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The observer | FRIDAY, September 29, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
LAUREN WELDON | The Observer
By BEN PADANILAM Editor-in-Chief
Perfect. In one sense, the notion of perfection is one of completeness. In another sense, it describes the flawless exemplar. But if you put both together? Well, it’s probably not a bad way to describe senior Drue Tranquill. The list of accolades and qualities speaks for itself: a Notre Dame captain who juggles academic All-American status as a mechanical engineer, an engagement, leadership within the South Bend community and a purpose inspired by the life of Jesus Christ. Just about everyone would have no problem saying such a person is as close to perfect as you can get. Well, everyone except Tranquill. “[I’m] just a constant work in progress, trying to get better each and every day and approaching it with a sense of humility,” Tranquill said. “That there’s always room to grow is kind of where I’m at and where I’ll continue to be.” On the field, that dedication to progress has been more evident. Perhaps that’s because his career took some time to get going in the first place, as injuries his freshman and sophomore year kept him off the field for a combined 12 games. The first came against Louisville on Nov. 22, 2014. While diving to make a tackle, he tore his ACL in his left leg, ending his freshman season and beginning a long road to recovery. “One of the biggest things it taught me was grit and the ability to overcome and handle adversity,” Tranquill said of the injury. “It made me realize how blessed I am and how fortunate I am in life, because I have so many great people in support around me. Whether it’s Notre Dame, my teammates, my coaches, the staff inside the Gug just helping me, my family and friends — just to feel that support and know that they’re behind me through the ups and downs.” And shortly after completing that lengthy process, Tranquill would suffer another setback. Just 10 months after tearing his left ACL, Tranquill tore the same ligament in his right leg while
celebrating a pass breakup in the endzone against Georgia Tech. Unlike the first time, however, he’d be away from the field much longer, missing all but three games of his sophomore season. “The emotional battle initially was more difficult, in a sense that I had just worked so hard to come back from something that’s extremely devastating in our sport — any sport for that matter,” Tranquill said. “So the initial emotional shock was very difficult, but afterwards it was something I was familiar with. I was familiar with the process, I was familiar with what it would take to get back. So having that experience definitely helped the second time around.” Fortunately for Tranquill, he had several people in his life to help him overcome that emotional shock on both occasions. “Joe Schmidt the first time around, we both — I had my left ACL, he had his ankle. And then Shaun Crawford — when I had my right ACL, he had an ACL as well,” he said. “Having that competition kind of fueling our rehab was good. “But the biggest person I relied on was my brother, Justin, who plays at Western Michigan. We both went through two ACLs together actually. He went through his first one and then I went through my first one, and then I tore my second against Georgia Tech and he tore his second a week afterwards. So we kind of went through them at similar times and had each other to lean on. We’re best friends, so that was someone that was crucial for my process of coming back.” And with their help, Tranquill was able to make it back on the field for all 12 games his junior season. And while he said it was great to be back, it was also a “low season,” as the Irish stumbled to a 4-8 mark. The game lost some of its fun, he said. But after a bevy of offseason changes, he and the Irish set their sights on the future — which for Tranquill meant learning a new position. Moving from the safety position to the rover linebacker spot in new defensive coordinator Mike Elko’s system, Tranquill had to make several adjustments. And even though he has 20 tackles and is the only Irish player with both a sack and an interception, he said he’s still making those
adjustments. “I’m a constant work in progress,” Tranquill said. “It’s always a work in progress, and it’s been a work in progress ever since I moved from the safety position. I’m kind of learning the mechanics of moving down at the linebacker level. But the rover position allows me to still do some things that I did at safety, so it’s not completely foreign.” In addition to learning a new position on the field, Tranquill took a new position off of it: captain. And that’s a role he has embraced fully. “My job as a captain is to help and allow my teammates to be the best versions of themselves that they can be, whether that’s on the field, in their life, in their academics, studying tape — whatever I can do to help make them better people and better players, that’s what I’m going to try to do here,” Tranquill said. And perhaps no player on the team is better equipped to do just that. For although he’s a self-proclaimed “constant work in progress,” Tranquill seems to have a firm grip on just about every aspect of his life off the field. Within the South Bend community, Tranquill started the “5th Quarter” program last year to share the lessons he learned about perseverance in the aftermath of his ACL injuries. He said it was the perfect opportunity to put his passion for speaking and teaching to use and give back to the community which has given him so much over the last four years. “In football, sometimes not everyone necessarily has the opportunity to play. But in my time here at Notre Dame, I had gone through stuff off the field — be it injury or whatever,” Tranquill said. “And life’s a game, just like football, and we all have to play. So preparing ourselves and equipping ourselves properly to handle the ups and downs of life, I think, is really important. It’s something that I want everyone to see the hope that I have in my heart, and a lot of that comes from my faith in Jesus Christ. I just wanted to share that hope.” “5th Quarter” isn’t Tranquill’s only avenue for his faith life. In fact, his faith is central to his identity — he is heavily involved in Lifeworks Ministry and Notre Dame Christian Athletes, and it formulates his purpose in life.
