Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL GAME NOTES CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENSE Tackling well after a month away from game situations is always a con- cern for college defenses during bowl season, but Notre Dame didn't seem to have a problem with that against Florida State. The Irish defensive front took ad- vantage of a young Seminoles offen- sive line, racking up five sacks and holding the FSU rushing attack to 1.4 yards per carry. Both defenses played well, combining for nine sacks that led to a total loss of 72 yards in the game. "Both teams played great defense today," Irish head coach Brian Kelly said. "It's great to be able to talk about a Notre Dame football team that plays championship defense be- cause they did that today." The Irish defense was particularly sharp during the first half when it picked up four of those sacks and held FSU to only nine yards on the ground. They also stepped up in big situations early in the game, forcing the Seminoles to go 0 of 7 on third- down conversions in the half. A large part of that early havoc was wreaked by Jamoris Slaughter. The senior, who is expected to return for a fifth year in 2012 (see sidebar), has Senior Jamoris Slaughter lined up at drop line- backer in the first half and starred with two sacks and several other big plays during a domi- nant defensive effort by the Irish. PHOTO B Y GREG OYSTER found his niche since moving from safety to a hybrid outside linebacker in the late part of the season. The Georgia native tied a Champs Sports Bowl record with two sacks in the first quarter — the first two sacks of his 36-game career at Notre Dame. He finished the game with five tack- les and nearly added an interception in the second quarter. "We went into the week with me • Senior wide receiver Michael Floyd was Notre Dame's game-day captain against the Seminoles. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES Floyd was originally supposed to be a permanent captain this season, but lost that privilege when he was arrested for a DWI in the spring. • Two prominent programs with rabid fan bases added up to the largest turnout in the Champs Sports Bowl's 20-year history, with 68,305 fans showing up at Citrus Bowl Stadium for the event's first-ever sellout. • Notre Dame outgained Florida State, 69-18, in the opening quarter. The 18 total yards by the Seminoles were the fewest by an Irish opponent this season to start the game. The previous low was against Michigan (27) on Sept. 10. Notre Dame also outgained USF (152-62), Michigan (145-27), Michi- gan State (95-36), Pittsburgh (72-31), Purdue (185-39), Navy (118-57), Maryland (148-48) and Boston College (133-43) in the first quarter. Notre Dame outgained its 13 opponents in the opening period by a 1,470-838 margin. • The 27 opponent possessions this season following Irish turnovers have resulted in only 526 yards on 112 plays, which averages out to just 19.5 yards per drive. Notre Dame allowed points on eight of the 27 drives, but forced seven punts and registered five turnovers of its own, including a fumble return for touchdown from junior safety Zeke Motta in the first quarter against FSU. The last 22 opponent possessions following an Irish turnover have yielded only 420 yards on 86 plays (3.9 plays and 19.1 yards per drive on average). • Notre Dame's defense answered after Lamarcus Joyner returned a kickoff 77 yards on Florida State's first possession of the second half. The Seminoles started the drive at the Irish 21-yard line, but Notre Dame limited the Seminoles to negative-eight yards on four plays and a 42-yard field goal. • That FSU three-pointer represented the first score by an opposing offense against the Irish in the third quarter since the Pittsburgh game on Sept. 24. The Irish outscored their opponents 91-16 in the third quarter in 2011. Notre Dame had shut out each of its last five opponents (Navy, Wake Forest, Maryland, Boston College and Stanford) in the third quarter, and outscored them 42-0 in the period prior to the Champs Sports Bowl. 32 FEBRUARY 2012 BY DAN MURPHY AND WES MORGAN still playing that low linebacker posi- tion, and I knew I was going to be able to get some blitzes in some one-on- one coverages," Slaughter said. "I fig- ured I was going to have to make a lot of plays, and I felt like tonight I did, but I always think I can do better." Kelly said Slaughter's blend of power and speed make him a sig- nificant asset against the athletic quarterbacks and spread offenses that have taken over Notre Dame's schedule in the past few seasons. "He's one of the guys that has all those tools, so we need to get him on the field," Kelly said. "He's been able to impact greatly what we've done defensively." Q QUARTERBACK UESTIONS REMAIN Notre Dame's bowl game was sup- posed to be a full-speed audition for sophomore quarterbacks Andrew Hendrix and Tommy Rees to get a leg up on one another in a campaign to be the team's starter in 2012. Neither quarterback emerged as a favorite in a game void of offense firepower, and Notre Dame was left with as many questions circling around the quarterback position as it had at the conclusion of the regular season. Rees said it was a little difficult to find a rhythm while coming in and out of the game regularly, but he didn't view the bowl game as a tryout for the following season. "No, I don't treat a game like that," he said. "We're going to have to come out in the offseason and battle and work hard, and we'll see where that takes us." WHO WILL TAKE THE FIFTH? Sometime in the middle of Janu- ary or after National Signing Day on Feb. 1, depending on what needs still have to be filled, Notre Dame will announce approval of fifth-year seniors who will return to play foot- ball in 2012. Tight end Mike Ragone reportedly also could be in the running for a sixth season in 2012. Here is how we see the breakdown for potential fifth-year seniors in 2012: ABSOLUTES FOR 2012 These three starters are easily the best bets to pick up a fifth season: BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED