Print Edition of the Irish Insider for Monday, September 16, 2019 by The Observer

Notre dame 66, new mexico 14 | monday, September 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

The calm before the storm Irish rout Lobos in statement win ahead of Georgia road matchup

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish freshman safety Kyle Hamilton changes direction toward the end zone after picking off a tipped pass during Notre Dame’s 66-14 victory over New Mexico on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. Hamilton’s pick-six opened the scoring for the Irish and gave him his first career interception and touchdown after a head-turning performance in fall camp.

Young Irish filling holes left by NFL Draft departures Charlotte Edmonds Managing Editor

Ask senior defensive end Daelin Hayes what the key to bringing new faces into the fold was and he answers enthusiastically — Juice. “This team can roll,” he said in a press conference following Saturday’s game. While still only two games into the season, Hayes seems to be on to something about this team’s ability to take over moments in games, particularly pointing to some of the young players or veterans who are finally getting their opportunity on the big stage. While last year’s loss to Clemson in the Cotton Bowl left a lot of questions to be answered, one thing was certain — this team would have to replace a lot of key pieces, whether to graduation or the NFL Draft. see EDMONDS PAGE 3

By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS Managing Editor

Despite players and coaches repeatedly saying their focus is one week at a time, Saturday keeps looming large on Notre Dame‘s schedule. However, in their home opener against New Mexico, the Irish managed to take care of business, quieting some of the concerns raised just a week before. After a slow start to the season opener against Louisville, the Irish (2-0) looked to come out strong for their home crowd but struggled to find their groove, earning only one first down on the first drive. An incomplete pass and sack against senior quarterback Ian Book forced head coach Brian Kelly to bring on freshman punter Jay Bramblett, who managed to place the ball on the 2-yard line. The Lobos (1-1), considered a major underdog in this matchup, showed some bite in their response, gaining 13 yards on the ground in addition to the 15 yards they picked up on a pass interference call made against senior cornerback Troy Pride Jr. Just when it looked like they

might be mounting a threatening drive, freshman safety Kyle Hamilton intercepted New Mexico senior quarterback Sheriron Jones’ pass that was deflected by senior defensive end Daelin Hayes and returned it to the end zone.“I just knew the ball was coming out quick, whether it be a screen or quick gain, so I just tried to get my hand up and the young bull got it, brought it down and then scored,” Hayes said. Hamilton, originally from Atlanta, has proved a key contributor for the Irish from the start. His touchdown was the first pick-six by a freshman since 2008 and the first made by the defense to open the home season since 2002. While Hamilton’s touchdown and junior kicker Jonathan Doerer’s extra point gave the Irish some life, the Lobos stuck to their game plan, rushing the ball against the Irish defensive unit and picking up three first downs on the ensuing drive. The Irish managed to stop them around the midfield logo before the offense returned deep in their own red zone, and marched the ball nearly half the field.

The Irish never managed to pass the 50-yard line for the remainder of the quarter, but Book revealed who one of his key targets will likely be going forward — sophomore wide receiver Lawrence Keys III, who recorded 20 yards in the air and 52 rushing yards, including a 45-yard kickoff return. Kelly attributed much of Hamilton’s ability to instincts and a good feel for the game. “He just has a natural sense and feel for route recognition,” Kelly said. “Some guys have it. Some guys struggle with it. He’s got that unnatural ability, and then length obviously helps quite a bit. Hayes echoed that evaluation, showing confidence in the young defender. “He’s so big and lengthy that even if he’s not in the exact spot that some players would have to be, he can still make up for it with just his instincts and his length,” Hayes said. Returning to the field for the second quarter, the Irish quickly gained momentum, driving 35 yards to earn their second touchdown of the night. This see VICTORY PAGE 2

Patience pays off for Davis, who finds his place By JIMMY WARD Sports Writer

Coming into Saturday’s matchup against New Mexico, junior Avery Davis had never scored a touchdown for the Irish, despite playing several different positions on both sides of the ball. Davis broke open about midway through the 2nd quarter on a touch pass from senior quarterback Ian Book. Davis took the ball 59 yards to endzone, giving the Irish (2-0) three touchdowns on the day and opening up a 21-0 lead over the Lobos (1-1). Davis was originally recruited as a four-star dualthreat quarterback. However, during his freshman season he was one of ten scholarship freshman who spent the season on the scout team and did not see the field. Realizing the vast array of see DAVIS PAGE 3

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Victory Continued from page 1

time the Irish offense showed a variety of skillsets, using senior wide receiver Chase Claypool to pick up 20 yards before Book went to work and added in 13 yards on the ground, capped off with a 1-yard rush into the end zone to give the Irish a 14-point lead. That initial momentum was followed by a back-and-forth series with both teams going three-and-out. The Irish secondary once again put the Irish back in scoring position when senior safety and captain Jalen Elliott picked off Jones’ pass and brought on the Notre Dame offense. On the opening snap of that drive, Book hit a slashing Avery Davis across the right side of the field who then looped back toward the middle and ran 59 yards for the Irish touchdown. Initially recruited as a quarterback out of Cedar Hill, Texas, the junior has played multiple positions for the Irish, even trying out the secondary last season before moving back to the offense when junior running back Jafar Armstrong went down with an injury against Louisville.

Unfortunately for New Mexico, the Irish weren’t done adding points to the board. This time it was senior wide receiver Javon McKinley’s turn to wow the fans. McKinley completed a 65-yard play, breaking multiple tackles and adding in a spin move before ending in the end zone, the first score of his career. Book was very pleased with McKinley’s breakout night and was complementary of his skillset. “He’s really athletic and super strong,” Book said. “When you see him running, you saw four or five guys bounce off of him. I was super happy for him, and he’s faster than people think. … He’s able to go there and be strong with his hands and bring down a fade ball. He’s someone you want on the perimeter, and he’s someone we need this year, and he’s doing great.” The New Mexico defense didn’t stay off the field for long, though, because Irish graduate student cornerback Shaun Crawford made a diving catch to record the third interception of the game for Notre Dame. Book repaid the favor by finding Claypool on back-to-back passes, the second of which was a 37-yard catch as he walked into

the end zone. “Ian Book needed to make a play,” Kelly said of his team finding its rhythm. “I think he needed to make that throw to Chase Claypool, and all those things needed to come together. We thought they would, and we saw them come together this afternoon.” The Lobos managed to get on the board near the end of the half as they marched 75 yards down the field on three rushing attempts, capped off by a 47yard run by redshirt sophomore running back Bryson Carroll. With 29 seconds on the half, Book drove the offense 20 yards down the field before Doerer knocked in a 36-yard field goal, putting the Irish up 38-7 at the end of the half. While the Irish certainly dominated throughout the first half, the Lobos did expose some weaknesses in their defense, rushing for 99 yards in the second quarter compared to Notre Dame’s 37. The third quarter brought on more of the same for Saturday’s matchup, as the Irish went on to score 14 unanswered points. A 54-yard touchdown for graduate student wide receiver Chris Finke was followed by a 20-yard

touchdown by McKinley. Kelly said he was pleased with McKinley’s performances and thinks he’s finally finding his role in the program. “We like what he’s done. Look, he would have been playing a long time ago if we had the young man playing at a consistent level. He is showing that,” Kelly said. “He is practicing well. He is doing the right things both on and off the field. You guys don’t want to hear this, but all those traits are starting to show themselves, and he’s preparing himself for a big year for us.” With a comfortable 45-point lead, quarterback Phil Jurkovec subbed in for Book with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter. The sophomore wasted no time getting to work, hitting sophomore wide receiver Braden Lenzy for 52 yards on his first snap of the game to bring the Irish within the 10-yard line. Jurkovec opened the final frame of the game with a 23-yard run before being brought down on the 1-yard line and handing things over to sophomore running back C’Bo Flemister, who knocked in another touchdown for the Irish. With 11 minutes remaining in the game, freshman quarterback Brendon Clark

checked in and earned his first career touchdown, a 22-yard pass to Lenzy. Kelly said a big part of the growth of these young players is investing in their confidence from his perspective. “That’s all these kids want to do well, so bad, that they ask us more about it than anybody else,” he said. “So all we told them after the game was, look, you’re doing great. It doesn’t mean you have to do it for 40 or 50 plays, just make the play when we call, and I think we’ll have them moving forward for those plays.” While the Lobos would go on to get on the board one more time, the Irish handled this matchup, recording 591 total yards to their 363. While the Irish remain undefeated, there are still several questions left to be answered as they prepare to make their way to Athens, Georgia, to take on the Bulldogs. “Being able to come here and get the win like we wanted, we’ll enjoy it tonight and once tomorrow hits, it’s Georgia week, and everyone knows that,“ Book said. Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu

ANNA MASON | The Observer

Irish senior wide receiver Javon McKinley breaks a tackle from a Lobos defender during Notre Dame’s 66-14 victory over New Mexico at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday. The play resulted in a 65-yard touchdown after a pass from quarterback Ian Book. McKinley added another touchdown in the third quarter, this one a leaping grab in the end zone.

Play of the game

player of the game

javon mckinley catches short pass and runs for 65-yard touchdown

Notre Dame running back avery davis

A pass interference call set the Irish up on their own 35-yard line, and quarterback Ian Book found senior wide reciever Javon McKinley on a slanting route. McKinley got several blocks from his teammates and made six New Mexico defenders miss tackles in his twisting, spinning route to the end zone. The run came in the middle of a five-minute stretch of three touchdowns by the Irish, as Book and the offense broke out and scored 59 points.

Junior Avery Davis was recruited as a quarterback, switched to running back his sophomore year and recorded modest stats, then started this season at cornerback before switching back to running back following Jafar Armstrong’s injury. Davis only touched the ball once during the game, but it was a 59-yard touchdown run after catching a shovel pass from Book. This marked Davis’s first career touchdown.

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Davis Continued from page 1

talent the Irish had at the quarterback position, Davis switched to the running back position in a bid to earn more playing time. With Dexter Williams in the backfield last season, Davis did not see a ton of playing time, but he made his mark with the coaching staff, proving that he could be trusted with the ball in his hands. Davis did not put up jawdropping numbers last year, but he recorded a career high of 43 yards against Wake Forest. Davis also proved to the staff that not only could he throw, run and defend on the ball, but he could catch it as well — in that same game against Wake Forest he recorded a career-high 15 receiving yards. With the loss of Williams to the Green Bay Packers this off-season, the lack of depth at the running back position was certainly a concern for the Irish. The Irish did have plenty of running backs they could use to back up Tony Jones Jr, but none of them could power the ball through the defensive line quite like Dexter Williams could. In an effort to provide support on the other side of the ball the Irish coaching staff moved Davis to the cornerback position, but decided to move him back as a running back/ receiver hybrid. Head coach Brian Kelly spoke on Davis’ performance and what it meant for the Irish.

Edmonds Continued from page 1

Losing six players to the NFL Draft is never an easy task to replace. While technically the drafted players were split evenly between offense and defense, there was a sense that the losses on defense would be far more important to replace. While that’s true on most accounts, Saturday’s 66-14 win over New Mexico showed that the new faces of the Notre Dame offense are not to be ignored. Even more so, if performing at their full potential, they just might be enough to get this team through their perilous road schedule. Against the Lobos, eight different players found the end zone, five of them for the first time in their Notre Dame career. Obviously, the addition of freshman safety Kyle Hamilton bursting onto the college football scene is a huge get for the Irish and he’s lived up to the hype so far. But the gradual progress of those other key contributors is the story of second chances, enduring patience and good timing.

ndsmcobserver.com | monday, September 16, 2019 | The Observer

“I thought Avery Davis’s electric run — who we incidentally gave the game ball to, for him being so humble as a player and unselfish to f lip from quarterback to running back to defense and back to the offensive side of the ball — and come up big with an electric run, that really got the entire team and the stadium into it,” Kelly said. Despite only getting one touch throughout the game Davis proved that he is speedy and athletic enough to be a strong contributor at the running back position or even as a wide receiver, as he busted through the Lobos defensive line, albeit with good blocking, finding the end zone quickly. Wide receiver Chase Claypool also chimed in on how proud he was of his teammate. “Super exciting — I am so happy for that guy,” he said. “He is really good. I was smiling the whole way, there probably wasn’t a minute of that touchdown I wasn’t smiling, so super happy for him and how everything worked out. … It really opens up our offense [to have a player like him], and it gives the opponent’s defense something to look after so anytime you can put something on film like that it is good.” Quarterback Ian Book also made note of his teammate’s performance. “He had to learn some of the plays and that, but he’s really athletic,” Book said. “You saw that tonight. Someone, you might switch

their position, you might think it’s going to be a bigger issue than it was with him. “Shows the type of player he is and where he’s at mentally, and he’s ready to go. Nothing better than to see him get that run tonight. I’m excited for him, and I know he was, too. I like to say he belongs on offense. That’s what we like, and we’ll keep him there.” Davis has proven to the coaching staff that he can play football at whatever position he pleases, but it appears he just so pleases to play in the backfield behind his quarterback Ian Book. With a tough matchup on the road next week against Georgia, look for Davis to get some more touches, as Kelly assured that tonight was just the tip of the iceberg. “[His playbook options were] bigger than what we featured today,“ Kelly said. “We wanted to get him involved a little bit today, and we didn’t want to show a whole lot today. So he’s a smart kid, played high school football at a very good program, knows the game well. “Was able to retain most of our offense. Quite frankly, we wanted to be able to lean on [sophomore running back] C’Bo [Flemister] a little bit more today, [freshman] Kyren [Williams] a little bit more today, and he was going to get some scripted touches more than having the entire offensive playbook at his disposal.”

Take Javon McKinley, the senior wide receiver, who hauled in two touchdowns for a total of 85 yards against the Lobos. McKinley saw the field six times in 2016 before missing the entirety of his sophomore season with an injury. This past year he appeared in four games but found himself in hot water again in March when he was arrested on charges of battery and effectively suspended from all team activities. While Kelly explained his reason for giving McKinley a second chance, citing an exemplary record prior to the incident in March, McKinley shined against the Lobos, demonstrating a type of power and grace that hasn’t been seen among Notre Dame football in a while. Or how about Braden Lenzy or C’Bo Flemister. In Lenzy’s first appearance with the Irish he recorded 74 total yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Flemister — who made two appearances last season — rushed for a touchdown of his own. And how could you forget about Avery Davis? The man who seemingly is always on the cusp of breaking through

only to be moved to another position and fall deeper down the depth chart. After making his return to the offense this weekend as a wide receiver, watching his 59yard touchdown was a thing of beauty. Now before you go saying that I’m too idealistic, I get it. This will not be the case in Athens. In fact, most of these guys will likely not even see the field. But for a program that is notorious for playing down to its competition, seeing these new faces rise to the challenge and make the most of their opportunities is reassuring for the team going forward. While the defense certainly deserves a lot of credit for the ways they’ve stepped up in the absence of some key leaders and the stabilizing effect they’ve had on this team, it’s time to recognize the contributions of the offense — both the new faces and the old.

Scoring Summary 1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Total

0 7

7 31

0 14

7 14

14 66

Notre Dame 7, new mexico 0

Kyle Hamilton 34-yard interception (Doerer kick)

10:09 remaining

NOTRE DAME 14, new mexico 0 Ian book 1-yard run (Doerer kick)