GBMWolverine Game Predictions and Commentary: Michigan at Notre Dame

Posted at 12:00pm — 9/10/2010

GBMWolverine Game Predictions and Commentary:

ErocWolverine:

Well something strange usually happens at Notre Dame — will it happen again?

Think with Coach Kelly just getting his system in it is a good thing we are getting them early.

The one thing that bothers me from last weeks game is our special teams. In close ball games it usually comes down to those special teams and we need to dramatically improve from last weeks game against UConn.

This team needs to play like it did last week with the emotion and attitude throughout the game. Can they and will they on the road?

They also need be prepared for something going wrong and being able to keep their poise and bounce back. Last year it didn’t happen, but they need to make it happen this year.

I believe the passing attack can improve and believe that Denard will have to use his arm more than his legs this week. I think Notre Dame will stack the box and pressure the quarterback while looking to stop Denard from running the ball.

We need to improve our running game this week with our yards per carry average.

We need to keep the turnovers down like we did last week against UConn.

Michigan 34 — Notre Dame 24

CoachBt:

Michigan 35 — Notre Dame 31

Doc4Blu:

Notre Dame Preview and Prediction

Brian Kelly respects Michigan somewhat and he dislikes Coach Rod more than somewhat. This game, for Kelly, will be similar to the UConn game was for Coach Rod. It could be a war, and one of the determining variables could be bad weather. Who would benefit? Logic would indicate Denard Robinson and Notre Dame’s passing attack should grind out the edge.. The lines are very similar, but ND has monster defensive ends in the 3-4 scheme. Do not look for the easy perimeter bust outs of last week. ND has a linebacker crew about equal to UConn. ND is better than UConn in the secondary, but this position group is still not a great strength. The kicking game has good returners and an excellent field goal kicker, perhaps a difference maker in the final score. The wideouts of Notre Dame are superior in talent, but UM may close the gap somewhat with smart use of the slots and wideouts.

Notre Dame will clearly try to establish the ground game with speedy Armando Allen and Cierre Wood, a very good twosome. Then the spread will see what damage it can do. I look for ND to throw everywhere, and one thing to look for is running two talented receivers deep down both seams. The tight end, junior Kyle Rudolph, will be used expertly. He may be the best NFL tight end prospect in the US of A. Michael Flyod’s number will be dialed. Most likely on sideline go’s, deep flag out cuts, which the UM defense defends roughly (a kind word), and up the seam. We will see how UM’s young safeties react this week.

UM must pressure, Dayne Crist, another monster size gunslinger in the Frazer mold (but more accurate). UM must have a back that has a big day, excepting Denard Robinson. UM must continue to be precise in the short passing game and be ready to go to Plan B if the ND defense squeezes in. Denard must continue with the solid decision making and not let the game mentally speed up around him, control, control, control.

Perhaps most of all, the UM squad needs to react to the hostile crowd with an “I love it” attitude.

This game is certainly a toss up and whichever team wins has a hand up in digging back into the top 25. Last year was last year and both teams will be better. This game is an independent sample not related to any other game played in the long series. Notre Dame has more talent, a better kicker, the home field, and a coach with a mission. UM has the edge in overall team speed (but ND has very fast skilled players) and maybe the most dangerous athlete on the field (but Michael Floyd may claim that title).

Michigan 20 — Notre Dame 24 — Please let me be wrong.

MaizeMan:

13 point spread—game will be closer early. However, (depending of course that Denard stays healthy)—-offense ability to run the ball and keep defense off the field eventually wears ND down.

ND is a rhythm offense—and it is critical they have the ball–or get on the field. UM plays very similar to a week ago—and has numerous 3rd and short situations where Denard is almost impossible to contain.

I expect a slightly better performance from our DL—and our special teams.

Defensively—-although our pass defense still has not been tested—I think G-rob will throw enough different looks at Crist to keep him inconsistent. Remember—this will be Crist first game of this magnitude in a new offense.

Also—it is critical UM gets a lead or never falls behind by more than 7 points early. We have to keep our game plan and not have to deviate and try and play catch-up. If we do—then ND will get too many offensive opportunities.

Michigan 28 — Notre Dame 15

WerlsWolverine:

Come on Defense hold together, if this game was anywhere but South Bend I would predict Michigan by two touchdowns.

Michigan 28 — Notre Dame 24

Yostmeister:

Just to recap I said Michigan last week, 31-30. Got the offensive part down… But is U-Conn that overrated, or is our defense better? Will definitely find out. Can’t say I am that confident going down to South Bend with a Swiss cheese secondary and an offense short on receivers.

It pains me, especially with that loudmouth Kelly down there now, plus Regis and Golic and rest of those pompous asses that don’t even know that his name is pronounced DENARD (duh-nard) ROBINSON. I hope they find out this week and stick it up NBC’s toosh as well.

They held back their offensive package last week.

Stay tuned for the pre-season hockey notes. Coaches/media CCHA poll should be out soon.

Sorry guys, got to be real here:

Michigan 24 — Notre Dame 33

Special Guest: Posters from the message board

BlueBloodstrip:

I like our 3-4 man rush vs. Their line in a spread. Only the guards return for ND. Our corners actually played very well vs. The flat routes last week. I also thought the RB last week is better than Allen. Allen may still break 100 but I like the bend don’t break D. I say ND gets 24 (an increase of two TDs because of Floyd).

We run the crap out of the ball this game. Our line is too good and I think RR takes pressure off of DRobinson. Run also helps with the fact we are at ND. I look for a lot of screen passes and the same mix of slant and roll out to flats type passing game from DR. I think Robinson is only running if the lane is wide open and it’s a 3rd and middle yardage. (Watch the TOP in this game due to lack of kicking game)

Michigan 35 — Notre Dame 24

Michigan is 2-0 and breaks the top 25.

Go Blue!

Guanxi:

“It’s a relatively tough game to predict; it’s just the second game of the season and there are so many new players on both sides, including QBs and even a head coach and his staff.

Here’s what I’m looking for:

Unless Notre Dame folds, which I don’t expect, then a lot will depend on how Michigan handles adversity. From my limited perspective, we didn’t seem to respond well last year, at least in the second half of the season. The UConn game was great, but don’t expect a repeat. Against UConn, almost everything our offense tried, worked; ND’s defensive line won’t be pushed around so easily, their LBs and DBs will be faster, and Denard won’t run for 200 yards. Brian Kelly is going to watch the UConn film and he’s a very talented coach; they will be prepared. ND’s Offense won’t forgive our defensive mistakes, unless their new QB, Dayne Crist, responds poorly to his own adversity. Where UConn’s QB missed the pass or their open receivers dropped the ball, Crist will hit his All-American WR or TE who will take it all the way. We were lucky to have no turnovers last weekend; if we play the same against ND, I expect 2-4. And we will need our special teams to execute fundamentals like Kickoffs, extra points, and catching punts.

So the questions is, what will we do when we’re behind, exhausted, and nothing seems to work? When ND has a big play that swings the momentum in their favor? When our D can’t stop them for the first two drives of the 2nd half, will we come out with even more energy and stop them on the third one? Denard was great in the first two minutes against UConn; how will he handle the last two against ND? Whatever his flaws, few players respond like Tate does. I have big hopes for this team; they say the right things and played with fire against UConn, but there wasn’t much adversity after our first drive. Saturday could be our test.

A wild guess:

Michigan 34 — Notre Dame 33

Go Blue!

AustinWolv:

Since we only have one game to go on for both teams so far, first game mistakes and tweaking will be interesting to see get fixed this week.

When UM is on defense:

ND’s QB, while not a dual-threat, can run a little bit if discipline is lost during the rush. However, the rush needs to be aggressive this week as he has a good arm and showed ability to throw accurately when allowed to stand in the pocket. UM needs to make him restless and keep everything in front of them, so I expect soft coverage from the corners and safeties so Floyd and Co. don’t get easy long catches. ND’s tackles look susceptible to pass rushers, so expect Roh to cause some problems for ND. Unfortunately, they have upperclassmen and some big size on the OL, so it would appear they will get some rushing yards between the tackles. I don’t think they’ll get too creative with the run because the ND OL didn’t look very mobile. The LBs will be crucial to fill and beat blocks. ND used two backs last week that both have talent.