“Life doesn’t make sense without it. Without the story of Christ, life just doesn’t make sense to me,” Tranquill said. “I’ve studied engineering, I’ve studied a lot, I’ve been to Israel and studied a lot of different religions and different ideas, but to me, life just doesn’t make sense without the story of Christ and what he did on the cross. Each and every day, that just gives me a renewed hope. I’ve seen so many people’s lives changed by the power of the Gospel — I’ve seen my life changed by it. That’s just a message that I want to bring to this world. In a world that day in and day out seems to have its ups and downs, seems to be at war with itself, dividing — I just hope that my life speaks a renewed hope of the Gospel, and that’s what I want my life to be about.” And one area of his life where that message will be loud and clear? His marriage. The senior got engaged this summer, proposing to his girlfriend in Iceland during a break in his summer schedule. She had spent the summer studying abroad in London and was traveling with her dad after her program ended, Tranquill said, so he had the opportunity to plan his proposal, get a ring and bring one of his best friends along to film it all. And now the
couple’s wedding sits less than a year away. “She’s the love of my life,” Tranquill said. “I love her with everything I have. … It’s a huge step. It seems a little surreal. I’m just studying and doing football, and I feel like just a kid still. But each and every day, I’m working to be the best husband I can be for her, and so it’s really exciting, man. It’s less than a year away, and I’m pumped.” Until then, Tranquill will continue to do what he does best: study mechanical engineering — whether it be in the engineering library or the quiet confines of his own room — and lead the Irish to victory one game at a time. Living life in the present, not fretting about the future and constantly progressing towards the best version of himself that he can possibly be. “Everything’s still up in the air. We’re kind of just playing it by ear and seeing how the season goes,” Tranquill said. “I know I’ll be getting married next year, that’s about the only thing I do know, so we’ll see. I’m just excited for the season of life I’m in right now and enjoying every minute of it.” Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu
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Irish offense forges efficient red-zone identity By TOBIAS HOONHOUT Associate Sports Editor
Whether it’s acing a test or doing exactly what’s needed at the right time on the job, it feels good to be perfect. And while there have been questions about Notre Dame’s offensive balance and potential so far this season, one thing no one can question is the performance in the red zone. The Irish (3-1) are one of 14 FBS programs that through four games have a 100 percent efficiency in the red zone, and only one program, Louisiana-Lafayette, has more touchdowns than Notre Dame’s 19. While the team last season finished with a respectable 83 percent red zone conversion rate, the mediocre 63 percent touchdown percentage has been dwarfed by this season’s efforts, in which the Irish are 17-for-19. With such a dominant offensive line and run game, Notre Dame has been sticking to its strengths when the Irish get
close to the end zone. “Well, I think there’s a couple of things,” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said on his team’s efficiency in a press conference on Sept. 19. “We’ve been in low red, which is a plus, in terms of scoring. Low red, we’ve been inside the 10-yard line on most of our possessions, which helps in that scoring efficiency. We’ve been run-first down there, which was a commitment that we were going to make, and that has helped us down there. And I think more than anything else, with the rushing game down there, we’ve been able to really draw defenses into being pretty clear on what their intent is, and so it’s helped us in our play calling. “I think maybe by our — maybe the right word would be insistence, persistence of wanting to run the football down there, we’ve taken away a lot of the exotic looks that we’ve gotten in the past down there and have a pretty good idea of what we’re going to get.” Through Notre Dame’s first three games, the run-heavy
offense had two six-for-six touchdown outings in the red zone, as the Irish dominated on the ground. And even in the loss to Georgia, Brian Kelly’s team still managed to score on all four of their trips inside the 20-yard line. With such efficiency, it makes sense why Notre Dame have been so successful offensively. “We practice it a lot,” sophomore wide receiver Chase Claypool said on the red-zone production. “At least half the practice it feels like we’re in the red zone, doing all these different plays and seeing what works, playing against our defense, playing against the scout defense, so I think it’s just how much repetition we get in practice.” And with Chip Long at the helm, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. In his 11 seasons of coaching prior to Notre Dame, offensives that Long has been involved with have finished in the top-20 of scoring offense seven times. “It’s honestly a testament to how we’ve been working and how
