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The observer | FRIDAY, september 7, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
DOM DeMOE and ANN CURTIS | The Observer
By JOE EVERETT Sports Editor
For Irish senior wide receiver Chris Finke, it’s always been about making the most of the opportunities you are given. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound slot receiver from Dayton, Ohio walked-on at Notre Dame despite only having 12 total catches. Not just his senior year — his entire high school career. With little-to-no recruiting attention, Finke managed to meet Irish head coach Brian Kelly thanks to the recruiting buzz surrounding high-school teammate and current Irish defensive back Nick Coleman at Archbishop Alter High School. After being told he could apply and potentially walk on, Finke followed through and spent his freshman season as a valuable member of the scout team. Fast forward to late August 2016. Notre Dame dismissed safety Max Redfield and indefinitely suspended cornerback Devin Butler, opening up a scholarship spot. Finke, who impressed coaches with his speed and ability to play as both a slot receiver and punt returner during spring camp and throughout the summer into August, received that open scholarship the very next day. Now, having
experienced two full years of college football, the senior reflected on his journey to get where he is today. “It’s been a long road,” Finke said. “In high school I didn’t have a lot of colleges recruiting me, and I got the opportunity to come here basically through my teammate who had a scholarship offer here. Coaches came to see him and I met them and they told me I could walkon here ... it was a very hard opportunity to pass up with such a great school and football program, so I came here and it’s been a short four years. It’s gone really fast, and I’m trying to cherish every moment this senior year.” The senior also cherishes the fact that he hasn’t gone through this journey alone. For Finke, it was the support and love of his family that helped him make it down that road. “My whole family’s incredibly close,” Finke said. “My mom, dad, two sisters and then my little brother — we’ve been so close growing up. We’re all relatively close in age so we do everything together, we still try to get together as much as possible, and we’re just a great support group for one another. We can always rely on each other in good times and in bad, and everybody’s always so happy
Observer File Photo
Irish senior wide receiver Chris Finke receives a punt during Notre Dame’s 21-17 win over LSU on Jan. 1 in Orlando, Florida.
for each other’s successes, so it’s just such a blessing to have a group like that.” A walk-on for one year and a proud advocate of the “WalkOn Players Union,” Finke detailed exactly what it means to play without a scholarship at Notre Dame and the mindset it takes to be ready when any opportunity comes knocking. “It’s definitely a disadvantage,” Finke said. “You have to come in with the attitude that you’re going to work a little harder than everyone else, and also the knowledge that you’re not the first priority. There’s 85 guys that have scholarships when you come here, and if you accumulate tuition for four years a half a million dollar investment in one kid, so multiply that by 85 — you’re definitely not the first in the coaches mind, so you have to try to do some things to stick out, whether it be working extra hard or just taking advantage of the few opportunities you do get, because you get some opportunities. “ ... But like I said, you don’t have preference over other people, so when something comes your way you got to try to take advantage of it. That mindset is where I try to keep myself working as a walk-on.” Notre Dame has quite a storied history with football walkons, the most famous of these walk-ons being Rudy Ruettiger. However, as much as the story of “Rudy” has become a staple of Irish lore, Finke wants to aim higher, and instead draws inspiration from a much more recent Irish walk-on. “Rudy’s a great story, but I kind of try to distance myself from that,” Finke said. “I guess I didn’t like it when people would call me ‘Rudy’ because I think I had some aspirations to — not to knock Rudy and his story — achieve as much as possible and set my sights really high ...There’s definitely inspiration [from Rudy] to draw from, and I draw from other guys that have come before me, in particular [former Irish linebacker] Joe Schimdt, who was here when I was a freshman. He was someone who really gave me a lot of guidance as someone who had gone from a walk-on to a key contributor — a team MVP and captain — so he did a lot coming from [where he started].” Not only does Finke draw
motivation from walk-ons who have gone before him, but also from those who have revolutionized and popularized the role of the slot receiver — and who prove its heart, not height, that matters. “I try to break the stereotype of what people think of someone my size, but honestly the short, white slot receiver has good name for itself,” Finke said. “If you look at guys who have done it so well in the pros — Wes Welker, Julian Edleman, Danny Amendola, now guys like Cooper Kupp and Ryan Switzer, Braxton Berrios, Hunter Renfroe — I try to keep tabs on and pay attention to them because … I want to be like them. They inspire me.” The Irish (1-0) are looking for Finke to blossom into a star slot receiver. There are signs that the senior is already reaching that level given his play against a Michigan — a game Finke loved to be a part of, but has already moved on from. “It was a really fun game, great atmosphere — our fans are the best in the country,” Finke said. “They were so loud and so passionate in the stadium. It was a big game, but we kept preparing for and tried to block out all the noise and all the distractions — treat it like business as usual. That’s what
we’re trying to do going forward — it’s great to start out like that, but that’s behind us and we’re going one day at a time, practice by practice, preparing for Ball State. “ ... As for the touchdown in the game, it was a play we worked on in practice all week. Coach Long saw the right look and called it up, Brandon threw a beautiful ball, and I went up with the mindset that ‘I just gotta catch this.’” Ultimately, Finke and the Irish want to make the most of the opportunity they’ve been given this season. The senior ref lected on how he and the Irish can continue to actualize their aspirations. “We have really big goals here — coach [Kelly] is always preaching our t wo main goals, which are to graduate from the Universit y of Notre Dame and w in a national championship,” Finke said. “In order to do that we have a process that we’ve built since Januar y and we’re tr ying to stick by that. Day by day, week by week, not looking ahead, not looking to any thing behind us — truly focusing on what’s important now, in the present.” Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu
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New faces highlight Notre Dame backfield By TOBIAS HOONHOUT Managing Editor
“I mean, he’s going to play. You know how we roll here. We’re going to go with the guy that’s playing really well.” During Notre Dame’s Blue and Gold game this past spring, Irish head coach Brian Kelly was still figuring out who would fill the sizeable hole(s) in the backfield, as Notre Dame (1-0) suddenly had serious question marks at one of its biggest positions. After the departures of Josh Adams and Deon McIntosh, who both played a major role last season in the revamped offense in which the Irish finished seventh in the country with 269.5 yards per game, Team 130 had a glaring hole to fill. In the short term, the only two returning running backs with game experience, senior Dexter Williams and junior Tony Jones Jr., looked set to feature prominently in the upcoming season, and Kelly echoed the sentiment after the spring game. But the Irish didn’t just stop at two backs. Over the offseason, sophomores Avery Davis and Jafar Armstrong, listed and recruited originally to play quarterback and wide receiver, respectively, began taking
handoffs in the backfield. With both playing in positions jammed in the depth chart, Kelly and the staff elected to utilize both players’ athleticism on the field, rather than keep it on the bench. Heading into the matchup with Michigan, the news that Williams was apparently suspended internally for four games made the switches that much more important. Enter Armstrong. Against the Wolverines this past weekend, the sophomore, who had never taken a collegiate handoff previously, came out with the Irish first team on their opening drive. With Williams out and Jones on the sidelines, Armstrong did not disappoint, capping off an impressive first goaround with a 13-yard run for his first career touchdown. “It’s going to be awhile before he really gets all the nuances, but he’s an elite football player,” Kelly said postgame on Armstrong’s performance. “He’s just really raw. He runs as you see, high, but he can catch it, and he’s physical, and he’s game. He’ll go as long and as hard as he can, and you love that about players that just don’t get tired. He just has that kind of cardiac ability. “ ... As we continue to develop, he’s only going to be a
better football player. That’s why we were OK playing him right away, and not waiting on him and then it really helps us with Tony, because as you can see when he gets in there, he’s physical. I mean, we were knocking some guys out of the game because of his physicality when he’s fresh.” Kelly kept the committee going all night, as Armstrong finished his night with 15 carries for 35 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Jones also added 45 yards on nine carries, and Davis ran the ball twice and caught a pass. “Quite honestly, we didn’t know if we were going to get two or 15 carries,” Kelly said Sunday of Armstrong. “We were probably of the same opinion of most of you guys, that we weren’t sure how it was going to shake out until we started to play the game. We knew we were going to start him, then kind of go from there. “ ... But I thought Tony came in and complemented him well with some physical runs. Then we kind of just played off those two. Avery gave him a blow. It just organically went that way. We didn’t have any predisposed idea of how it was going to go. We kind of needed to get into the f low of game.” While Irish Paid Advertisement
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Irish sophomore running back Jafar Armstrong turns a corner during Notre Dame’s 24-17 win over Michigan on Saturday.
starting quarterback Brandon Wimbush remains a threat on the ground — the senior set a Notre Dame record with 14 rushing touchdowns last season — having the complement of talented backs gives the Irish another dimension to attack with. “I’m excited,” Wimbush said Wednesday. “We have two new guys back there taking reps at a new position, and obviously Dexter is not available
right now, and I think when he comes back you add him to the mix with the three guys we already have — we have so many different types of backs, and that’s hard to defend against, and all of these guys can catch out of the backfield as you saw, so I’m excited for the four, five guys that we have.” Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu
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The observer | FRIDAY, september 7, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
HEAD T
3:30 p.m. ET | Notre Dame Stadium ANN CURTIS | The Observer
CARDINALS PASSING Ball State junior quarterback Riley Neal put up pretty good numbers in the first three games of last season, throwing for 659 yards and six touchdowns before being sidelined with a knee fracture for the rest of the season. Neal will come back as the driving force of the offense. Still, although Neal shows promise for the offense, the Cardinals still scored only ten touchdowns in MAC play last year. They still lost every league game by at least 16 points. The Irish secondary looked strong against Michigan, but then again it may have been Shea Patterson that made them look good. We still don’t know how Shaun Crawford’s injury will affect the Irish secondary, and whether an opponent will find a weak spot in the Irish unit. However, the infusion of junior safety Alohi Gilman has instilled confidence and taken the unit to the next level. Neal could put up a solid game against the Irish and may often be able to move the ball downfield against the Clark Lea’s “bend-don’t-break” defense, but it’s likely that Notre Dame’s menacing defense will have no problem handling the Ball State junior. EDGE: NOTRE DAME CARDINALS RUSHING While quarterback Riley Neal may be the focal point of the Cardinals offense, the Ball State rushing attack certainly performed well last week against Central Connecticut State with 318 yards on the ground. After losing starter James Gilbert last season to injury, the position is suddenly one of strength this year for head coach Mike Neu. But the Irish are dangerously athletic up front, and held the Wolverines to a meager 58 yards on the ground last weekend. Though Notre Dame will certainly miss the presence of Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, who broke his foot against the Wolverines, the Irish are deep and talented enough to make up the difference. Senior linebacker Te’von Coney and the second level will clean up anything the first level of defense doesn’t stop. While there may be some garbage yards at the end for the Cardinals, it won’t make a difference. EDGE: NOTRE DAME CARDINALS OFFENSIVE COACHING The Cardinals were outscored 488-215 last season when they went 2-10. They
BALL STATE
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
found themselves about equal to opponents in terms of first downs, but were incapable of converting for points. Don’t expect much to change this weekend. Despite a win last weekend, Joey Lynch’s offense will have a difficult time contending with Clark Lea’s defense, which is widely-regarded as one of the toughest and deepest in the nation. Lea has a great grasp of the defensive scheme he wants to run and has instilled that vision into his players, who were flying around the field against Michigan. Lea will dial up the right pressure at the right time and stop any threatening drives from the Cardinals, just as he did against the Wolverines. EDGE: NOTRE DAME CARDINALS SPECIAL TEAM Kick returner Malik Dunner is the star of this special teams unit. He averaged 24.4 yards per return and earned third-team allMAC honors last year. But, beyond Dunner, the Cardinals’ special teams is nothing to write home about. Senior placekicker Morgan Hagee struggled mightily last year from 30 to 47 yards out, making only 6-of11. The Cardinals were nearly last in the nation in punting last season. Notre Dame’s special teams defense may not be the best in the country, having given up a touchdown on a kickoff return against Michigan along with other special teams miscues such as kickoffs out-of-bounds and short punts. There’s no question the Irish should have the edge here, but they did give up a touchdown last week. If the Irish can shore up their kickoff coverage and limit Dunner from breaking a big play, then this area of the game should be a wash. EDGE: EVEN
