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The observer | FRIDAY, september 14, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
DOMINIQUE DeMOE and ANN CURTIS | The Observer
By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS Associate Sports Editor
A legacy, a transfer, a Clemson local and a recruit whose next-best offer finished at No. 8 in the ACC his senior season. You’d never know it looking at the cohesive unit that is the Notre Dame secondary, but they’re an eclectic group that have found their way onto the field in unique ways. Two games into the season, junior cornerbacks Julian Love and Troy Pride Jr., junior safety Alohi Gilman and senior safety Nick Coleman have distinguished themselves as key pieces to keeping Notre Dame’s postseason goals on track. Coleman is trying to make the most of his final year, and not just on the field. Coleman was engrossed in the Notre Dame community long before he enrolled in 2015. In addition to his father, who played one season for the Irish in 1983, Coleman was high school teammates with former Irish quarterback Malik Zaire, former Irish tight end Ben Suttman and current Irish senior receiver Chris Finke, who he calls his “best friend” — all of whom were on the team together at one point.
“I’m just trying to do all the typical Notre Dame stuff,” he said. Coleman also said he’s spent the past couple months exploring spots on campus he hadn’t spent much time at previously. “The last year is the time you just want to do everything you haven’t done,” he said. “We brought in like 20 new walkons, and I’ve tried to develop a relationship with them.” That same welcoming attitude has been a big part of the smooth transition for Gilman, a transfer from Navy. Having sat out the entirety of his sophomore year, Gilman made his Irish debut in showstopping fashion — starting against Michigan and leading the secondary with seven tackles. Gilman said he tries to focus on the little things and how he can contribute to the team. “Preparation, working on what we can do to prepare better than we did last week,” he said. “ … Focusing on the small things, the small details.” Gilman said heading into the the matchup against Vanderbilt, anything less than Notre Dame’s best focus isn’t acceptable. He’s expecting senior Commodore quarterback
EMMA FARNAN | The Observer
Irish senior cornerback Nick Coleman defends a receiver during Notre Dame’s 24-16 win over Ball State on Saturday at home.
Kyle Shurmer to pose a different challenge than they’ve faced so far. “[Ball State senior quarterback Riley Neal] was a little more mobile, able to get out of the pocket and make more plays,” he said. “We haven’t seen too much of that from Vanderbilt’s quarterback but [Shurmer’s] a lot more patient in the pocket and able to make some good throws.” Although Gilman certainly has the intensity needed to play at the level Notre Dame’s schedule demands, he also said it sometimes comes down to instincts. “We prepare enough,” he said. “When I’m out there it’s not as much thinking, I’m just out there.” Coleman said he understands the need to relax as well as he tries to energize the group in practice as they prepare to face the Commodores. “They’re a big, physical team,” he said of the chance to take on an SEC opponent. “We had that in Michigan and a little bit in Ball State. That’ll be fun to go up against some bigger guys. … Sometimes we can get kind of dull. Coach says kind of ‘fake it till we make it’ … I try to be encouraging, be that guy in everyone’s ear, trying to be the kick-starter.” Although Coleman is the only senior among the group, he has a lot of help shouldering the leadership responsibilities with Love and Pride Jr., both of whom have registered significant minutes since their freshman season. Pride Jr., also a standout sprinter for the Irish track team, grew up within an hour of Clemson University before shunning the heartland of the ACC for northern Indiana. Throughout his first two years, he played significant minutes, but only managed to start in seven games. However, following the season-ending ACL tear of senior cornerback Shaun Crawford, Pride Jr. is beginning to solidify his status as a starter. Crawford’s injury, suffered four days before the opening kickoff, shook the defense, especially these four defensive anchors. “Obviously when that tragic event happened it was just the ‘next man in’ mentality,” Coleman, who adopted
the nickelback position from Crawford, said. Coleman said he feels his versatility with also playing safety has better equipped him for the new responsibilities. “If you do have a break-down in a game, I feel like personally I can conceptualize what type of defense we’re running and what position I need to be in,” he said. Coleman came up big last week against Ball State, when the Irish showed up relatively flat after their marquee win, tipping a ball to junior safety Jalen Elliott, who would go on to earn the first two interceptions of his career against the Cardinals. Although the Irish managed to escape with the win, there was no mistaking the bad taste left in Notre Dame fans’ mouths. Perhaps none felt this sting of disappointment more than Love, a three-year starter from Westchester, Illinois, who said he was most frustrated with the approach the team took heading into the game, but was proud of how the unit responded. “Our mindset as a whole program … wasn’t in the right frame,” he said. “We overlooked Ball State and what
they could be. They were a solid team and they put up a good fight … I thought we handled adversity … [and the] defense stepped up and we played pretty well.” Coming out of high school, Love had nine other offers, but none of them finished within the top-50 in the S&P+ rankings his junior year. Throughout much of his recruitment, there was some doubt surrounding his size and how he would translate to the college game. Love proved the scouts wrong when he became a breakout star and one of the lone bright spots in Notre Dame’s 4-8 season his freshman year, as he finished ninth on the team in tackles. His calm demeanor has become a steady presence to this team, as players continue to adjust to new positions and responsibilities Though Coleman, Love, Gilman and Pride Jr. all have very different personalities and approaches to the game, together they give the unit experience and togetherness — two valuable traits as the Irish push for the Playoff. tant now, in the present.” Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu
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Irish look for special teams to make strides By CONNOR MULVENA Associate Sports Editor
Amid a tumultuous first two weeks of Notre Dame’s football season, with uncertainty prevalent and a number of questions still unanswered, perhaps no unit has encompassed this more than the Irish special teams. The ups and downs began Week 1 when, despite claiming an important victory against a Michigan team that was expected by many to make a statement this season, Notre Dame especially struggled on kickoffs. After sophomore kicker Jonathan Doerer had already sent one out-of-bounds on a kickoff in the first quarter, Doerer sent one to Michigan’s Ambry Thomas, who received the ball at the 1-yard line and took it 99 yards to the house, cutting Notre Dame’s lead to 11. The Wolverines would go on to score again in the fourth quarter, giving Michigan a chance, thanks in large part to the kickoff-return touchdown. “I don’t want to use Justin Yoon,” head coach Brian Kelly said after the win. “We needed to get [Doerer] right. Obviously he got in his own way, and he’s a talented player. You know, we needed to go rescue him and get him out of the game. He wasn’t
throwing strikes. But he’s going back in, and he’s going to kick off and he’s going to get it right. He’s a talented player, and he’s committed to doing it, so he’ll be back out there.” But Kelly also pointed out the positive of the special teams performance against Michigan. Senior kicker Justin Yoon did his part, as he nailed a 48-yard field goal to extend Notre Dame’s lead in the third quarter. Irish junior wide receiver Chase Claypool also played a big role, which was highlighted by a clutch tackle after a punt from graduate student punter Tyler Newsome that forced Michigan to start from within its own 10yard line. “I think what we can do better, you know, obviously, from our standpoint, as we continue to grow the attention to detail on special teams,” Kelly said postgame. “We have guys that are anxious and need to just continue to just focus on our process and relax and just have an attention to detail. There’s certainly a lot of really good players on that group, but the attention to detail is not where it needs to be. So we’ve got to be better there.” Against Ball State, the Irish had much of the same. Doerer sent another kickoff out of bounds, and Yoon
uncharacteristically missed a 43-yard field goal in the second quarter, but later bounced back, making a 46-yarder in the third quarter, which placed him in the fourth spot on Notre Dame’s alltime scoring list, tied with former Notre Dame running back and current Irish running back coach Autry Denson. Justin Yoon said the scoring record has crossed his mind as a result of the media attention he has gotten, but ultimately, he remains focused on his own task week by week. “Well, I mean obviously, a lot of people have been giving me all of that attention and talking about the whole record and what not,” Yoon said. “And it does come to my mind, but I think the biggest thing for me is regrouping myself and focusing on this next game, because when you think about those kind of things, it leads you to other thoughts and other things that you shouldn’t be doing, in a sense. So I think my biggest thing for this upcoming weekend is just making sure I focus. Just focus on my task at hand and making sure that the coaches can depend on me — that’s the biggest thing.” Freshman running back C’Bo Flemister, who got the opportunity to return three kicks against Ball State, was another bright spot on special teams against Paid Advertisement
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Irish senior kicker Justin Yoon prepares to kickoff during Notre Dame’s 24-17 win over Michigan on Sept. 1 at Notre Dame Stadium.
the Cardinals. “[C’Bo Flemister] didn’t have a resume really, quite honestly. We were just trying to look for guys that we felt like had shown some things in camp in the first week or so that had pretty good vision, could hit some things,” Kelly said. “Again, he’s still learning. He missed a cut that he saw on film this week. I still think we’re evolving at that position, as well.” Ultimately, although Notre
Dame’s special teams has struggled, coach Kelly and his staff feel they have an understanding of the issue and a confidence in the outline of the unit’s goals. With veteran leaders like Yoon and Newsome, along with bright young talents like C’Bo Flemister, the Irish will look to develop some consistency in performance. Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu
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HEAD T
2:30 p.m. ET | Notre Dame Stadium EMMA FARNAN | The Observer
COMMODORES PASSING Behind senior quarterback Kyle Shurmur under center, the Commodores are in good shape offesively. The son of an NFL head coach, Shurmur is in his fourth season as Vanderbilt’s starting quarterback and has done a fantastic job at the position, averaging 214 yards over the last t wo games and 235 yards throughout the 2017 season. However, the Irish defense is also a force to be reckoned w ith, prov ing itself against both Michigan and Ball State. The defensive line is deep and the secondar y has made progress, especially in the safet y position, as junior Jalen Elliott recorded the position’s first interception in a year last week and added a second for good measure. This is a matchup of strength vs. strength between both teams and may be a deciding factor in the outcome, as both teams appear evenly matched in this area of the game. EDGE: EVEN COMMODORES RUSHING With all-time leading rusher Ralph Webb gone, the Commodores w ill aim to spread around the touches to replace his production. Ke’Shaw n Vaughn, a transfer from Illinois who has rushed for 130 yards and two touchdow ns this season, is set to be the home-run hitter for the Commodores and should be supplemented by a trio of supporting backs to wear dow n the opposing defense. However, Notre Dame has been stout against the run in its first t wo games, limiting opponents to 2.84 yards per carr y. Notre Dame had a bit of trouble setting the edge against Ball State, but if they can contain and funnel ever y thing inside to limit the big play, senior linebacker Te’von Coney and the Irish run defense should hold the advantage. EDGE: NOTRE DAME COMMODORES OFFENSIVE COACHING It’s hard to draw any definitive conclusions about the Commodore offense this early in the season w ith their only opponents being Middle Tennessee
Vanderbilt
EMMA FARNAN | The Observer
and Nevada, but they’ve certainly made a show of those t wo matchups, something Notre Dame can’t say so confidently. Offensive coordinator Andy Ludw ig has built a program that’s managed to consistently post 20-plus-point performances against an SEC schedule, so they certainly won’t be intimidated by the Irish. The Commodores have show n a relatively balanced offensive scheme so far, but Irish defensive coordinator Clark Lea and his veteran squad should be prepared for whatever looks are throw n their direction, hav ing already held both Michigan and Ball State to under 20 points. EDGE: NOTRE DAME COMMODORES SPECIAL TEAM Both squads struggle on special teams in this matchup. Vanderbilt’s special teams statistics from last season are less than encouraging. The Commodores were last in the SEC in average field position and No. 128 in special teams in the FEI rating. Sophomore running back Jamauri Wakefield w ill be back returning for the Commodores this year, and although he has show n some stretches of promise, overall he hasn’t been a reliable force. A ll of this said, Notre Dame has looked no better this season on kickoffs, hav ing already given up one for a touchdow n against Michigan. As far as special teams go, it appears this matchup w ill go to whichever team can limit the mistakes. It’s weakness vs. weakness, so consider it a draw. EDGE: EVEN
WR
(Jr.) Kalija Lipscomb 16 (Fr.) C.J. Bolar 83
LT LG C RG RT TE
(Sr.) Justin Skule 58 (R-Sr.) Khari
Blasingame
23
(Sr.) Kyle Shurmur
14
5
(R-Jr.) Ke’Shawn Vaughn
(R-So.) Mo Hasan 18
(R-Jr.) Jaire
George
27 43
(R-Fr.) Josh Higgs
(R-Jr.) Jared Southers 71
RB QB FB
(So.) Cole Clemens
74
(Jr.) Saige Young 56
(R-Sr.) EJ DellaRipa 76 (R-Fr.) Grant Miller 63
(R-Sr.) Bruno Reagan 61 (R-So.) Sean McMoore 50
(R-So.) Devin Cochran 77 (R-Fr.) Bryce Bailey
78
(R-Jr.) Jared Pickney 80 (Sr.) Sam Dobbs 84
(So.) Chris
Pierce
WR
19
(R-Sr.) Trey Ellis 36
(Sr.) Donovan Sheffield 21 (So.) Randall Haynie 4
(So.) Tae Daley 3 (R-So.) Zaire Jones
6
FS
(R-Sr.) Charles Wright 11 (R-So.) Kenny Hebert 42
(R-Fr.) Colin Anderson 18 (R-Fr.) Brayden DeVault-Smith 12
(Sr.) Jordan Griffin 40 (R-Fr.) Dimitri Moore 7
CB
OLB DE NOSE DT
(So.) Dayo Odeyingbo 10
ILB ILB
(R-Sr.) Louis Vecchio 29
(R-So.) Cameron Tidd
90
(R-So.) Drew Birchmeier 91
(Sr.) Dare Odeyingbo 34 (R-Fr.) Rutger Reitmaier 94
(Sr.) Josh Smith 25 (Sr.) Ladarius Wiley 5
(Jr.) Gil Barksdale 38
(R-Fr.) JMichael Owusu 88
SS
OLB
(Jr.) Joejuan Williams 8
(R-Sr.) Alim Muhammad 31
CB
COMMODORES SCHEDULE (2-0) Sept. 1 Middle Tennessee (W 35-7) Sept. 8 Nevada (W 41-10) Sept. 15 @ Notre Dame Sept. 22 South Carolina Sept. 29 Tennessee State Oct. 6 @Georgia Oct. 13 Florida Oct. 20 @Kentucky Oct. 27 @Arkansas Nov. 10 @Missouri Nov. 13 Ole Miss Nov. 24 Tennessee
(Jr.) Ryley Guay 98 (Fr.) Javan Rice 39
(R-Sr.) Parker Thome 93 (Fr.) Harrison Smith 95
(R-Sr.) Trey
Ellis
36
(Jr.) Kalija Lipscomb 16
PK P PR
(R-Sr.) Parker Thome 93 (Fr.) Harrison Smith 95
(R-So.) Jamauri Wakefield 32
Tobias Hoonhout
Elizabeth Greason
Joe Everett
Managing Editor
Assistant Managing Editor
Sports Editor
There’s no denying the Irish were sleeping this past weekend. And it nearly cost them. While beating Ball State by eight points doesn’t look good on the resume, Notre Dame fans can hope that Brian Kelly will have the team fully awake for Saturday. Unlike the Cardinals, the Commodores have experience pulling off major upsets on the road — only two years ago, Derek Mason and Co. went to Georgia and pulled off a stunner in Athens, Ga. Ultimately, I think it may be close, but this is still Notre Dame’s game to lose. The Irish can and should bounce back against a team that may have a good quarterback and a lot of upperclassmen, but still not enough pieces to handle Notre Dame’s depth. FINAL: Notre Dame 21, Vanderbilt 10
Is week three too early in the season to be saying I really don’t know what to expect from the Irish this weekend? Over the past two weeks, Notre Dame has essentially shown us two completely different football teams, so therefore we could see two very different outcomes to the game. However, Brian Kelly is convinced he has the recipe for success this week: “intentional preparation,” which I think is code for “do not underestimate your opponent.” The Irish won’t make that mistake again and will be well prepared for the Commodores. That being said, Vanderbilt will give Notre Dame a run for its money, especially with its strong offense. However, if Brandon Wimbush can continue his passing success and find his groove on the run again and the Irish O-line can handle itself better than it did last week, Notre Dame should be able to return to more of its week-one self. FINAL: Notre Dame 31, Vanderbilt 24
(R-Jr.) Josh Crawford
(R-So.) Tommy
Schiager
6
47
(Fr.) Zach Drevno 49
H KR LS
Over its first two home games, Notre Dame football has given fans a big, exciting win over rival Michigan under the lights, quickly followed up by a dreary performance in week two against Ball State. In its third-straight home game, which Notre Dame team will we see? I think we’ll see a performance somewhere in the middle. Not dominant, but the Irish will take care of business. Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason mentioned in July that he “[doesn’t] worry about going to South Bend,” and I think that motivates the Irish to play well against another SEC foe. While Commodore quarterback Kyle Shurmer is legit and is surrounded by weapons on offense, I think the Notre Dame defense will again make enough plays when it needs to do so. Wimbush makes fewer mistakes, and the Irish as a whole have a bounce-back performance. FINAL: Notre Dame 34, Vanderbilt 20
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O HEAD on NBC
Notre Dame
ZACHARY YIM | The Observer
EMMA FARNAN | The Observer
IRISH PASSING
CB
8 Donte Vaughn (Jr.)
BUCK DE DT DT DE
23
Drue Tranquill (Gr.)
2 Jordan Genmark Heath (So.)
WR WR RT RG C LG LT TE WR
H KR LS
FS
Khalid Kareem (Jr.) 91
53
Adetokunbo Ogundeji (Jr.)
Jonathan Bonner (Gr.)
55
41 Kurt Hinish (So.)
99
Jerry Tillery (Sr.)
9
Daelin Hayes (Jr.)
MLB
4
11
Alohi Gilman (Jr.)
14 Devin Studstill (So.)
Te’von Coney (Sr.)
45 Jonathan Jones (Jr.)
57 Jayson Ademilola (Fr.)
SS
42 Julian Okwara (Jr.)
Rover CB
W hile senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush registered a career-high w ith 297 passing yards against Ball State, he also threw three interceptions and had trouble consistently sustaining drives through the air. Talent-w ise, Notre Dame seems to have the edge in this matchup, as the trio of receivers — sophomore Chase Clay pool and seniors Miles Boykin and Chris Finke — in addition to the deep core of tight ends led by senior A lize Mack all present various matchup problems, but the unit is still working through grow ing pains, and inconsistent play at quarterback and offensive line has hurt the potential of this unit thus far. Vanderbilt has a couple studs in its secondar y in junior cornerback Joejuan Williams and fifth-year safet y LaDarius Wiley, who led the team w ith 88 tack les last season. Until there’s consistency from the Irish passing attack, the matchup could sw ing either way, so this should be considered a draw. EDGE: EVEN
Julian Love (Jr.)
27
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.)
18 Joe Wilkins (Fr.)
Robert Hainsey (So.)
72
69 Aaron Banks (So.)
Tommy Kraemer (Jr.)
78
75 Josh Lugg (So.)
53
Sam Mustipher (Gr.)
57 Trevor Ruhland (Sr.)
RB QB
8
IRISH RUSHING
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.)
82 Nic Weishar (R-Sr.)
81
Miles Boykin (Sr.)
88 Javon McKinley (Jr.)
Ian Book (Jr.)
12
85 Tyler Newsome (Gr.)
8
Jafar Armstrong (So.)
6 Tony Jones Jr. (Jr.)
54
John Shannon (Jr.)
82 Nic Weisher (R-Sr.)
PK P PR
19
Justin Yoon (Sr.)
39 Jonathan Doerer (So.)
85
Tyler Newsome (Gr.)
42 Jeff Riney (Sr.)
10
Chris Finke (Sr.)
11 Alohi Gilman (Jr.)
Notre Dame vs. Temple
This Notre Dame team, especially w ith Wimbush at quarterback, has always know n its strength lies in the run game, and that hasn’t changed through t wo games. With their lone fumble — coming last week against Ball State — being quick ly recovered, compared to the four interceptions Wimbush has throw n on the season, there’s certainly more securit y for the Irish in keeping the ball out of the air. A lthough Wimbush can create out of the pocket, and junior Tony Jones, Jr., and sophomore Jafar Armstrong have consistently run the ball well, totaling just over 100 yards each on the season, none of them are yet to have a breakout performance. However, against a relatively untested Vanderbilt defensive line that’s allowed 5.18 yards per carr y, this could be the game for these three to make a statement and run the Commodores out of Notre Dame Stadium. EDGE: NOTRE DAME
Charlotte Edmonds
Connor Mulvena
Associate Sports Editor
Associate Sports Editor
Third time’s the charm, right? Last week I lowballed my prediction (although apparently not enough), but this week I’m back on the bandwagon, convinced Brandon Wimbush and company have learned from last week’s disaster. That said, I still have my doubts about this team’s ability to finish off a game. As the Irish complete their three-game home start against the Commodores, a team that’s had success running the ball, the defense can’t be caught sleeping like they were against Ball State. Wimbush’s poor decision making certainly contributed to the too-close-for-comfort outcome, but there’s no denying the ease with which the Cardinals moved the ball downfield. With playoff goals always looming in the distance, this is the chance for the Irish to make a statement against a team that will soon dive into the trenches of SEC play. FINAL: Notre Dame 28, Vanderbilt 10
I’m lost at this point. With the Irish, we’ve seen so much go right where it could have gone wrong (Michigan), and so much go wrong when it should have gone right (Ball State). On paper, it’s clear this matchup goes to the Irish. But I simply don’t know if we’ll see a top-10 Notre Dame team contending for a playoff spot, or a confused, unorganized effort on par with St. Joseph’s JV team (no offense, go Indians!). My optimistic side tells me last week’s performance was an anomaly, and even more, a humbling experience for a team that was written into the playoff by virtually every ESPN writer after week one. But my other side tells me week one was the anomaly, that the bright lights of prime time gave the Irish a fire which an afternoon contest against Vanderbilt simply won’t offer. But it’s been a good week with the Jets claiming a week-one victory, so I’m going optimistic. FINAL: Notre Dame 42, Vanderbilt 14
IRISH OFFENSIVE COACHING W hereas Chip Long and Co. seemed to masterfully outcoach Jim Harbaugh and his staff in week one, the Irish offense looked da zed, confused and out-of-order against a far inferior Ball State defense in week t wo. Of course, much of this drop off is a result of indiv idual play on offense, but Long surely takes blame as well. If the Chip Long and staff of week one come out w ith that week-one fire, they should have no problem handling a Vanderbilt defense that ranked No. 67 in the S &P+ last year. There is no doubt the Irish have the personnel to outplay and outcoach this Vanderbilt defense, and so long as last week was a dev iation from the standard, the Irish have a nice advantage here against new Vanderbilt coordinator Jason Tar ver. EDGE: NOTRE DAME IRISH SPECIAL TEAMS Notre Dame’s special teams play last weekend was a mixed bag at best. W hile freshman running back C’Bo Flemister f lashed abilit y on kickoff dut y, Finke’s comfortabilit y w ith fair catches on punt dut y gives the Irish a sure set of hands, but not the chance for big plays. The one concern remains kicker Justin Yoon’s abilit y to consistently deliver for the Irish. The senior missed his first field goal of the season against Ball State on Saturday, and has struggled to prove he can get back to his freshman season consistency, in which he finished 15-of-17 on the year. Consider this area of the field a draw. EDGE: EVEN
IRISH SCHEDULE (2-0) Sept. 1 Michigan (W 24-17) Sept. 8 Ball State (W 24-16) 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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Commodores will follow Shurmer’s lead By TOBIAS HOONHOUT Managing Editor
During the tenure of head coach James Franklin, Vanderbilt emerged as a program on the rise. After winning four games over two seasons, the Commodores righted the ship under Franklin, going to a bowl game for threestraight seasons and winning nine games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history. But with Franklin gone five seasons now and the Commodores (2-0) yet to finish with a winning record under head coach Derek Mason, the clock is ticking. At this time last year, things were looking good. Vanderbilt started 3-0, including a win over then-No. 18 Kansas State. Then the Commodores ran into an Alabama team that dominated in a 59-0 victory. That’s why Saturday’s matchup with the Irish might be the biggest game in Mason’s tenure so far — the statement win to mark a statement season. The former Stanford assistant caused a stir in July, when at SEC Media Day he declared the Commodores “don’t worry about going to South Bend.” But while Vanderbilt may be the underdog, the pieces are in place for a
