I've said before that I thought this was a game we could win. I never marked it as a "W", but just felt we were a good match-up with Temple and I stand by that. Temple right now is a little banged up, but healthier then they were against SMU. ND knocked them around a lot, but a few things are interesting.
First, Temple's offense is not very good. Don't look at the SMU defense because you can gash them any way you want, through the air or on the ground they're equally as porous. I look at Temple's offense being ranked right their with Uconn's and Syracuse's. I look at Temple being the one team that put the least amount of points on Notre Dame's defense this year. I am a ND fan too, but VanGorder sucks....he looks like frankenstein, his schemes are not good, and people still scratch their heads why he continues to start and play guys like Joe Schmidt, and Shumate, and others....when he's got studs behind them. Anyway, ND's defense is soft, run away from Jaylene Smith because he's amazing, double down on Sheldon Day (also amazing) and the rest of ND's defense is just decent. Until VanGorder decides against playing favorites and puts guys like Nyles Morgan, and Tevon Coney in then ND will just be ok...Temple struggled and only put up 275 yards total offense....that is well over 75 yards worse then the next closest (Texas I do not include because they were the worst but they're a hot mess because on games when they don't show up their team just lays down like they did against ND) which was Gtech. It's not hard to rack up yards against ND if you avoid Smith and Day.
Defensively, we're better then ND. Our kids are far more athletic. Now we do not possess a Jaylen Smith, or Sheldon Day, and those guys are so good, and so dominant they cover up mistakes by others for ND- last weekend on 1 run play Smith ran past the two LB's that the ball was run to their side on a toss sweep, and tackled the guy for 1 yard...that's a man covering up for guys running down from the opposite side to make a play. But we have a starting 11 that overall is faster, and more athletic then ND. I'd put Hoggins, and Nichols right their with KaVari Russell, they're a bit young, but every bit the athletes, and speed, and maybe even moxie. NDs problem is they'd get Temple in lots of 3rd and longs, and then they would let Temple's average receivers bail them out. We've been good about not letting that happen to us much this year. I believe our defense will give Temple fits...they're not a very good offense. They're an efficient offense, with a good scheme...a good QB that doesn't make a lot of mistakes and good play calling. Sans a great win over PSU, and decent one over Cinci to start the season, they haven't beaten anyone with a winning record (Umass is 1-8, Charlotte is 2-9, Tulane is 2-7, UCF is 0-10, SMU is 1-8, ECU is 4-5). That means outside of their first two games, when they had 9 sacks against PSU, which led to two red zone turnovers and gave them an easy win, when their defense shocked folks a bit...they've beaten the rest of their opponents who's combined record is 10-47, and all those teams have real problems are certain sides of the ball. They haven't faced a Memphis or Navy in the middle of the year, highly prolific offenses that will stretch your abilities all over the field.
In fact, the only offense they've met that seemed to have any prolific scoring ability is SMU, who hung 40 on them, and put up over 425 yards. The same offense our defense faced two weeks ago, and we surrendered nearly half the yards, and only 14pts.
In summary I do not believe Temple has an offense that will gash us and will have to nickel and dime. Their receivers are solid, but not very dangerous. They will struggle to find space in our spread defense, and their QB Walker will need to fit the ball into tighter spaces- can he do it. Jahad Thomas will be back for our game, and that little fast scat back will give us fits...not the perfect type of RB for Sanchez to cover, but Byrd, if he reads things right could be the secret here. but Thomas can give us real fits. PJ Thomas is a solid QB, a good thrower, but not real great or committed to running. He doesn't make many mistakes, controls the game, so we've got to rattle him a bit. I think they will struggle against our defense in long spurts if our kids come to play, play extremely disciplined, and physical like they've played the last 45 or so days. Temple's OL isn't physically imposing. They're big, but beatable, and their best one, the center, was lost for the season late against ND. The OL makes mistakes, and can get beaten by quicker edge guys. ND defensive line had a field day against them, and like I said outside of Day the other DL for ND are simply above average players. I am not saying we'll dominate them like we did ECU last week, no because Temple has more weapons to spread around and they have great schemes, and play calling. What I am saying is I think we'll have them in a lot of 3rd and longs, and it will play to our defensive strengths. I think if our guys can play up to task, and their ability they can give our team a chance to win the game again. I do not see Temple hanging 28pts or more on us unless we turn the ball over. Hell only FSU and Maryland hung 30pts or more, but FSU it was a late TD for window dressing after we went for a 4th down deep in our territory, and Maryland, some turnovers let them get those TD's.....It wouldn't even shock me to see us keep Temple's offense to 17pts or less.