WR
(R-Jr.) Riley Miller 86 (Fr.) Yo’Heinz Tyler 85
LT LG C RG RT TE
(R-So.) Kaleb Slaven 77 (R-Jr.) James
Gilbert
34 4
(Jr.) Malik Dunner
(R-Jr.) Riley
Neal
15
(R-So.) Drew Plitt
9
RB QB
(R-So.) Anthony Todd 72
(R-Sr.) Alex Joss
70
(R-Jr.) Zac Ricketts 71
(R-Jr.) Andrew Poenitsch 64 (R-So.) T.J. Beltavski 68
(So.) Curtis Blackwell 62 (R-So.) Chris Beech 55
(R-Jr.) Danny Pinter 75 (R-Jr.) Grant Williamson
63
(R-So.) Nolan Givan 88 (R-Jr.) Kyle Schrank 81
(R-Sr.) Corey
Lacanaria (R-Jr.) Antwan Davis
(So.) Justin
88 1
WR
Hall
WR
12
(So.) Hassan Littles 16
(R-Sr.) Josh Miller 3
(Fr.) Amechi Uzodinma II 25
(Jr.) Lamar Anderson 10 (So.) Brett Anderson II 23
FS
(Jr.) Ray Wilborn 11 (R-Fr.) Jimmy Daw 27
CB
SLB
DE NOSE DT
(R-Jr.) Sean Hammonds Jr. 90 (Jr.) Shannon Hall 56
(R-Jr.) Jacob White 2 (R-So.) Brandon Martin 9
(R-So.) Jaylin Thomas 6
(R-Sr.) Jeremiah Jackson 32
MLB WLB
(Jr.) Chris Crumb 42 (Jr.) Tuni Ropati 55
(R-Sr.) Fred Schroeder 52 (R-So.) James Jennette III 35
(So.) Christian Albright 51 (R-Fr.) Jordan Williams 13
(So.) Bryce Cosby 5
(Jr.) Mitch Larsen 29
OLB
SS (Sr.) Marc Walton 7
(So.) Antonio Phillips 21
CB
CARDINALS SCHEDULE (1-0) Sept. 1 Central Connecticut St. (W 42-6) Sept. 8 @ Notre Dame Sept. 15 @ Indiana Sept. 22 Western Kentucky Sept. 29 Kent State Oct. 6 Northern Illinois Oct. 13 @ Central Michigan Oct. 20 Eastern Michigan Oct. 25 @ Ohio Oct. 31 @ Toledo Nov. 13 Western Michigan Nov. 24 @ Miami Ohio
(Sr.) Morgan Hagee 22 (Jr.) Ryan Rimmler 97
(So.) Nathan Snyder 38 (Jr.) Patrick LeCorre 49
(R-Sr.) Corey
Lacanaria
11
(So.) Justin Hall 12
PK P PR
Tobias Hoonhout
Elizabeth Greason
Joe Everett
Managing Editor
Assistant Managing Editor
Sports Editor
Ball State may have racked up a program-record 654 yards this past weekend in a 42-6 win over Central Connecticut State, but Notre Dame is no FCS defense. Like last year’s MAC opponent, the Cardinals are coming to Notre Dame Stadium with a tall task in order. While the Irish shouldn’t take any game lightly, frankly Ball State doesn’t have the personnel to go toe-to-toe with Notre Dame for a half, let alone four quarters. The Cardinals went 0-8 in conference play and lost nine in a row to close out the season last year. While they may have finally snapped that losing streak this past Saturday, I don’t see them starting a winning streak anytime soon. The Irish run away with this one. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 56, Ball State 14
Ball State this Saturday is not a trap game. The Irish offense will open up strong against the Cardinals, just as they did against the Wolverines, but this time, the squad will finish the job, playing a complete four quarters. Brian Kelly referred to Cardinals quarterback Riley Neal as an NFL prospect and the Ball State offense should be able to move the ball downfield against the Irish, but based on the defense that reared its head against Michigan, Ball State will struggle in the red zone. This game is a matter of talent, and the bottom line is that the Irish are a better team than the Cardinals on both sides of the ball. That’s what happens when you have the recruiting power Notre Dame does. This game will ideally pose a good opportunity to get some playing time for some fresh faces. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 48, Ball State 13
(So.) Nathan Snyder 38 (R-So.) Drew Plitt
9
Dunner
4
Greenwood
45
(Jr.) Malik (So.) Joseph
(So.) Justin Hall 12
(R-Fr.) Bryson Haft 41
H KR LS
After a big opening-season win like the Irish had over Michigan, there is always the fear of a letdown performance the following game. I don’t believe that will happen against Ball State — this Irish team is staying focused and trusts the week-by-week process. Ball State will improve upon its 2-10 record from last season, as the Cardinals were absolutely decimated by injuries. Quarterback Riley Neal — who played in just three games each last season — should kick-start a nice rebound this year along with a deep stable of running backs. However, Notre Dame will be too fast, strong and disciplined to keep up with on Saturday. The Cardinals won’t be chirping for very long. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 52, Ball State 17
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O HEAD on NBC
Notre Dame IRISH PASSING
CB
Julian Love (Jr.)
27
8 Donte Vaughn (Jr.)
BUCK DE NG DT DE
23
Drue Tranquill (Gr.)
2 Jordan Genmark Heath (So.)
Adetokunbo Ogundeji (Jr.)
Jonathan Bonner (Gr.)
41 Kurt Hinish (So.)
Jerry Tillery (Sr.)
99
WR WR RT RG C LG LT TE WR
H KR LS
MLB
4
11
Alohi Gilman (Jr.)
14 Devin Studstill (So.)
Te’von Coney (Sr.)
45 Jonathan Jones (Jr.)
41 Kurt Hinish (So.)
Daelin Hayes (Jr.)
9
SS
42 Julian Okwara (Jr.)
Rover CB
FS
Khalid Kareem (Jr.) 91
53
55
5
22
21
Jalen Elliott (Jr.)
24 Nick Coleman (Sr.)
Asmar Bilal (Sr.)
30 Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (So.)
Troy Pride Jr. (Jr.)
35 TaRiq Bracy (Fr.)
83
Chase Claypool (Jr.)
87 Michael Young (So.)
10
Chris Finke (Sr.)
Robert Hainsey (So.)
69 Aaron Banks (So.)
Tommy Kraemer (Jr.)
78
75 Josh Lugg (So.)
53
Sam Mustipher (Gr.)
57 Trevor Ruhland (Sr.)
RB QB
8
Jafar Armstrong (So.)
6 Tony Jones Jr. (Jr.)
7
Brandon Wimbush (Sr.)
12 Ian Book (Jr.)
Alex Bars (Gr.)
71
76 Dillan Gibbons (So.)
Liam Eichenberg (Jr.)
74
55 Jarrett Patterson (Fr.)
86
Alize Mack (Sr.)
84 Cole Kmet (So.)
81
Miles Boykin (Sr.)
88 Javon McKinley (Jr.)
12
Ian Book (Jr.)
85 Tyler Newsome (Gr.)
8
Jafar Armstrong (So.)
6 Tony Jones Jr. (Jr.)
John Shannon (Jr.) 65
54
Michael Vinson (Fr.)
Brandon Wimbush came out firing last week against a Michigan unit that certainly looked dangerous on paper, but struggled to contain the senior’s mobility and gave up several big plays, including a 43-yard touchdown pass to fellow senior Chris Finke. The senior passed the eye test with a standout performance and received the game ball from Brian Kelly. Wimbush looked much more comfortable in Chip Long’s offense with a whole season under his belt, and was able to take advantage of favorable matchup’s. If Wimbush can put up the stats he did against the vaunted Michigan defense he faced last week, he should have a field day against the Cardinals. Receivers Miles Boykin and Chase Claypool should have a significant size and skill advantage and should put up impressive numbers as well. Don’t be surprised to see junior Ian Book and freshman Phil Jurkovec get some snaps against the Cardinals, who ranked a meager 78th in passing defense last season. EDGE: NOTRE DAME
IRISH RUSHING
18 Joe Wilkins (Fr.)
72
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PK P PR
19
Justin Yoon (Sr.)
39 Jonathan Doerer (So.)
85
Tyler Newsome (Gr.)
42 Jeff Riney (Sr.)
Chris Finke (Sr.) 11
10
Alohi Gilman (Jr.)
Notre Dame vs. Temple
Charlotte Edmonds
Connor Mulvena
Associate Sports Editor
Associate Sports Editor
Lost in the hype of the big opening win is the fact that the Notre Dame offense slowed significantly in the second half. Although I expect Notre Dame to pick up another win this Saturday against Ball State, I think that same offensive slump will plague them against the Cardinals, and they won’t be nearly as dominant as they should be. This Notre Dame team has hopefully learned from their past, but they’ll likely be looking forward to the later middle of the season. This complacency, combined with the underdog mentality the Cardinals are sure to come in with, will lead to a slow start for the Irish. However, much like last week, the defense will anchor the team as the offense continues to adjusts. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 42, Ball State 10
The Irish rushing game posed a bit of a question mark going into the Michigan matchup last weekend. However, with stellar performances from sophomore running backs Jafar Armstrong, junior Tony Jones Jr. and sophomore Avery Davis — who has made the transition from quarterback over the course of the offseason — the Irish were able to ease some fears last week. Armstrong in particular looked explosive and elusive and scored twice in the victory. Additionally, the offensive line was a pleasant surprise against a very talented Michigan front, and should have an easier time this weekend against the Cardinals. As always, Brandon Wimbush is a constant threat to suddenly take off and run downfield, and will have plenty of opportunity to do so. Against a Ball State defense that gave up 27 touchdowns on the ground last season and an average of 188 rushing yards per game, the Irish backs should have a field day behind their improving offensive line. EDGE: NOTRE DAME IRISH OFFENSIVE COACHING Chip Long prepared a great offensive game plan against Michigan and was especially effective in the first half against Don Brown’s defense. The play calling was set
If the Irish don’t beat Ball State by at least three touchdowns this Saturday, there is a problem. After a victory, however solid, against what appeared to be a lackluster and out-of-control Michigan squad, Notre Dame needs to prove that last week was not just a Wolverine loss but an Irish victory. Head coach Brian Kelly needs to make a statement, and I think he will. The offense will get hot and stay hot, and the defense should leave Ball State quarterback Riley Neal no room for error. Expect the Irish to be a little mean on Saturday. They’re more athletic, better coached, more skilled, and they’re going to show it. Plain and simple. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 54, Ball State 10
to senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush’s strengths although the offense did stagnate in the second half and struggled to put more points on the board. But, against Ball State defensive coordinator David Elson and a defense that surrendered an average of 421.6 yards per game last season, Long and the Irish should be able to find success almost any way they want to. Whether Long can go up tempo, slow the game down, focus on the ground game or air it out — constantly keeping Elson and the Cardinals on their heels. Expect the Irish to march up and down the field time and time again under Long’s direction. EDGE: NOTRE DAME IRISH SPECIAL TEAMS One of the biggest takeaways from the win over Michigan is that Notre Dame needs serious improvements on special teams. The Wolverines first touchdown came at the hands of the special team when sophomore cornerback Ambry Thomas returned sophomore Jonathan Doerer’s 64-yard kickoff 99 yards into the end zone. Similarly, the Irish were unable to make much noise on the receiving end with Jafar Armstrong’s 20-yard return being the lone play made on the night. That said, Brian Kelly has said his staff intend to focus on attention to detail within the special teams unit. However, the question remains whether the Irish will be able to handle Ball State, who opened the season with a blocked field goal. However, the Cardinals also recorded no punts over 43 yards, and this could just be the game the Irish get a special teams touchdown of their own. Senior Justin Yoon has looked strong and accurate thus far, and so the Irish should be able to handle their own against the Cardinals. EDGE: EVEN
IRISH SCHEDULE (1-0) Sept. 1 Michigan (24-17) Sept. 8 Ball State Sept. 15 Vanderbilt Sept. 22 @ Wake Forest Sept. 29 Stanford Oct. 6 @ Virginia Tech Oct. 13 Pitt Oct. 27 Navy Nov. 3 @ Northwestern Nov. 10 Florida State Nov. 17 Syracuse Nov. 24 @ USC
Follow Observer Sports on Twitter for live updates and analysis during the game this weekend and all season long. @ObserverSports
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Cardinals prepare for top-tier talent at ND By ELIZABETH GREASON Assistant Managing Editor
Irish head coach Brian Kelly’s squad had spent the last eight months preparing for one game and one opponent. That opponent wears maize and blue helmets and has a history with Notre Dame dating back nearly to the inception of college football. So, one week after completing a successful “green out” of Notre Dame Stadium and taking down Michigan in a much-anticipated rivalry-renewal, the No. 8 Irish (10) will have to come down from their high and take on a much different opponent in Ball State. The Cardinals (1-0) snapped a nine-game losing streak with a resounding 42-6 win over Central Connecticut State to open their season and are looking to start a winning streak when they head northwest for an in-state matchup with the Irish. The opportunity to play Notre Dame on its home turf is something Ball State head coach Mike Neu and his team are relishing. “That’s a great opportunity for us. A great opportunity for us. I was a young kid growing up on the south side of Indianapolis and I raced to the TV on Saturday ‘cause there was about three channels and I made sure I beat my brothers
and sisters to make sure I could watch the Notre Dame game,” Neu said Saturday. “It’s going to be cool to go to South Bend. I don’t know how many times I’ve watch ‘Rudy.’ You pay attention, that’s a well-known, national program and grew up watching as a kid, but what a great opportunity for our guys. What a great opportunity to go in there and play on one of the biggest stages that exists.” Cardinals redshirt-senior linebacker Jeremiah Jackson emphasized what his coach had to say Wednesday, adding that he and his teammates are going to try their hardest to take the Irish down, whether or not the odds are stacked against them. “[Playing Notre Dame] means a lot to everybody,” he said. “They call [Notre Dame Stadium a] college football sanctuary, so, I mean, we’re going give it our all.” While Ball State may be taking the approach of taking the trip to South Bend as a great opportunity and giving the Irish the best it’s got, Kelly said Tuesday the Cardinals’ defense has a number of threats and poses a danger to his squad. “A talented offensive group led by [redshirt junior] Riley Neal. He’s an outstanding quarterback,” Kelly said. “He’s a quarterback that could lead a Power Five team.
He is an NFL prospect. … He’s got a live arm. He’s got some nice weapons around him. He’s got three very good backs, all quality backs and they run them all into the game. “[Sophomore] Justin Hall at the wide receiver position does a lot of really, really good things for them. They’ve got a big tight end that they use. ... So, this is a really good offensive system, and they know what they’re doing. They were decimated last year with injuries, so I don’t even think you can count what happened to them last year. But we’ll have to play well. This is a good offensive football team.” Hall led the team in receiving yards by far last season, averaging close to 70 yards per game and totaling 801 yards, well over redshirt-junior Riley Miller’s nextclosest 300 yards on the season, making him a weapon the Irish defense will need to contain, both offensively and on kickoff returns. Notre Dame will be the highestranked team the Cardinals have played since 2011, when they took on then-No. 1 Oklahoma. When it comes to Notre Dame, the Cardinals are aware the Irish are a force to be reckoned with and a definite departure from their typical weekly competition. “They’re big, physical, they don’t give you the ball, so we just want to Paid Advertisement
play our game, execute our plays,” Cardinals redshirt-junior running back James Gilbert said. One of the major concerns the Cardinals have about the Irish is their offense — namely containing senior dual-threat quarterback Brandon Wimbush. In order to practice for Wimbush’s speed and ability to escape tacklers, Ball State has tried an unconventional technique in practice this week: hitting the quarterback as hard and as much as possible. Typically, Cardinals quarterbacks don a black jersey during practice they will not be hit. This week, the quarterbacks have been matching the rest of the team in red and getting wrapped up and dragged down. “[We are] trying to create the best look possible and making sure we get hats to the football and wrap him up because, as we all know, [Wimbush] doesn’t just come down on first contact, so we’ve got to make sure we get people the football,” Neu said Wednesday. Another tactic the Cardinals have been employing this week in order to prepare for the week — pumping the Notre Dame Victory March into Ball State practices throughout the week. “They’re going to hear it at some point on Saturday … so at some
point in time we want to make sure they’re sick of hearing it,” Neu said of the song. The members of the squad are prepared to handle the large-scale environment that many of them have been dreaming of for a long time. While they are ready to take it in, they also know that Saturday is go-time. “We’re going to get there early on Friday and that’s my time, I’m going to soak it in, I’m going to look around and see the stadium and everything,” Jackson said. “But once we hit the field, there’s going to be 70,000-plus there, we can’t worry about that. We just have to focus on the task at hand.” Neu is confident in his team’s ability to handle the crowds at Notre Dame Stadium as well. He knows his players trust one another and their training and will play their hardest against the Irish. “As long as you’re confident in your preparation, and you know what you’re doing, then you can go on the field — everybody’s going to have butterflies when the ball is kicked off and before opening kickoff — but it doesn’t matter what the helmet is, it doesn’t matter what the jersey is, you’ve got to do your job,” he said. Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu
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ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, september 7, 2018 | The Observer
recruiting
commentary
Irish optimistic after strong recruiting weekend By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS Associate Sports Editor
After arguably the biggest weekend of the season for Notre Dame on the recruiting trail, the Irish are set for a much quieter weekend against Ball State. With over a dozen recruits attending the opener against Michigan, Notre Dame is not currently hosting any official visits come Saturday. “Maybe they’ll bring in some local recruits from [the class of ] 2020 or 2021, [it will be an] assessment weekend to look at some guys they haven’t offered yet,” David McKinney, a recruiting analyst for Blue and Gold Illustrated said. “But of course, anybody can show up.” McKinney said the win over the Wolverines put the Irish in good position to close in on two major recruits of the class of 2019 — offensive tackle Walter Rouse and athlete Kendall Abdur-Rahman. Those three-star recruits were on campus last Saturday and are expected to announce their commitment soon.
