to think they want. It's to back up your point Ryan that this if you take sacks out right so my move Ohio on the season is only averaging 1.4 yards per carry. If you take sacks out they have a minus 16 yard gain from their kicker. They've downed it a couple times if you take all that out and you just look at their top four running backs because their quarterbacks have a combined total of 12 carries for minus. They're running backs are only averaging 3.2 yards per carry. I mean that their highest yard per carry averages is a guy that's at 4.5 and he only has four carries right there they're leading Russia from a yard standpoint at 4.1 they're leading Russia from a carry standpoint as you mentioned he on Mozy is 1.9. Right shut it down just shut it down. Hey Irish Breakdown listeners it's Urban Meyer this fall the game changes join me Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and broadcaster Rob Stone as we bring you a new perspective on football and culture every week. We will be joined by the biggest name in sports and talk about everything inside and outside of the lines. Let us guide you through a new era of college football. Watch triple option on YouTube or listen on Apple podcast Spotify or wherever you get podcasts. We'll give you the behind the scenes stories for my days as the quarterback on an iconic college football team to Jerry's days as a star on an iconic TV series. So subscribe to throwbacks on YouTube Apple podcast Spotify or wherever you get podcasts. And that leads us into number two is if Blaine Gabbert's comfortable you mentioned he's a rhythm passer he's a 60 year senior Brett Gabbert did I say Blaine. Yeah Blaine yeah that's the older brother Brett Gabbert. I could joke about this right now I don't know if you were in the show at this point I said but this is how old he is he was a to he started for two years during college football at a time when Ian book was Notre Dame started quarterback. Well Lee Gabbert when he was when he was in college it was crazy. Yeah so so Brett's been around for a while he's over 8400 career passing yards he's not an elite talent he's a smart veteran quarterback and props to him for staying at Miami, Ohio because he probably could have could have had some power five or some bigger group of five schools after him but he stayed at Miami, Ohio when he's sitting in the pocket and comfortable he's smart he's decisive he's accurate throwing the football. When he's not comfortable in the pocket even as a six year senior he's going to make mistakes and you saw it first drive of the mind of the Cincinnati game last week. Right nobody's open to first he starts running around and he just lobs a ball to move the field into double coverage gets picked off right I mean you speak and that's true for a lot of core you speed his process up and he's going to be in trouble they've given up seven sacks in the first two games and you've got to get him uncomfortable because if if he's not comfortable and we'll just I mean let's just go to it now Ryan and talk about we'll put him together. If he's not comfortable key number three is don't let 11 and don't let zero beat you 11 is Kade McDonald that's the slot receiver who's very dynamic as eight catches in each of the first two games has been over 100 yards in each of the first two games against power four teams and then Reggie Virgil's caught a 50 yard touchdown pass the guy fell down but he'd already got the head guy beat on that host route touchdown last week. Big six four kid they can hurt you if the quarterback has time to throw. If he doesn't have time to throw you not only force mistakes by by Brett Gabbert but you also eliminate any chance of those guys really making enough plays on you to keep this thing competitive. That's the only chance they really have is to get those two kids rolling in the pass game. And if you get Brett Gabbert out of his out of rhythm he's not only going to make mistakes but he's going to be less accurate getting them the football so those two keys kind of go together Ryan. And I mean again you shut that down. They it could be just as bad as last week or within a cross midfield until like a second. I mean think about that Purdue never cross midfield against Notre Dame's first team defense last week. Despite getting the ball two times near midfield, the star positions you know I had one at the 37 and I think one started the 42 and they still could cross midfield. It could be like that. Yeah it could be like that again Ryan if you're able to get consistent pressure be smart be sound in the secondary but get consistent pressure get Gabbert uncomfortable with your coverage looks. And then also the pressure from the front seven. I mean because I'm going to make a I'm going to make a. I don't even know if I should make this comparison because this might be a little mean but have you ever seen the movie twins you've seen twins I'm sure right. So playing Gabbert is sports an egg right that the one you're talking about. Yes. Blaine Gabbert is Arnold Schwarzenegger and Brett Gabbert is Danny DeVito. One guy got all the talent the other guy is very smart right so that's what Brett Gabbert is not a criminal. Not a criminal like Danny DeVito was in that movie. Yeah. Yeah, man, it's just it's so funny to see the two like next to each other because one's like 65 to 25 tools he is all heck but kind of a bonehead as a football player and the other one's six foot. 205 not very athletic but does all the right things on the field as far as like being pretty sound with his understanding of playing the game of football it's pretty hilarious to watch but ultimately six foot. 205 not incredibly athletic not incredibly dynamic not a huge arm. If you put Brett Gabbert in conflict he is going to make some poor decisions he's going to make some mistakes and you can get to him. And that was one of the coolest things that I saw last week was yes the whole defense played well but like one of the things that I was most excited about coming out last week is that you started to see the pass rush come to the forefront a little bit. You start to see Buba car Treyori you start to see some of the interior guys kind of flash a little bit more you start to see Bryce young you start to see some of these guys really start to put it together as far as getting to the quarterback more consistently and efficiently. That had been something that just wasn't enough of in the first couple games get to this quarterback get him out of rhythm. Don't let him get the ball out of his hand in a clean concise manner make him have to break the pocket make him have to try to create a structure because like Hudson card. Much different players Hudson cards a much more athletic player than a Brett Gabbert but they're both rhythm based passers at the end of the day and if you break their rhythm. They are going to make mistakes they are going to make bad decisions out of conflicts. If you make that happen with Brett Gabbert I think that Notre Dame is going to have a very successful play. I also we also Ryan saw the Notre Dame linebackers starting to time their blitz is a little bit better little bit more effective and that's going to continue hopefully continue as these younger players getting more and more comfortable and what they want to do. So Ryan when you look at this obviously the big the big key to wrap it up is you just limit if you limit if you do these things you limit the big plays and limiting the big plays is the key to shutting this team down because they are not anywhere close to good enough to just marching up and down the field in the way that Northern Illinois is there just they don't have the they don't have the line they don't have the town running back. They don't have the scheme to run like they should in any way to really run this ball up and down the field and even though Northern Illinois was getting just field goals they were still moving the ball eating up clock those type of things. And the chance that I think they have to win this football game is big plays. And if you if you do the things we talked about. You shut down those big big plays because I do think they have a couple of receivers that are capable of making a couple big plays and a couple I can live with what you can't have is you know four or five six big plays where they just completely flip the field or you know keep the chains up and have that lack of success. I like would like to think that that's not going to happen because of mistakes in the secondary because the secondary has been pretty good so far. I mean no name hasn't missed a beat at corner as good as Cam Hart was last I mean they have missed a beat at corner. Don Schuller's been pretty good so far this season and Xavier Watson Xavier Watson I mean this is this is I talked about yesterday Ryan lasting to discuss on your opinion on this. And this is by far the biggest matchup or the most important matchup for Jordan Clark so far. Because I thought he's played solid football the first two weeks but nobody's really gone Adam they're going to go at him in this game, not because of they don't think he can play, but their best player is going to be matched up on him all game long. I think so and and I think the big thing too is that I mean pressure is obviously going to play into this effect right but ultimately like the Notre Dame's secondary is just so good man. I mean Rod heard is also like the perfect third safety like he has made some flash plays and he's just been a good addition to that to that room as well overall and Christian Gray. Man if you can squeeze a football bro like he be one of the best interception leaders in college football if I literally sent there was a hilarious quick side no there was a hilarious picture of Christian almost intercepting the one last year against Ryan were like he looked in agony after he dropped the ball and I said it to Shonda Gray because I'm just like me got to tell them to squeeze it got to squeeze. He's almost had three picks sixes so far this year and almost had two against the A&M and he almost had another one last week. It's crazy and ultimately even though the McDonald kids are good player and they have a couple of good by receivers you know I'll go in this Notre Dame defense is still going to be aggressive and they're going to say man to man see what you got. If they win they win ultimately so yeah Jordan Clark is going to have a nice assignment this week. I think he's talented enough obviously to come out on the winning end there but you should definitely keep an eye on the slot because that's going to be an early matchup to watch if if Miami Ohio has any hope of making a couple of couple big plays in the passing game. It's probably going to be predicated on the slot early so that's definitely a matchup to watch. I just want to get this information out there Ryan because I think it's just fascinating as good as we talked about how good Cam Hart was last week but when you look at the numbers for Christian Gray this year. I'm actually trying to find it but or pull it up but pro football focus is not here we go. In three games so far this year Christian Gray has allowed six receptions on on 12 targets for 34 yards. He gave up 29 yards in the first game I would say a couple of those were I don't know that I would agree that they were on him they were more short throws in the kind of the no cover zone. But in three games he's given up 34 yards. I mean so that's a mean that means you're on pretty good like what 150 yards in the regular season. I've already I've already had a couple agents reach out to me and be like who the heck is 29. I really know about it very soon. Yeah absolutely absolutely. So Ryan that's going to do it for the keys to victory on defense we're going to get two predictions here in a minute and knock that out but before we do folks. Hit that like hit that subscribe hit the notification bell share this podcast give us a five star review on your favorite platform and of course go to boards on our breakdown com. Sign up for that check that out I have my run game breakdown up already I've got the two videos produced I'm going to do two. I mean past game breakdown videos Ryan I'm going to talk about their third down offense I'm going to talk about how effective Mike Denmark was using motion to get some big plays in that game. And then also I'm going to break down a couple missed opportunities from the game and you know what we need to see from the quarterback to take advantage there's three I thought three big missed opportunities in the game on Saturday in the past game and I'm going to break those down on that pass on that pass breakdown as well that'll be up later tonight. And we'll get rocking and rolling so check that out at boards on our breakdown com. [Music] [Music] [Music] At King Super's pharmacy care is making it easy to get vaccinated care is helping you stay protected from flu COVID and RSV seasonal vaccines are available seven days a week with evening hours care is giving you a shot at staying healthy this season. Walk in whenever is best and get multiple vaccines in one visit at your local King Super's pharmacy so come and get the protection you need while protecting those around you King Super's a world of care is in store. Visit king supers.com/vaccines for more restrictions and exclusions apply seaside for details.