the coaching staff is believing in our work,” Irish senior center Sam Mustipher said. “They see the work we put in each and every day and they understand that, they trust us to go out there and run the ball, they trust us to go out there and throw the ball, it’s really just coming together. I think coach Long does a great job of putting us in great situations and all of our coaching staff does. We’re put in great situations to succeed each and every snap and that’s something you never question. “ … That’s what coach Long always preaches to us, that when we get on the field we should want to score every time we get out there. And obviously every offense in the country wants to do that, but that’s something he preaches to us and I think that’s something we’ve started to believe in.” Last week, Notre Dame finished perfect again inside Michigan State’s 20-yard line, scoring four touchdowns on four attempts. But in perhaps their most complete offensive performance to date,
the Irish balanced the attack with 173 pass yards and 182 rush yards. With the run game as a foundation, the Irish can continue to move forwards and become even more dangerous. “I think just as a whole, we look to be as efficient as possible on offense, no matter what spot we’re in,” graduate student left tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “We obviously rep red zone. We rep twopoint plays. We rep deep into the red zone, back in the red zone, whatever it is, to be prepared for those situations. I think that it comes down to the mindset that we have, when we’re in that part of the field. “ … We want to put our foot on the gas pedal and put points on the board, and we’ve been successful in doing that thus far, and I think it’s just a great play calling, great execution and the mindset of not letting anybody come in between us and the end zone.” Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu
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The observer | FRIDAY, September 29, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
HEAD T
5 p.m. ET | Notre Dame Stadium ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer
REDHAWKS PASSING Miami (OH) has an established starting quarterback in Gus Ragland. The RedHawks started last season 0-6, and head coach Chuck Martin turned to Ragland. And Ragland delivered. The redshirt junior led Miami to six straight wins and finished the year with 1,537 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and only one interception. The RedHawks do have mutliple wide receivers Ragland feels comfortable throwing to in Jared Murphy, James Gardner, Luke Mayock and Sam Martin. Each of the four has recorded a game with 65 receiving yards or more, and that’s not to mention running back Alonzo Smith’s 98-yard, two-touchdown performance against Marshall in Week 1. In 2017, Ragland is averaging 220 yards per game through the air on an offense that has put up 26 points a game on average. In addition, Ragland comes in with eight touchdown passes on the year. The Irish secondary made a big step versus Michigan State, as sophomore cornerback Julian Love took an interception to the house for a touchdown and junior cornerback Shaun Crawford forced a fumble at the goal line. Ragland’s numbers indicate Miami may protect the ball better than Michigan State. Ragland has thrown just three interceptions in his 11 starts, so turning Miami over will prove to be a tough task. However, the RedHawks don’t possess the talent outside to threaten the Irish corners on a consistent basis.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME REDHAWKS RUSHING Miami (OH) is one of the most balanced offenses Notre Dame will see this year. The RedHawks are averaging 220 passing yards and 132 rushing yards per game. Redshirt junior Alonzo Smith is listed as the starting back, but redshirt junior backup Kenny Young will see a fair amount of carries, as Young’s 55 rushing yards per game and two rushing touchdowns leads the team this season. The most encouraging stat for Irish fans is Miami (OH)’s 3.2 yards per carry average despite 41 attempts per game. Miami’s strategy centers around tiring out opposing defensive lines, which plays into Notre
MIAMI (OH)
ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer
Dame’s willingness to rotate out eight or more players throughout the course of a game. The Irish front seven has been stout all season against the run, even keeping Georgia’s star duo of seniors Sony Michel and Nick Chubb in check at under 75 yards each.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME REDHAWKS OFFENSIVE COACHING Miami is coached by Chuck Martin, who is in his fourth year with the school. Martin is no secret to Notre Dame, having coached in South Bend for four years as a defensive backs coach before switching to the offensive side of the ball and taking the position of offensive coordinator in 2012-13. As offensive coordinator, Martin helped Notre Dame reach the national championship game in 2012. On the Irish sideline, first-year defensive coordinator Mike Elko is hoping to make Martin’s return to South Bend a bad one. Elko’s squad is coming off of an impressive showing at Michigan State where it tallied three key turnovers. The Notre Dame defense is allowing 18.5 points per game in 2017 and looks like a completely revamped unit from the year before.
RedHawks sophomore kicker Sam Sloman has made five field goals on the year, with his long standing at 42 yards. The Irish return teams haven’t had a breakout return yet, and junior punt returner Chris Finke seems averse to calling for fair catches when returning punts in crowded areas of the field.
