Allen Pinkett

History is at stake when Navy visits Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday.

The Irish have a NCAA-record 43-game winning streak against the Midshipmen, but with Notre Dame 1-7, Navy feels the time has arrived to snap the slide. Notre Dame feels differently, but can expect a stiff challenge from its opponent.

A different style of attack
Navy executes its option offense with such precision that it takes an opposing defense a little while to be able to adjust. And adjusting can be tough. That's why the Midshipmen are averaging 35.7 points a game, and why they are averaging 343 yards a game rushing. The Midshipmen are averaging more than twice as many rushing yards per quarter (86) than the Irish are per game (34). So without a doubt Notre Dame has its work cut out for it.

Last season Rutgers was the one team that figured out how to successfully defend Navy's option attack. Irish head coach Charlie Weis used the Rutgers' model against Navy and Air Force a year ago and it worked. Notre Dame defeated Navy 38-14 and beat Air Force 39-17. The Rutgers' model is a different scheme from a 3-4 or a 4-3, but the key for Notre Dame defenders is to be very disciplined with their assignments. Another big factor will be the Irish faring well on first down. The goal of Notre Dame's defense is to put Navy's offense in long-yardage situations on second and third down. Passing is not a strength of Navy's.

Given Navy's style of offense, Notre Dame cannot waste a series. The Irish will get fewer possessions so they have to make the most of them. Notre Dame has not scored more than three touchdowns in a game this season. Navy often scores five or six touchdowns a game. The Irish have to have an urgency on offense where by they are thinking they cannot punt the ball. They need points and they need to control the clock and the game.

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Given the advantage in size the Irish have over Navy, Notre Dame should be able to run the ball straight ahead. No finesse just power. That's where senior Travis Thomas could play a key role as he can run the ball into the gut of defense.

But running the football whether straight ahead or to the outside has been a problem for the Irish. Notre Dame has rushed for only 273 yards all season. The break for the Irish could be in the overall weakness of the Navy defense. The Midshipmen rank 105th in total defense, giving up 460 yards a game. They are 112th in scoring defense, and on an average surrender 38 points a game.

Drawing first blood
Navy is coming into this game very pumped up. This season teams playing at Notre Dame Stadium are looking for blood in the water. They know the Irish are down and there is a chance they can pounce on them. When a team has lost as many games as Notre Dame has it must guard against becoming fragile mentally. If one thing goes wrong, the players can't be thinking here we go again.

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The Irish need to show pride. They need to remember where they are playing. It's critical they treat each game remaining as a new season. It may be a down year but it can't always be a down week. Deep down inside Navy knows it will be tough to beat the Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame needs to get up on Navy early because if the Midshipmen get ahead in the first or second quarter their confidence will start to build.

Navy is 22-2 in its last 24 games when it scores first. The only losses both came in overtime -- against Tulsa in 2006 and Ball State in 2007. When Navy gets an early lead, it hogs the ball. By doing so it can limit an opponent's possessions and keep from having to go to it offensive weakness -- passing the football. The Midshipmen have punted just nine times this season -- on pace for the NCAA record for fewest punts in a season. That compares with 61 punts for the Irish -- third-most in the bowl subdivision.

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