Kanka's Sports Page: Know Thy Enemy

Sorry, running behind this week, so no BC preview. Well, maybe a brief one. Big time passing offense, very good against the run, mediocre against the pass. Should be fun, especially if any of the current players are old enough to remember the last few contests. ND 23, BC 21.

The Bricks House
Eagle in Atlanta
For Here Men are Men
Heights and Lows
News from the Hill
Fanblogs Boston College
FanHouse Boston College

Monday, October 01, 2007

Know Thy Enemy:
UCLA

Bruin Roar
Bruins Nation
Dump Dorrell
Inside UCLA
Insomniac's Lounge
LA Seitz of Chicago
Talking Bruins
What's Bruin(.net)
What's Bruin (LA Times)
What's Bruin, Dawg?
Fanblogs UCLA
FanHouse UCLA

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Notre Dame Football 2007
Issue 5: BEAT PURDUE!

Purdue Rush Offense vs. ND Rush Defense

Purdue has feasted on lesser opponents so far this season, so much so that their pass-happy offense is averaging 202.8 rushing yards per game. They're led by senior 24 Kory Sheets, who is averaging 25 carries, 94 yards, and a touchdown per game. Sheets is backed up by 25 Dan Dierking, who is averaging 6 carries and 39 yards per game. WR 9 Dorien Bryant has 6 carries through 4 games, and FB 44 Frank Halliburton has 3 rushes in as many games. QB 12 Curtis Painter has been credited with a total of 7 carries and 13 yards this season.
Notre Dame's run defense has been porous, to say the least, giving up 232.8 yards per game on the ground. Though the Boilermakers like to pass, Sheets and company are probably licking their chops at those numbers.

ND Rush Offense vs. Purdue Rush Defense

Notre Dame is finally starting to establish itself on the ground. James Aldridge is the leading rusher, averaging 8-9 carries and 43 yards per game, and more importantly 4.9 yards per carry. Armando Allen is averaging 6 carries and 18 yards per game, but was not seen much against Michigan State. Robert Hughes appears to have established himself as the short-yardage back; he's picked up 33 yards on 6 carries this season. Fullback Asaph Schwapp has carried twice without any success, and any positive scrambles made by QB Jimmy Clausen are overshadowed by his sack numbers.
Purdue hasn't exactly spectacular against the run, as they are giving up 147 yards per game on the ground. Linebackers 59 Stanford Keglar and 17 Josh Ferguson have combined for 48 tackles, and are second and third on the team, respectively, in that category. Fellow LB 42 Anthony Heygood leads the team with 5 tackles for a loss. Surprisingly, none of those five stops have been sacks. The Irish would love to establish the run and build on the small success they had against MSU; Purdue should give them that chance.

Purdue Pass Offense vs. ND Pass Defense

Curtis Painter has put up scary numbers in his first four games. His average day consists of completing about 29 of 41 passes for 323 yards and 4 touchdowns. That's an average day! Painter has completed a staggering 68.7% of his passes thus far, and has only one interception. Dorien Bryant has been Painter's main target; Bryant is averaging 8 catches and 92 yards per game. Tight end 28 Dustin Keller is averaging 4 catches and 70 yards per game, and WR 21 Greg Orton is averaging 4 for 45. 1 Selwyn Lymon and Kory Sheets are also averaging 3-4 catches per game; Lymon for 36 yards and Sheets for 22. Keller leads the team with 4 TD receptions, and Bryant is right behind with 3. Orton, Lymon, and TE 85 Kyle Adams have two each. In other words, WATCH FOR THE TIGHT ENDS IN THE RED ZONE!
Notre Dame's pass defense has been respectable, giving up 119 yards per game. But again, why pass against ND when you can just run? Darrin Walls and David Bruton each have an interception, and Bruton, Kerry Neal, and Morrice Richardson each have a sack. Those singular interceptions and sacks both lead the team.

ND Pass Offense vs. Purdue Pass Defense

Jimmy Clausen is growing, slowly but surely. His average day consists of completing 10 of 17 passes for 76 yards. A pittance compared to Painter's numbers, but they could be worse. David Grimes is ND's leading receiver, averaging 3 catches and 21 yards per game. Armando Allen and George West are each averaging 2 catches per game; Robby Parris and Duval Kamara are each averaging more than one a game.
Purdue is giving up a respectable 227 passing yards per game. CB 5 Terell Vinson leads the team with 29 tackles. Safety 23 Justin Scott's 2 picks lead the Boilermakers. DE 32 Cliff Avril has a team-high two sacks.

Special Teams

14 Chris Summers is Purdue's field goal kickers. He's 4 for 6 on the season, but both of those misses have come from 40+ yards. For Notre Dame, Brandon Walker is still 2 for 2 from inside 30 yards, while Nate Whitaker has missed a 50-yarder.
11 Jared Armstrong punts for the Boilermakers. He's averaging 4 punts per game, and 39 yards per punt. For the Irish, Geoff Price has been very good and very bad. He's now averaging 41 yards per punt. Backup Eric Maust has now punted 4 times, and is averaging 43.5 yards per boot.
Dorien Bryant is the do-everything man for Purdue. He's returned 10 kicks for an average of 35.6 yards per. He also has a 91 yard TD. Nate Whitaker is now getting 61 yards per kickoff. But the Irish are giving up 27 yards per return, meaning opponents start at the 36 on average.
Golden Tate and Armando Allen now share kick return duty for the Irish. Tate is averaging 24.9 yards per return with a long of 40; Allen, 19.3 yards per return with a long of 25. Chris Summers kicks off for the Boilermakers. He's averaging just 53.9 yards per kick, but Purdue's coverage team has held solid at 18 yards per return. That gives opponents an average start at the 34. Hopefully, that field position will give the Irish the little extra it needs.
Bryant has also returned 4 punts. He's averaging 11.5 yards per return with a long of 24. Notre Dame's coverage team is giving up a so-so 10.9 yards per punt return.
ND's Tom Zbikowski is still averaging 14.4 yards per punt return, with a long of 47. Purdue's punt coverage team has good, giving up just 7.7 yards per return.

