by John Vannie

(Notre Dame Football News) – Notre Dame kicks off the Brian Kelly era on Saturday as the Irish play host to Purdue. The Boilermakers are led by second year coach Danny Hope, who managed to defeat Ohio State and Michigan last season while suffering a narrow defeat to the Irish. Wishful thinking among Notre Dame fans is that Kelly is the man to restore the Irish to football relevance and even prominence after four unsuccessful coaching hires and 13 years of frustration. While Kelly’s prior record is exemplary, it is not yet established that he can enjoy similar success on college football’s biggest stage.

The starting lineup will feature several new faces, most notably Dayne Crist, who takes over the reins at quarterback following the departure of Jimmy Clausen. A rebuilt offensive line consists of two new tackles, a pair of veteran guards, and a first-time starter at center. Armando Allen returns at running back, although sophomore speedster Cierre Wood is sure to make his much-anticipated debut. Wide receiver Michael Floyd and tight end Kyle Rudolph return to provide Crist with outstanding options in the passing game.

Purdue’s offense is its strongest and most experienced unit. Highly touted quarterback Robert Marve will start after waiting a year following his transfer from the Miami Hurricanes. He will throw the ball to three capable wide receivers including Keith Smith, who caught 91 passes last season, and fifth-year tight end Kyle Adams. A massive line is anchored by 6’8” tackle Dennis Kelly and 6’7” guard Ken Plue. Unfortunately for the Boilermakers, their explosive running back Ralph Bolden is not healthy enough to play this week and a trio of relative newcomers will handle the workload.

Notre Dame’s Offense against Purdue’s Defense

Kelly’s fast-paced offense will have Crist operating out of the shotgun formation most of the time. While Kelly is known for a prolific passing attack, he has vowed that the Irish will demonstrate competency in the running game. Notre Dame fans are wary of such promises after Charlie Weis failed to deliver in this area, but Kelly has the talent at his disposal to field a balanced attack. He should be further motivated to run the ball to relieve pressure on Crist, who is coming off major knee surgery ten months ago and does not have an experienced quarterback behind him on the depth chart.

The keys to the Irish passing game will be the accuracy of Crist and the ability of two young starters to perform like veterans. Theo Riddick is an exciting prospect who is making the move to slot receiver after a successful freshman season at running back, and freshman wideout Tailer Jones beat out several veterans to earn the starting position opposite Floyd.

Purdue’s 4-3 defense has a solid front seven with a few question marks in the secondary. Ryan Kerrigan had 13 sacks last season, and is joined in the trenches by end Gerald Gooden and tackle Kawaan Short. Newcomer Justin Kitchens rounds out the group. The linebacker corps features Joe Holland and Jason Werner, two multi-year starters with productive seasons under their belt. The Boilermakers are most nervous about their secondary, where free safety Albert Evans is the only starter with significant experience.

Purdue’s Offense against Notre Dame’s Defense

The absence of Bolden in the running game could undermine Purdue’s ability to exploit its size advantage against an Irish defensive line that lacks proven depth. The remaining backs combined for a total of four rushing yards last season, so one can expect Marve to throw quite a few passes this week. Unless Notre Dame can generate a credible pass rush, the Boilermakers will move the ball and put points on the board.

The 3-4 alignment requires that outside linebackers Darius Fleming, Kerry Neal and Steve Filer provide pressure on Marve from the edge. Much of the Irish starting lineup consists of returning players who struggled physically and mentally last year, and fans will finally get answers to the question of how much improvement a year of maturity and conditioning will generate.

First time starters for the defense include inside linebacker Carlo Calabrese, a sophomore who moved into the role when junior Anthony McDonald suffered an injury during fall camp. Strong safety Jamoris Slaughter fills the considerable void left by the departed Kyle McCarthy, and free safety Harrison Smith will be counted upon to emerge as a solid player after two mediocre seasons in which he shuffled back and forth between safety and linebacker.

Special Teams

Sophomore Nicholas Tausch addressed Notre Dame’s long term placekicking woes last season with a strong performance. Punting was generally sub-standard last season, and incumbent Ben Turk must demonstrate greater consistency. The Irish kickoff return game was unspectacular last year, but Wood may be able to energize this area if his blockers give a better effort than last year’s group.

Purdue’s kicking game is solid with veteran Carson Wigg, while freshman punter Cody Webster will see his first collegiate action. Al Terek-McBurse, who returned one kickoff for a touchdown last year, will handle that chore again for the Boilermakers.

There are several new pieces on special teams for both sides this season, and a valid comparison is not possible at this point. One thing Irish fans know for certain is that improvement has been promised in recent years but not delivered.

Summary

Notre Dame must strive to avoid third and long situations, since Purdue’s pass rushers may pose problems for new Irish offensive tackles Zack Martin and Taylor Dever. Crist’s poise and accuracy under fire is not a certainty given his relative inexperience against hostile forces, and it won’t be a good sign if he is running the ball instead of throwing it. His ability to spread the ball around and stretch the Purdue secondary may depend on how well Riddick and Jones perform, since Floyd and Rudolph are bound to attract extra coverage.

Purdue must find a running back to test the Irish defensive line and force the hosts to rotate in fresh but unproven reserves. In the passing game, Marve has tall, fast and capable receivers at his disposal. The Boilermakers will attempt to exploit Notre Dame’s safeties with various play action passes, and the Irish could be in trouble if they are out of position and the deep middle of the field is exposed.

Here are a few key questions that will determine the outcome:

Will Crist’s passing allow Irish fans to forget about Clausen?

Will Marve struggle after a year on the sidelines?

Can Notre Dame run the ball successfully, especially in the fourth quarter?

Will the Irish help create a new star for Purdue at running back?

Can the Irish offensive tackles hold up against Kerrigan and Gooden?

Will Notre Dame’s defenders play physically and exhibit solid tackling fundamentals?

Will the Irish special teams finally show some improvement?

Will Notre Dame’s attitude and energy level under Kelly be improved from recent lackluster campaigns, and can they sustain it through four quarters?

Prediction

The outcome could hinge on which quarterback performs best, but Crist will feel less pressure to win the game by himself if his offensive line and its three new starters can generate a productive running game. Marve may be forced to carry the Boilermakers on the strength of his arm, and could pull off the upset if Notre Dame has still not learned how to create a pass rush. The Irish defenders appear to be more talented than their counterparts, especially in the secondary, but that won’t translate into victory if they are undisciplined and tackle poorly.

The unknowns associated with a season opener where there has been significant turnover in key personnel (including head coach) make any prediction risky. Notre Dame has more talent with players such as Floyd, Rudolph and Manti Te’o, however, and Kelly should prevail if his team plays at or near its potential.

Notre Dame 30 Purdue 21