Stanford Exposes Notre Dame Weaknesses, Sets Blueprint to Beat the Irish

Notre Dame's game this past Saturday against No. 16 Stanford was significant because it represented a chance for the Irish to show their character.

Following two consecutive tough losses, the first at home against Michigan and then the second on the road at Michigan State, the Irish returned home and could play with a chip on their shoulder, demonstrating that past ways of losing no longer had a place in the Irish locker room.

Some writers called it a "must-win" game, but more important was a performance with increased levels of mental and physical toughness.

Instead, the Irish again found a way to lose to a team that simply out-hustled and outmuscled them. Notre Dame came out flat, failed to take advantage of a rare lackluster performance from Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, and disintegrated in the fourth quarter to lose 37-14. Sophomore middle linebacker Manti Te'o was the lone bright spot, piling up a personal-best 21 tackles.

More telling than the actual score was the way the Irish lost. Stanford exposed Notre Dame's biggest flaws and essentially set the blueprint for how other teams can beat the Irish this season.

Battle for the Trenches Is Very Winnable

The easiest area to look for a measure of a team's toughness is on the offensive and defensive lines. Notre Dame has been average in this area during 2010, but Stanford dropped them several notches.

Despite a superhuman effort from Te'o, the Irish defense did not record a sack against Luck and only hurried him three times. The three tackles for loss combined for a paltry eight lost yards.

The offensive line looked much worse, allowing Stanford to pressure Irish quarterback Dayne Crist while only rushing four (sometimes three) linemen. Additionally, the few attempts Notre Dame made to run the ball were stifled to a meager 1.9 yards per carry. The offensive line could not handle the first level of defenders, much less get to the second level to spring a longer run.

Take Away the Irish Passing Game

In the preview to the Stanford game, one of the important things highlighted to watch was coach Brian Kelly's offensive play-calling and whether he would focus more on the run or try to work through growing pains with Crist. Against the Cardinal, the Irish had almost twice as many pass plays as running plays, so it is clear Kelly has chosen the path through the air.

In his post-game press conference, Kelly told UND.com, "The thing that I take away is [when Stanford puts eight men in coverage], we got to do a better job of getting the ball into tight windows." The option of improving the run game is not Kelly's top priority.

Unfortunately for the Irish, it is also clear that their passing game cannot win games alone. Stanford often dropped seven (sometimes eight) players into coverage, leaving Crist with only narrow windows of space and time in which to fit the football. Very few first-year starters will be able to succeed in those circumstances.

Punish and Wear out the Irish Defense

Stanford's 3.8 yards-per-carry average isn't overwhelming, but the Cardinal hit the Irish with 44 rushing plays, enough to wear down almost any defense. Stanford held possession of the ball for over 36 minutes, compared to just under 24 for Notre Dame. They took advantage of that time by continually running the ball right at the Irish defense.

This strategy works much better when a team has the lead or is in a close game, but it becomes more achievable for opposing teams, as the Irish have shown...

No Killer Instinct

This is perhaps the most telling sign of a team that has not acquired the mental and physical discipline necessary to win games. Not all plays during the course of a football game have the same importance, and the Irish have been woefully incompetent in the more crucial instances.

On offense, poor red zone performance has been a consistent theme in all four games. This has the adverse effect of allowing opposing teams to overcome deficits more easily or create greater separation on the scoreboard.

Additionally, on the very short yardage situations of 3rd-and-short and especially 4th-and-short, the Irish have not been able to pick up those key yards. Opposing defenses anticipate the run play, but Notre Dame lacks the execution and toughness to impose its will to convert those important opportunities.

The defense has been better as a whole, but Stanford converted 11 of 16 third downs, several of them on longer yardage situations. Those are the big plays on which the defense must capitalize to do their part to get off the field.

These weaknesses combine to instill Notre Dame's opponents with a sense of fearlessness. No one is afraid to play the Irish, confident that Notre Dame will make a mistake before they make a big play, representative of the losing habits that Kelly has said the Irish must break.

Attempting to cultivate a killer instinct midseason is nearly impossible, as that requires a long-term cultural shift. But Kelly and his staff must do something different, starting with the offense, if the Irish have any hope to avoid a disastrous season similar to 2007.