Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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OFFENSE: WILL FULLER The sophomore's nine receptions ac- counted for 159 yards, and he became the first Irish receiver to snatch three scoring passes in a game since Michael Floyd did it versus Western Michigan in 2010. All three of his scores showcased his playmaking skills. The first was a 23- yard tally off a double move, the sec- ond was navigating through traffic on a 23-yard bubble screen, and the third was a leaping stab between two de- fenders on third-and-eight from the 11. Fuller 's 13 touchdown catches this season are a record for a Notre Dame sophomore (Golden Tate had 10 in 2008), and he is chasing the single-sea- son Irish standard of 15 shared by Jeff Samardzija (2005), Rhema McKnight (2006) and Tate (2009). DEFENSE: ISAAC ROCHELL This category is becoming more dif- ficult each week with the Irish giving up an average of 42.2 points the past five games. A case can be made for junior lineman Sheldon Day, because once he left the game midway through the third quarter with a leg injury the Irish defense seemed to be running on fumes. However, after a rough outing at Arizona State, the sophomore Rochell was more active and conspicuous with nine tackles (five solo), two stops for loss, a sack and two pass deflections. SPECIAL TEAMS: MIKE MCGLINCHEY Junior kick returner Amir Carlisle had a couple of decent returns, but on a forgettable day for the kicking game, McGlinchey, a 6-8 sophomore offen- sive tackle, made Notre Dame's play of the game on special teams when he blocked a 43-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter that kept the Irish two scores ahead at 40-29 with 8:43 left. TOP PLAYERS OF THE GAME BY LOU SOMOGYI Sophomore offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey used every inch of his 6-8 frame to block a 43-yard Northwestern field goal attempt in the fourth quar- ter to maintain a two-score Irish advantage. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA