Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/109499
out to be another bowl fiasco, a 41-9 loss to Oregon State in which the Irish finished with 17 yards on the ground — for a final total of 196.6. So technically, if one would include the 2000 bowl stats too, 1998 would be the last time Notre Dame actually accomplished the 200-yard rushing figure with both the regular season and bowl game included (208.1). Passing Offense: 71st (222.77) Notre Dame actually had more yards passing last season (252.62) with the oft-maligned Tommy Rees at quarterback. But a more productive running attack in 2012 balanced out the offense better. Whereas in 2011 the Irish often had to constantly pass in many a second half while playing catch-up, the 2012 edition that seldom trailed was able to run clock in the second half with its ground game. Total Offense: 54th (412.15) Last year Notre Dame was at exactly 413.0, with a little less balance. It was the first time since Lou Holtz's final two seasons in 1995 (419.9 yards per game) and 1996 (463.7) that Notre Dame eclipsed a 400-yard total offense average in back-to-back seasons. It didn't even occur in quarterback Brady Quinn's senior year in 2006 (389.77), when he was a top-five Heisman Trophy finalist. Scoring Offense: 78th (25.77) If there is one team stat that needs to be elevated the most in 2013, it is this one. A program that reaches the BCS title game generally should be averaging at least 30 points per game. Check out the scoring offense numbers for the teams that joined Notre Dame in the top six of the final Associated Press poll: Alabama (38.71), Oregon (49.54), Ohio State (37.17), Texas A&M (44.46) and Georgia (37.79). Head coach Brian Kelly will be entering his fourth year — his "senior" year — in 2013, and by then one should expect his system to be humming a little more and not leaving so many points on the field. Rushing Defense: 11th (105.69) This is virtually identical to the 105.6 figure of the only other 12-1 team in Notre Dame history, the 1989 unit led by nose guard Chris Zorich, linebacker Ned Bolcar and cornerback Todd Lyght. Alabama's 265-yard effort on the ground prevented the Irish from finishing in double figures (it was 92.4 prior to the bowl game) for the first time since 2004 (88.2). Pass Efficiency Defense: 16th (111.36 Rating) Notre Dame was 25th in most passing yards yielded per game (199.77), but the more telling stat is the efficiency, which includes yards per attempt and touchdown-to-interception ratio. This improved 42 spots from last year's No. 58 (129.28 rating) despite a secondary that lost all four starters