Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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TOP PLAYERS OF THE GAME All-America candidate Manti Te'o recorded 10 tackles against Miami, eight of which were solo. He also tipped one pass and came close to inter- cepting another for the domi- THREE OBSERVATIONS BY JASON SAPP BY LOU SOMOGYI nant defense. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA get his fourth interception of the season on another pass, but another defender tipped the ball before it reached him. Elijah Shumate was ex- pected to be one of the young players that would see action on defense this year, he developed a role quicker than expected after earning the nickel spot in pass situations since the be- ginning of the season. Because of his athleti- While sophomore safety SPECIAL TEAMS: ELIJAH SHUMATE cism and aggressive style of play, he also earned a spot on the kickoff team and was able to register three tackles against Miami out of eight kickoffs, two of which were touchbacks. out quarterback Tony Rice (1987-89). He is a passer first who also can provide a running threat on occasion. But if he can execute that zone option about four to six times per game with effectiveness, it should vastly improve the overall spread concept. ami wideout Phillip Dorsett easily got behind Notre Dame's safeties but dropped what would have been a 72-yard score from Stephen Morris. Four plays later, Morris lofted another pass to Dorsett that fell straight into his hands and in stride in the end zone for what looked like it would be a 39-yard score — but it was muffed again. Then, on Notre Dame's third play, Miami meeting opportunity. While that has legitimate merit, sometimes good fortune just happens. On the game's first play, game-breaking Mi- ing its impressive 5-0 start, but at times it also almost seems that after last year's mind- boggling miscues by the Irish — including two fumbles inside the 5-yard line returned the other way for scores — the football gods are also balancing out the bounces. safety A.J. Highsmith dropped a Tommy Rees pass off the tip drill that would have set up the Hurricanes deep in Irish territory. Notre Dame has earned everything dur- THE MAGICAL 2012 RIDE CONTINUES It is said luck is the product of preparation run on the second set of downs (and his first after Tommy Rees started the game at quar- terback), it helped open up other elements or derivatives of the offense. Two plays after that run, Golson took a quarterback draw nine yards to the 1-yard line to set up the game's first touchdown. Golson is not former Notre Dame stand-