Notre Dame did something it seemed allergic to this year–they won a damn football game. In keeping the theme of 2016 of course they couldn’t make it easy on themselves after building a 20-0 lead over the Miami Hurricanes. The offense went ice cold, special teams gifted the Canes short fields and outright points, while Miami made second half adjustments that left the Irish reeling.
However, out of nowhere Notre Dame finally put its foot down ripping off a touchdown drive and game-winning field goal drive before sealing the whole contest with a sack. Stressful for sure, but ultimately a satisfying ending for a program desperate beyond all measure for a win.
OFFENSE
O consistency, consistency, wherefore art thou consistency? It’d be amazing to see how this season would have unfolded to this point if the offense could just be 30% more consistent. Against Miami, the same problems crept up on the offense again.
Through the first 5 series’ the Irish gained 207 yards on 33 plays (6.27 YPP) while putting up 20 points. Then the next 4 series (with the halftime kneel down and punt return “fumble” removed, yes the latter counts as an offensive drive somehow) netted 90 yards on 22 plays (4.09 YPP) for 0 points.
Fortunately, the final 109 yards on 14 plays to put up 10 points saved the day.
For certain, the bye week did wonders for the offense…at least initially. Kizer looked sharp and decisive. The play-calling was surprisingly creative and effective. Then, this air of sleepiness set in and the offense struggled mightily. But why?
I think it’s pretty simple. The offense is just so enormously dependent on DeShone Kizer. Opening up the game Kizer threw or ran on 9 out of the first 11 plays. On the second drive there were 3 run plays then Kizer handles it 5 straight times. On the third drive, he handles is on 3 out of 4 plays.
There’s just no breathing room for Kizer. No drives where the running backs take 75% or even 50% of the snaps. Kizer is really forced to be on the nuggets on so many snaps and when defenses adjust–as Miami did after a few series–then we have a quarterback pressing and trying to do too much.
Torii Hunter Jr. found his Halloween costume in the end zone today! #BRxND https://t.co/lXgMbIwW9a
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 30, 2016
Speaking of running backs, Dexter and Folston were really bottled up in their limited appearances. The former also limped off the field at one point for what seems like the fourth time this year. For these two it was a combined 13 yards on 7 carries. Luckily, Josh Adams looked healthy and put together a few nice runs, including the game-tying 41-yard scamper that the offense desperately needed.
All in all, a nice bounce back game from Kizer. He completed almost 66% of his passes and while his 6.9 YPA was pretty low I actually like it in a weird way. Ever since he’s become quarterback the offense has relied so heavily on making down field passes and I’d venture to say the offense might operate pretty smoothly with a little more reliance on short-passes, check downs, and making quick reads.
Colin McGovern left this game early and went into concussion protocol which makes it 3 head injuries over the last 7 months. You have to wonder if McGovern is going to be able to play football again as sad as that may be (FWIW, Kelly said on Sunday’s teleconference that McGovern will “have a chance to play” this weekend against Navy). Hunter Bivin seems serviceable at best, but I believe it’s going to be real difficult for this coaching staff to keep Kraemer and/or Eichenberg away from that right guard position next fall.
This was quietly a very good game from the offensive line. Kizer had excellent protection and Miami was limited to 1 sack and just 4 tackles for loss.
Screens to running backs was a nice wrinkle used a lot against Miami as Folston and Williams combined for 33 yards on 6 catches. Nothing too explosive but I’m telling you it’s these steady 5-6 yard chunk this offense needs to gain some consistency.
DEFENSE
We can’t really ask the defense to play better, all things considered. Miami did have 20 first downs but they were mostly due to a bunch of short passes when Kaaya got hot and in reality the coverage was really good on most of those throws. Poor Troy Pride had roughly 9 passes completed against him but actually was on the hip of the receiver and making a play on the ball for 6 or 7 of those plays.
Notre Dame finished this game +2.1 in yards per play primarily thanks to the defense. Miami was limited to 0.5 yards per rush. I have to chuckle at some of the comments I’ve seen post-game that said Notre Dame didn’t deserve to win. I mean, if those stats were reversed literally no one would ever make the case for us deserving to win and yet that hypocrisy lives on. Being upset we didn’t win by more is one thing, but come on.
Take a bow, Jarron Jones.
Jarron Jones’ 6.0 TFLs today are the most by an FBS player in 2016. He’s the 23rd player in the FBS w/ 6.0 TFLs since 2000…#BertschyBits
— Michael Bertsch (@NDsidBertschy) October 30, 2016
Jarron Jones (@Who_GotJones94) led the Irish D with 6 TFL in our win over Miami.
Here’s Every. Single. One. pic.twitter.com/LKrpD0rKEy
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 30, 2016
Back to the defense playing as well as we can hope. The defensive line controlled the game. Nyles Morgan had his best game of his career with 8 solo tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and a pass break-up. The corners broke up 5 passes–including 3 from Donte Vaughn alone. We didn’t hear much from Devin Studstill but that’s a good thing these days. Plus, Drue Tranquill cleaned things up nicely coming downhill to make stops for 0, 4, 3, and 3 yards. He also made a few nice tackles to prevent Miami passing plays from turning into huge gainers.
Can it be so simple for the defense as focusing on stopping the run? Even in an era of big-play passing games the best performances from Notre Dame defense have almost always come when they can control the opponent’s run game. During this game, Kaaya caught fire throwing the ball and in the end Miami’s offense scored 1 long touchdown drive and just 2 touchdowns overall. The Canes only mustered 3 first downs on the ground, as well.
One of the difficulties with being a defense that can slow down the run but continually get chipped away from short passes is how it takes your offense out of a rhythm. For example, during the middle two quarters Miami held the ball for 20:41 while Notre Dame’s offense got it for just 9:19, a huge discrepancy. That has a part in the offense not being able to gain some consistency–sometimes there just isn’t enough time.
Both teams came into this one really performing poorly on third down and Miami was a little worse on Saturday. The Canes finished 7 of 19 (36.8%) while Notre Dame coverted 8 of 16 (50.0%) chances.
Notice how we’re not talking about giving up big plays anymore? After this weekend’s game the Irish now sit tied for 15th nationally in 30+ plays given up. Just 12 on the season! Last year Notre Dame gave up 30 such plays.
Final Thoughts
Like many, I didn’t love the 4th down decision (audible from Kizer, to be exact) to throw the screen pass to C.J. Sanders if only because it was such a long cross-field throw. Too much time to let something bad happen, like Hunter not getting a good block to take advantage of the 2-on-1 on the outside.
Special teams miscues included: A partially blocked punt, two fumbled punt returns, and perhaps the worst covered onside kick (even if it was a surprise) I’ve ever seen. These gaffes led directly to 14 points for Miami. I’m usually pretty ambivalent about special teams–just limit mistakes and you’re usually fine–but there has to be dozens of coaches who could come in and be an upgrade over Scott Booker.
The Nyles Morgan sack on third down that came on the drive following Miami’s onside kick recovery felt like something that would keep Notre Dame alive. I think the entire complexion of this game changes if the score turns into 20-14 well before halftime.
Thank goodness for Justin Yoon. He was 3 for 3 on his field goal attempts and now sits at 24 for 29 (82.7%) for his career. Remember when people were worried about him? However, Yoon sat out some of the kickoffs on Saturday due to some tendinitis in his leg. Kelly said they were trying to rest Yoon and they liked walk-on John Chereson’s hang time a little more than punter Tyler Newsome’s line drive kickoffs.
Miami seemed to find some success in the medium length passes to their tight ends. That’s something to think about when Virginia Tech’s Bucky Hodges (31 receptions, 468 yards, 5 TD) comes to town in a few weeks.
The special teams issues are more clearly tied to coaching than any of our others (the scheme on our punts is directly responsible for the blocks, and it would be charitable to describe the formation on the kickoff as “scheme”). Scott Booker should be replaced, preferably today.
What an appropriately absurd win for such an absurd season. I was thinking initially thinking it’d be a “Blow the Big Lead,” but 20 points isn’t quite enough to qualify for that – it was definitely the “WTF Special Teams? I’ll Have Another Bourbon and Bleach, Thanks” game. Number 18, Buster Sheridan I guess, that’s the same dude who touched a punt earlier this season, isn’t he?
Wins are good though. Will accept more.
Also, I’m sure glad I didn’t have to block Jarron Jones at all yesterday.
So, Troy Pride goes by Buster Sheridan? Who knew? Apparently only idocd and the brilliant producers at NBC. They were as bad as ND was in the middle of the game yesterday. The graphics were horrid, there were mistakes all over. How long has NBC been doing ND games, 25 years?
Anyway, it wasn’t pretty, but there were some good things yesterday. When the offense is on, it is pretty good. ESB made some great catches. The young secondary is getting experience. Nyles Morgan, and Drew Tranquil had a great game. And Mr. Jones? Well, he’s a man. A big man. A big football playin’ man. Let’s keep that up.
