Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1484072
24 NOV. 19, 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 1. Good Plan Goes Wrong The Irish evidently saw a matchup with Navy as a chance to boost a weakness — their pass- ing offense. Why? The Midshipmen entering the game ranked No. 123 in opponent pass efficiency (157.41) and No. 124 in yards per pass attempt al- lowed (8.8) probably had something to do with it. The Irish came out wanting to throw the ball, which Navy seemed content to let them do and instead sold out against the run. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees called four pass plays on Notre Dame's opening 9-play, 67- yard drive that ended with sophomore running back Audric Estime's 30-yard touchdown recep- tion. They extended their lead, going 83 yards in 10 plays for a first half touchdown, with seven of those passes. They built a 35-13 halftime lead on the back of a passing offense that unproductive the prior two weeks. Pyne completed 14 of 16 passes for 234 yards with 4 touchdowns, plus added a rushing score, in the first half. But the good vibes stalled there. Notre Dame's first 12 plays of the second half totaled 7 yards. They included 4 sacks and an interception; the result of all-out pressures Notre Dame could not beat. Pyne also sailed a pass intended for junior tight end Mi- chael Mayer, who had yards of open field ahead. The Irish's pass protection has earned enough benefit of the doubt to think issues there could be a one-off. Not having an answer to Navy's blitzes felt like a planning mistake from Notre Dame's staff. 2. Calamitous Second Half It's hard to have a collapse in a win, but Notre Dame manifested it. Pyne connected on only 3 of 5 throws for 35 yards and took 5 sacks after halftime. Notre Dame did not score and totaled 12 yards on 20 plays. That's 30-minute production you expect to find from bottom-barrel FBS offenses in buy games against top-10 teams. Not Notre Dame against a below average Navy defense. The blitz problems were the most startling of- fense. And they're not all on protection. Beating 0 blitzes requires the quarterback to feel and antici- pate pressure. Pyne did neither well enough in the second half. He had a receiver open on a crossing route on a third-down sack. He took a first-down sack on a play where Notre Dame had nine pass protectors. An absent run game did Pyne no favors. Neither did the lack of an adjustment from Rees. The script of first-down sack, second-and-long run and third- down white-flag call became too familiar as the half progressed. Leading by 19 in the second half feels like the time to go run heavy, but Notre Dame didn't run the ball well enough. Irish running backs had 8 carries for 13 yards in final two quarters. 3. Initial Option Struggles Notre Dame did not have senior linebacker JD Bertrand — its leading tackler — available vs. Navy due to injury. His absence took one of the Irish's most experienced linebackers against the option out of the game. It led to the first career start for freshman Junior Tuihalamaka and first appearance for freshman Jaylen Sneed. There were moments where Notre Dame missed Bertrand and its eye discipline lacked. Fullback Daba Fofana had carries of 36 and 50 yards in the first half, the former a touchdown. Senior line- backer Marist Liufau was seeing his first meaning- ful action against the option and seemed a step behind early on. (He was injured in 2021 and Notre Dame didn't play Navy in 2020). Notre Dame allowed just 3 carries of 10 or more yards in last year's win over Navy. The Midshipmen had 4 of at least 15 yards in the first half. 4. In The End, Good Enough On Defense Navy's offense was less impactful than its 6.2 yards per play suggests. The Midshipmen found an initial hole in Notre Dame's defense, but the Irish adjusted and didn't allow too many other substantial leaks. Fofana's first 3 carries produced 101 yards, but his next 12 totaled only 32. Navy opened the sec- ond half with a 16-play, 72-yard drive, largely built on pitches and quarterback keepers, but Notre Dame held them to a field goal. That's the power of red-zone stops the Irish missed for so long. First-and-goal at the 9-yard line turned into 3 points. That was the Irish's first goal-to-go posses- sion without allowing a touchdown this year. Notre Dame defensive backs overran a few pitches earlier in the drive, but shut them down at the end. Notre Dame forced three-and-outs on three of the next four possessions. The Midshipmen's second-half touchdowns came when they started at the Irish's 23-yard line and when they scrapped the option and threw the ball. 5. Field Position Was Key With zero offensive pulse, Notre Dame leaned on special teams to win field position in the second half. Brian Mason's unit responded. Navy began its last three drives inside the 15- yard line after a Jon Sot punt pinned the Midship- men there. His final kick traveled 49 yards and was fair caught. The Irish also started one drive at the 50-yard line after Estime — an upback on kick returns – ran back Navy's short kickoff 29 yards. It wasn't a flawless effort. Kicker Blake Grupe missed a 45-yard field goal and Notre Dame took false start and delay of game penalties on a punt. The ensuing punt after the latter infraction still went inside the 15. The Irish recovered two Navy onside kicks, including one in the final minutes. ✦ FIVE THOUGHTS BY PATRICK ENGEL Navy fullback Daba Fofana's first 3 carries produced 101 yards, but his next 12 totaled only 32. PHOTO BY TAVAN SMITH