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Schemes and gaps and discipline aside, only one thing really matters for Notre Dame's defense this Saturday: finding a way to stop Navy and its triple option offense.
Quarterback Ricky Dobbs had 102 yards rushing in the Midshipmen's 23-21 win in South Bend last season. That crushing defeat started a season-ending, four-game losing streak for the Irish as they bottomed out at 6-6, costing Charlie Weis his job.
''Oh my gosh. I mean, the triple option is one of the hardest offenses to defend,'' Irish defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore said Wednesday.
''They're real disciplined and then can run it perfect to the T. ... Navy they've had the upper hand on us the past couple of years. It's a new year. We're a new team and I'm pretty sure they're a new team.''
But Dobbs is back and so is the tricky, all-directions offense that centers on the quarterback's ability to read before he decides what to do - pitch to one of the backs who line up near the tackles, give it inside to the fullback or keep it himself. Or fake a run and throw the ball after drawing the defense toward the line.
The game at the Meadowlands is a pivotal one for Notre Dame (4-3) in Brian Kelly's first season. Navy has beaten Notre Dame two of the last three years after the Irish won 43 straight games in the series.
Dobbs has a team-high 379 yards rushing and five touchdowns. Although he does it sparingly, he's also completed 39 of 78 passes for 657 yards and four more scores.
''They try to lull you to sleep and then throw one over your head. It's the discipline that we'll need,'' Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said.
''We'll have to stay alert at all times and that is the nature of their offense. They want you to let your guard down for one moment, and then put the ball over your head.''
Notre Dame's scout team offense has already been working for five weeks to give the Irish defense a taste of what Navy does during practice.
''The moving parts and the timing of it and the speed at which they are moving, you're not going to be able to simulate it,'' Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco said.
''These guys have been running it for years and years and they're awesome at it. ... The Navy quarterback is really a special player. He's fast, he's big, a quick-twitch guy who can really navigate and he's got a strong arm and he throws really good on the move. Some of his prettier balls he's thrown have been on the move.
Dobbs attempted only three passes against the Irish in last year's meeting but one went for a 52-yard TD.
There's another big concern for the Irish - staying on their feet because Navy likes to use a cut-blocking technique to put defensive players on the ground.
Star linebacker Manti Te'o is well aware of blockers trying to take him off his feet, something he learned in last year's game against the Midshipmen.
''They do a lot of cutting. It's the way they block and the technique in which they are taught,'' Te'o said. ''You have to acknowledge the block, have make sure your eyes are on him. You have to use your eyes and your hands. ... You have to give ground a little bit. That's the hardest part as a linebacker. It kinda goes against your instincts to give ground.''
Notre Dame's leading receiver Michael Floyd, bothered by a sore hamstring, said Wednesday he expects to be able to play Saturday but is not sure how much. His status will be a game time decision and he is scheduled to mostly rest during practice.
Kelly said leading rusher Armando Allen, who was limited last week by a sore hip, has improved greatly. He said Allen received a cortisone shot last Thursday.
