Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1044500
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 5, 2018 23 NAVY RUNNING GAME VS. NOTRE DAME RUN DEFENSE The Midshipmen entered the contest third nationally in rushing yards per game at 309.4 and finished with 292 on a robust 6.1 yards per carry. It is mis- leading data, however, because Navy managed only 70 rushing yards when the game was decided in the first half while Notre Dame built a 27-0 lead. The fullback dive and quarterback keeper were stymied in the triple option, especially limiting quarterback Garret Lewis to 13 yards on 11 carries and stopping Zach Abey (four carries for three yards) short of the first down on fourth-and-two from the Irish 28-yard line on Navy's initial series following an Irish turnover. Malcolm Perry (12 carries for 133 yards), who saw time at quarterback earlier this season before returning to slot back, provided a jump start in the second half with the option pitch, running for 58 yards on the first play after intermis- sion. Lanes also opened up for the fullbacks in the second half when Notre Dame went to more zone (which head coach Brian Kelly in hindsight believed was a mistake). Nevertheless, this outcome was decided in the first half. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame NAVY PASSING GAME VS. NOTRE DAME PASS DEFENSE Other than a 34-yard completion to Mychal Cooper in the second half, Navy was not a threat because the running game was mostly kept at bay, making play-action and the deep vertical shots through the air a non-factor. The Midshipmen completed only 4 of 12 passes for 52 yards, with junior safety Jalen Elliott picking off a pass on Navy's final series. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME RUNNING GAME VS. NAVY RUN DEFENSE New starting left guard Aaron Banks made a fine initial impression, and it was evident the Irish wanted to use this outing as a demo on establishing better rhythm, physicality and production after netting only 80 yards on the ground versus Pitt. Senior Dexter Williams (23 carries for 142 yards and three touchdowns) has become the clear centerpiece, but the return of sophomore Jafar Armstrong (nine carries for 52 yards and one TD) is equally vital for the stretch run. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME PASSING GAME VS. NAVY PASS DEFENSE A combination of junior quarterback Ian Book ranking eighth nationally in pass efficiency (first in completion percentage) and Navy coming in 112th in pass efficiency defense (among 129 teams) did not bode well for the Mids. With the Navy priority centered on not getting beat deep, much cushion was given against the bevy of pass catchers, making it mostly a short, pitch-and- catch show for Book (27 of 33 for 330 yards with two touchdowns and one interception) while spreading the wealth to nine different targets. Underrated was Book's maneuverability (six carries for 50 yards) against numerous blitzes and his consistency of extending the play, particularly on a 27- yard completion to Armstrong on third-and-10. The Book-to-Miles Boykin back shoulder toss also has become a bread-and-butter feature in the operation. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame SPECIAL TEAMS The highlight was sophomore Jonathan Doerer converting his lone field goal attempt (30 yards) in place of the injured Justin Yoon, especially after Doerer missed his initial extra point attempt. That had to be a crucial boost psychologically. Meanwhile, the mystery was why Navy repeatedly fair caught kickoffs (no returns on eight kickoffs) when the Irish had yielded two kickoff returns for scores this year. ADVANTAGE: Even THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS Navy's modus operandi is to maintain possession and kill clock. Thus, when it started 1 of 7 on third-down conversions — plus came up short on fourth-and- two at the Notre Dame 28 on its opening series — that provided the window for the Irish to take control, which they did with a 27-0 halftime advantage. Navy finished 2 of 12 (16.7 percent) on third down, while Notre Dame was 7 of 15 (46.7 percent) — and 3 of 3 on fourth down. Both touchdown passes to Boykin came on third down, the latter on third-and-seven. The second was set up by a perfectly placed 27-yard toss by Book to Armstrong on third-and-10. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame TURNOVERS Both teams had two apiece, with Book's lone interception toss resulting in a 39-yard Navy touchdown drive in two plays. Not taking advantage of Boykin's fumble — Navy recovered at the Irish 36-yard line on the game's first play — was crucial, though. Both Midshipmen turnovers came late after the Irish already led 44-22, so a slight edge to Navy for at least tallying after one turnover. ADVANTAGE: Navy ANALYSIS This is not a vintage Ken Niumatalolo Navy team, especially because of the lack of a dynamic running threat at quarterback like a Ricky Dobbs (2008-10), Keenan Reynolds (2012-15), or even Abey and Perry last year before shifting positions because of injury concerns or issues. The Midshipmen battled valiantly in the second half to make the final score (44-22) look respectable after trailing 27-0, but this contest was controlled from the outset by the Irish. Notre Dame's move to more zone defense in the second half was a bit baffling considering how dominant the more aggressive look in the first half was, and the absence of standout linebacker Drue Tranquill (high ankle sprain) after the second defensive series — and perhaps a tad of complacency — also might have played a part. In a nutshell, Notre Dame "Out-Navy-ed" the Midshipmen at their own game by playing at a methodical, effective pace on offense while getting off the field on third down with its defense. ON PAPER REVISITED BY LOU SOMOGYI The Fighting Irish did an especially good job shutting down the quarterback keeper in Navy's triple option attack, limiting the Midshipmen signal-callers to just 16 yards on 15 carries. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA