Air Force Falcons @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football Preview

It is certainly not a matchup with the same sex appeal or national buzz of the Michigan or USC games for Notre Dame. However, the Fighting Irish will need to be on their guard when they welcome the United States Air Force Academy football team to South Bend this weekend.

The Falcons arrive in South Bend, Indiana, after a thrilling overtime victory against Navy. At 3-1, Air Force – which has reaffirmed its status as the holder of the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy – feels it can still have a very special year. Notre Dame seems to have corrected course after a frustrating start, and at 3-2, has its sights set on re-entering the top 25. The last meeting between the two schools was a 41-24 win for Air Force in 2007. This year, Notre Dame deserves to be seen as a slight favorite, but Air Force – full of momentum after its conquest of Navy – should prove to be a very formidable opponent.

All eyes will be on the Air Force option attack against the run defense of Notre Dame. As expected, Air Force is one of the best teams in the nation when it comes to the running game, averaging 365 rushing yards per contest. However, the Academy poses a more diverse option look than what Notre Dame is used to facing in its annual series against Navy. The Falcons utilize more speed at the edges with quarterback Tim Jefferson and running back Asher Clark. They also show a much more diverse set of formations and personnel groupings. They will go to the I-formation look on many snaps and will sometimes dial up option plays from the I. Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun likes to mix things up and go against tendency. Notre Dame’s film study will be an involved one this week; Brian Kelly, the head coach of the Irish, needs his defense to be vigilant and make sound reads in a very short period of time.

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Clark is averaging just under 100 rushing yards per game for Air Force, and Jefferson averages about 50. The Falcons will also mix in some receiver sweeps to Mikel Hunter and Jonathan Warzeka. What also distinguishes Air Force in the realm of service academy football is that it will throw the ball more often than Navy or Army. Jefferson threw the ball with conviction and accuracy against Navy, and the Fighting Irish will have to be on guard for the times when Air Force tries to take a shot downfield.

Notre Dame’s run defense gives up only 91 yards per game so far this season, which includes games against fleet-footed Denard Robinson of Michigan and the more-than-merely-capable Ray Graham of Pittsburgh. Linebacker Manti Te’o has the size to stuff the middle and the speed to pursue on the edges, averaging 10 tackles per game. Te’o’s talent will be vital in the Irish’s ability to stifle the Air Force option.

The offensive side is not bad for the Irish, either. When limiting turnovers, Tommy Rees and company have shown a marked ability to move the ball. Air Force’s defensive weakness is its own run defense, which Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray could exploit. As is the case in any game Notre Dame plays, the Irish offense simply needs to get out of its own way. If the defense can merely contain Air Force on Saturday, Notre Dame’s offense has the tools needed to get the job done.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer