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.