When UM is on offense:

While I’m sure ND will fix some errors by the LBs from last week, the group is very aggressive and gets to the ball in a hurry, but at they overrun and end up missing tackles. The ND DL may have not played their best game last week, as they have some experience, but they didn’t get much rush and the edges were often clear sailing for ball carriers and especially the Purdue QB. I suspect they’ll try very hard to keep Denard in the pocket and make him dink & dunk underneath on passing plays, at the risk of not rushing him hard. The Purdue QB had all day outside the pocket on roll-outs , where Denard could easily get yards if nothing opens up downfield. Given the aggressive flow of the ND defense, play-action and misdirection (as long as it is quick plays, not slow-developing) could be big, especially to the TE, as the LBs bite on PA noticeably. The OL should be able to allow the running game to gash the ND D, but more likely in off-tackle, options, and counter plays, as ND LBs were quick and sound in filling holes on inside runs. Overall, the ND defense pursues to the ball, and the defensive secondary was sound in coming up on the run. The safeties didn’t appear to cover ground quickly, so intermediate passes can be open all day. ND will have trouble on broken pass plays if they lose focus on their rush lanes. UM will need to get the running game going with the RBs so play action will work and the defense can’t focus just on Denard.

UM cannot give away the ball. Period. ND has more playmakers than UCONN, so any given play could end up as a TD which means the fewer possessions by ND is for the better, so the defense must be consistent and the offense needs to help keep the defense off the field again.

Michigan 35 — Notre Dame 27

WOLVERINENWV:

I don’t see either defense looking particularly good in this matchup. Both teams have big weaknesses in the secondary, and both teams will be relying on their front 7 to make something happen in terms of pressure. I like Michigan’s OL much better than ND’s at this point in time, and I think that will be the difference in the game.

ND’s players have shown a weakness against the spread-run (especially UM) in the past. I’m not sure if just a few months in a new scheme can fix all their issues. They will maybe do better, but Michigan’s improvements make this a mismatch again. Michigan will move the ball on the ground, and potential rainy conditions will make this imperative. Michigan will use a controlled passing package, similar to the UConn plan, but ND will force tougher throws and quicker decisions – Michigan’s receivers have to hold onto the ball.

ND will get their yards through the air. They will test the Michigan defense vertically with Floyd and down the middle with Rudolph early and often. Michigan must get pressure on Crist, and they need to do a better job over the middle in the spaces between the LBers and S. The Floyd v Floyd matchup will be somewhat successful for both teams. UM’s Floyd will get some james and his physicality will slow Floyd down at times, but his lack of speed will hurt when UM can’t get pressure. I see a good day from ND Floyd, but not spectacular. I don’t think ND will have much success running the ball, aside from 1 or 2 “big” runs of 10-15 yards, the ground game will be managed much like UConn’s was.

ND will be forced to pass, and will want to test the UM secondary. Michigan will be happy running all over the field and grinding the clock out similar to the UConn offense. Both teams score on the majority of their possessions, but Michigan’s OL and DL make the difference in this one.

Michigan leaves South Bend with a narrow, hard-fought victory:

Michigan 33 — Notre Dame 28

HailVictors42:

Denard Robinson will prove that he is not just a “RB”, like how Brain Kelly described him. He will put up very good numbers through the air. The times that he does run will be mainly from pass plays breaking down. Less designed running plays, due to ND packing the box. Michigan defense will double Floyd limiting the deep plays, though the will land a couple. Michigan needs to limit the “Big Plays” as much as possible, and if they do that…. they will win this game.

Michigan 27 — Notre Dame 24

Written by GBMWolverine Staff

Go Blue — Wear Maize!