4
(R-Fr.) Jack Sorenson
LT LG C RG RT TE
(R-Jr.) Jordan Rigg 52 (R-So.) Sam Murrer 71
(R-Jr.) Alonzo
Smith
(R-Jr.) Kenny Young
26 3
(R-Jr.) Gus Ragland 14 (Jr.) Billy Bahl
5
RB QB
(Jr.) Sam McCollum
66
(Jr.) Ryan Mullen 50
(R-Jr.) Mitch Palmer 56 (R-So.) Jack Schroer 74
(R-So.) Jarrett LaRubbio 75 (Gr.) Jordan Diamond 67
(R-So.) Matt Skibinski 77 (R-So.) Ian Leever 78
(Sr.) Ryan Smith 82 (R-Jr.) Nate Becker 44
(Sr.) Sam
Martin
83
(R-So.) Isaiah Hill 25
(Jr.) James
WR
Gardner
WR
81
(R-So.) Luke Mayock 86
(Jr.) Deondre Daniels 15 (R-So.) Cedric Asseh 1
(Jr.) Josh Allen 2
(R-Jr.) Daryus Thompson 8
(R-Jr.) Brad Koenig 38
FS
(So.) Myles Reid 17
CB
WILL
(So.) Doug Costin 58
EDGE: NOTRE DAME REDHAWKS SPECIAL TEAMS
WR
(R-Sr.) Jared Murphy 88
(R-Fr.) Ben Kimpler 95
(R-Jr.) Sam Connolly 48 (R-Fr.) Nigel Adams 39
MLB
(Jr.) Nate Trawick
96
(R-Sr.) AJ Burdine 69
(Sr.) Ikeem Allen 55 (R-Jr.) Mack Duffin 94
(R-Jr.) Matt Merimee 22 (Sr.) Tony Reid 14
(Jr.) Pasquale Calcagno 92
SS
(R-Jr.) Brad Earnest 9
(Jr.) De’Andre Montgomery 21 (So.) Kobe Burse 27
SAM
(R-Sr.) Heath Harding 24
EDGE: EVEN
DE DT DT DE
(So.) Travion Banks 6
CB
REDHAWKS SCHEDULE (2-2, 1-0 MAC) Sept. 2 @ Marshall (L 31-26) Sept. 9 Austin Peay (W 31-10) Sept. 16 Cincinnati (L 21-17) Sept. 23 @ Central Michigan (W 31-14) Sept. 30 @ Notre Dame Oct. 7 Bowling Green Oct. 14 @ Kent State Oct. 21 Buffalo Oct. 31 @ Ohio Nov. 7 Akron Nov. 15 Eastern Michigan Nov. 21 @ Ball State
(So.) Sam Sloman 79 (Fr.) Paul Young 39
(R-So.) Kyle Kramer 9
(Fr.) Jacob Swartz 32
(R-Sr.) Jared
Murphy
88
(Jr.) James Gardner 81
PK P PR
(R-Sr.) Jared Murphy 88 (R-Fr.) Jack Sorenson
(R-Jr.) Kenny Young 3
(Fr.) Jaylon Bester 18
(R-So.) Evan
Ben Padanilam
Marek Mazurek
Elizabeth Greason
Editor-in-Chief
Assistant Managing Editor
Sports Editor
Last week’s 38-18 win over Michigan State was Notre Dame’s best game yet. Offensively, the Irish found a balance they had lacked in their previous two games, and they did it against a defense far superior to Temple’s. Defensively, the Irish made big plays when they needed to and forced three timely turnovers, continuing to formulate an identity on that side of the ball. This week’s opponent, Miami (OH), shouldn’t be taken lightly. Gus Ragland’s 8-3 record as the RedHawks’ starting quarterback more than demonstrates Miami’s ability to move the ball and put up points. However, so long as Notre Dame continues to build on last week’s success, it should take care of business come Saturday. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 41, Miami (OH) 23
A convincing road win over rival Michigan State should give Irish fans a sense of optimism about the direction of the 2017 season. The Irish offense wasn’t blowing up the stat sheet, but it was efficient — especially in the red zone. The defense forced three turnovers, including a pick-six and a forced fumble at the goal line to prevent a sure touchdown. The biggest question left to answer for Brian Kelly and the Irish before Notre Dame is “back” remains: Can they beat a ranked-opponent? This week will not provide the answer to that question, as Miami (OH), while having a solid offense with quarterback Gus Ragland, simply doesn’t have the talent to match Notre Dame for four quarters. It won’t be close, but the RedHawks cover the spread. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 45, Miami (OH) 28
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Crabtree
59
(R-So.) Trent Kramer 62
H KR LS
Notre Dame fans learned a few keys facts about their team last weekend. Brandon Wimbush can, in fact, pass the ball, and pass it well. The squad’s fourth-string running back has a promising future. And the Irish defense of old is working its way back, proving the 4-8 Notre Dame of 2016 is no more. Even though Michigan State wasn’t a particularly good team, the Irish will be challenged even less this week against Miami (OH) than they were last week. The RedHawks may be one of the strongest MAC teams, and they may have grown leaps and bounds over the course of the past few years, but the Irish are simply too talented to slip up this weekend. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 42, Miami (OH) 24
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ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, september 29, 2017 | The Observer
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O HEAD on NBC
no. 22 Notre Dame
ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer
IRISH PASSING
CB
Julian Love (So.)
27
8 Donte Vaughn (So.)
WILL DE DT DT DE
48
Greer Martini (Sr.)
4 Te’von Coney (Jr.)
98 Andrew Trumbetti (Sr.)
Jonathan Bonner(Sr.)
55
95 Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa (Fr.)
Jerry Tillery (Jr.)
99
WR WR RT RG C LG LT TE WR
H KR LS
MLB
5
Jalen Elliott (So.)
14 Devin Studstill (So.)
Nyles Morgan (Sr.)
44 Jamir Jones (So.)
41 Kurt Hinish (Fr.)
Daelin Hayes (So.)
9
S
98 Andrew Trumbetti (Sr.)
Rover CB
S
Jay Hayes (Sr.)
93
21
7
23
24
Nick Coleman (Jr.)
17 Isaiah Robertson (Fr.)
Drue Tranquill (Sr.)
22 Asmar Bilal (Jr.)
Nick Watkins (Sr.)
20 Shaun Crawford (Jr.)
Equanimeous St. Brown (Jr.)
6
81 Miles Boykin (Jr.)
10
Chris Finke (Jr.)
83 Chase Claypool (So.)
Tommy Kraemer (So.)
78
72 Robert Hainsey (Fr.)
Alex Bars (Sr.)
71
70 Hunter Bivin (Gr.)
53
Sam Mustipher (Sr.)
57 Trevor Ruhland (Jr.)
RB QB
33
Josh Adams (Jr.)
EDGE: NOTRE DAME
2 Dexter Williams (Jr.)
7
Brandon Wimbush (Jr.)
12 Ian Book (So.)
Quenton Nelson (Sr.)
56
76 Josh Lugg (Fr.)
Mike McGlinchey (Gr.)
68
74 Liam Eichenberg (So.)
80
Durham Smythe (Gr.)
86 Alize Mack (Jr.)
15
Cam Smith (Gr.)
87 Michael Young (Fr.)
4
Montgomery VanGorder (Sr.)
85 Tyler Newsome (Sr.)
3
C.J. Sanders (Jr.)
34 Tony Jones Jr. (So.)
54
John Shannon (So.)
82 Nic Weishar (Sr.)
PK P PR
19
Justin Yoon (Jr.)
39 Jonathan Doerer (Fr.)
85
Tyler Newsome (Sr.)
42 Jeff Riney (Jr.)
10
Chris Finke (Jr.)
3 C.J. Sanders (Jr.)
Notre Dame vs. Temple
Tobias Hoonhout
Daniel O’Boyle
Associate Sports Editor
Sports Writer
From the outside looking in, Notre Dame just keeps getting better and better. The offense answered its critics by delivering the most balanced attack so far this season this past weekend, as Brandon Wimbush looked as accurate as he’s been for the Irish, and the defense continued forging its identity as a unit that doesn’t give up big plays and forces turnovers. Notre Dame stadium will be rocking Saturday after two straight road games, and it’s tough to see the Irish not using the atmosphere to their advantage. The Redhawks haven’t played anyone in the same realm as Notre Dame, and a blowout is in the cards. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 48, Miami (OH) 10
While Ragland has received praise for leading Miami (OH) to a bowl game last year after starting 0-6, first-year Irish starter Brandon Wimbush has received less kind reviews in his first four starts. Wimbush’s critics who were discouraged by his accuracy in the Boston College game have been silenced for now after a 14-of-20 showing against Michigan State that included accurate passes downfield to Equanimeous St. Brown, Chase Claypool and Durham Smythe. Claypool’s game versus the Spartans is encouraging, as the Irish have been looking for a clear No. 2 option behind St. Brown for Wimbush to go to. Once regarded as one of the deepest positions for Notre Dame coming into the year, the receiving corps has shrunk in the past weeks. Graduate student transfer Freddie Canteen is out for the year with a torn labrum, and Kelly announced he will redshirt sophomore Javon McKinley. The status of sophomore Kevin Stepherson is unknown heading into Saturday, as his supposed suspension (originally reported by WNDU) should be over after four games. Miami (OH) comes into Saturday allowing under 200 passing yards per game, and six RedHawks defender have recorded an interception in 2017.
