Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 29, 2018 23 PITT RUNNING GAME VS. NOTRE DAME RUN DEFENSE The running back tandem of senior Darrin Hall (nine carries for 62 yards) and fifth-year senior Qadree Ollison (16 carries for 50 yards and one touchdown) had a decent output between them with 112 yards and 4.5 yards per carry, but Pitt is overly reliant on the ground attack to carry the load. It entered the contest averaging 203.8 yards rushing per game (5.2 per carry), compared to 149.2 yards per game through the air. Thus, to net only 116 rushing yards (with just one sack) was significant in forcing the Panthers to rely on the pass more than they wanted. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame PITT PASSING GAME VS. NOTRE DAME PASS DEFENSE No stat was more misleading than Notre Dame's one sack, which came on junior end Khalid Ka- reem's 14-yard takedown of sophomore quarter- back Kenny Pickett on what would be Pitt's final drive, with the game on the line. Junior drop end Julian Okwara was "unblock- able" with his seven pass pressures while con- stantly putting Pickett under duress, as did the rest of his linemates without needing to blitz regularly, if at all. Only three of the 19 completions covered more than nine yards, and none more than 16. The Panthers' 30 pass attempts netted 126 yards, a paltry 4.2 yards per attempt, which is a so-so rushing average, never mind passing. The 19 completions averaged 6.6 yards. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME RUNNING GAME VS. PITT RUN DEFENSE This was a rendition of the 24-16 win versus Ball State when Notre Dame rushed for 117 yards and 2.9 yards per carry — except Pitt was more talented while limiting the Irish to 80 yards. Part of it was three sacks, but the game plan centered on taking away senior running back Dexter Williams (13 carries for 31 yards). Junior quarterback Ian Book (16 carries for 31 yards) had several designed running plays, but he might have bailed out of the pocket a little more than he would have wanted to. ADVANTAGE: Pitt NOTRE DAME PASSING GAME VS. PITT PASS DEFENSE For a defense to shut down one part of the attack, it generally must sacrifice another area. While Pitt smothering the run proved successful, the short pass- ing game with a steady diet of curls, digs or screens, often to senior wideout Chris Finke (six catches for 62 yards), quick sticks to senior tight end Alizé Mack (six catches for 31 yards) or open slants to junior wide receiver Chase Claypool (five catches for 61 yards and a score) compensated. Head coach Brian Kelly later admitted regret about not using the slant more often because of the way Pitt sold out on the run. Book completed 13 of 18 passes for 106 yards in the first half, and 13 of 14 for 158 yards in the second. The one crucial difference between the two halves was the 35-yard post for a touchdown to senior wide receiver Miles Boykin that was placed perfectly by Book for the game-winner. However, Pitt also must be credited with two crucial interceptions, three sacks and three hurries that stalled drives. ADVANTAGE: Even SPECIAL TEAMS Normally we'd give this to Notre Dame for two reasons. One, senior kicker Justin Yoon made both of his field-goal attempts, while Pitt redshirt sophomore Alex Kessman missed both of his. Two, the Irish smelled out and stopped a fake Pitt punt late in the game. However, both Pitt touchdowns resulted from Irish special teams snafus. An offside on a fourth-and-four punt kept Pitt's lone touchdown drive alive, and junior Maurice Ffrench's 99-yard kickoff return to open the second half extended the Panthers' lead to 14-6. ADVANTAGE: Pitt THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS On its opening series touchdown drive, Pitt converted two third downs, one on third-and-eight, but it finished only 4 of 12 (33.3 percent) overall and also failed on both fourth-down attempts (including a fake punt). Notre Dame was 7 of 15 (46.7 percent), most notably a 15-yard completion to Finke on third-and-six during its first touchdown drive, and then 12 yards to Boykin on third-and-five the play prior to the game-winning 35-yard score to Boykin. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame TURNOVERS Pitt had none, while Book's two interceptions occurred on first-down passes from the Pitt 48- and 24-yard lines. The good news is neither set up points for the Panthers, although they did stall Irish momentum. ADVANTAGE: Pitt ANALYSIS For all the conversation about the emergence of Book at quarterback and Williams at running back — well deserved as it is — the one constant during the 7-0 start has been a championship-caliber Fighting Irish defense that has been stout against the run and lethal with the pass rush and in coverage. The depth and consistency from the defense, with speed on the edges and physicality in the interior, came to the forefront again. It kept Pitt in check after the first series, while the offense was attempting to gain traction, which it did with two second-half touchdown drives that proved to be enough. All legitimate championship conversation usually begins with defense, and the Irish are bona fide in that area. ON PAPER REVISITED BY LOU SOMOGYI Pitt sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett was under constant duress from the Fighting Irish pass rush and managed only 126 passing yards on 30 throws (a meager 4.2 yards per attempt). PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA