Game Note Highlights

Each week The University of Notre Dame’s Media Relations Department puts out its weekly game notes.  Talking Irish went through all 64 pages this week and pulled out timely and relevant information so you don’t have to.

Notre Dame has nine victories in 10 games against Oklahoma. No school that has played the Sooners more than twice has a better win percentage than the .900 percentage posted by the Irish.

Notre Dame ranks second all-time in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision winning percentage at .733 (868-302-42) and Oklahoma ranks fourth at .719 (834-310-53).

Oklahoma (101) and Notre Dame (98) rank first and second all-time in NCAA FBS history in No. 1 rankings.

Notre Dame has totaled just 13 losing seasons in 125 seasons, while Oklahoma has just 12 in 199 (ranking first and second in all of FBS football).

No Irish player has ever had more than one interception in a game against Oklahoma.

Notre Dame's all-time varsity football roster includes nearly 2,800 players who have appeared in at least one career game, with 29 from the state of Oklahoma.

Notre Dame’s roster does not feature a player from the state of Oklahoma. The Sooners' roster does not feature a player from the state of Indiana.

Six of Notre Dame’s twelve opponents this season are currently either ranked or receiving votes in either the USA Today Coaches Poll or the Associated Press Poll, including Oklahoma (12/14).

Notre Dame has played 11 previous games in its history on Sept. 28. The Irish are 5-5-1 (.500) all-time on this date.

Stephon Tuitt is 0.5 sacks to move into tie for 9th all-time, 1.0 sacks to move into tie for 8th all-time, 2.0 sacks to move into tie for 7th all-time.

Notre Dame has played opponants with a combined record of 8-7 (.533 winning percentage), Oklahoma has played opponants with a combined record of 5-7 (.417 winning percentage).

Average weight of the offensive and defensive lines:

Notre Dame OL 311.4 lbs. vs. Oklahoma DL 280.5 lbs.

Notre Dame DL 317.0 lbs. vs. Oklahoma OL 313.8 lbs.

Notable Head to Head Statistical Comparisons

Notre Dame                                       Oklahoma

26.5 77th Scoring Offense vs. Scoring Defense 5th 9.0

133.66 69th Passing Efficiency Off. vs. Passing Efficiency Def. 9th 88.54

0.75 114th Sacks vs. Sacks Allowed 46th 1.33

64.3 112th Red-Zone Offense vs. Red-Zone Defense 15th 66.7

Points of Interest… Oklahoma

This weekend’s matchup is composed of two all-time great programs that are again having early season success this year.   Although Oklahoma is 3-0 but has yet to play a team with a winning record (Louisiana-Monroe from the Sun Belt League, West Virginia by 9 points and 1-2 Tulsa  team) and has yet to play away from the friendly confines of Norman.

This will be only Blake Bell’s (6’6”, 252lbs) second start at quarterback for the Sooners.  However he did pass for over 400 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions and a 73% completion percentage.  Offensively look for Bell to be different from last years “BellDozer” and a more complete quarterback package.  Make no mistake the Irish defense will not hold Oklahoma to 15 net yards as they did last season.  Bell may lack starting experience but he has seen action on big stages over the past two seasons (Insight Bowl Offensive MVP as a freshman and scoring the game tying touchdown last season against Oklahoma State with four seconds left) so pressure should not be an issue.

The Sooners also have a solid running game in a balanced offensive attack.  Oklahoma averages just less than 272 rushing yards a game good enough for 16^th in the nation, including 27 rushes for 10 yards or more.  Bob Stoops running game is led by Brennan Clay with 45 rushes for 262 averaging 5.8 yards per carry and 2 touchdowns followed by Damien Williams who has 37 carries for 161 and averaging 4.4 yards per carry.

Freshman Trevor Knight came out of camp as the starting quarterback but after a rough start and an injury (knee) Bell stepped in.  If Bell gets hurt or does not deliver early against the Irish Knight would be coming in after missing practice time recovering from his injury as well as coming back with shaken confidence.

Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops has implemented a 3-3-5 defense this season which has led to a number 5 ranking in scoring defense with 9.0 points per game.

The good news is that this Irish team fights till the end and since that year’s game had a score of 13-13 with six minutes to go it truly matters more how you fished as opposed to how you start.  Don’t let Notre Dame’s 9-1 all-time record against Oklahoma fool you, none of that matters this Saturday.

 

Michigan State Review Podcast

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Idenity

For a couple of weeks now I hear the same question posed over and over again to Notre Dame coaches, players and analysts.  Everyone is inquiring about the team’s “identity.”  Most of it is driven by comparison to last year’s squad and its defensive prowess, sprinkled in with hints of Manti and Golson absences.  And with three less than impressive/dominant wins and one loss to a team that has struggled to beat the likes of Akron and Connecticut, who can blame them?

It struck me that their identity, if they need one, is the same as last season – just win.  And an expansion of that -play till the end.  Last season, after a 50-10 thumping of Navy, there were several knock down, drag out battles with close calls, many against top-notch talent, including a 13-6 win over Michigan, a 20-13 OT win over Stanford, a 20-17 win over Purdue, a 17-14 win over BYU, and a 29-26 triple OT win over Pittsburgh.  Even the big wins didn’t pass for flashy on the eye test.

Look at the stars and emerging stars on this team, lunch box guys.  Heading into the 2013 season, the offensive line was expected to be a high point of this team bringing experience and leadership.  Let’s face it, the O-Line has never been a glamorous role in football at any level.  Running back Cam McDaniel is emerging as the hard-nosed, clean-cut, hard-working player that we knew he was for two years.  Even one of Notre Dame’s biggest personalities (and bodies) Louis “Irish Chocolate” Nix with his YouTube Chocolate News plays with a “get the job done” attitude at Nose Tackle, taking on double and triple team blocks so his teammates can rack up tackles while he sacrifices his own stat sheet.

During Saturday’s win over the formerly undefeated and number one-ranked defense Michigan State Spartans, I questioned play calls, player substitutions and the overall state of the team.  However, I did that during every game last season, and up until BCS game, things worked out okay.  Over the next few weeks against Oklahoma, Arizona State and USC, Notre Dame’s identity will be defined one way or another.  Until then, just win.

Game Notes Musings

Each week the Notre Dame Media Relations department releases Games Notes in preparation for that week’s upcoming match.  As I reviewed the Game Notes for the upcoming Michigan State game several notes and numbers jumped out at me and I wanted to share them with you.

The Irish have a nine game home winning streak heading into this weekend’s game against the Spartan.

Tommy Rees ranks seventh in the FBS in passing yards (969), and no one has more yards against FBS opponents this season.

Michigan State ranks as the fourth most played team in the list of Notre Dame Opponents, only Navy (86), Purdue (85) and USC (84) has played the Irish more.

Since 1949 the winner of this rivalry is presented with the Megaphone Trophy

Key Match ups ND’s total offense Ranked 50^th vs. State’s total defense ranked 1^st and ND’s red zone offense ranked 112^th vs. State’s red zone defense 91^st.

Notre Dame Head coach Brian Kelly and Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio each previously served as the head coach at Cincinnati. Dantonio (2004-06) and Kelly (2007-09) both spent three years with the Bearcats.

2012 Game; ND rushing yards 122 & Michigan State 50, ND’s defense had four for 30 yards sacks Michigan State’s defense had one for 2 yards.  Notre Dame’s defense held the Spartans to three points last season (it was the first time the Spartans were held to three points or less since 1991).

Arguably the most impressive stats when it comes to truly indicate Notre Dame's completion dominance of No. 10 Michigan State in 2012 was the Spartans failure to run a single play inside the Irish red zone.

Under Brian Kelly the Irish are 6-0 when scoring 40+ points and 0-2 when surrendering 40+ points.

Average weight of the offensive and defensive lines: Notre Dame OL 311.4 lbs. vs. Michigan State DL 273.0 lbs. Notre Dame DL 317.0 lbs. vs. Michigan State OL 305.0 lbs.

Notre Dame has played six previous games in its history on Sept. 21. The Irish are 6-0 (1.000) all-time on this date.  Three of Notre Dame's six all-time games on Sept. 21 have come against Michigan State.

Tommy Rees needs 5 pass completions to move into 4th all-time in school history.

DaVaris Daniels – Jr. 167 receiving yards last week were the most by an Irish WR since Nov. 28, 2009 (Golden Tate, 201).

Tommy Rees’s 82 yard pass play to DaVaris Daniels against Purdue last week was the 9^th longest pass play in Notre Dame History.

Notre Dame struggled to run the ball against Purdue on Sept. 14, but the Irish were successful on its final drive to run out the clock (ran for 42 yards on final drive; just 49 prior to the drive). Notre Dame ran the final 7:22 off the game clock. The Irish converted four third-down plays on the final drive.

In the first three games Notre Dame is average Punt return of 10.25 yards per return good for a 44 national rank, a HUGE improvement from last season.

Seven of Purdue’s 21 rushes in the game went for one yard or less.

A quarter of the season down podcast.

 

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Purdue Review

On a Saturday where the Michigan Wolverines barely beat the Akron Zips 28-24, perhaps the Irish faithful should be a bit more than content with a 31-24 win over the Purdue Boilermakers.  However, on Sunday, we find ourselves in a bit of a fog.  We supposedly have a monster offensive line yet we can’t even rush for a combined 100 yards against Purdue (MCDANIEL 16-56; ATKINSON, G. 5-27; CARLISLE 11-16; BRYANT 1-2), averaging a meager 2.5 yards per carry.  We supposedly have an All-World, bend don’t break defense, yet we have given up 65 points in the last two games.  Finally, Tommy Rees was not supposed to be the answer, yet he as three 300+ yards games in three games.

Offensively, the philosophy seems to be do it until it works as opposed to do it till they stop it.  It felt like two-thirds of the plays called were either a flair out or some sort of bubble screen for a yard.  I know that Rees doesn’t have a super strong arm, but if Chris Brown is a speedster, turn on the burners and throw it down field.  Martin needs to let Rees and his “Pieces” spread the field.  Maybe Kelly and Offensive Coordinator Chuck Martin are more like chess players when it comes to being patient with the offense than we’d hoped for.  My concern with that is how it looks to voters and whether or not we afford to be that patient against better teams when it comes to waiting to see what the defense gives us and scoring points.

There are things that seem to be coming into focus on the offensive side of the ball after three games.  Amir Carlisle is emerging as the number one running back who should continue to develop into an all-around offensive threat similar to Theo Riddick.  DaVaris Daniels (167 yards on 8 catches with 2 touchdowns) is looking more and more like the go to guy at the wide receiver position.   Troy Niklas is not “there” yet but he is on his way and the Irish will need him to get “there” sooner than later for success this season.  To do that, Niklas needs to get more looks - he had one catch for nine yards against the Boilermakers.

 

On a Saturday where the Michigan Wolverines barely beat the Akron Zips 28-24, perhaps the Irish faithful should be a bit more than content with a 31-24 win over the Purdue Boilermakers.  However, on Sunday, we find ourselves in a bit of a fog.  We supposedly have a monster offensive line yet we can’t even rush for a combined 100 yards against Purdue (MCDANIEL 16-56; ATKINSON, G. 5-27; CARLISLE 11-16; BRYANT 1-2), averaging a meager 2.5 yards per carry.  We supposedly have an All-World, bend don’t break defense, yet we have given up 65 points in the last two games.  Finally, Tommy Rees was not supposed to be the answer, yet he as three 300+ yards games in three games.

Offensively, the philosophy seems to be do it until it works as opposed to do it till they stop it.  It felt like two-thirds of the plays called were either a flair out or some sort of bubble screen for a yard.  I know that Rees doesn’t have a super strong arm, but if Chris Brown is a speedster, turn on the burners and throw it down field.  Martin needs to let Rees and his “Pieces” spread the field.  Maybe Kelly and Offensive Coordinator Chuck Martin are more like chess players when it comes to being patient with the offense than we’d hoped for.  My concern with that is how it looks to voters and whether or not we afford to be that patient against better teams when it comes to waiting to see what the defense gives us and scoring points.

There are things that seem to be coming into focus on the offensive side of the ball after three games.  Amir Carlisle is emerging as the number one running back who should continue to develop into an all-around offensive threat similar to Theo Riddick.  DaVaris Daniels (167 yards on 8 catches with 2 touchdowns) is looking more and more like the go to guy at the wide receiver position.   Troy Niklas is not “there” yet but he is on his way and the Irish will need him to get “there” sooner than later for success this season.  To do that, Niklas needs to get more looks - he had one catch for nine yards against the Boilermakers.

It also occurred to me last night that if something happened to Tommy Rees or it got to the point that he would need to be pulled, Brian Kelly’s options were very limited.  True freshman Malik Zaire has had mono and he had just been cleared for cardio earlier this week. It was supposed to be a game day decision, but even if he was officially cleared to play, what kind of shape would he have been in?  Even looking forward to Michigan State what kind of shape will Zaire be in and how much learning did he miss out on while he was sick?  The Irish missed a huge opportunity to beat up on a lesser team early and get some second and third team players (namely Andrew Hendrix, who to date only has five pass attempts and one completion for nine yards) on the field for some game experience. 

Defensively, this team looks like a shadow of its former self.  The line is not getting the penetration it needs, the linebackers look lost in coverage and the secondary has come up short time and time again.  If the Boilermakers’ offense is going to push the Irish around scoring 24 points, there are teams on Notre Dame’s schedule that might drop 50+ on Her Loyal Sons.  Bob Diaco’s crew has got to get three and out’s going against teams or this could be a very average season.  Contrary to Brian Kelly’s post game comments, “This is probably his best game of the year in terms of just being on every play," something is wrong with Stephon Tuitt, who had assisted tackle against Purdue and a total of four tackles in three games.  One positive note on the defensive side of the ball was Bennett Jackson, who had four tackles, one tackle for a loss, a sack and an interception for a touchdown. 

It would be great if our Special Teams could be “special.”  I am more than just confident in Kyle Bindza’s field goal abilities (4/5 with a long of 44 on the season), his kick-offs should and could be touch backs every time (he did have 4 out of 6 touchbacks on Saturday), but his punting game leaves a bit to be desired, averaging just under 37 yards on four punts against Purdue.  Senior Wake Forest transfer Alex Wulfex did have one punt for 38 yards, landing it inside the 20 yard line.

I would like to recognize the discipline on Saturday by the Irish only committing three penalties.  Another positive stat from Saturday for Notre Dame was going 3 for 4 in the red zone. 

Onward to Michigan State.