There are several good games on the slate this week, but I felt compelled to cover a rivalry without a foreseeable future. From 2009-2011, the Michigan-Notre Dame games played in Week 2 stood up as being among the most exciting of their respective seasons. In fact, over the last four years these games have been won or lost by a total of 19 points. That’s it. Here’s hoping that this rivalry is renewed in the near future.
When Michigan Has The Ball
Devin Gardner has taken over at quarterback for the departed Denard Robinson. Gardiner is no Robinson in the mobility department, but he’s mobile enough and is more of a pro-style QB anyway. There are some questions on the offensive line, where both guards are freshmen and the center is a sophomore. (And yet, the Michigan offensive line versus the Notre Dame defensive line is a battle many NFL scouts will be watching. Michigan left tackle Taylor Lewan could be a top-five pick come April, and Notre Dame has two highly-regarded juniors in their front four in end Stephon Tuitt and nose tackle Louis Nix III). Tight end Devin Funchess is a dynamic receiver, but he may be needed to help with blocking against the Irish front seven. (In addition to the aforementioned defensive line, linebackers Dan Fox, Prince Shembo, and Carlo Calabrese are all experienced, talented seniors.) Another possibility is that running back Fitzgerald Toussaint will be used as an extra blocker and the Wolverines will go to the air more, but I think at least to start, Brady Hoke will want to establish the run. He’s got two excellent options in the run game in Toussaint and freshman Derrick Green, the top running back recruit in the nation coming out of high school. Green had 11 carries for 58 yards and a TD in last week’s 59-6 blowout of Central Michigan.
Should Michigan eventually go to the air, receivers Jeremy Gallon and Drew Dileo are the primary threats, along with the tight end Funchess. At 5’8″ and 5’10” respectively, Gallon and Dileo need to rely on their speed to get free of Notre Dame’s defensive backs, all of whom are listed at around six feet. Funchess, on the other hand, is 6’5″ and provides Gardiner with a Plaxico Burress-like target downfield.
Four different players returned punts last week, but that may have been coach Brady Hoke wanting to give underclassmen some playing time in a blowout. Dennis Norfleet is the regular kick returner and I’d expect him to be the punt returner as well. Kicker Brendan Gibbons is very reliable.
When Notre Dame Has The Ball
Like the Wolverines, the Irish have a different starter at quarterback for this game than they did a year ago. However, Tommy Rees has experienced this rivalry before. Rees was the starter in the 2011 thriller that the Irish lost 35-31 on a last-second touchdown catch by Michigan’s Roy Roundtree. He also came off the bench last year, helping the Irish find the endzone and pull ahead in a game that had been a back and forth defensive struggle until he arrived. He spent last season backing up Everett Golson, a raw freshman whose athleticism and escapability allowed him a level of success not many freshmen experience. Suspended for the season, Golson’s absence gives the senior Rees another chance. Incidentally, while Golson drew some comparisons to Denard Robinson, Rees is in some ways similar to Devin Gardner- not the fastest guy out there, but mobile enough, and probably a better pocket passer than Golson (although Rees’ level of experience likely has something to do with that as well). I imagine the Irish will want to establish the run game early. They’ll certainly miss Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood, but George Atkinson III should be ready to step into a starting role as a junior, while Amir Carlisle, and freshman Greg Bryan give the Irish three quality backs. With three starting offensive linemen returning, blocking shouldn’t be an issue. Michigan doesn’t have tons of experience in their front seven, and this is a game where linebacker Jake Ryan, out for another six weeks or so with a torn ACL, will be missed. They do have several players who have performed well as reserves in the past, though.
When the Irish turn to the passing game, senior T.J. Jones will likely be Rees’ number one target. Jones is the only returning starter and one of two seniors in the receiving corps, although sophomore DaVaris Daniels played well as a reserve last season and picked up two touchdowns in Notre Dame’s first game vs Temple. They’ll definitely miss tight end Tyler Eifert, now in the NFL, but his replacement, junior Troy Niklas’ sole reception last week went for 66 yards and a TD. As far as Michigan’s pass defense, there’s a fair amount of experience in their secondary; junior Raymon Taylor and senior Thomas Gordon are returning starters, and there was a lot of talk about then-freshman cornerback Blake Countess coming out of fall camp last season. Countess is back after tearing his ACL last September. Watch for speedy defensive end Frank Clark on the pass rush.
Notre Dame may have an issue on special teams. Currently there are two kickers on the Irish roster; each got a chance to kick a field goal last week, and each missed. Kyle Brindza may have the edge over Nick Tausch as he kicked last year. Brindza also punted last week and was less than impressive, as he wasn’t even close on attempts to pin Temple inside the twenty, flying a couple right through the endzone.
Prediction: This game should be a back-and-forth close game (why break with tradition?) but ultimately I think Notre Dame’s defense will be the difference. 30-28 Irish.
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