Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1165986
8 SEPT. 23, 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME The Offense Cannot Falter Again By Lou Somogyi No single unit — offense, defense or special teams — alone can achieve this win. With that said, the entire 2019 preseason has centered on whether the Notre Dame offense can ever produce at the prolific rates like the Clemsons, Alabamas and Oklahomas (44 to 48 points per game). Can senior quarterback Ian Book stretch defenses and remain composed in the pocket? Can the running backs supply an explosive threat? Can the receiver/tight end corps pick up huge yardage after the catch? The Fighting Irish posted a laudable 22-4 record in 2017-18, but against top-10 teams, or those that would finish there, the offense floundered most of the time. In the three 2017 defeats to Georgia (20-19), Miami (41-8) and Stanford (38-20) it averaged 15.7 points and often put the defense in bad spots. It also needed two fourth-quarter touchdowns, featuring sensational grabs by graduated wideout Miles Boykin, to edge LSU 21-17 in the Citrus Bowl. Last year in the College Football Playoff, the Irish managed three points against Clemson. Now add in that Notre Dame will be missing junior Jafar Armstrong at run- ning back and probably its top experienced deep threat in junior Michael Young, plus tight end Cole Kmet is coming back from a broken clavicle. Notre Dame does not need to score 40 points to win at Georgia, but on the road it will require a performance comparable to the one at No. 8 Oklahoma in 2012 (a 30-13 win) or at No. 2 Florida State in 2014 (a 31-27 defeat after a last-second Irish score was nullified by a controversial penalty). Defensive Stops Will Determine Outcome By Bryan Driskell It is easy to look at Notre Dame's 20-19 defeat at the hands of Georgia back in 2017 and wonder "what if" when it comes to the missed opportuni- ties by the Irish offense. The offense missed on late chances to score, but after it gave the Irish a 10-3 lead in the first quarter, the defense allowed Georgia to convert three third downs en route to a game-tying touchdown. After the offense gave Notre Dame a 16-10 lead in the third quarter, a personal foul by then sopho- more end Julian Okwara moved the chains on a third-and-16. Georgia ended that drive with a go-ahead touchdown. The offense once again put Notre Dame on top, this time by a 19-17 margin in the fourth quarter. But a 31-yard pass from then freshman quarterback Jake Fromm got the Bull- dogs into the red zone, and the drive ended with the game-winning field goal. Simply put, the Irish defense must make stops in this game, and they must be important. If the offense jumps out to a fast start, the defense must keep Georgia out of the end zone and allow the lead to build. If the Irish offense falters early, the defense must again keep Georgia out of the end zone long enough to give the offense time to get going. When you play on the road, coming up with big stops, especially early, can give the road team momentum and confidence. Forcing turnovers or punts in the fourth quarter, or making crucial third and fourth-down stops late in the game, will be essential to victory for Notre Dame. Point ✦ Counterpoint: WHICH SIDE OF THE BALL MUST EXCEL MORE FOR NOTRE DAME TO WIN AT NO. 3 GEORGIA? QB IAN BOOK DE JULIAN OKWARA Coming to Notre Dame out of high school in 2013 as a top-100 football recruit, Hunter Bivin never could have guessed his career path would lead him where he is today. An All-American offensive lineman out of Apollo High School in Owensboro, Ky., Bivin, now 25, held aspirations of someday playing in the NFL, not taking a job that helps others get there. But after finishing his Irish football career in 2017, Bivin took a job as the Notre Dame's direc- tor of football player development. His primary responsibility in that role is to help Irish football players navigate all the difficult challenges of be- ing a student-athlete at Notre Dame so that they can someday realize their NFL dream or another career choice when they graduate and move on. BGI: How would you describe your duties in this position? Bivin: "The way that I like to explain it is it's my job to help our guys sort of make sense of their lives as football student-athletes at Notre Dame and all that goes into that. "Basically, be a resource to help guide them through all of the stuff that goes into their lives off the field in trying to prepare them for a life of success after they're done here." BGI: What kinds of initiatives does that include? Bivin: "Be it from the academic pieces of it, to disciplinary issues, to getting them involved in the community, to character development initiatives, to leadership development, to career develop- ment — my position touches on every aspect of their lives while they're a student-athlete here." BGI: What inspired you to take this interesting career path? Bivin: "I heard a speech by Father Greg Doyle, and he spoke about giving back to the community and helping others, and using your platform and your experiences to make an influence on oth- ers' lives. "It was right there and then when it hit me. That's what I wanted to do." BGI: Why is this a good career fit for you? Bivin: "I've been through what these guys are up against. I have been there and done that. So through my experiences, I felt like I could really help people. "I can really help these guys overcome the times of adversity that they go through, that are always going to be there for football student- athletes at Notre Dame, as student-athletes in general. So here I am. They can't get rid of me." BGI: Is there one particular area of your job that requires more attention than maybe some others? Bivin: "I spend a lot of time with our freshmen when they first get here, making sure that their transition to Notre Dame is smooth, that they know where their classes are and that they're doing the right thing. "But most importantly, that they understand the standard under which we operate here at Notre Dame." — Todd D. Burlage Five Questions With … DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL PLAYER DEVELOPMENT HUNTER BIVIN Bivin, a former offensive lineman with the Irish, has continued to contribute to the program in an important player development role ever since his graduation in 2017. PHOTO COURTESY FIGHTING IRISH MEDIA