As for a Scott Booker, did you see his reaction after the on sides kick and Sanders’ muffed punt? You know they practice those things. Even if they don’t, those are mistakes that no middle school player should make. I don’t have an opinion on Booker (not real high on him right now, but I’ll trust Kelly on this one), but I don’t think either of those screw ups are on him. That’s all on the players (well, maybe lining up poorly on the kickoff is on Booker).
Finally, I had to laugh at Kelly trying to “dance” with the team when they were up early. I wonder if it was a dare?
You have to think Miami saw ND cheating on Kick returns on film. This is something that the ND staff should have seen while self scouting. These staffs have more personnel than ever yet, no one caught this? That play happened right in front of me and all I could think was, “where the hell is everybody?”.
I’m pretty sure the MSU muff was 81, Miles Boykin.
Worst rule in football, bar none. There is no reason that should be a fumble. Even if Pride hears “fire” towards the end and tries to escape the general area, it’s a stupidly-shaped ball that can still easily take a random bounce and hit him. Or, in his attempts to escape, he can run right into it, because he rightly has no idea where the ball is going to land.
It rewards terrible execution by the other team (bad punt) and punishes a player who is expressly doing his job (blocking and not watching the ball). It’s so dumb. I can’t muster even an ounce of outrage towards a player who unwittingly gets hit by a terrible punt.
This.
Anyone who has actually played organized tackle football and has been on a punt return team would never get upset with a player when this happens. There’s way too much going on to actually hear someone yell “Fire” or “Poison” or whatever word they choose and if you’re actually trying to block, there’s no way you can know where the ball is.
It’s just an unfortunate thing and it sucks that ND has been bitten by it multiple times.
I’m adding this to my list of supported proposed rule changes to football. I’ve always considered it a goofy play where the player blocking isn’t really at fault but never given it enough thought to formulate a position on it. alstein’s position is well stated and makes perfect sense to me.
That is indeed bad, but the worst rule in football is fumbling through the end zone means touchback with the other team getting the ball.
Fumble ball out of bounds on the 1: your ball, and you’re about to score a touchdown.
Fumble ball out of bounds 2 yards further: THEIR BALL YOU LOSER
What do you change that rule to? Fumble out the back of the endzone and you get it back at the 1, no worries? Automatic touchdown? The punt off of a blocker is troubling because it rewards poor execution by the kicking team. Fumbling out of the endzone seems less troubling to me because it punishes the poorly executing team, albeit very harshly.
My top rule change is to make holding the chestplate of a defender from the front legal while engaged in an otherwise legal block. Holding the chestplate is taught as proper technique and is called about once a game whenever there’s been a play that the refs decide needs to come back but have no real justification for. Just codify the rule the way that the game is played so that blockers have a truly legal way to try to stop these absurdly fast and strong defensive ends without the risk of the absurd “play-was-too-big” flag coming out for no other reason I can discern.
Yes, fumble forward out of bounds and you get the ball back at the 1. That is a much more reasonable result. Actually, the rule should be any forward fumbles out of bounds mean you get the ball back where you initially fumbled.
I would disagree with this, except for the fact that the offense can’t fumble forward, so if the offense recovered it in the endzone, it would be the offense’s ball at the point of fumble, so the 1. This seems pretty imbalanced. Seems like the defense gets the better of this deal. Of course, the solution is “don’t fumble.”
Exactly. The proposed rule change about would be simple and internally consistent. The changing-possession rule is inconsistent with how fumbles are treated overall.
I’m amazed some Bielema-type hasn’t started kicking crappy punts way up in the air on purpose, as the odds of getting a fumble when it lands and hits the receiving team’s blockers is not insignificant.
I just have no idea what C.J. Sanders was thinking for that attempted fair catch. He has a bouncing ball coming at him as he’s on the 2 yard line. Even if he had caught it, we’d start at the 2 yard line. He runs as far away from it as possible, and we potentially start on the 25…Miami would be lucky to stop it as far forward as Sanders was. Surrounded by Miami players, there is no conceivable reason he should have tried to get that ball.
That may be coaching, but if he hasn’t learned that much about the position by this point…a lot of that would come from presumed “I’m Keith Hernandez” hubris or just plain stupidity.
He was at about the 7 and the ball only comes out to the 20 on touchbacks on punts so it was unlikely to make it to the endzone for a touchback and the difference was 13 yards, not 23, but it was still a terribly stupid play.
Regarding poor CJ and his indecisiveness on special teams:
Following his second mistake (the muff into the endzone) he didn’t come back out on the field the rest of the game. HCBK did a pretty good job defending him in his post-game presser and I expect to see him back bright and early against Navy next Sunday, although I wouldn’t wager anything that he keeps all of his special team duties he’ll certainly be on the field.
My question to the crowd is, when something like the serious nearly-game-losing error happens to a player like CJ do you agree with the decision to sit him the rest of the game?
Not to skew the results of my own open question, but I would really have liked CJ to have been put in on offense for one of the several running plays with the instructions to block the socks off of a CB without taking a penalty. Put him back in the game in a low risk way and let him hit something.
Gambit,
I certainly agree with the decision to sit him for special teams; and given the situation, for offense too, as Torii was playing well. You will note in his teleconf yesterday BK noted that on the first punt return “muff” the coaches felt CJ should have run up and caught the ball, so CJ was 0 for 2 on very bad decisions, and with a very good back up in Feinke, yes, sit him.
I agree with More Noise, punt returns (whether all Sanders’ fault or not) were past the point of needing a change. Glad they put Finke in when they did.
I’m agnostic at putting him in for an offensive play just to block or hit someone. I know he feels bad but I don’t think little CJ Sanders is going to shine blocking someone, not his game. If he was in a package to play again on offense, that’s fine, put him in. I wouldn’t chain him to the bench for ST mistakes on offense, but at the same time I wouldn’t go out of my way to put him in to let him redeem himself either.
Re: Taking C.J. out – I was a bit miffed that he wasn’t out there for the last punt return, especially considering it was likely going to be a good opportunity for a return. Dude’s one of the most explosive players we’ve had for special teams since Rocket. Sitting him in the corner to think about what he’s done as punishment when it could harm the team’s chance to win, well, I think that’s pretty dumb.
But if it was from a mental standpoint, a coach thinking he might have a case of the yips, that’d be more understandable.
I agree, yips are a good reason to keep him out, but I read it at the time as being punitive and I don’t think punishment by benching is productive in general, but especially for a guy that we design offensive plays to get the ball to.
On the 4th down decision to throw the screen pass to C.J. Sanders, where has it come out that it was a Kizer audible? I would not be surprised, but had not heard this, and think it’s significant.
That was the speculation of the NBC crew. Flutie claimed that Kizer has the option to check to that the throw on the side (or, rather, that the play had two options, throwing that screen being one of them, that he can choose based on what he sees at the snap–it isn’t a standard “audible” but an a play with two built-in options for Kizer to choose). My issue isn’t with the play call per se, if the call was for a run but the normal play has that as an option. There should damn well have been a coach, however, in Kizer’s ear saying “yes we normally give you the option, but in this situation, run the damned play as we call it.” Probably something that should be talked through in film study and then practice–yes, you have the option to pass out, EXCEPT on 4th and 1, when this…that…etc. The other choice for the coaches is to just call a play where Kizer isn’t going to change out with a bad decision. There are legit reasons he did what he did, I’m sure–a certain look keys an automatic response. But I just feel like on 4th and 1, there should be some reason applied to prevent that.
Or, the block could have been better, CJ broken the tackle, and gone for 30 yards…or whatever. And then we’d all be saying what a risky but genius call.
That makes sense, I just hate the concept of throwing the ball backwards on a 4th down situation. I think I would have preferred if that automatic look was some sort of slant or even a pick play (legal, hopefully, fingers crossed). Just something quick to get the positive yardage and not rely on an outside block to go right to pickup the play. My own personal preference to the scheme, I suppose, but I’m sure there’s smarter reasons to do what they did, it just looks bad when it fails.
And, of course to me, when you’ve got a 6’5, 204 pound QB and a mauling LG and need a yard, just be old school and put the big boy under center and basically fall forward. That seems harumph-ish and old school, but why reinvent the wheel? This is something Brady and the Pats do well every time, not sure why it hasn’t caught on more in other places.
Right, which is EXACTLY why 4th and 1 should be an exception to the “check to the WR screen option when you see this look.” And by 6’5″, 204lb you mean 234 or whatever Kizer is, right? PUSH FORWARD AND GET 1 YARD. I will never understand why 3rd or 4th and short always feels almost automatic against our D, but almost automatically stuffed for our O. A lot of the argument against it is “oh, we are a shotgun team that never practices snapping under center.” Okay–snap it back to the QB and let him power forward. It’s not rocket surgery.
+1 for “rocket surgery”
Yeah, I meant 240 not 204, blame the fingers and old age and being in a fluster to yell that it’s simple just @run the damn ball, Kelly@
Right, we ain’t talking brain science here.
KG, Hook, you guys both make a lot of sense. And I gotta confess, I was screaming at the TV, “just get under center and sneak it” (stupid French neighbors complained just because it was 1:30 am).
True, BK is pretty stubborn about being a shotgun team, but yes, the Pats are a good case in point (though they have way more time to learn and practice stuff).
On the other hand – recall David Shaw in 2012, with his four straight runs. And recall this year’s Stanford 2 point PAT when they do the toss pass after we sell out v the run. So I guess one could say, if even D Shaw can learn…
All I know is, that play ripped my heart out. Almost as bad as the free touchdown given up on ST by CJ.
It was damn hard to stomach, that’s for sure.
I’ve been digesting this game and am tentatively disembarking from the Fire Kelly train, though I still have the ticket and am hanging around the platform. There were plenty of positives (the defense!) and negatives from this game (some stale playcalling, terrible special teams), but the critical point for me was that Kelly seemed to be in control again–of the gameplan, the team, and himself. If Kelly had continued to look lost and to make random changes, then it’d clearly be time for him to go, but the bye week seems to have allowed some recovery. I hope it continues.
Definitely think wait-and-see is appropriate, especially with Navy and Army coming up. If he loses to one of them, the Fire Kelly train will be right back on track. If not, it seems like he gets one more year to see if he can get to double-digit regular season wins.
This season’s especially frustrating since I thought it would be the year Kelly reached back-to-back 10-win seasons, clearly marking him as a top 10 or top 15 coach in the game. 3-9 or 4-8 should be a fire-able offense at Notre Dame, but the possibility for 6 or 7 wins and a bowl game now make me more willing to shrug and sadly write this year off.
Also, its not like every coach who would be a surefire upgrade or lateral hire is setting the world on fire… Dantonio, Tom Herman, Stoops, Miles, Gary Patterson.
@I wonder if we could hire Mark Richt away from Miami@
BK reacting to adversity is a crucial story, as Eric pointed out a couple of weeks ago. True, after NC State BK was beat down, but even there in the locker room his words reflected fighting spirit. But these pressures are enormous, and I concur; Miami was a positive sign.
I’m just glad we were finally able to fulfill the comeback. Stanford (last year and this year), MSU, TX and NC State…all these games had periods where we got down, made a push to bring it back and fell short in as agonizing a fashion as possible. After CJ’s fumble, I really thought this game was going to be exhibit “f.” Hopefully the team pulls together and learns what they need to do when it’s “do or die.” I love that the last drive was as effective as all of them in the first quarter (despite whatever happened to the team for the rest of the game). I love that the D came through at the end. I would love for this tenacity to carry over and build as the season finishes. We have a tough stretch ahead, but the next two weeks will make an enormous difference in how this team is remembered. I really enjoyed watching what this team is capable of accomplishing on Saturday…much more so than at any other game this year. Hopefully it is a sign of things to come.
Amen!
As if Jarron Jones was not already awesome enough this week, at the kids’ Halloween party they held with a kids’ center, he was dressed as Snow White.
https://www.facebook.com/bleacherreport/videos/10154479597016006/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED
Apparently the Snow White costume was the result of a lost bet on the BUF/NE game.
Even bettor.
ISWYDT
I actually really liked the 4th down play call. Yes, it didn’t work. But you really only need to execute on 2 out of 3 pieces there and you might have a long, explosive Touchdown (something we could use a bit more of IMO):
1) Catch the pass (obviously this one has to happen or the play fails)
2) A good throw by Kizer (which didn’t happen); however, if the throw is bad by Kizer (like it was), this can still be made up for by:3) A good block by Hunter (and similar to #2, this didn’t happen, but it could have been offset by a good throw from Kizer)
I’m generally of the opinion that good college units that generally execute well should take more risks (i.e. good offenses should go for it on 4th down more often, good field goal kickers should get more cracks at 50 yard field goals, good secondaries should allow defenses to do crazy blitzes more often). In this case, I think it was a great time for a high risk, high reward play. A good throw or a good block results in a first down there; both, and it probably results in a Touchdown. Worth the risk to me.
I agree. I know we’re in the minority here (and in the fan base at large, it would seem), but I don’t have any problem with the play. The Miami corner was waving wildly for someone to get over and help him; he knew exactly what the risk was. Yes, we passed up a 90% chance of gaining a first down for an 80% chance of a first down and a 70% chance of a score, but that’s a trade-off I’m willing to make. We shouldn’t be completely risk averse – we should be willing to take calculate risks.