IRISH RUSHING The bread and butter of Notre Dame’s offense in 2017 has been the ground game. The Irish tallied 422 rushing yards in the season’s opening match versus Temple and then topped that with a 515-yard performance against Boston College. Junior Josh Adams leads Notre Dame’s rushing attack, averaging 124 yards per game. Adams leads the team with seven rushing touchdowns with junior Dexter Williams not far behind at four. Wimbush is also a formidable runner in the open field, and he has the secondmost rushing yards on the team through four contests. With third-string sophomore back Tony Jones Jr. sitting out of the Michigan State game with an ankle injury, fourth-string running back Deon McIntosh picked up his first career touchdown for the Irish on a nine-yard scamper.
As far as annual “cupcake” opponents go, Notre Dame’s are consistently among the strongest in the country, and this year should be no exception. Miami (OH) may have struggled more when the Irish agreed to host the RedHawks, but head coach Chuck Martin turned this team into one that could go toe-to-toe with Mississippi State in the St. Petersburg Bowl last year and should be contenders to win the MAC in 2017. In fact, Temple appears to be the true weakest team on the Irish schedule this year. But the Irish eased past Michigan State last week, and a strong MAC team is still a MAC team. Miami (OH) is too good to be dominated completely, but Notre Dame shouldn’t be seriously challenged. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 38, Miami (OH) 17
ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer
Miami’s run defense has let up 118 yards per game, but expect that average to go up, as Notre Dame will run early and often behind its elite offensive line.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME IRISH OFFENSIVE COACHING As the cries for Ian Book came in on Twitter during the Boston College game, Irish offensive coordinator Chip Long went to what was working: the run game. After Wimbush’s shaky afternoon passing against the Eagles, Long and Brian Kelly deserve credit for Wimbush’s more-settled showing in East Lansing, Michigan. Wimbush didn’t throw for 300 yards, but he didn’t need to. After the 38-18 win over the Spartans, Notre Dame’s offense looks well-balanced, with a strong run game and a short screen-game setting up longer passes downfield. How good the Irish offense can be will largely depend on Long, Kelly and quarterback coach Tom Rees’ ability to coach Wimbush through his growing pains.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME IRISH SPECIAL TEAMS Notre Dame’s kickoffs looked suspect once again at Michigan State. Freshman Jonathan Doerer has had trouble keeping the ball in-bounds, and junior Justin Yoon doesn’t have the strongest leg in college football. On field goals, Yoon has largely succeeded this year. Yoon missed two attempts versus Temple, but since then has hit all five of his tries, including a 46-yarder versus Michigan State.
EDGE: EVEN IRISH SCHEDULE (3-1) Sept. 2 Temple (W 49-16) Sept. 9 Georgia (L 20-19) Sept. 16 @ Boston College (W 49-20) Sept. 23 @ Michigan State (W 38-18) Sept. 30 Miami (OH) Oct. 7 @ North Carolina Oct. 21 USC Oct. 28 North Carolina State Nov. 4 Wake Forest Nov. 11 @ Miami (FL) Nov. 18 Navy Nov. 25 @ Stanford
Follow Observer Sports on Twitter for live updates and analysis during the game this weekend and all season long. @ObserverSports
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The observer | FRIDAY, September 29, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Martin returns to South Bend to face Irish By DANIEL O’BOYLE Sports Writer
On October 6, 2014, when Notre Dame announced that they would host Miami (OH) in 2017, RedHawks head coach Chuck Martin didn’t think he’d have to adjust to the idea of hoping the Irish lose. Yes, he spent four years at Notre Dame (3-1) as a coach, including a two-year spell as offensive coordinator that saw the Irish reach the BCS National Championship Game. Yes, he had worked under Irish head coach Brian Kelly at Grand Valley State as well, eventually taking over as head coach when Kelly left for Cincinnati. Yes, he grew up as an Irish fan. But it wouldn’t be a problem. It never really occurred to Martin that beating the Irish was an option. “I didn’t think about it,” Martin said. “I wanted Miami University to experience Notre Dame.” After all, losing football games wasn’t something Miami (OH)’s opponents did. It was reserved for the RedHawks (2-2, 1-0 MAC). They were good at it. The best, in fact. Or they had been, a week before the game was announced. Then, two days before it was announced his team would come to Notre Dame Stadium, Martin won his first game. It was against lowly UMass, but it was a win — the first since 2012 for the RedHawks. When Martin left the Irish and took the Redhawks job — taking a $200,000 pay cut to do so — ending that losing streak, then at 16 games, was the first goal. That ended an FBS-leading 21-game losing streak: the first step in a rebuilding process. Martin won another game that year, then three in 2015. Last year, a young RedHawks team seemed like it had taken a step back towards its 2013 self with an 0-6 start. Then sophomore quarterback Gus Ragland took over the team. Ragland proved masterful at protecting the ball, throwing no interceptions during the regular season. Much like Martin’s 2012 offense, the Ragland-led RedHawks avoided mistakes while a talented defense did the rest. Notre Dame senior linebacker Greer Martini said Ragland’s decision-making should make him a difficult quarterback to play against. “I think that he’s a smart kid,” Martini said. “He can run the ball, is athletic, and I think he makes a lot of really good decisions.” The RedHawks started winning games again, not two or three this time, but all six