potentially historic win. “We have an SEC opponent coming into town, good personnel,” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday on facing the Commodores. “Physical, good quarterback. [Kyle] Shurmur has done a nice job. Defensive structure is really solid, sound.” As a four-year starter in the SEC, Kyle Shurmer certainly has been in high-pressure situations on the road before. The senior threw for almost 3,000 yards and a programrecord 26 touchdowns last season. This season, the Commodores have dominated in their first two games against Middle Tennessee State and Nevada, respectively, outscoring both by a combined 76-17. “A couple things, first of all, the cohesiveness of the offensive line, a group that’s played together. I don’t think you can ever feel like a good offensive line that plays together is not a strength of your team. I think that stands out to me,” Kelly said of Vanderbilt’s strengths on offense. “The other notes that I took down with Kyle, plays a lot of snaps in the SEC. He’s a guy that’s going to come in here with a lot of confidence. This entire team will. They played in a lot of tough locations.” To complement Shurmur, the Commodores utilize a platoon in
the backfield, as well as two main threats through the air in junior wide receiver Kalija Lipscomb and redshirt junior tight end Jared Pinkney “The three backs, I think [redshirt junior] Ke’shawn Vaughn, the transfer, he does a lot of really good things. Can catch the ball coming out of the backfield, really an outstanding back,” Kelly said. “ ... The tight end I think is a pro prospect. Pinkney is a guy that Shurmur looks for, and Lipscomb, the wide receiver, those are two guys in particular. Lipscomb is shifty, maybe he’s not a burner, but he routes and runs extremely well. He goes and gets the football.” Defensively, the announcement of the return of sophomore safety Zaire Jones after sitting out the start of the year with a twogame suspension is a major boost for a unit that has excelled in two games against weaker opposition. Vanderbilt has yet to face a quarterback with dynamic ability like Brandon Wimbush’s, something the Commodores have been focused on stopping this past week in practice. “He’s a little bit of both [running and throwing],” Vanderbilt redshirt senior linebacker Charles Wright said on the playmaking ability of Wimbush. “There are times he’s running out the pocket Paid Advertisement
downfield, and times he’s running out of the pocket looking to make a play. You’ve got to be prepared for both. We’re excited to play him.” Ultimately, Mason and Vanderbilt are hoping their experience and momentum carry over into a special performance. “We feel like this is the game that our fan base, our guys have been looking [forward to],” Mason said
Tuesday. “Game three was circled on the calendar when we came into the season, but you had to go get through game one and game two to get to game three, so here we are. A great challenge in front of us, I know our guys do as well. Let’s get ready to anchor down.” Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu
ZACHARY YIM | The Observer
Irish senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush looks downfield during Notre Dame’s 24-16 win over Ball State at home on Sept. 8.
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recruiting
7
commentary
ND hoping for strong final Irish must play well for each opponent recruiting stretch By JOE EVERETT Sports Editor
Notre Dame is one step closer to completing its 2019 class after athlete Kendall Abdur-Rahman announced his commitment on Sunday. The four-star prospect, according to 247Sports, has played quarterback in high school but will play wide receiver at Notre Dame. Dave McKinney, recruiting analyst for Blue and Gold Illustrated, talked about the newest member of the 2019 class and explained that the position switch will take full advantage of Abdul Rahman’s skillset. “That’s the 18th commitment [to the class], so spots are really starting to come at a premium,” McKinney said. “He was a guy we always thought was going to end up in the class. Notre Dame was the leader coming into his official visit for the Michigan game, and obviously they wrapped it up after that.” “ … He’s speedy and versatile. He plays quarterback in high school — Notre Dame’s taking him as a wide receiver — but he’s an athlete that can
play a lot of different positions. The versatility is what stood out about him to the coaches, and also his speed and the ability to make people miss and get to the second level of the defense. His high school coach told me recently that he’s the best player he’s ever coached with the ball in his hands, so he’s a playmaker who can make people miss.” With just a couple of spots remaining in the 2019 class due to scholarship limitations, McKinney spoke about which final members the Irish are looking to add to their 2019 class, which is currently ranked No. 13 in the country, according to 247Sports. “Guys like defensive end Bralen Trice, who has Notre Dame in his final three with Washington and Oregon — that’s a guy they really want,” McKinney said. “Offensive linemen Walter Rouse and Enokk Vimahi were both in town for the Michigan game. They’re still pushing for both those guys, but they definitely want at least one of them … but yes, they’re definitely filling up the class here
early.” While the Irish will aim to continue to attract high talent to campus for official visits, Notre Dame’s matchup against SEC opponent Vanderbilt will be the second quiet weekend in a row in terms of official visits by recruits, McKinney said. “It’s one of those smaller weekends — not a lot of guys,” he said. Finally, McKinney discussed the potential impact of the Ball State game and whether or not it could have any effect on recruiting, given the unexpectedly close game the Irish played against the Cardinals. “I don’t think there was much of an impact,” McKinney said. “Obviously they didn’t look fantastic against a team like Ball State that you expect they would blow out, but I think in the grand scheme of things that won’t be remembered … and won’t have an impact on recruiting, especially with the momentum they picked up in the Michigan win.” Contact Joe Everett at everet4@nd.edu
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Irish graduate student linebacker Drue Tranquill forces a Michigan running back out of bounds during Notre Dame’s 24-17 win over the Wolverines on Sept. 1 at Notre Dame Stadium.
Elizabeth Greason Assistant Managing Editor
A lot of the time while watching Notre Dame sports — football in particular — I want to pull an Edna Mode from “The Incredibles” and yell “Pull yourself together” in very close range of a player, coach or team. Watching the Irish (2-0) play Ball State last weekend took that sentiment to an extreme, though. My complaint comes in here: The Irish consistently play to the level of their competition. That’s what happened in Week 1 — the Irish, who had been building up to their marquee matchup with archrival Michigan for eight months — nay, four years — came out fired up and ready. And that’s also what happened in Week 2 — the Irish, who were undoubtedly the better team, who undoubtedly possess superior talent and undoubtedly have access to resources that are a cut above those of Ball State (1-1), looked as if they were barely evenly matched with the Cardinals. Here’s the thing, though. It wasn’t an isolated incident. Games that should be blowouts simply never are when it comes to Notre Dame football. The game is never over; fans can never breathe easily. The opponent always has a chance to get back into the game because the Irish are incapable of putting teams away. I’m tired of watching Notre Dame play like a team that deserves to earn a berth in the College Football Playoff against some of the top teams in the country and then struggle to hold its own against teams that consider it an honor to even step foot in the hallowed ground that is Notre Dame Stadium. It is time for the Irish to step up to the plate on a weekly basis. To, for lack of a better term, pull themselves together and hold themselves to the same high standard every week. I hate to compare Notre Dame to other universities, especially those in the SEC, but when was the last time you saw someone unexpected play Alabama close? Not recently. The talent differential between the Crimson Tide (2-0) and some of the teams it plays is equivalent to the Irish and the Cardinals, but the difference is, you don’t see Alabama coming out and underestimating its opponent. You don’t see Alabama coming off a big win and failing to
turn up the next week. Irish head coach Brian Kelly said last week’s lack of offensive performance was a result of poor or unintentional preparation on his part, and while I appreciate that he took the blame for once, I think he has it wrong. I’d like to encourage him to look back at the pattern of what happens when Notre Dame plays teams it is supposed to beat easily. Temple. Halloween, 2015. The Irish barely scraped out a 4-point win over the Owls — a team many expected them to easily defeat. And then, just two weeks later, Notre Dame took to Fenway Park — decked out in Kelly green from head to toe — to take on Boston College, and, again, barely managed a win against another team the squad was supposed to handily take down. It comes down to the fact that when Notre Dame expects itself to win, even in a borderline rivalry game like Boston College, it seems as if it cannot get enough adrenaline running through its veins to play like the unified front it presents itself as on other weeks. When Georgia came North of the Mason-Dixon line for the first time in decades, the Irish were ready for the battle it brought. The result did not turn out in Notre Dame’s favor, but the game was still a great one. Were there things Notre Dame could have done better? Sure. There always are. But, as a whole, Notre Dame showed up. The same can be said for the majority of Notre Dame’s premiere games (with the exception of its blowout loss to Miami (FL) last season). When it matters, the Irish show up. So, how come when it doesn’t matter anywhere near as much, that same level of passion and energy — and therefore success — is nowhere to be found? The bottom line is that each and every opponent deserves the same level of respect and preparation. Because a loss to a weak opponent will be far more detrimental in the long run to Notre Dame’s Playoff hopes than a win over the same team will be. So, before the Irish take the field against Vanderbilt this week, I’d just like to say one thing: “Pull yourself together.” Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu The opinions in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.