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From Edwardsville, Illinois, Abdur-Rahman has attracted attention from several Big Ten programs but is expected to sign with the Irish, McKinney said. McKinney said Rouse, a product of the prestigious Washington D.C. prep school, Sidwell Friends School, is an aspiring surgeon and enjoyed spending time with the team medical staff this weekend. McKinney also said team orthopedic surgeon, Brian Ratigan — a former Indianapolis Colt and Irish linebacker — connected well with Rouse. “He hasn’t officially announced but he’s likely down to Stanford and Notre Dame,” McKinney said. Rouse wasn’t planning on announcing his decision until later this fall. However, he recently announced he was moving that timeline up and the Irish will be eagerly waiting to round out their recruiting class. “To finish out the 2019 class, they’ve already got four offensive and defensive lines committed,” McKinney said. “They really want to add a new defensive Paid Advertisement
lineman, possibly one more wide receiver, one new quarterback and maybe one more offensive lineman.” The incoming freshman class, made up of 17 firm commitments so far, is currently ranked No. 14. Without any five star commits, the Irish are still looking to add depth to the class. McKinney also said that their likely first priority is recruiting a defensive end. “They really want and need more at the defensive end to this class for sure,” he said. McKinney said Brian Kelly’s staff has taken a more personable approach in recruiting this season that has proven successful so far. “This year was the first year of the early official visit period so that was different for,” he said. “One thing they did a lot of the summer … [was get] them in a relaxed environment with the coaching staff, the parents … That was a really good opportunity for parents and recruits to see Brian Kelly in a more relaxed setting.” Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu
Wimbush can still improve his game Connor Mulvena Associate Sports Editor
As my esteemed colleague warned us all last week, so I reiterate his caution this week: don’t drink the Michigan Kool-Aid. Last week’s game was a fantastic win for the Irish. The defense looked solid, the running backs — most notably sophomore Jafar Armstrong — showed excellent promise and, most encouraging, Brian Kelly and his staff simply out-coached Harbaugh and his staff, especially on offense. Chip Long and his squad made one of the most menacing defenses in the country appear lackluster, confused and out of order. All of this bodes well for the Irish. But, let’s slow down for a minute. The Irish played well, but Michigan looked horrendous on Saturday. Supposed savior Shea Patterson looked nervous and lacked a certain confidence that tends to accompany All-American quarterbacks. He didn’t get rid of the ball when he needed to and his reads on the Notre Dame secondary were often alarmingly off-base. The Wolverines posed virtually no threat on the ground, rushing for a measly 58 total yards. And sure, the Irish staff may have out-coached Michigan on both sides of the ball, but let’s not forget, Harbaugh still had no offensive coordinator. It’s easier to out-coach another staff when it doesn’t exist. But Wimbush is a pocket passer now! He worked on it in the offseason — Brian Kelly told us so. The narrative that Wimbush becoming a pocket passer will carry the Irish to the playoff is so overhyped I can hear it when I go to sleep. Yes, a Brandon Wimbush who’s comfortable in the pocket would be devastating for defenses across the country, but we can’t talk ourselves into believing that prophesy to be true after one game against a program that is a shadow of what it used to be. Wimbush looked fantastic in the first half, completing 8-of-11 passes for 138 yards and an impressive touchdown. But the second half didn’t go so well for the newly born “pocket passer.” He was 4-of-11 for 32 yards and a pick, and Notre Dame’s final seven drives amounted to one field goal. Plus, virtually
all of Notre Dame’s big receptions were 50/50 balls. Chris Finke’s touchdown could have just as easily been a pick, and Boykin’s key 28-yard reception was up in the air. I don’t mean to put Wimbush down, he was fantastic on the ground on Saturday as per usual. And I don’t necessarily buy into the idea that he needs to be a pocket passer for the Irish to go deep this season. But let’s not fall into the classic Notre Dame trap after week one. The one where the Irish win, we tune into ESPN and watch three out of four writers pencil Notre Dame in for a playoff several months away, and think they’ve got it made. The second half of the Michigan game was some bad football, on both sides, and we ought to remember that than get caught up in a narrative that hasn’t been decided and isn’t telling yet even if it were. Notre Dame has a ton of potential this season, and a playoff spot is totally within reach. But let’s talk about Wimbush as a pocket passer after he shreds Bud Foster’s defense in Blacksburg. Let’s talk about the defense as a national force after it contains Bryce Love. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Ball State this weekend offers the Irish a fantastic opportunity to assess. Let Brandon Wimbush really stay in the pocket and see what he can do, even if that means throwing it away a few times. Let Jafar Armstrong really get creative and see if he can shake a defense like Adams used to. I’m not saying Ball State will be the test which either proves or denies Notre Dame’s competency. The Irish have a long way to go for that. But Notre Dame not only needs to make a statement to teams around the nation this week, it needs to take a moment and see who fits where, what works and what is going to separate this team from a Clemson or an Auburn. Ball State is no Michigan, not even the Michigan we saw on Saturday, but this game is crucial for Notre Dame’s in season development. Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu The opinions in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.