Buy or sell: Notre Dame will hold Central Michigan under 100 passing yards
Notre Dame faces a Central Michigan team Saturday whose passing offense is not its strength
BlueandGold.com Notre Dame beat writers Jack Soble and Tyler Horka offered their thoughts on whether the Irish can and will hold the Chippewas under 100 total passing yards in Week 3.
Notre Dame beat writer Jack Soble: Buy
100 passing yards doesn’t seem like a lot, but Central Michigan fell short in its lone game against a Power Five team so far this season. When the Chippewas visited Michigan State, the Spartens held them to 96 yards through the air.
A few things don’t work in Central Michigan’s favor here. No. 1, the Chippewas don’t try to with their passing game. Even in scoring 45 points against New Hampshire, redshirt freshman quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. threw 19 times and ran 21. The team’s run-pass split was 52-20. An absurd 27.6 yards per completion for Emanuel got him up to 193 yards and 11 more from redshirt sophomore backup Jase Bauer got the team to 204, but that was New Hampshire. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to repeat against Notre Dame.
No. 2, Notre Dame’s secondary has been the strength of its defense so far this season. Through three weeks, the Irish rank 12th in opponent yards per attempt at 4.81. At that rate, Emanuel would have to throw 21 times to reach 100 yards. Will he? It seems likely, in large part because the Chippewas will likely trail the Irish and be forced to throw late in the game.
Still, I’m buying. Nothing about this matchup — coverage vs. receiving or pass rush vs. pass blocking — is good for Central Michigan, and the Irish will stay hot heading into a matchup with Ohio State.
Fighting Irish beat writer Tyler Horka: Buy
Central Michigan ranks 122nd nationally in passing yards per game through Week 2 at 150.0. That’s partly because it’s very evident the Chippewas just aren’t very comfortable tossing the ball around the yard a whole lot. Despite averaging 10.2 yards per attempt in a shootout against FCS New Hampshire, Central Michigan only threw the ball 20 times. Eight completions went for 204 yards and two touchdowns. Emanuel Jr. was also intercepted twice.
Emanuel Jr. went 11-of-17 for 87 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception against Michigan State in the season opener. Bauer was 2-of-8 for 9 yards. Yeah, that’s an average of 1.1 yards per attempt. Not good. At all.
Notre Dame has the type of aggressive front seven and lockdown secondary that should hold its opponent under 100 yards for the third time in the Fighting Irish’s first four games. Navy’s triple option offense only had 43 passing yards, and FCS Tennessee State compiled 67. It took NC State veteran signal-caller 47 passing attempts and some garbage time statistics to throw for 260 yards last week.
The Notre Dame passing defense is dialing in at just the right time with Ohio State coming to town next week. Look for the Irish to turn in another masterclass against the pass.
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