Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2019 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 149 1. 49-14 vs. USC, 2017 — Notre Dame had a number of big wins during its 10-3 campaign in 2017, but none was more impressive than its 49-14 romp against rival USC, and the 2014 class played a major role. Quenton Nelson, Alex Bars and Sam Mustipher fueled an offensive line that paved the way for 377 yards on the ground and five rushing touchdowns. Rover Drue Tranquill recorded seven tackles, and his second-quarter fumble recov - ery of a Tyler Newsome punt set up a touchdown. Defensive linemen Jay Hayes, Jonathan Bonner and Andrew Trumbetti, and line- backer Nyles Morgan, were part of a front seven that limited USC to just 76 rushing yards. Cornerback Nick Watkins picked off Sam Darnold during a brilliant first half by the Irish defense. 2. 38-17 vs. Stanford, 2018 — Stanford came into its 2018 matchup owning a 6-2 record against Brian Kelly teams, and the Irish coach's two wins were by a combined 10 points. That made the three-touchdown whipping of the Cardinal that much sweeter. Bars and Mustipher led a ground attack that racked up 272 yards, and the team's 38 points and 550 yards of offense were highs against Stanford under Kelly. Tranquill registered a tackle for loss and shut down Stanford tight end Kaden Smith, who caught just one pass. Bonner earned his best-ever Pro Football Focus single-game grade, and tight end Nic Weishar hauled in a 6-yard touchdown. 3. 38-18 at Michigan State, 2017 — Michigan State won 10 games in 2017, and its defense ranked second nationally in rushing yards allowed. Plus, during the game the Irish lost their top two backs to injury. That didn't stop Notre Dame from racking up 182 rushing yards in a 38-18 road vic - tory over the Spartans. Fueled by Nelson, Mustipher and Bars, the offensive line dominated. Morgan led the defense with nine tackles, linebacker Greer Martini had a crucial forced fumble that set up an Irish touchdown and Tranquill had six stops. 4. 35-14 vs. NC State, 2017 — The 2017 matchup between the Irish and Wolfpack was one of power vs. power — the Irish offensive line against a stout unit ranked sixth nationally in run defense. All four starting NC State defensive linemen went on to be drafted in the first four rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft, including No. 5 overall pick Bradley Chubb at end. None of that mattered, and the Nelson, Bars and Mustipher-led line thrashed the Wolfpack, grinding out 318 yards on the ground in the 35-14 win. 5. 21-17 vs. LSU, 2017 —Notre Dame's come-from-behind Citrus Bowl victory at the end of 2017 sent the Irish into the offseason with confidence, helping to fuel the 12-1 campaign that ensued the next year. The 2014 signees played a major role in the 21-17 win. Nelson, Bars and Mustipher battled hard against the talented LSU front seven, and the class' defenders combined for 32 tackles. Punter Tyler Newsome averaged 46 yards on his four punts, helping the Irish win the field position battle. 1. DRUE TRANQUILL VS. SYRACUSE, 2018 Notre Dame traveled to Yankee Stadium for a Nov. 17, 2018 matchup against a Syracuse team that had an 8-2 record and an offense that was scoring 44.4 points per game. The Fighting Irish defense dominated in a 36-3 win, and fifth-year senior linebacker Drue Tranquill was a driving force. Notre Dame held Syracuse 97 yards below its season rushing average in part be- cause of Tranquill's seven tackles, five run stops and 2.5 tackles for loss. Tranquill added two sacks and another quarterback pressure, and the Orange offense did not com- plete a pass against him. That victory was an impressive step toward a 12-0 r e g u l a r s e a s o n a n d a t r i p t o the College Football Playoff, and it was Tranquill's big- gest performance of so many good ones. 2. DeShone Kizer vs. Syracuse, 2016 Lost amid the horrid 2016 season (4-8) was the best performance of quarterback DeShone Kizer's career. During a 50-33 win over Syracuse, Kizer threw for a career-high 471 yards and accounted for four touchdowns. Kizer got to work quickly, hitting wideout Equanimeous St. Brown for a 79-yard touchdown on the first play of the game. He and St. Brown connected for a 67-yard score on Notre Dame's next possession, and his 54-yard third-quarter touchdown strike to wide receiver Kevin Stepherson broke the game open. 3. DeShone Kizer vs. Pittsburgh, 2015 Kizer's most precise game came during a 42-30 road win at Pittsburgh in 2015, a victory that improved the Irish to 8-1. Kizer opened the game with a 47-yard TD strike to Will Fuller and threw two more first-half touchdowns to lead the Irish to a 21-3 halftime lead. The signal- caller and Fuller connected again for a score in the third quarter, and the QB capped Notre Dame's scoring with a one-yard touchdown run. The sophomore finished the game 19-of-26 passing for 262 yards and a career- best five touchdown passes. 4. Nyles Morgan vs. Miami (Fla.), 2016 Notre Dame didn't win much in 2016, but its victory over Miami was the biggest. The Irish earned that 30-27 conquest thanks in part to a defense that limited to the Hurricanes to just 18 rushing yards. Mike linebacker Nyles Morgan was a prime figure in that domi- nance, finishing the game with eight tackles and setting career highs with three tackles for loss and two sacks. 5. Drue Tranquill vs. LSU, 2017 The Fighting Irish capped the 2017 turnaround with a thrilling 21-17 victory over LSU in the Citrus Bowl. Notre Dame's offense failed to score a touchdown in the first 52 minutes of the contest, but the defense — led by Tranquill — kept the game close. He ended the game with 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, three run stops and two quarterback pressures. Final Grade: C Offensive lineman Quenton Nelson was an all-time great in a Notre Dame uni- form, and linebacker Drue Tranquill was one of the program's best leaders of the last two decades. Quarterback DeShone Kizer and punter Tyler Newsome made their marks on the Notre Dame all-time record books. Despite that success, overall the class of 2014 was a bit disappointing. Notre Dame received very little production from the non-quarterback skill positions. Top Five Individual Performances Of The 2014 Class Top Five Wins For The 2014 Class A three-star recruit, Drue Tranquill emerged as a three-year starter and two-time captain for the Irish. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA