Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME INJURY/PERSONNEL REPORT Entering the Sept. 6 Michigan game, senior Mike linebacker Jarrett Grace and sophomore wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr. were striving to get on the field before the end of September. Hunter suffered a grade three groin tear in early August but is "ahead of schedule" in his recovery, ac- cording to Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly. He received some individual work during Michigan week. Ideally, he could be cleared for the Sept. 13 Purdue game, but a bye week Sept. 20 could buy more time for recovery. Grace is still "a few weeks away," per Kelly, while recovering from a fractured leg in multiple places sustained last Oct. 5 against Arizona State. How much Grace will be able to help even when he is cleared to return is uncertain after having missed all CHARTING THE IRISH SHAMROCK SHAKEDOWN Since Notre Dame began its annual Shamrock Series showcase game in 2009, the Irish have generally racked up a high point total while winning the first five contests. Five years ago, the Irish traveled to San Antonio and won handily, 40-14, against Washington State. The Irish accumulated 592 yards in that game, with five different players accounting for touchdowns. Only once has Notre Dame not reached the 30-point mark, and that came in an easy 27-3 win against Army at Yankee Stadium in 2010 — former Irish quarterback Tommy Rees' second career start. Outside of last year's Shamrock Series game, the results have never been in question in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame has won by margins of 26, 24, 24 and 38 before winning 37-34 against a 10-win Arizona State team in Arlington, Texas, last October. In that game, the Irish amassed 424 yards of total offense and held off the Sun Devils in a shootout that eventually went Notre Dame's way. With the Irish facing Purdue in Indianapolis in this year's version of the Shamrock Series, expect yet another high point total from Notre Dame. Only 12 teams finished worse than the Boilermakers in scoring defense last year, when the eventual 1-11 squad allowed a program-worst 38.0 per contest. With the new-look Irish offense expected to average point totals in the 30s, it would come as no surprise if the Irish once again lit up the scoreboard in the Shamrock Series. NOTRE DAME POINT TOTALS IN SHAMROCK SERIES GAMES 2013, Arizona State (Arlington, Texas) 37 2013 PPG average 27.2 42012, Miami (Chicago) 41 2012 PPG average 25.8 2011, Maryland (Landover, Md.) 45 2011 PPG average 29.2 2010, Army (New York) 27 2010 PPG average 26.3 2009, Washington State (San Antonio, Texas) 40 2009 PPG average 30.1