Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1481361
22 OCT. 15, 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED TURNING POINT In a game that BYU bookended with a good start and a strong finish, it was a key sequence in between when momentum flipped, then flipped again, that ended up the most important 6 min- utes of the 28-20 Notre Dame win. Leading 10-6 in the second quarter, and with a chance to score more with a fourth-and-1 on the BYU 4-yard line, Notre Dame was snuffed for no gain and turned the ball over on downs. With the ball back and a fresh possession be- ginning at his own 4-yard line, BYU junior quar- terback Jaren Hall was sacked in the end zone by Irish senior linebacker Jack Kiser on his first offensive play that scored Notre Dame a two- point safety. That play gave the Irish a 12-6 lead, and it set up a 10-play, 79-yard touchdown drive off of the ensuing free kick that pushed the Irish lead to a cushier 18-6. STATS OF THE GAME The best way to illustrate the remarkable of- fensive balance that Notre Dame showed in the eight-point win over BYU is to pair it with what the Irish did in its 45-32 victory vs. North Carolina Sept. 24. Against BYU, the Irish piled up 234 rushing yards and 262 passing yards in a balanced and efficient showing that included 24 first downs, a 73-46 Irish edge in the number of plays run, and a 21-minute advantage in time of possession (40:55-19:05). This impressive offensive display came two weeks and one game after Notre Dame went for 287 rushing yards and 289 passing yards over the Tar Heels, with 35 first downs. Lump the two games together, and Notre Dame had 551 passing yards and 521 rushing yards in those consecutive victories, for a 51/49 pass-to- rush production ratio. WHAT TOOK SO LONG? Sticking with the theme of an improving Irish offense, a group of maligned Notre Dame wide receivers collectively enjoyed their best outing of the season against BYU. Paced by sophomores Jayden Thomas and Lo- renzo Styles — and on a night when junior tight end Michael Mayer stole the receiving headlines — Notre Dame still had four wideouts combine for 7 catches and 122 yards with 1 vital 30-yard touchdown catch from Thomas that gave the Irish an 18-6 halftime lead. The Notre Dame wide receivers entered the game with only 29 catches for 364 yards and 1 touchdown combined. The performance against BYU from this wideout unit wasn't jaw dropping, but it was encouraging. Notre Dame junior quarterback Drew Pyne con- nected with seven different receivers against BYU during his efficient 22-of-28, 262-yard, 3-touch- down day. THREE OBSERVATIONS BY TODD D. BURLAGE TIGHT END MICHAEL MAYER The junior had the most memorable and historical night of his fine career with 11 catches — a single-game record for a Notre Dame tight end — for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns. Mayer also left Sin City as the career reception leader at "Tight End U" with 146. Fittingly, Mayer broke Tyler Eifert's career reception mark on a 24-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter that gave the Irish a lead it never relinquished. RUNNING BACK AUDRIC ESTIME For the second straight game, the bruising but nimble sopho- more provided great balance to a solid Irish passing game. Estime went through, around and over BYU defenders on his way to 97 yards on 14 tries for an average of 6.9 yards per carry. His 46-yard run in the fourth quarter set up the field goal that extended the Irish's lead to 28-20. QUARTERBACK DREW PYNE The junior came off his fine performance in a 45-32 win over North Carolina Sept. 24, with another terrific outing against BYU. He finished 22-of-28 passing for 262 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, while improving to 3-0 as the Irish starter. Pyne helped Notre Dame to 3 touchdowns on 4 drives over the second and third quarters that sparked a 22-0 Irish scoring run. WIDE RECEIVER JAYDEN THOMAS Even Pyne looked surprised when the sophomore made a one- armed 30-yard circus touchdown catch late in the second quarter that gave the Irish an 18-6 halftime lead. The memorable first career scoring reception was part of a career night for Thomas that included 3 catches and 74 yards. DEFENSIVE TACKLE JAYSON ADEMILOLA Even on a night when Notre Dame did an adequate job col- lectively keeping the BYU offense uncomfortable, it was still hard to pass out many defensive game balls. But the fourth-down, fourth-quarter tackle by Ademilola ended a potential game-tying BYU drive at the Irish 27-yard line — the final offensive posses- sion for the Cougars — and preserved the 28-20 Irish win. GAME BALLS BY TODD D. BURLAGE Sophomore running back Audric Estime led the way for the Fighting Irish's strong rushing attack, carrying 14 times for 97 yards (6.9 yards per attempt). PHOTO BY DAVID BECKER