Richt is right that the OL can't impose its will yet, but that doesn't mean that the O can't be effective. Don't have to blow ND off the line.
1) Dallas has great hands, use the back as a receiver. No need to run into brick walls. A 4 yard pass is as good as a four yard run.
2) I've been saying it for the last three games - use Dallas in the Wildcat 5-6 times, bring in 2 extra blockers, and get numbers on the line. Dallas can be especially helpful on the goal line.
I agree. Miami can have sporadic success running the ball in this game with plays that create a numbers advantage. ND will be looking to stack the line rather than disrupt runs in the backfield. A wildcat package with jet motion could be effective but I would only utilize that if it was practiced for more than a week. Bringing in a 6th OL (Gaynor?) and running the Stanford unbalanced line formation from under center would also work but that would be a paradigm shift for Richt.
Why would quarters be a good vertical pass opportunity?
I already said why, mostly. In quarters the safeties are more reactive to the run because the deep responsibility isn't as strict as 2-deep coverage. With play action you can catch them flat footed but even if they get appropriate depth they have to communicate the post otherwise it becomes man coverage with the corner or safety trailing and no help to squeeze the route over the top. This happened to ND in the UGA game and it happens to college defenses all the time including Miami. Post-dig is especially powerful against quarters. The only concern is pass protection but ND has an average pass rush at best.
ND played 3 of their 4 big games at home. You are discounting the impact of important non-statistical factors. Miami playing at home, crowd noise, energy, and emotions Miami team will play with. Don't under estimate how Miami plays being the underdog, being disrespected by almost everybody including local sports talking heads like that self promoting Dan Le Batard.
This. Our Domer friend isn't strictly wrong as he's using descriptive information based on what has transpired in the past. If you want to project future performance you have to analyze context. The context I see is that ND has beaten up on bad teams and/or weak-willed teams that played soft on the road. Miami has shown itself to be a physically and mentally tough team, especially at home. Miami's only flat performance was playing down to UNC on the road. That game has no relevance to tonight although fans of the transitive property and descriptive stats might assume that ND is going to win because they dominated the same UNC team.
