Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1526921
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 28, 2024 25 1st Career interception for junior defensive end Junior Tuihalamaka — off a deflected pass by sophomore cornerback Christian Gray, who later added a pick of his own — stopped a Miami (Ohio) drive that had reached the Irish 5-yard line and kept the score 0-0 in the first quarter. 8 Passes broken up by Notre Dame against Miami (Ohio) were its most in a game since it had 8 against North Carolina State on Sept. 9, 2023. 16.7 Percent conversion rate (2 of 12) on third down for Miami (Ohio) against Notre Dame's defense. The week prior, the Irish limited Purdue to just 1 of 12 (8.3 percent). 23 Years ago marked the last time a Fighting Irish quarterback rushed for 100 or more yards in consecutive games until senior quarterback Riley Leonard achieved it in back-to-back games against Purdue and Miami (Ohio). After compiling 11 carries for 100 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Boil- ermakers, Leonard torched the RedHawks with 12 carries for a career-high 143 yards and 2 scores. Leonard ran for 100 or more yards only once in 21 starts at Duke (130 on 14 carries versus North Carolina in 2022), but he has now done it twice in four games at Notre Dame. Carlyle Holiday was the last Irish signal-caller to accomplish the feat, running 19 times for 122 yards and 1 touchdown in a 24-7 triumph over Pitt on Oct. 6, 2001, and then posting 19 attempts for 130 yards in a 34-24 victory over West Virginia on Oct. 13, 2001. 38- Yard touchdown toss to graduate student wide receiver Beaux Collins marked the longest pass play of the season for Leonard. It was also Collins' first scoring catch at Notre Dame and the 12th of his career. The longest pass for the Irish this season remains junior quarterback Steve Angeli's 42-yard hookup with graduate student wide receiver Jayden Harrison against Purdue. 40 Total yards for Notre Dame on its first three offensive drives over roughly the first quarter and a half of the game. In their next two drives, both of which resulted in touchdowns, the Irish went 87 yards in 10 plays and then 81 yards on six plays to take a 14-3 lead at the half. The Fighting Irish finished with 428 yards of offense. 75 Yards rushing for Miami (Ohio) against Notre Dame in the first half was more than the RedHawks had in their first two games against North- western and Cincinnati combined (64). The RedHawks came into the game dead last in the FBS in rushing offense (32.0 yards per game). The Irish did a better job limiting the Miami (Ohio) ground attack in the sec- ond half, holding it to just 35 for a final tally of 110. 357 Days between touchdown passes for Leonard. Prior to his 38-yard scoring connection with Collins against Miami (Ohio), his last touch- down toss was a 3-yarder to wide receiver Jordan Moore that gave Duke a 14-13 lead over Notre Dame in the eventual 21-14 Irish victory on Sept. 30, 2023. BY THE NUMBERS BY STEVE DOWNEY 2 Sacks — a new career high — for sophomore defensive end Boubacar Traore, who stepped in for injured gradu- ate student Jordan Botelho and made his first career start against Miami (Ohio). Traore also finished with a career-best 5 tackles and added a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER