Off and Running

The season is underway and we are off to a very good start (okay, a good start).  Sure, the Irish won by 40 points and dominated 95% of the game, but before we put ourselves in the top 10, remember that it was an undersized, under matched Navy squad.  Of course, there was not much more Notre Dame could have done to look better and they did what they were supposed to do.  But we need to keep things in perspective and stay grounded. 

Let’s start with the offense.  Golson played well for a redshirt sophomore with great expectations starting his first collegiate game.  Overall, he protected the ball and showed confidence in his line, running backs, receivers and apparently himself.  He took his first sack like a pro, which came from an unblocked defender coming in from his blindside at full speed.  He showed poise in the pocket (he may have been overthinking that a bit) and his potential for escape ability.  Areas for improvement include sturdier snaps, cut down on his over reliance on Eifert (he had a very poor pass to Eifert in the end zone in double coverage), and gain Kelly’s confidence to take the shackles off and allow him to run.

The offensive line looked as dominant as they should have.  After last season’s debacle of too many off sides and holding penalties, they looked much more disciplined.  Although the Midshipmen were bigger along both lines than they have been in the past, they were no match for the Irish size and strength.  The holes were big, well defined and stayed open for the backs to have an easy and productive day.

We saw a number of wide receivers take the field, giving them an opportunity to get collegiate game experience even if they did not dominate or even catch a pass.  Golson will benefit from fresh and diverse receivers not only this season but throughout his career.  I look forward to seeing who steps up from game to game throughout the season.

The running backs delivered as hoped for and as expected possibly leaving more questions than answers.  Answers - George Atkinson is and will be something special.  His combination of size and speed will serve him and the Irish well.  Theo Riddick will have a successful senior season thanks to his experience and abilities.  Cam McDaniel got  a lot more touches then I had expected.  I am not sure if that was because the game was in hand and Kelly wanted to rest and protect Atkinson and Riddick, or if Kelly really does see potential in McDaniel and plans on using him in a significant role this season.  Either way, Cam looked solid and should be able to contribute on the offensive side of the ball.  The big question that will most likely expand against Purdue as a similar outcome is expected is will the success of Riddick, Atkinson and McDaniel significantly cut into Cierre Wood’s playing time when he returns.  My prediction: Yes.

The defense did an excellent job defending Navy’s option and controlled the line of scrimmage as expected.  The secondary was definitely suspect and even exposed at times by an inferior passing attack (Navy for some reason did not take advantage of this obvious weakness).  Much like the opportunity for Kelly to work in several players on the offense, he was able to give significant time to players who may need to contribute this season for more than mop-up detail.  We saw a lot of Tony Springman, Chase Hounshell and Kona Schwencke along the line well as a mix of linebackers and defensive backs.  Being able to regularly rotate in effective players will offer fresh legs with little to no drop off in ability.  The highlight of the day was Stephon Tuitt returning a fumble for a touchdown. Everyone, even those of us who have heard about his speed and athleticism, had to be impressed by how easily he outran Navy pressures down the field.

Although the Irish missed an extra point into a swirling headwind, they performed well and should improve as the season continues.  There was an obvious improvement in the punt return game as there was no chance of it being any worse than last year.

As we move on to Purdue, there has to be cautious optimism along with excitement that the Irish will start the season 2-0 with impressive play by both experienced upperclassmen and newcomers with great potential.  Traditionally, I get to watch the replay on Sunday for a more in-depth breakdown but since the Talking Irish staff is in Ireland for the week, we will not see it until Thursday night.  We will prep for a Purdue preview during our transfers and on our flight home.

Some early things to look and hope for in the upcoming weeks based on what we saw firsthand in Dublin, is the team’s confidence and sense of teamwork.