Keys to the Game - Michgan vs. Notre Dame

John Harris breaks down the keys to Michigan vs. Notre Dame

a. Michigan LB Prescott Burgess, Shawn Crable and David Harris vs. Notre Dame RB Darius Walker – Typically linebackers matched up against running backs is a macho, run stopping battle and the winner of said battle leads his team to victory. Although the Michigan linebackers are going to have their own issues tackling Walker in the running game, where Walker has a real advantage is on screens and getting out to the perimeter on the Michigan backers. Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis is a screen running beast and knows that once Walker gets the ball in space, the Michigan linebackers are in trouble. Last week, Walker caught 7 passes for 72 yards and one touchdown, and the major reason for that production was due to the fact that the Penn State linebackers had no chance stopping Walker in the open field in the passing game. Michigan’s linebackers are run stoppers, similar to the Penn State trio - you have to be in the Big Ten, or so it seems. So, don’t expect Weis to go away from something that works. The Irish back should have a big game against Crable, Burgess and Harris.

b. Michigan DE/OLB LaMarr Woodley vs. Notre Dame T Ryan Harris – Not many people nationally know a lot about Woodley, but quite simply, he’s the best Michigan defender and will be collecting a paycheck with a lot of zeroes on it next season in the NFL. In other words, he’s good. In fact, he’s the type of defensive player who can disrupt the whole Notre Dame game plan with his rush off the edge. But, Harris is an All-American in his own right and this matchup is a key to this football game. What makes Woodley so tough to block off the edge is that he’s strong enough to be an inside and outside threat. Meaning? Most defensive ends in college football have the speed to burst off the snap and beat the tackle to the outside and get to the QB, but if a tackle takes a ‘high’ pass set and beats that defensive end to his rush spot, the DE will go nowhere. But, if Harris takes that ‘high’ pass set, Woodley has the strength and size to slap and rip back to the inside and not lose his pass rush responsibility. Most other defensive ends that try to do that get shoved inside, and the QB skates to the outside, buying more time to find an open receiver. Woodley has a strong foundation and won’t let that happen. However, Harris has great feet and can move laterally to the inside, so Woodley has a battle on his hands as well.

c. Michigan WR Mario Manningham and Steve Breaston vs. Notre Dame CB Ambrose Wooden, Mike Richardson and/or Terrail Lambert – Michigan RB Mike Hart is THE focus of the game plan for the Notre Dame defense. Or, should be. If Notre Dame strong safety Tom Zbikowski isn’t within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage as the eighth defender, then Notre Dame may see Hart 35 times. But, expect Notre Dame to understand how much Hart means to this offense. That being said, the importance of the matchup of the two star Michigan WR and the Notre Dame corners moves up two or three notches. Manningham is the most worrisome of the Wolverine pair for two reasons. One, Breaston does more of his damage when he’s lined up at an inside slot position, which has to be corralled by Zbikowski and the ND linebackers. It’s still important to stop him, but a lot of what Breaston catches and ‘gets’ out of the passing game are quick hitches/quick screens – essentially nothing but an extension of the running game. The second reason that Manningham is a worry is because he’s the one Michigan player, not just offensive threat, but player who has the speed to hurt Notre Dame. And, if there’s one spot where ND doesn’t have blazing speed, and you know this from having watched the Fiesta Bowl, it’s cornerback. Wooden has played fairly well this season, but Manningham can be a threat anywhere on the field – short routes, slants, intermediate areas and most importantly downfield – which will be true test for Wooden and his mates.

d. Notre Dame DT Derek Landri and Trevor Laws vs. Michigan interior OL – As mentioned above, the Notre Dame defense has to contain Hart and Michigan RB Kevin Grady. How do you do it? Move Zbikowski into the box, end of story, right? Well, not so much. Even in moving an eighth defender into the box, if Michigan attacks within the B gaps (tackle to tackle), they could have some success by staying away from that last box defender. The Irish interior defensive tackles aren’t 300+ pound two gap tackles; they excel when they get an opportunity to slant and stunt inside and run down backs down from behind on outside zone stretch plays or sweeps. The challenge for the Irish interior duo is that the most impressive aspect of this entire Michigan team thus far has been the way that the Wolverine interior – guard Adam Kraus, center Mark Bihl and guard Alex Mitchell – has gotten a ton of movement at the line of scrimmage. There were times in the Vandy game where the Commodore defensive line looked like a gate swinging open as this offensive line just mauled them up front. Now, Landri and Laws are a wee bit better then Vandy’s defensive tackles, but they’ve got to hand fight throughout this game against that triumvirate and keep from getting manhandled. If Landri and Laws lose that matchup, one of these linemen consistently gets up to the linebacker level and Michigan will tap that middle all day long.