I'm just going to post some articles as I will be following what the coaches and players say during the week. Willingham won't say anything, but I'm more interested in finding out what FlaState's players and ND's players have to say
Air Force left with no option
October 21, 2002
BY JOHN JACKSON STAFF REPORTER
A few days before Notre Dame and Air Force squared off Saturday night in a battle of college football unbeatens, Air Force quarterback Chance Harridge discussed how his team's triple-option offense can break down a defense's resolve by continually picking up chucks of yardage on the ground.
''That's the beauty of the options offense; it's an attacking offense,'' Harridge said. ''To see the defeat in their eyes, it's a great feeling.''
Harridge, no doubt, wasn't feeling too great late Saturday night after the Notre Dame defense dismantled the heralded Air Force offense in a 21-14 victory before an overflow record crowd of 56,409 at Falcon Stadium.
To be sure, if anybody saw the look of defeat in the opponent's eyes, it was the Irish defensive players after holding the Falcons--who entered the game leading the nation in rushing with an average of 339.2 yards--to 104 net rushing yards on 38 carries, an average of 2.7 yards.
''We always talk about inflicting our will on the other team,'' said Irish cornerback Shane Walton, who had an interception to bring his season total to six. ''We're not going to quit. We're going to give you four quarters of football. No one's going to discourage us.''
Certainly not Harridge, who was held to 31 yards on 13 carries, an average of 2.4 yards, and one touchdown. The junior quarterback was just 6-of-14 passing for 57 yards.
"They diagnosed our option well,'' Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry said.
With the win, Notre Dame (7-0) jumped up a spot to No. 6 in both the Associated Press writers' poll and the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll. Its the Irish's highest ranking since they were sixth at the start of the 1996 season.
Actually, the final score didn't do justice to Notre Dame's dominance. Both touchdowns by Air Force (6-1) were the result of Irish turnovers deep in their own end.
In the first quarter, Irish quarterback Carlyle Holiday fumbled, and linebacker Marchello Graddy scooped the ball out of the air and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Then, on the kickoff to start the second half, Vontez Duff was stripped of the ball, and Air Force recovered at the Irish 16-yard line. Six plays later, Harridge scored on a one-yard run for a 14-14 tie.
After that drive, the Falcons' offense didn't cross into Notre Dame territory the rest of the game.
The option is based on misdirection and finding seams in the defense, but at times, it seemed as though the Irish had 15 defenders on the field because there were two or more players swarming to the ball no matter what option Harridge attempted.
Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham credited his players with a great effort, but the players quickly credited the defensive coaches.
''They're a Pac-10 staff. They never played the option, but they had us prepared,'' Walton said. ''There wasn't anything we didn't see in practice. I think you also have to give credit to the scout team. [Fourth-string quarterback Matt] Krueger, he ran that option just as good as Chance Harridge.''
Notre Dame's dominance wasn't limited to defense. Aside from the fumble that led to the first Air Force score, the Irish offense had perhaps its best effort of the season with 447 total yards, including 335 rushing yards on 56 attempts, an average of nearly six yards.
''Last week against Pitt, we really felt we were physically dominated up front a little bit,'' said Holiday, who had two rushing touchdowns, including a 53-yarder. ''We came out and tried to use our size to dominate the line of scrimmage, and I think we did that.''
Running back Ryan Grant was the main beneficiary of the job by the offensive line with a career-high 190 yards on 30 carries.
''I could pick where I wanted to run,'' Grant said, ''and I just tried to run as hard as possible.''
Notre Dame was so impressive that it seemed almost comical that Air Force was a three-point favorite.
''I'm not sure who paid attention from a team standpoint of being an underdog or not,'' Willingham said. ''But what I guess I'm excited about with this group of young men is they love to compete. If I had to say anything about them, I'd say they are competitors.
''It doesn't matter what someone says one way or the other. They like to come in and play football.''
Air Force left with no option
October 21, 2002
BY JOHN JACKSON STAFF REPORTER
A few days before Notre Dame and Air Force squared off Saturday night in a battle of college football unbeatens, Air Force quarterback Chance Harridge discussed how his team's triple-option offense can break down a defense's resolve by continually picking up chucks of yardage on the ground.
''That's the beauty of the options offense; it's an attacking offense,'' Harridge said. ''To see the defeat in their eyes, it's a great feeling.''
Harridge, no doubt, wasn't feeling too great late Saturday night after the Notre Dame defense dismantled the heralded Air Force offense in a 21-14 victory before an overflow record crowd of 56,409 at Falcon Stadium.
To be sure, if anybody saw the look of defeat in the opponent's eyes, it was the Irish defensive players after holding the Falcons--who entered the game leading the nation in rushing with an average of 339.2 yards--to 104 net rushing yards on 38 carries, an average of 2.7 yards.
''We always talk about inflicting our will on the other team,'' said Irish cornerback Shane Walton, who had an interception to bring his season total to six. ''We're not going to quit. We're going to give you four quarters of football. No one's going to discourage us.''
Certainly not Harridge, who was held to 31 yards on 13 carries, an average of 2.4 yards, and one touchdown. The junior quarterback was just 6-of-14 passing for 57 yards.
"They diagnosed our option well,'' Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry said.
With the win, Notre Dame (7-0) jumped up a spot to No. 6 in both the Associated Press writers' poll and the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll. Its the Irish's highest ranking since they were sixth at the start of the 1996 season.
Actually, the final score didn't do justice to Notre Dame's dominance. Both touchdowns by Air Force (6-1) were the result of Irish turnovers deep in their own end.
In the first quarter, Irish quarterback Carlyle Holiday fumbled, and linebacker Marchello Graddy scooped the ball out of the air and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Then, on the kickoff to start the second half, Vontez Duff was stripped of the ball, and Air Force recovered at the Irish 16-yard line. Six plays later, Harridge scored on a one-yard run for a 14-14 tie.
After that drive, the Falcons' offense didn't cross into Notre Dame territory the rest of the game.
The option is based on misdirection and finding seams in the defense, but at times, it seemed as though the Irish had 15 defenders on the field because there were two or more players swarming to the ball no matter what option Harridge attempted.
Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham credited his players with a great effort, but the players quickly credited the defensive coaches.
''They're a Pac-10 staff. They never played the option, but they had us prepared,'' Walton said. ''There wasn't anything we didn't see in practice. I think you also have to give credit to the scout team. [Fourth-string quarterback Matt] Krueger, he ran that option just as good as Chance Harridge.''
Notre Dame's dominance wasn't limited to defense. Aside from the fumble that led to the first Air Force score, the Irish offense had perhaps its best effort of the season with 447 total yards, including 335 rushing yards on 56 attempts, an average of nearly six yards.
''Last week against Pitt, we really felt we were physically dominated up front a little bit,'' said Holiday, who had two rushing touchdowns, including a 53-yarder. ''We came out and tried to use our size to dominate the line of scrimmage, and I think we did that.''
Running back Ryan Grant was the main beneficiary of the job by the offensive line with a career-high 190 yards on 30 carries.
''I could pick where I wanted to run,'' Grant said, ''and I just tried to run as hard as possible.''
Notre Dame was so impressive that it seemed almost comical that Air Force was a three-point favorite.
''I'm not sure who paid attention from a team standpoint of being an underdog or not,'' Willingham said. ''But what I guess I'm excited about with this group of young men is they love to compete. If I had to say anything about them, I'd say they are competitors.
''It doesn't matter what someone says one way or the other. They like to come in and play football.''
Well BC is on the schedule next week. 
