Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/176703
top players of the game By tom loy Offense: Corey Robinson On a day when yards were difficult to come by, the freshman wide receiver found a way to move the chains for the Notre Dame offense. He notched three catches for a game-high 54 yards, and all three of his grabs converted third downs. In addition, with the game knotted at 1010 early in the fourth quarter, he went up for a jump ball in the end zone on third-and-10 and drew a pass interference penalty on Michigan State. One play later, Notre Dame scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown. Defense: Carlo Calabrese The fifth-year senior linebacker had a very impressive day for the Irish defense, tying for the team lead with eight tackles including one stop behind the line of scrimmage. Calabrese had struggled with missed tackles during the first three games, but that was not an issue against the Spartans. He tackled well and played one of his best games in a Notre Dame uniform. Special Teams: Kyle Brindza Much to the surprise of the junior placekicker/punter, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly awarded Brindza the game ball after the win over the Spartans. He had his first punt blocked by Michigan State and also shanked one at the start of the second half, but he was at his best when it mattered most. In the fourth quarter, with the Irish clinging to a four-point lead, he delivered three excellent punts to flip field position and help keep the Spartans at bay. His kicks went 45, 51 and 51 yards, backing MSU up to its 26, 32 and 33, respectively. Fifth-year senior linebacker Carlo Calabrese tied for the team lead with eight tackles, including one stop behind the line of scrimmage. Photo by Bill Panzica