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Notre Dame Football

Game Thread | Virginia Tech at No. 16 Notre Dame

November 2, 2019
244,817

Virginia Tech at No. 16 Notre Dame

Notre Dame Stadium |2:30 p.m. ET | NBC

Game Week Articles | Roster| Depth ChartSchedule |Staff Predictions 


Response

It hasn’t been a positive week around South Bend as the Irish are coming off an embarrassing loss to Michigan, but Notre Dame will have a chance to turn it around on Saturday afternoon. 

Notre Dame should come out with the win against Hokies, but Virginia Tech does a few things that will put pressure on the Irish on both sides of the ball. Can Notre Dame handle Bud Foster’s defense? Can Notre Dame slow down Hendon Hooker? 

However, the biggest question for me will be how Chip Long’s offense responds. Long needs to be better to make Ian Book better. Book needs to be better for the offense to be better. Can Long help his quarterback out? We’ll see. 


Five Players To Watch

Notre Dame DE Khalid Kareem
Notre Dame needs a big response from their captains and Kareem had a dominant game against the Hokies last season. They could use a similar performance this year to help spark the defense.

Virginia Tech nickel Chamarri Conner
Conner has been highly productive as Virginia Tech's version of a Rover. He leads their team in havoc plays. He also has been targeted in coverage and has struggled running with smaller, quicker players deep down the field. 

Notre Dame RG Trevor Ruhland
Ruhland is replacing an injured Tommy Kraemer who was having a very good season. The line needs to be much better than they were against Michigan and that only happens if Ruhland doesn't miss a beat filling in for Kraemer.

QB Hendon Hooker
The former Notre Dame recruiting target has helped the Hokies to a 3-0 record since he took over as the starter. Expect to see him run a lot, but he's not going to enjoy getting hit very much. He complained about the cold on his visit to South Bend and the forecast says it will be 39 degrees at kickoff.

Notre Dame CB Shaun Crawford
Virginia Tech spreads teams out on offense and runs plenty of jet sweeps. Notre Dame will need to play a third corner quite a bit, which means Crawford should play more than he did last weekend. They need him to play well and add some stability to a secondary that has been up and down in recent weeks.


Quotes of the Week

TE Cole Kmet:
"For Ian to play well, we have to play well. A lot of people look at Ian and go 'Why isn't he playing well?' 

"You have to look at the other 10 guys surrounding him. I'm part of that. All 10 guys surrounding Ian looked at ourselves and we have to do better for him. That's what we're going to do this week." 

OL Robert Hainsey:
"The biggest thing is we always talk about seeing it on the offensive line through one set of eyes. Not getting too far out of our zones in terms of who needs to be where. 

"If we see something, communicate it and once we have it communicated and get it drawn up, say, ‘Hey, if we see this again, we need to do this.’ It’s just big for all of us to be on the same page." 

S Alohi Gilman: 
"We talk about the narrative, the only narrative I'm worried about is my team. I honestly don't know what people are saying. I only care about my guys and how they're feeling or what I can do to be the best teammate and the best leader. 

"As long as I'm doing that, things will be alright. That's who we really care about. Week-to-week, it's not about the outside noise. It's about our team and what happens inside this building." 


For Your Nerves 

TEAM STATS Notre Dame Virginia Tech
Points Per Game 35.6 30.0
Points Allowed Per Game 20.9 29.6
Total Yards 411.9 395.1
Yards Passing 243.6 220.0
Yards Rushing 168.3 175.1
Yards Allowed 359.1 396.1
Pass Yards Allowed 188.4 250.9
Rush Yards Allowed  172.7 145.3

Game Thread | Virginia Tech at No. 16 Notre Dame

244,805 Views | 1139 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Rwolf101
Rwolf101
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If I'm any skill position commit I'm asking this staff who the offensive coordinator will be in 2020. If the answer isn't anything other than "Chip Long", I'm decomitting on the spot.
twinsrule
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Honestly, if Jack does not have feelers out to Urban right now it is straight dereliction of duty as an AD. At least see if he is and will come get the deal done and then pull the trigger. Or reach out to Rowboat Fleck, but honestly see if the home run in there.
Wiggs4Irish
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I'm done with BK. First time saying this as well. Time to move on.
cousin eddie
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chicagoirish said:

Never thought we'd see South Florida game again. But this might be even worse.


Only difference is the lack of lightning.
returntoorder
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Every WR should go in portal.on Sunday 88 25 and 13
irishduffy
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Hate to say it, but kinda glad we didn't score on that drive. Several bs penalties. Let's win this legitimately now if possible.
irishtank6900
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"Captain"
ndSlaw
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Finally, an Okwara sighting
usma95
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Our captains might have played the worse football of any captains in the history of ND football.
Rwolf101
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How. Do. You. Jump. Offsides. At. Home. In. A. Dead. Silent. Stadium?
mccarthyirish7
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Mike Frank said:

Brian Kelly is always too late to make the hard decisions.

Mike



I agree. But curious when you think Long should have been fired or when QB change was made?
Mike Frank
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Staff
Truly, as bad as you can play.

Mike
blairkiel
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Our captains are mentally weak
Sgt Hulka
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Hey, 1st time we've heard JO's name today
returntoorder
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When you dont bench players this is what you get
irishwake
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So much for Kelly beating the teams we are supposed to beat.
CelticIrish
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We're past the "Fire Long" stuff. Who keeps hiring these moronic coordinators? Fire that guy
NDinNola
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At first I thought the billboard several years ago was ridiculous.

... I have second thoughts about it now
IA4irish
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Sgt Hulka said:

Hey, 1st time we've heard JO's name today
Close but not true. He had a tackle for a loss on a quarterback run
returntoorder
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A 3rd string QB tearing.ND apart....
irishtank6900
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Here we go again

Know they are running and can't stop them
ndSlaw
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Doesn't seem we're getting the ball back
MAS
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And now the D folds
chaneyj8181
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Need a stop won't get one
Sec26Row30
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This is where they blow up our front 7?
Mike Frank
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Staff
Just in time to watch the defense now melt down as well.

Mike
returntoorder
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Frosh linemen abusing the D
Spes Unica
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It's just one game!
ejsjr
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Notre Dame's offense may have played worse today than against Michigan, if that's possible.
sulli1697
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Now the old Tun it right down our throats! Seen this before?
yepre
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Was it something more to the Michael Young transfer? I swear since that news broke it has been a continuous downward spiral.
atl irish
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Swarbrick needs to go too for bringing him back after 2016. I've never been a fire Kelly guy, but this is more than I can take.

and yea, Fire Brey!
wnyirish
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Chip long shouldn't be allowed to pack his stuff when he is fired. Just leave directly after game
Sec26Row30
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Humiliating....
returntoorder
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Pathetic absolutely pathetic
 
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