of their remaining regularseason contests. At 6-6, they earned an achievement the Irish did not: a place in a bowl game. Miami (OH) couldn’t beat the SEC’s Mississippi State, but proved they were capable of matching up with Power-Five opposition in a 17-16 defeat. Irish head coach Brian Kelly said his team is well-prepared for Miami (OH), not simply because of their success last season but because he has put a focus on not overlooking any opponents. “We’ve only built one mindset,” Kelly said. “It’s to dominate our opponent. I don’t know that there’s any way for us to turn back from what we’ve been building this since January. There’s only one kind of performance that is acceptable, and only one kind of form of preparation that we’re going to begin with this
team each and every week. We reset on Monday, and we go back to work on how we want to approach this week. This is really about inner focus on how we prepare for our next opponent, whether it’s Miami University or the University of Miami.” This year, the RedHawks, who returned 17 starters from last year, opened up with a 2-2 start, beating Austin Peay and Central Michigan and losing to Cincinnati after giving up 18 points in fourth quarter, including a pick-six with a little over a minute left. Although the RedHawks defense has been a highlight in 2017, recording nine turnovers including six interceptions in its opening four games and giving up only 19 points per game, Ragland’s efficiency has decreased. The junior quarterback has already thrown two
interceptions, both returned for touchdowns, this year and his completion percentage has plummeted from 64.2 percent to 52.6 percent. However, Irish senior linebacker Nyles Morgan said he would continue to take Morgan seriously. “I think anybody who plays Division I football is a threat,” Morgan said. “We don’t take anybody lightly. We’re not that team that thinks, ‘øh, yeah, he’s okay.’ We take everybody seriously. He’s very accurate. He’s very athletic, as well, and he’s, I’ll say, one of the better players on their team from an offensive standpoint.” Despite Martin’s many connections to Notre Dame, there is one that Martin has a sentimental attachment to above the rest: the late Ara Parseghian, who coached at his alma mater, Miami (OH) before winning three national
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championships with the Irish. “The one keepsake I have in my entire career is a letter from Ara Parseghian,” Martin said. “I’m not a memorabilia guy. I’m not a guy that’s very sentimental at all. I don’t have anything in my office. But there was a note from Ara when I took this job, that he wanted to see me get ‘The Cradle of Coaches’ turned around.” “Last year, when we had a historic run, when we went from 0-6 to 6-6, he wrote me another note about how proud he was and getting Miami football back to where it belongs,” Martin said. “It means a lot to me, not because I knew Ara very well, but just because he was my childhood idol.” Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu
insider
ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, September 29, 2017 | The Observer
recruiting
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commentary
Notre Dame’s strong start Cautious optimism boosts recruiting is in order for ND By ELIZABETH GREASON Sports Editor
All eyes were on both the Irish and the Spartans on Saturday as both squads looked to prove they had left last season in the past — especially to recruits. But it was Notre Dame that came out on top in that battle, leaving Michigan State fans fleeing Spartan Stadium as early as the second quarter. Notre Dame (3-1) took another step back into the good graces of prospective recruits with its resounding win at Michigan State (2-1), according to Blue and Gold recruiting analyst David McKinney. “I think a dominant win like that over a big-name team like Michigan State will catch people’s eye,” McKinney said. “Kalon Gervin was there, a cornerback visiting Michigan State who was formerly committed to Notre Dame and visited Notre Dame for the Georgia game unofficially. “I don’t know what specific impact it will have, if any, but it’s always good to go out on the road and put on a performance like that. I mentioned last week that [Irish defensive coordinator] Mike Elko’s defense has really caught the eye of a lot of defensive guys, Kalon Gervin and Houston Griffith included, so again,
specific repercussions, I’m not entirely sure. But it’s always good to get a dominant win like that and show that the program is headed in the right direction.” Notre Dame will take a bit of a break from the heat of the recruiting season this weekend, as Miami (OH) gives the Irish a gap from the top-tier, marquee matchups that headlines their schedule, such as Georgia and, on the road, Michigan State. McKinney said the Irish will focus their interest on a few main prospective student-athletes this weekend, as opposed to the long lists of recruits they have been hosting so far this season, mostly due to the caliber of the opponent. “It’s not going to be a huge weekend in terms of recruiting, it’s not looked at as a huge game like Georgia or USC or Michigan State, last year, with these big lists of guys coming in,” McKinney said. “There is one guy, a safety … from Alexandria, Virginia, his name is Litchfield Ajavon. He’s a 2019 guy, three-star, a really, really talented guy in the junior class. He’ll be in town. “There’s a class of 2020 wide receiver guy named Gee Scott coming to town. He’s getting a lot of early hype. He’s got early offers from a lot of schools. At this point, Paid Advertisement