Look for a big game from Aldrige, Hughes, Grimes, Trevor Laws, Pat Kuntz, Bruton.

ND 24, Purdue 23: BEAT PURDUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUE!

Monday, September 17, 2007

Know Thy Enemy:
Michigan State

Bleeding Green
The Enlightened Spartan
SpartanBlog
Spartan Bob
A Spartan for All Seasons
Spartans Insider (was "Grinz on Green")
Spartan Tailgate
SpartyMSU Blog
Fanblogs MSU
FanHouse Michigan State

Monday, September 10, 2007

Know Thy Enemy:
Michigan

Ace of Sports
Autumn Thunder
Big House Football
Blah Me to Death
The Blog that Yost Built
Blue Cats and Red Sox
Dangerous Logic
The Diag
Football Outsiders
The Hoover Street Rag
iBlog for Cookies
Jim Harbaugh Scramble
MGoBlog
MVictors.com
The M Zone
Maize 'n' Brew
Michigan Against the World
Michigan Football Saturdays
Michigan Sports Center
Mr. Wolverine
Motown Sports Revival
Off Tackle
A Pudge is a Sandwich
Quo Vadimus
Rob in Madtown
Ronald Bellamy's Underachieving All-Stars
SportsLog Michigan
Stadium and Main
Straight Bangin'
Sweaty Men Endeavors
UMTailgate.com
Varsity Blue
Westsider Rider
Winged Helmets
Yet Another Michigan Sports Blog
Fanblogs Michigan
FanHouse Michigan

Monday, August 27, 2007

Know Thy Enemy

Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech Sports Blog
Golden Tornado
GT Sports Blog
Ramblin' On
Ramblin' Racket
AJC TechBlog
What's the Good Word?
YellowBlazer's World
Fanblogs Georgia Tech
FanHouse Georgia Tech

Penn State

Back in Happy Valley
Black Shoe Diaries
Bleed Blue 'n White
50-Yard Lion
Fight On State
Lion in the Desert
The Nittany Line
Nittany Lines
The Nittany Notebook
The Nittany Turkey
Penn State Fan Letter
PSU Football Fanatics
Run Up the Score
There Is No Name On My Jersey
2 the Lion Football
Zombie Nation
Fanblogs Penn State
FanHouse Penn State

Michigan

... and Know Thyself

Notre Dame

The Blue-Gray Sky
Chris Wilson's Blog O' (Irish) Fun
Classic Ground
The College Game
Daily Contentions
Domer Law Blog
eTruth
The Extra Point
Fire Mark May
The Galvin Opinion
Haiku Notre Dame
Her Loyal Sons
Here Come the Irish
The House Rock Built
Irish Blue and Gold
The Irish Brogue
Irish Eyes Power Hour
Irish Insights
Irish Law
Irish Round Table
Irish Stew
John Walters
Kelly Green
Majorly English
Marchand Chronicles
Mark May be Wrong
Musings of a Domer
ND CHOO CHOO
NDNation Blog
OC Domer
Pass Right
Rakes of Mallow
Robot Charlie
The Rock Report
Running at the Mouth
A Season of Saturdays
Sports Syndicate
Tough Guy
UHND Blog
Unrestricted View
We is Notre Dame
What Thou the Odds
Fanblogs Notre Dame
FanHouse Notre Dame

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Know Thy Enemy
Georgia Tech

Editor's Note: Look for a complete Know Thy Enemy, and Know Thyself post tomorrow, listing all ND and opponent blogs for the season.

In the meantime, if you have a GT blog that isn't listed below, or if something with your link or blog title is awry, please let me know via email or the message board. (Links are at the top of the page.)

Georgia Tech Sports Blog
Golden Tornado
Ramblin' On
Ramblin' Racket
AJC TechBlog
What's the Good Word?
Wreck Ramblin
YellowBlazer's World
Fanblogs Georgia Tech

	DAYS
	HOURS
	MINUTES
	SECONDS
UNTIL FOOTBALL

Monday, November 17, 2008

Monday, November 10, 2008

Monday, November 03, 2008

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Monday, October 20, 2008

Monday, October 06, 2008

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Monday, September 22, 2008

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Sunday, August 31, 2008

...and Know Thyself

Monday, October 29, 2007

Monday, October 15, 2007

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Monday, October 01, 2007

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Purdue Rush Offense vs. ND Rush Defense

ND Rush Offense vs. Purdue Rush Defense

Purdue Pass Offense vs. ND Pass Defense

ND Pass Offense vs. Purdue Pass Defense

Special Teams

Monday, September 17, 2007

Monday, September 10, 2007

Monday, September 03, 2007

Monday, August 27, 2007

Georgia Tech

Penn State

Michigan

Michigan State

Purdue

UCLA

Boston College

USC

Navy

Air Force

Duke

Stanford

... and Know Thyself

Notre Dame

Sunday, August 26, 2007

“Why Carlyle Holiday Sometimes Misses Catching Punts” – An Inside Look at the Bob Davie Years

ND Basketball: Where are they now?