Then it will be up to the offense to do something against the far more prolific part of the Temple team.
First, Temple's offense is not very good. Don't look at the SMU defense because you can gash them any way you want, through the air or on the ground they're equally as porous. I look at Temple's offense being ranked right their with Uconn's and Syracuse's. I look at Temple being the one team that put the least amount of points on Notre Dame's defense this year. I am a ND fan too, but VanGorder sucks....he looks like frankenstein, his schemes are not good, and people still scratch their heads why he continues to start and play guys like Joe Schmidt, and Shumate, and others....when he's got studs behind them. Anyway, ND's defense is soft, run away from Jaylene Smith because he's amazing, double down on Sheldon Day (also amazing) and the rest of ND's defense is just decent. Until VanGorder decides against playing favorites and puts guys like Nyles Morgan, and Tevon Coney in then ND will just be ok...Temple struggled and only put up 275 yards total offense....that is well over 75 yards worse then the next closest (Texas I do not include because they were the worst but they're a hot mess because on games when they don't show up their team just lays down like they did against ND) which was Gtech. It's not hard to rack up yards against ND if you avoid Smith and Day.
Defensively, we're better then ND. Our kids are far more athletic. Now we do not possess a Jaylen Smith, or Sheldon Day, and those guys are so good, and so dominant they cover up mistakes by others for ND- last weekend on 1 run play Smith ran past the two LB's that the ball was run to their side on a toss sweep, and tackled the guy for 1 yard...that's a man covering up for guys running down from the opposite side to make a play. But we have a starting 11 that overall is faster, and more athletic then ND. I'd put Hoggins, and Nichols right their with KaVari Russell, they're a bit young, but every bit the athletes, and speed, and maybe even moxie. NDs problem is they'd get Temple in lots of 3rd and longs, and then they would let Temple's average receivers bail them out. We've been good about not letting that happen to us much this year. I believe our defense will give Temple fits...they're not a very good offense. They're an efficient offense, with a good scheme...a good QB that doesn't make a lot of mistakes and good play calling. Sans a great win over PSU, and decent one over Cinci to start the season, they haven't beaten anyone with a winning record (Umass is 1-8, Charlotte is 2-9, Tulane is 2-7, UCF is 0-10, SMU is 1-8, ECU is 4-5). That means outside of their first two games, when they had 9 sacks against PSU, which led to two red zone turnovers and gave them an easy win, when their defense shocked folks a bit...they've beaten the rest of their opponents who's combined record is 10-47, and all those teams have real problems are certain sides of the ball. They haven't faced a Memphis or Navy in the middle of the year, highly prolific offenses that will stretch your abilities all over the field.
In fact, the only offense they've met that seemed to have any prolific scoring ability is SMU, who hung 40 on them, and put up over 425 yards. The same offense our defense faced two weeks ago, and we surrendered nearly half the yards, and only 14pts.
In summary I do not believe Temple has an offense that will gash us and will have to nickel and dime. Their receivers are solid, but not very dangerous. They will struggle to find space in our spread defense, and their QB Walker will need to fit the ball into tighter spaces- can he do it. Jahad Thomas will be back for our game, and that little fast scat back will give us fits...not the perfect type of RB for Sanchez to cover, but Byrd, if he reads things right could be the secret here. but Thomas can give us real fits. PJ Thomas is a solid QB, a good thrower, but not real great or committed to running. He doesn't make many mistakes, controls the game, so we've got to rattle him a bit. I think they will struggle against our defense in long spurts if our kids come to play, play extremely disciplined, and physical like they've played the last 45 or so days. Temple's OL isn't physically imposing. They're big, but beatable, and their best one, the center, was lost for the season late against ND. The OL makes mistakes, and can get beaten by quicker edge guys. ND defensive line had a field day against them, and like I said outside of Day the other DL for ND are simply above average players. I am not saying we'll dominate them like we did ECU last week, no because Temple has more weapons to spread around and they have great schemes, and play calling. What I am saying is I think we'll have them in a lot of 3rd and longs, and it will play to our defensive strengths. I think if our guys can play up to task, and their ability they can give our team a chance to win the game again. I do not see Temple hanging 28pts or more on us unless we turn the ball over. Hell only FSU and Maryland hung 30pts or more, but FSU it was a late TD for window dressing after we went for a 4th down deep in our territory, and Maryland, some turnovers let them get those TD's.....It wouldn't even shock me to see us keep Temple's offense to 17pts or less.
Then it will be up to the offense to do something against the far more prolific part of the Temple team.
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