it’s not a huge week in recruiting because they like to center themselves around the bigger games like Georgia and USC and the like.” While there may only be two main recruits on campus this weekend when the Irish take on the RedHawks, McKinney noted there will be no lack of attention on Notre Dame from the rest of the country and the rest of Notre Dame’s prospective recruits. The Irish cannot let Saturday turn into a trap game if they want to keep up the momentum they have been building with recruits so far this season, McKinney noted. “It’s Miami of Ohio, so they need to do what a team like Notre Dame is supposed to do with a team like Miami of Ohio,” McKinney said. “Obviously, a big win and another step in the right direction for the program. And even the guys that aren’t on campus — there are guys that are watching Notre Dame every week, the home games are all broadcasted on NBC, so they’re easily accessible. So, every win that Notre Dame gets is a step in the right direction for the team and another chance to impress recruits out there, whether they’re on campus or not.” Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu
Marek Mazurek Assistant Managing Editor
Over the past year, this weekly Insider column has been negative more often than not. That’s what a 4-8 season will do. But after a 38-18 win over Michigan State in which every unit played extremely well with good coaching, there’s really nothing negative to say. A big win in a rivalry game tends to breed excessive optimism and it’s not hard to see why. The Irish are now 3-1 and many, including this columnist, expect them to be 4-1 after Saturday’s contest versus Miami (OH) (2-2, 1-0 MAC). And next week’s game against a struggling 1-3 North Carolina team looks easily winnable as well. National polls only added to the optimism, with the AP poll slotting Notre Dame in at No. 22 in the country. None of this is to say that there shouldn’t be some sense of optimism for Irish fans. The Michigan State victory was dominant and Notre Dame hasn’t had that type of notable road win in a long time. But there’s a word Irish fans should put in front of their optimism: “cautious.” Because for all the talent the Irish have, and for how well they played in the second half against Boston College and against Michigan State, playing at that level against a marquee opponent for a full four quarters has been a struggle. Just three games ago, the Irish just couldn’t quite get over that hump against Georgia. And while the Irish should be 5-1 going into their matchup against USC, expecting them to upset the currently-No. 5 Trojans is not in line with the “cautious” part of cautious optimism. The last time Notre Dame beat a ranked opponent was Halloween of 2015. For context, Barack Obama still had over a year left in his presidency the last time Brian Kelly and Notre Dame beat then-No. 21 Temple. The Irish will be heavy favorites in their next two games, but even if they handily defeat Miami (OH) and North Carolina, we may not learn much about Kelly’s team in the coming weeks.
Beyond Notre Dame’s propensity to lose versus marquee opponents, the 2017 Irish still have some question marks. The suggestions that junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush should be benched for sophomore Ian Book are silly. But questioning how well Wimbush will perform when the Irish absolutely need to throw the ball to win is fair. However, it’s hard to imagine Wimbush will be called on to win the game through the air versus the Redhawks. The secondary played admirably against the Spartans with a pick-six and a key forced fumble and recovery, but since the Boston College game, opposing teams have had extended success throwing the ball over the middle of the field. Again, the quarterbacks and receivers on the Miami (OH) and North Carolina rosters shouldn’t present too big of a challenge, but Sam Darnold and USC will. With all that being said, cautious optimism isn’t a bad place to be, especially considering last year’s 4-8 fiasco. It’s unreasonable to expect a program to go from 4-8 one year to beating every ranked team on its schedule the next, no matter how much tradition Notre Dame has. To become a championship contender, a culture of success has to be built and the first step on that staircase is dominating lesser teams consistently. So far in 2017, Notre Dame has done that. For the first time since 2015, Irish fans should expect the team to win if Vegas says so. In the Boston College game, the Irish blew open a game that was close at halftime by making key plays and showing grit for the first time since facing Syracuse in October of 2016. And for the first time since Nov. 14, 2016, Notre Dame won a game against a Power-5 opponent by 20 or more points. If you’re an Irish fan, enjoy the Michigan State win. Enjoy the expected Miami (OH) win too. Just don’t let the 3-1, 4-1 or even 5-1 record blind you to the uphill battle Notre Dame faces in getting back to a playoff contender. Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu The opinions in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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