Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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22 NOV. 19, 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED TURNING POINT With Notre Dame leading 21-13 late in the sec- ond quarter, Navy had possession at its 28-yard line with an opportunity to drive for the tying score. However, on the first snap, Irish junior cornerback Clarence Lewis correctly diagnosed a trick play and flipped the momentum. The play was sold as an end-around before Navy junior slotback Kai Puailoa-Rojas pulled up and threw a pass intended for quarterback Xavier Arline down the right sideline. Lewis cov- ered about 30 yards, racing horizontally across the field, and intercepted the throw to snuff out what appeared be a certain touchdown for the Midshipmen. It was his first pick of the season and the second of his career. Three plays later, Notre Dame was in the end zone and up 28-13, after an 11-yard touchdown run from junior quarterback Drew Pyne. Navy's ensuing drive went three and out and then senior linebacker Jack Kiser blocked the Midshipmen's punt, setting up another Irish touchdown — a 37-yard reception by sophomore wideout Jayden Thomas — that turned a first-half tussle into a 35-13 lead at the intermission. STATS OF THE GAME The difference for the Notre Dame offensive production between the first and second halves became equal parts tense and head scratching after the Irish led by 22 points at halftime and seemed able to do whatever it wanted. The Fighting Irish tallied 335 total yards for the game, but only 12 total yards in the second half. Notre Dame also allowed 5 Navy sacks in the second half — after none in the first — which dragged the Irish rushing total down to a season- low 66 yards for the game and negative-23 yards in the second half. Notre Dame averaged only 1.9 yards per carry. These dismal rushing numbers came after Notre Dame had rushed for more than 200 yards in each of its three previous games. After connecting on 14 of 16 passes for 234 yards with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions in the first half, Pyne completed only 3 of 5 throws for 35 yards with 1 interception and no touch- downs in the second half. Sophomore tailback Audric Estime paced the Irish with 49 rushing yards on 8 carries. CATCH OF THE YEAR Irish graduate student Braden Lenzy — with a Navy defender glued to his chest — managed to pull in an underthrown pass by pinning it to his defender's back before securing it with one hand for a reception that will rate among the best in all of college football this season. The 38-yard touchdown reception gave Notre Dame a 14-0 lead that was never seriously threat- ened, though Navy made things interesting in the fourth quarter when it pulled to within the final score of 35-32 with 1:21 left in the game. Lenzy's amazing catch set the tone for a Notre Dame receiving corps and passing game that enjoyed its best outing of the season. He led all pass catchers with season highs in catches (5) and receiving yards (67) on a day that the typi- cally run-reliant Irish managed little production on the ground. As a unit, the Irish wide receivers combined for 12 catches, 211 receiving yards and 2 touch- downs. That's the good news. The bad news? The wideouts managed only 2 catches for 29 yards with no scores in the second half. THREE OBSERVATIONS BY TODD D. BURLAGE WIDE RECEIVER BRADEN LENZY The graduate student posted season highs with 5 catches and 67 receiving yards. His performance was highlighted by a 38-yard reach- around touchdown catch with a Navy defender draped all over him that gave Notre Dame a 14-0 lead. The play should stand as the Irish offensive play of the year. Lenzy provided a boost to a Notre Dame wide receiving crew that has struggled this season. QUARTERBACK DREW PYNE After seeing his production slip the previous three games before Navy, the junior signal-caller played the best game of his career — or at least his best half — against Navy, finishing 17-of-21 passing for 269 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. Thriving in the first half with an offen- sive game plan that relied heavily on the passing game, Pyne completed his first 9 passes and connected on 14 of 16 throws for 234 yards with all 4 of his passing touchdowns plus added a rushing score. CORNERBACK CLARENCE LEWIS The junior closed about 30 yards while racing from the far hash to the opposite sideline and intercepted a Midshipmen pass on a trick play that was sold as an end-around. Lewis wasn't fooled, diagnosed the play, impressively closed on the intended receiver and pulled in his first interception this season. He also contributed 2 tackles. LINEBACKER JACK KISER The senior blocked a Navy punt in the second quarter — the seventh of the season for the Irish — that set up a touchdown on Notre Dame's ensuing offensive play that gave the Irish a commanding 35-13 halftime lead. Kiser also tied for the team lead with 8 tackles. WIDE RECEIVER JAYDEN THOMAS The lanky sophomore enjoyed a solid performance with 3 receptions for a career-high 80 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown that gave Notre Dame its 22-point halftime lead. Thomas also added a 38-yard reception and averaged 26.7 yards per catch. GAME BALLS BY TODD D. BURLAGE Wide receivers Braden Lenzy (left) and Jayden Thomas (right) combined for 8 recep- tions, 147 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns against Navy. PHOTO BY TAVAN SMITH