Blue and Gold Illustrated

Oct. 17, 2016

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 17, 2016 7 UNDER THE DOME ting sophomore running back Josh Adams and the massive Notre Dame offensive line control the game, teams have shifted the pressure away from what many thought would be the Irish's strength. "Teams have wanted to pressure our run game and a lot of that has been 'Look at all these young receiv- ers they have, let's challenge them,' Teams have, and we've been up to the challenge," Kelly said. "If they want to keep doing that, we have to keep proving that we can throw the football, and I think you'll see that running game come back into more balance." Notre Dame's success through the air is also a product of its poor de- fense and the need to score quickly to keep up with opponents. That was particularly the case in the loss to Michigan State Sept. 17, when the Irish attempted just 25 rushes after falling behind 36-7 in the second half. Kizer threw for a then career-high 344 yards against the Spartans. He claims the game plans, as well as the mindset, on offense aren't that differ- ent from 2015. "But we've just been put in a couple of situations where we're re- quired to throw the ball down the field, and we're making big plays," Kizer said. "It's all about just execut- ing. We have the opportunity to score every time we step on the field, and we know it. And so far we've done a good job of being pretty successful when we do step on the field. "Whether it be the safety or line- backer, there's more of an emphasis on keeping guys close to the box. And anytime teams are going to do that, we're not afraid to go out and throw the ball behind them. This is a season where we're just taking what the defense is giving us." Senior left tackle Mike McGlinchey, part of an offensive line that replaced three starters from last year's team, said the consistency from play to play is what needs to improve in the running game. "We have to find other avenues to score points, and we've done a pretty good job with that," Mc- Glinchey said. "But teams know that we're going to try to run the ball, and they tend to put a lot of people in the box. It's a matter of when those looks come that we really like, executing our job to the best of our ability." ✦ Holy Cross Village is a continuing care retirement community, sponsored by the Brothers of Holy Cross, with a tradition of caring, compassion and trust. Holy Cross Village welcomes people of all faiths. 54515 State Rd., 933 North, Notre Dame, IN 46556 www.holycrossvillage.com ... AND ENJOY THE GAME OF LIFE AT HOLY CROSS VILLAGE I magine making new friends and developing new talents, where everything you need to enjoy the game of life is right outside your front door. Nestled among three institutions of higher learning, Holy Cross Village at Notre Dame is a senior living community unlike anything else around. Our warm and inviting community offers: Independent Living Homes and Apartments Assisted Living Apartments Skilled Nursing Memory Care Rehabilitation Services Call (574) 251-2235 today for more information and to schedule a tour. Through Oct. 1, Kelly's offense ranked 30th nationally with an average of 39.8 points per game. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND

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