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By DANIEL O’BOYLE Sports Writer
November 28th, 2015. Stanford, California. Josh Adams is running at full speed. He’s 35 yards from the end zone. Nothing but green grass between him and the goal line. The entire defense behind, chasing the ball-carrier. That’s a situation Josh Adams, at the time only a freshman, had already seen before. He broke out for a 25yard touchdown in his debut against Texas, a 70-yard score against Massachusetts and an FBS-season-record 98yard tear down the sideline against Wake Forest. It’s a situation he would see himself in again, adding
two more touchdown runs of over 40 yards in 2016. Against Temple last week, Adams added a 37-yard score and another 60-yard run to his resume of big plays. But this occasion wasn’t like those runs. This time, Adams wasn’t the ball-carrier. Sophomore quarterback DeShone Kizer was. Adams had broken into a sprint after holding off Stanford junior linebacker Kevin Perez for 10 yards and was preparing to block the safety coming over from the other side of the field. Adams looks over his shoulder and careens left. Stanford junior linebacker Peter Kalambayi is catching up to Kizer. Fast. Kalambayi dives at Kizer.
Adams dives at Kalmbayi. Adams makes contact with Kalambayi. Kalambayi — thrown left by the block — doesn’t make contact with Kizer. It buys Kizer 10 more yards. Those yards don’t turn into points: With Adams off the field, Kizer fumbles on the next play. The Irish go into the half behind and lose by two points. But at the time it appeared Adams had turned a difficult 50-yard field goal attempt into a much more manageable 40-yarder in a game that proved to be decided by a last-second kick. “I think he broke to the left a little bit and I tried to get out there and lead block,” Adams said. “I saw the guy coming from behind and I tried to chip him and get him
off of him.” Carrying the ball comes first for a running back. It’s in the job title. Blocking is an additional responsibility, where a talented runner like Adams could be forgiven for not always going the extra mile, and certainly wouldn’t be expected to deliver the way he did at Stanford Stadium. But Adams takes additional responsibilities in his longlegged stride. Maybe that’s why Irish head coach Brian Kelly made him a team captain just two weeks before the season began. It certainly didn’t seem to harm his on-field performance against Temple, as Adams rushed for 161 yards and two touchdowns. “I’m just always going to be the same person that I
am,” Adams said. “I’m going to keep doing the things I’m doing. I don’t think the title changes anything about who I am or how I lead on the field and how I talk to the other players. I think that each of the captains bring something different to the table and I’m just going to do my best to hold everybody to the standard I hold myself to. “It’s definitely a blessing. I thank God that I’m in this position. I was told early on during summer workouts that I was in a position to lead a SWAT team. I wasn’t informed that I would be captain at that moment but I progressed as a leader as I tried to lead those guys. Towards the end of camp I was told the news and that was definitely exciting. It was humbling to
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Irish junior running back Josh Adams protects the ball while running down the field in Notre Dame’s 49-16 victory over Temple on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. Adams rushed for 161 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Adams has 1,929 total rushing yards in his collegiate career and holds Notre Dame’s single-game rushing record for a freshman.
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know you have coaches who have that much trust in you and you have other guys who look up to you, so it was kind of a special moment for me, and that’s really how it was as I progressed into a more vocal leader throughout the summer and led by example as the season started.” Rewind to that Stanford game. Why was Josh Adams the one in the backfield to begin with? For the season opener, then-junior Tarean Folston was the starter, but Folston went down after just three carries. Adams — who had just arrived on campus that summer as a three-star recruit — stepped up unexpectedly for the first time, rushing for 49 yards and two touchdowns. “I don’t remember much about the first touchdown, it went by pretty fast,” Adams said. “But I remember running onto the field for the first time, seeing the lights and the crowd. That was a surreal moment for me and definitely an exciting moment.” C.J. Prosise, a senior at the time, took over as the Irish starter, but Adams continued to contribute when he was needed, with 133 yards on 13 carries against UMass highlighting his early-season performances. Against Pittsburgh, Prosise suffered a concussion and Adams became Notre Dame’s lead ballcarrier. Did he step up? How does 147 rushing yards on 20 attempts and a five-yard receiving touchdown sound? The following week — in his first ever start for Notre Dame — Adams ran for 141 more yards, including that 98-yard rush, the longest score from scrimmage in Notre Dame Stadium history. Prosise returned for the next Irish encounter, but sprained his ankle, thrusting Adams back into the forefront of
the Irish attack when the Irish traveled to Stanford for the final game of the regular season. Adams did more than block for Kizer, running 18 times for 168 yards and catching one pass for 28 yards, all against the nation’s 29th-ranked run defense. Taking on additional responsibility has been what Adams has done since the start. “It was exciting,” Adams said. “I had a lot of older guys help me out. I had C.J., I had Tarean still on the sidelines helping me out and they made it easy for me, the offensive line made it easy, all I had to do was step into that role. It definitely helped me in my growth now.” In 2016, with Prosise in the NFL, Adams took over as the Irish starter in the second week of the season. Even when the Irish season was far from salvageable, Adams showed no intention of quitting. The Warrington, Pennsylvania, native rushed for at least 70 yards in each of the last five games of the season, including the 41-yard rush to tie the score against Miami as well as two touchdowns against Virginia Tech and a career-high 180 yards on the ground as well as 30 receiving yards in the final game of the season against USC. This year, Adams won’t just be team captain. With the Irish expected to focus more on the run game with Brandon Wimbush starting at quarterback, Adams is set to be more of a focal point in the Irish offense than ever before. The junior said his increased responsibility as captain has spurred him on to work harder than ever to improve his on-field performance. “I’ve just been continuing to practice hard,” Adams said. “I’ve been pushing myself to not slack off, continuing to
bring it each and every practice so I can bring it to each and every game. I understand that it’s not just about me pushing myself now. It’s about me pushing others to the standard I hold myself to.” “I like to lead all the younger guys. We’ve got three young guys there in this running back group: [freshman] C.J. Holmes, [freshman] Deon McIntosh and [sophomore] Tony Jones Jr. I’ve been in their position so I know how it feels and I’m just trying to help those guys any way that I can. Each of those guys have things they bring to the table and I hope I can learn from them as they learn from me and [junior running
back] Dexter [Williams].” What’s the secret to Adams’s success as a runner? Brian Kelly may have let the cat out of the bag following the victory over Temple. “He runs really fast,” Kelly said. “I don’t know if I’m that fast,” Adams said. “I think I just get a good step on guys, but I do try to run as fast as I can.” But Adams’s willingness to do more than the minimum for a running back doesn’t look like it’s going away. With the Irish likely to incorporate more option plays into their offense this season, taking a tackler out of the game without touching the ball could be a regular occurrence. Adams
said he enjoys contributing to big plays, even if someone else gets the stats next to their name on the box score. “It’s a lot of fun when you can just help other guys make plays and spring a big play without getting the ball,” Adams said. “That’s the really fun part for me.” And when he does find himself carrying the ball with only open field ahead of him, he just thinks about completing his job. “It’s kind of a, ‘Don’t get caught’ experience,” Adams said. “I’m just trying to finish the run and score a touchdown.” Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Josh Adams runs upfield during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over Temple on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. Adams has nine 100-yard rushing performances over the course of his Notre Dame career.
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The observer | FRIDAY, September 8, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
commentary
Georgia clash is critical for 2017 success Tobias Hoonhout Associate Sports Editor
As the say ing goes, it’s out of the fr y ing pan and into the fire. The Irish were able to overcome all of their offseason question marks last weekend in conv incing fashion, as Notre Dame dominated Temple on both sides of the ball in a performance reminiscent of the home games of 2015. The run game was unstoppable, the defense didn’t have any major hiccups and Brandon Wimbush looked like the real deal. But before anyone jumps to ordain the Irish as a bonafide, dark horse playoff contender, Team 129 has a major hurdle to clear: Georgia comes to tow n this weekend as the representative of the big, bad SEC (remember A labama in 2012?), and it presents a huge test. Georgia is the makeor-break gauge for Notre Dame’s season. Win, and the ghosts from Brian Kelly’s haunted season last year are finally gone. But lose, and the Irish are right back to where they started. If you look at the numbers last season, you could make the argument that the Irish were ver y unluck y: Notre Dame was 1-7 in one-score games, and if some things had gone differently, maybe that record could’ve been reversed. But the realit y is, Notre Dame lost a number of key contributors from the 2015 Fiesta Bowl team, particularly on defense. The season started on a sour note w ith the arrests of Ma x Redfield and co., and the Irish failed to make Notre Dame Stadium the bastion it was in 2015. The Irish only went 2-4 on their home turf last season, after going undefeated in the same capacit y the year before. For Brian Kelly’s teams, the key to a successful season is protecting home field. In the three seasons Notre Dame has finished ranked under Brian Kelly — 2012, 2013 and 2015 — Notre Dame’s combined record at home is 17-1. That’s right — 17 w ins, one loss. And while a home w in against Temple is a great start to the season, the Irish, to be frank, have bigger fish to fr y. Games against teams like Georgia are the ones where Notre Dame has the opportunit y to prove it has the abilit y to make a run at the playoff. And placed in the context of a home game,
Notre Dame needs to w in. Histor y has show n it to be a co-requisite for success under Brian Kelly, and this early in the season, a loss would sweep any momentum the Irish have right out the door. A quick glance reveals another interesting point. Assuming the Irish beat Georgia, four games stand between the Irish and USC. Four games that, on paper, Notre Dame can w in. W hile undoubtedly difficult, it’s feasible that the Irish could finish a run of away at Boston College, away to Michigan State, home to Miami (OH) and away to North Carolina a perfect 4-0. Combined w ith t wo w ins against Temple and Georgia, and the Irish are suddenly 6-0, welcoming USC to tow n in a potential top-10 matchup. That’s why this game is so important. Win, and Notre Dame can circle the USC game on the calendar. The mentalit y for the four games can shift from one of hav ing to go to war ever y week to one of taking care of business. Sure, the Irish would be foolish to take any game lightly. But to be among the best, Notre Dame needs to be in a position where there aren’t question marks about games that the Irish can and should w in. Look at Ohio State-Indiana last week. For all the huffing and puffing the Hoosiers did, the Buckeyes stood firm, stayed cool, calm and collected, and eventually dispatched their opponent w ith a ruthlessness only the great
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Irish junior running back Dexter Williams eludes a defender and looks upfield during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over Temple at Notre Dame Stadium. Williams had 124 yards on just six carries and one touchdown.
programs can show. Georgia is the prequel to USC. Notre Dame needs to prove that last season was a f luke, and that to predict an Irish w in takes more than just a coin f lip. Brian Kelly and his team need
consistency, and there’s no greater measure of consistency than being able to beat good teams at home. A w in against the Bulldogs would go a long way to fill that need, and it can perhaps vault the Irish into a
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season few w ill forget. Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu The opinions in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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HEAD T
7:30 p.m. ET | Notre Dame Stadium ANN CURTIS | The Observer
BULLDOGS PASSING This week, all eyes have been on Georgia’s quarterback situation. Sophomore starter Jacob Eason had high expectations heading into the season. But those expectations will be put on hold, as Eason suffered a sprained ligament in his left knee against Appalachian State and will sit out Saturday’s contest. In his place, freshman Jake Fromm will make his first career start. On paper, the change benefits Notre Dame, but Fromm looked just as effective, if not moreso, as Eason in the limited time he received last week. However, the last time a true freshman quarterback won a game at Notre Dame Stadium was in 2014 when Reggie Bonnafon led Louisville to a 31-28 victory. The Irish secondary looked passable against Temple, but there were still many cases of open receivers. The Owls weren’t able to capitalize on those chances, but a top-15 team like Georgia will. Senior corner Nick Watkins looked solid and his sophomore counterpart Julian Love did as well, but the safety play from Devin Studstill, Jalen Elliott and Nick Coleman seemed suspect. While Fromm is a freshman, the Irish defensive backs cannot afford to get overconfident.
EDGE: EVEN BULLDOGS RUSHING The Irish held Temple to just 85 rushing yards on 37 carries in their season opener, but the Owls did not have Nick Chubb or Sony Michel in their backfield. Georgia’s offensive line lacks experience, but Chubb and Michel have rushed for nearly 6,000 yards between them over the course of their college careers and combined for 183 yards against Appalachian State’s stout run defense. If Chubb and Michel get worn out, the Bulldogs can call on four-star sophomore Elijah Holyfield or five-star freshman D’Andre Swift to continue to move the ball on the ground. The Irish showed a surprising amount of front-seven depth against Temple,
Georgia
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with 10 different players recording a tackle for loss, including freshman defensive linemen Khalid Kareem and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, but they haven’t seen a pair of backs like this before.
WR
(Jr.) Terry Godwin 5
(Jr.) Michael Chigbu 82
EDGE: GEORGIA
LT LG C RG RT TE
(Sr.) Isaiah Wynn 77 (Sr.) Nick
BULLDOGS OFFENSIVE COACHING
Chubb
27
(Fr.) Jake Fromm
10
(Sr.) Sony Michel
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is much better known for his work on the defensive side of the ball, where he led Alabama’s dominant defense from 20082015. Offensive decisions mostly come back to Jim Chaney, who joined the Bulldogs alongside Smart after stints with Purdue, Tennessee, Arkansas, Pittsburgh and in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams. Georgia finished 11th in the SEC last year in points, offensive yardage and yards per play, all despite two elite running backs. Mike Elko was one of the most soughtafter defensive coordinators in the nation this offseason for a reason, and his scheme proved effective against Temple.
(Jr.) Sam Vaughn
1
4
RB QB
(R-So.) Pat Allen
58
(Sr.) Dyshon Sims 55
(Jr.) Lamont Gaillard 53 (Jr.) Sean Fogarty 68
(R-Fr.) Solomon Kindley 66 (Jr.)Kendall Baker 65
(Fr.) Andrew Thomas 71 (R-Fr.) Ben Cleveland 74
(Sr.) Jeb Blazevich 83 (So.) Isaac Nauta 18
WR
(Sr.) Javon Wims 6 (So.) Riley Ridley
(So.) Mecole
8
Hardman
(So.) Tyrique McGhee 26
(R-So) J.R. Reed 20 (Fr.) Richard LeCounte 2
(Jr.) Roquan Smith 3
FS
WR
4
(Jr.) Ahkil Crumpton 16
(Jr.) Deandre Baker 18
EDGE: NOTRE DAME
(Gr.) Reggie Carter 45
CB
WILL
DE John Atkins NOSE MLB Trenton Thompson DT JACK Lorenzo Carter SAM (Jr.) Jonathan Ledbetter 13
BULLDOGS SPECIAL TEAMS One of Notre Dame’s glaring flaws from 2016 was kick coverage on special teams. Special teams coordinator Brian Polian is an upgrade to the position so far, and the coverage units showed no blatant mistakes versus the Owls. Georgia redshirt sophomore Rodrigo Blankenship returns as the Bulldogs’ starting placekicker. Blankenship went 14-of-18 on field goals in 2016.
(Sr.) Dyshon Sims 55
(So.) David Marshall 51
(Jr.) Natrez Patrick 6
(Gr.) Reggie Carter 45
(Gr.)
(Fr.) Walter Grant 84
(Sr.)
Dominick Sanders 24 19 (Jr.) Jarvis Wilson
(Sr.)
(So.) Julian Rochester 5
78
(Jr.)
(Sr.) Davin Bellamy 17
97
(So.) Tyler Clark 52
7
(Jr.) D’Andre Walker 15
SS (Sr.) Malkom Parrish 14
EDGE: EVEN
(Gr.) Aaron Davis 35
CB
BULLDOGS SCHEDULE (1-0) Sept. 2 Appalachian State (W 31-10) Sept. 9 @ Notre Dame Sept. 16 Samford Sept. 23 Mississippi State Sept. 30 @ Tennessee Oct. 7 @ Vanderbilt Oct. 14 Missouri Oct. 28 Florida Nov. 4 South Carolina Nov. 11 @ Auburn Nov. 18 Kentucky Nov. 25 @ Georgia Tech
(R-So.) Rodrigo Blankenship 98 (Gr.) David Marvin 91
(Gr.) Cameron Nizialek 92 (So.) Marshall Long 95
(Jr.) Terry
Godwin
(So.) Mecole Hardman
5 4
PK P PR
(Gr.) Cameron Nizialek 92 (So.) Mecole
Ben Padanilam
Marek Mazurek
Elizabeth Greason
Editor-in-Chief
Assistant Managing Editor
Sports Editor
Notre Dame looked good against Temple on Saturday. The offense ran for 422 yards en route to a 49-point outburst, and the defense didn’t break too much, holding the Owls to 16 points. But some of that has to be attributed to how poor the Owls looked as well. The secondary had its fair share of hiccups the Owls couldn’t capitalize on, and Justin Yoon’s inability to put a field goal through the uprights was concerning. Georgia, meanwhile, returns its entire front seven from last year and perhaps the best backfield tandem in college football. The Irish offense against the Bulldogs defense will be a true test of strength against strength. With all things being equal, it will come down to coaching. Brian Kelly’s record against top-15 squads in the last five seasons? 4-10. FINAL SCORE: Georgia 28, Notre Dame 24
As the famous saying goes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result. That definition applies to Brian Kelly in matchups against ranked opponents. Kelly is 4-10 against top15 opponents in the past five seasons. If Notre Dame wants to get back to the glory days of 1988, its performance in big matchups is the most glaring overall issue it must rectify. Seeing is believing, and Kelly has to prove he can win the big matchups before fans should get their hopes up. Watch for Georgia to dominate the time of possession with an excellent backfield and grind out a close win. FINAL SCORE: Georgia 31, Notre Dame 24
(Jr.) Sam Vaughn
4
Hardman
4
(Sr.) Sony Michel
(Sr.) Trent
Frix
1
69
(Jr.) Nick Moore 43
H KR LS
Notre Dame will ride the momentum from last week’s win into the Georgia matchup without issue. Sure, Georgia is one of the strongest teams the Irish will face this season — it has two of the best running backs in the country and one of the top, most experienced front sevens you’ll ever see. But the Irish have one of the best, if not the best, offensive lines in the NCAA, and their running game was stellar against the Owls. Granted, Temple was not a good team, and the Bulldogs might be a great one. But this is Notre Dame’s chance to prove it has left last year in the past — and it will do so. It will be a close one, with inexperienced, but talented, quarterbacks on either side of the ball — and the Irish will come out on top. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 24, Georgia 20
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Notre Dame
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
IRISH PASSING
CB
Julian Love (So.) 35
27
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.)
4 Te’von Coney (Jr.)
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
83 Chase Claypool (So.)
11
Freddy Canteen (Gr.)
10 Chris Finke (Jr.)
Tommy Kraemer (So.)
78
72 Robert Hainsey (Fr.)
Alex Bars (Sr.)
71
66 Tristen Hoge (So.)
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.)
3 C.J. Sanders (Jr.)
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
Yes, Georgia has two incredible running backs. Yes, its defense is deep and talented. But there are still cracks in the Bulldog’s facade. Georgia will field a relatively inexperienced offensive line and a quarterback making his first career start in arguably the biggest game at Notre Dame Stadium in the last year-and-a -half. This is the perfect chance for the Irish to prove they’ve finally escaped their demons. A loss, however, and suddenly the subsequent two-game road trip looks a lot more treacherous. While I have no doubt this one will be a nail-biter, I just have a feeling that Team 129 is itching to prove that Notre Dame is back. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 31, Georgia 30
Much of the hype surrounding Notre Dame in the offseason has revolved around junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush. And in his first start against Temple, he looked good. Wimbush went 17-of-30 for 184 yards and two touchdowns. In addition, Wimbush rushed for 106 yards and another touchdown to boot. Aside from a few drops, the Irish receivers looked solid as well. Four different tight ends saw playing time, and junior Equanimeous St. Brown again showed why he has a bright future in college and in the NFL. In the secondary, Georgia has heady, experienced backs. There isn’t a ton of NFL-level talent, but Wimbush will have to be smart with his reads to avoid turnovers (he threw one interception against the Owls). If the Bulldogs’ pass rush hits home, the Irish offense could be in for a rough day, but the Georgia secondary could very well be facing the most talented group of receivers it plays all year. Wimbush will be forced to make plays through the air against Georgia, but he is fully capable of doing so.
IRISH RUSHING 422 yards on the ground certainly silences a lot of critics who claim Kelly doesn’t committ enough to the running game. The stat is gaudy, but how good is the Irish ground game really? Temple won’t win 10 games like it did the last two years, and Georgia returns each member of its front seven from last year. A lot will rest on the shoulders of the Irish offensive line and captains Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson, and if the Irish can rely on junior Josh Adams to convert in short-yardage situations, then the complexion of the game changes. But the front seven, and defensive grit in general, has been the bread and butter of Georgia football in the recent past. Graduate student nose tackle John Atkins, especially, is a force to be reckoned with, putting up eight tackles and three sacks in last year’s Liberty Bowl.
Against Temple, the Irish proved that they were far from last year’s disaster. The Irish offense looked great in junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush’s first start, and the defense was vastly improved from 2016. But Georgia is a great team too, with the best tandem of running backs in the country, a vastly experienced front seven and a quarterback who looked impressive in his first game. A return to form for the Irish doesn’t necessarily mean they’re better than the Bulldogs, even with home-field advantage on their side. While both teams bring strong run games, Georgia’s looks just a little more reliable for consistent firstdown pickups than Notre Dame’s big-play-threatening attack. That might just make the difference. FINAL SCORE: Georgia 31, Notre Dame 28
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How well Tommy Kraemer and Robert Hainsey hold up at the right tackle position will also be a key matchup to watch.
EDGE: EVEN IRISH OFFENSIVE COACHING Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Chip Long had Notre Dame’s offense running like a well-oiled machine last Saturday against Temple. The Irish scored just 33 seconds into the game on two plays and the Irish scored when they needed to in order to put, and then keep, the game out of reach for the Owls. How well Kelly and quarterbacks coach Tom Rees prepare Wimbush for the Bulldogs’ defensive looks will be a telling factor in the game. Kirby Smart is no stranger to facing big-time offenses. After winning championships as the defensive coordinator at Alabama under Nick Saban, Smart has seen some of the best offenses college football has to offer over the years. With an experienced defense in the second year of Smart’s system, nothing will come easy for the Irish on Saturday.
EDGE: EVEN IRISH SPECIAL TEAMS The most worrying part of Notre Dame’s blowout victory was the fact that junior kicker Justin Yoon missed two field goals from inside 48 yards. Yoon’s confidence, and his range, will be something Kelly has to factor in when his team gets into Georgia’s side of the field. The Irish return game did appear to be improved versus the Owls, but Georgia’s special teams unit poses a stiffer challenge.
EDGE: GEORGIA IRISH SCHEDULE (1-0) Sept. 2 Temple (W 49-16) Sept. 9 Georgia Sept. 16 @ Boston College Sept. 23 @ Michigan State 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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Recruiting
Irish, Bulldogs bring battle to recruiting trail By MAREK MAZUREK Assistant Managing Editor
A win over Georgia would be a huge statement that Notre Dame is ready to compete on the national level again. And according to Blue and Gold Illustrated recruiting analyst Bryan Driskell, a win would also turn some heads amongst recruits. “It’s a huge step in the right direction,” Driskell said. “A game like this does two things for you. Number one: There are some kids Notre Dame is looking at, but maybe [Notre Dame] is fourth or fifth or sixth on the kid’s list of favorite schools, and he likes Notre Dame, but there’s still some doubts about the 4-8 and ‘are they really a national program? ’ But then you go beat Georgia, ‘OK, I’m giving those guys a second look,’ or ‘OK, I’m moving those guys up my list.’ “I do think this plays a major, major role in giving [Notre Dame] an opportunity to finish come signing day.” To that effect, this weekend will be a busy one for the Irish recruiting staff as they host multiple high-value prospects. “They’re going to have 5-star offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer,” Driskell said. “He’s a kid, obviously from Atlanta. He’s looking at Georgia, this is going to be a big chance for Notre Dame to make a good impression on him. Wide receiver Chase Cota from Oregon … this is going to be his second trip to Notre Dame; he also came for the spring game. W hen you talk about a kid from Oregon who’s making his second visit to Notre Dame, that says something.” In addition to Salyer and Cota, Notre Dame hopes to see Georden Porter, a wide receiver from California, along with a number of players from the 2019 recruiting class. Joseph Anderson, a Rivals.com four-star defensive lineman from Tennessee and Cesare Mellusi, a fourstar prospect from Florida are expected to be on campus, Driskell said. “It’s kind of like when they had the night game in 2015 against USC and brought a lot of west coast kids in,” Driskell said. “Look, Notre Dame goes toe-to-toe with Georgia, with Clemson for the top recruits on their board. One of the advantages of being in the ACC, is you’re not only playing in front of a lot of the kids that are looking at you, but also you get to play some of the teams you’re recruiting against. “W hen you’re recruiting Jamaree Salyer, who lives
in Atlanta, right down the street from Athens … when you’re recruiting those kids specifically against Georgia, this kind of game, assuming you play well, is one of those things you can point to and say, ‘See? We are one of those top programs.’” Salyer will be the highestrated recruit on campus, but perhaps the most important for Notre Dame will be Kalon Gervin, a four-star cornerback from Detroit. Gervin was previously committed to Notre Dame, but decommitted in early May. Notre Dame does not currently have any commits at the cornerback position, so convincing Gervin to come back may be a huge pickup for the Irish, considering the lack of depth
at the position. “I definitely wouldn’t freak out, but there’s definitely cause for concern,” Driskell said. “There’s some good players on the board. But when you don’t sign any cornerbacks in the previous class … there’s obviously cause for concern. Notre Dame can’t afford to come up short this year. And coming up short doesn’t mean one or none. If you get only one, that means in two years, you’ve only signed one cornerback. That’s a problem. But Notre Dame is still five months away from signing day, there’s still plenty of time to finish that class off with some talent at that position.” Another factor that may
take some time to figure out is the effect of the new-look Notre Dame Stadium on visiting recruits. “As far as the video board and the gameday atmosphere, it’s a difficult question for [recruits] to answer because they’ve never been to a game before,” Driskell said. “They don’t know what is was like before. They only know what it’s like compared to every other school now. You can say, “W hat’d you think of the video board? ’ and they say, “OK, it’s a video board. I see them at every school I visited.’” The new additions and upgrades do put Notre Dame on a more even playing field, Driskell said. “I think what it is for Notre
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Dame now is that’s no longer an issue they have to overcome,” Driskell said. “They’re not going to sign a kid because they have a video board and they upgraded the stadium. W hat it does though, is it removes one of the few things teams use against [Notre Dame]. ... Now with the changes made under [director of athletics] Jack Swarbrick in the last several years, Notre Dame has really skyrocketed to where now, even where their facilities aren’t quite at the level as other programs, they’re close enough they’re not really the reason they’re going to lose a kid.” Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu
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ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, september 8, 2017 | The Observer
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ND O-line ready to duel Georgia’s front seven By ELIZABETH GREASON Sports Editor
Earlier this week, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart referred to the Irish offensive line as “as good looking of an O-line as you’ll play ever.” After leading the Irish (1-0) to 422 rushing yards against Temple on Saturday, one of the best offensive lines in the country is hoping to keep up the strong performance against one of the top front-sevens in the country. Irish senior left guard Quenton Nelson said the offensive line’s success against the Owls, and potential continued success throughout the season, can be attributed to a stubbornness offensive coordinator Chip Long has instilled in the offense this season. “We started out pretty strong [against Temple], our first run was a touchdown, so we started out strong,” Nelson said. “But we had some runs that weren’t too successful and Coach Long stuck with it, and that’s what you’ve got to do. You’re not going to get 10 yards or a breakout play, but if you stick with it, and with this offensive line, I think you will. I think we’ve got five guys that are working very hard every day in practice and it’s transferring to the game is what it looks like.” However, this weekend’s matchup will not exactly be against an opponent of the same caliber as Temple. The Bulldogs (1-0) have one of the best and most experienced defenses in the country, which will test the Notre Dame ground game, on which there was a heavy emphasis Saturday. Nelson noted there are definite improvement the offensive line needs to make over the course of the week to prepare for Georgia. “The O-line, we had some things that wouldn’t [be] good enough against Georgia, when
looking at the Temple film,” Nelson said. “We’re working our best to make those slight adjustments or sometimes corrections. Georgia plays a totally different defense as well. They’ve got their three down with a two-four rise.” Irish graduate student left tackle Mike McGlinchey said the squad’s success against the Owls does not guarantee the same result against the Bulldogs, although he feels he and his coworkers on the line have put in the preparation to put up a strong performance. “[The Temple game] was awesome. It was a lot of fun,” McGlinchey said. “You know, that’s the kind of game we like to play, we want to play. Four hundred some yards is no small feat, but we had a lot of mistakes that we need to clean up, and if we don’t clean them up, it’s going to be a longer Saturday against Georgia. It’s just one of those things that, yeah, we had a great job on Saturday, we rushed for whatever many yards, we had three guys [rush for 100 yards], whatever. But it doesn’t guarantee anything against Georgia, and we’ve just got to go back and try and do it again.” McGlinchey said in order to protect his teammates from the Georgia defense, each member of the offensive line will need to keep on his man. “They’re big, they’re strong, they’re fast and they play sound football,” McGlinchey said. “They’re going to do a great job of using their hands, getting off blocks and we just have to do our job to stay on them. They’re going to be a group that plays real hard and a group that plays real fast and they’re just going to bring it on Saturday and we’ve got to do the same.” Despite the hype surrounding the talent of Notre Dame’s offensive line, the five players up front are not completely set for the year — as there is still competition at
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Irish senior offensive lineman Quenton Nelson blocks a Temple defender during Notre Dame’s 49-16 victory over the Owls on Saturday. Three Irish players rushed for over 100 yards in the game.
the right tackle position between sophomore Tommy Kraemer and freshman Robert Hainsey. Although Kraemer got the start against Temple, Hainsey also saw the field and McGlinchey said he was pleased with the progress he has seen both of the underclassmen make. “I see a lot of myself in those two,” McGlinchey said. “They’re at that point where — in your career with [offensive line coach Harry] Hiestand, it’s kind of the make-or-break point. They’re getting thrown into the starting lineup. They’re the youngest guy on the line … they take their lumps for sure each and every day at practice. But it’s about
how you respond to that, and I joked with them before the game because Tommy and Rob both asked me last week, like ‘what’s it like, man, what’s this going to be like on Saturday?’, and I said, ‘to be honest with you, it’s a lot easier than Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, because the stress that you’re dealing with isn’t really hard-nosed stress that we deal with throughout the week.’ “But it’s easy because you’re free. You can play on Saturdays, and the two of them, I see a lot of myself, and not necessarily my game, but definitely the things that they’re experiencing right now for sure.” Irish junior running back
Dexter Williams had nothing but praise for the offensive line — especially after the 124 yards and two touchdowns he rushed for against Temple. “If you give me that size of a hole, it just really opens everything up for me,” Williams said. “Just seeing those holes being made, I could tell the progress of the offensive line and Coach Hiestand working with them day in and day out. I could see how they’re getting better. The chemistry is just getting better, they’re getting stronger and each and every day they’re giving their all.” Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu
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ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Offensive linemen senior Quenton Nelson, left, and graduate student Mike McGlinchey wait for the snap during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over Temple on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.
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The observer | FRIDAY, September 8, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
ND looks to slow Georgia’s ground attack By BEN PADANILAM Editor-in-Chief
First regular season matchup with Notre Dame. A long awaited trip across the MasonDixon line. Most expensive ticket in college football this season. Those were the storylines that dominated Saturday’s game for Georgia ahead of this past weekend. That was before Bulldogs sophomore quarterback Jacob Eason took a hit out-of-bounds after scrambling to the sideline against Appalachian State, spraining his left knee ligament in the process. While it’s unclear how long Eason will be sidelined, as Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart was only able to label Eason as “week-to-week,” one thing was clear at Monday’s press conference: Eason would not be under center for the No. 15 Bulldogs (1-0) against the No. 24 Irish (1-0) this weekend. Enter Jake Fromm. The freshman signal-caller from Warner Robins, Georgia, was thrust into his first action against Appalachian State on Saturday, and he delivered a 10-of-15 performance to the tune of 143 yards and a touchdown. “Sometimes it happens in unexpected ways, you certainly don’t script that to happen that way,” Smart said Monday of Fromm’s first game action. “I thought he came in and managed the situation well.” In Eason, the Bulldogs lose a quarterback who was the top-ranked quarterback prospect — per Rivals — coming out of high school in 2015 and, according to Smart, had impressed with “how hard he worked” and “how much he grew” during the offseason. But Smart added that his Georgia squad is not the first college football team to lose its starting quarterback, and it’s a reality every team prepares for. “I mean, anytime you get injuries — especially at the quarterback position — it tests your mettle a little bit, and I think that’s what this team will do,” Smart said Monday. “And we’ve tried to put them through adversity throughout camp, throughout [the] offseason. It’s the reason you do what you do. … It’s happened before. Certainly, you don’t plan on it happening, but those are things that happen in football, and you’ve got to have guys prepared to play. “It’s the reason why you do two spike drills and you have two teams going on. It’s the reason why you scrimmage everybody and not just the [firststring unit]. So those guys have to get prepared. I think our team is going to take it in stride, they’re going to go out there and practice well and practice hard. They get it.”
And although Eason’s loss was unexpected, Smart said he has full confidence in Fromm’s ability to lead the Bulldogs out of the tunnel Saturday. “Jake is a gamer. He’s just a kid that grew up around the game,” Smart said Monday. “I look at him and compare him to what would be a coach’s son, football junkie. He likes it, he loves being around it. He’s always cheering and fired up out there, and every time he makes a good throw or good play at practice, he’s jacked up and he’s just as excited for the kid who made the play as he is himself. … He’s really passionate about the game.” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said he doesn’t expect too much of a drop-off in the threat Georgia’s offense poses to the Irish defense either, praising Fromm’s poise. “I really like Jake Fromm,”
Kelly said Tuesday. “You know, I think everybody says, well, he’s a freshman, and you know, he’s only had a couple of snaps. But look, I’m not an expert, but you know, I’ve been in this game a while, and he’s got a presence about him, and he’s very comfortable running the Georgia offense. So we go into this game expecting a guy very capable, in Jake, running their offense and doing the things necessary to be successful.” Fortunately for Fromm, he’ll have plenty of help around him to run that offense. Regardless of who’s under center, the Bulldogs’ gameplan starts with their senior backfield tandem of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. They are the only active duo in the FBS to each have over 2,000 yards rushing in their careers, and they both rank in the top15 among active FBS backs in rushing yards.
“Offensively, I think you clearly get the sense that this is, you know, a Georgia team that wants to feature two outstanding backs, Sony Michel and Nick Chubb,” Kelly said Tuesday. “They are elite backs. I mean you’re going to see two guys that will be NFL players and have great careers.” “Yeah, I mean, obviously I think it’s something as you study film throughout the week, you see the different styles, how they approach the line of scrimmage, the moves they’re making in space, is he a speed-to-power guy, is he moving laterally,” Senior linebacker Drue Tranquill said Wednesday of the preparation for the tandem. “So that’s kind of stuff that you study on your own and have in your own back pocket. “I think we’re more concerned with personnel
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groupings and not so much as is Chubb on the field versus Michel. I think they’re both great backs, and I think whoever is in, we’re going to have to bring a great sense of physicality and understanding to our play.” And that’s why the Irish know they have to stop the proven talent the tandem brings, Kelly said, and force an inexperienced quarterback to beat them in his first start and in a hostile environment. “Make them win the game. Put the pressure on [Fromm],” Kelly said Tuesday of the keys to the game. “ … I think he’s a good quarterback. So we got to defend him, and we got two really good backs [to stop]. So we know we’ve got a challenge when it comes to that.” Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu
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ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, September 8, 2017 | The Observer
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MICHELLE MEHALES | The Observer
The right side of the Irish offensive line blocks Temple defenders during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over the Owls on Saturday.
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Irish sophomore wide receiver Chase Claypool lines up at the line of scrimmage during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over Temple on Saturday. Claypool had one reception for 16 yards in the contest.
MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer
Irish junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush plants his foot and turns upfield during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over Temple on Saturday.
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Members of the Irish defense tackle Temple redshirt junior running back David Hood during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win Saturday. The Irish held the Owls to 85 yards rushing.
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Irish junior running back Josh Adams carries the ball in Notre Dame’s win over Temple on Saturday. Adams scored two touchdowns on the day, one coming in the first 33 seconds.
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Junior running back Josh Adams takes the ball upfield during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over Temple on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. Adams rushed for 161 yards.
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The observer | FRIDAY, September 8, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
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MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Irish senior linebacker Nyles Morgan, left, attempts to bring down a Temple ball carrier during Notre Dame’s 49-16 victory over the Owls on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. Morgan led the Irish with eight total tackles and also had one tackle for loss. The Irish defense combined for three sacks and one forced fumble in the contest.
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Junior defensive lineman Jerry Tillery brings down a Temple ball carrier during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over the Owls on Saturday.
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Irish junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush fakes a handoff during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over Temple on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. Wimbush rushed for 106 yards and one touchdown in the game.
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Irish sophomore safety Jalen Elliott celebrates after a play during Notre Dame’s 49-16 victory over Temple on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish secondary allowed 245 yards of passing to the Owls.
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Junior running back Dexter Williams breaks away from the Owls defense during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over Temple on Saturday.