Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 11, 2017 25 TEMPLE RUNNING GAME VS. NOTRE DAME RUN DEFENSE Junior running back Ryquell Armstead is capable of earning a living on the next level, but his 19 carries netted only 67 yards (3.5 yards per attempt). Merely one of Temple's 33 designed running plays gained more than nine yards (a 17-yard run by Armstead on a second-quarter touchdown drive), and the quarterback not offering a running threat helped limit Temple's options. The Irish front substituted liberally in the rotation to keep fresh legs. Ten dif- ferent Notre Dame players combined for 11 tackles for lost yardage. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame TEMPLE PASSING GAME VS. NOTRE DAME PASS DEFENSE The Owls' passing attack took a hit when top receiver and NFL prospect Ventell Bryant was held out because of an injury, making the job for first-time starting quarterback Logan Marchi more difficult. The redshirt sophomore performed respectably on the road (19-of-35 passing for 245 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions), but in today's game when a defense can hold a quarterback to less than 55 percent passing (54.2) and around 7.0 yards per attempt (exactly what Marchi had) that is a plus. Three sacks and four QB hurries also sway a slight edge to the Irish. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME RUNNING GAME VS. TEMPLE RUN DEFENSE Far and away the top story from the game was Notre Dame's 422 rushing yards and 9.6 yards per carry, with three different players eclipsing 100 yards on the ground, including junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush. In the past under head coach Brian Kelly, when the opposition crowded the line and brought up the safeties, the response was to pass. This time, especially with Wimbush's elusiveness and threat as a runner, the Irish were patient with breaking big plays on the runs, and Josh Adams (19 carries for 161 yards and two scores) often slashed through or would shed initial contact. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME PASSING GAME VS. TEMPLE PASS DEFENSE Wimbush's best toss probably was his first to open the game, a 33-yard flip to junior wideout Equanimeous St. Brown. He completed 17 of 30 throws for 184 yards for a relatively low average of 6.1 yards per attempt. Wimbush was intercepted once, and two other times Temple defenders were unable to hold on to what could have been interception returns for scores. A complementary wideout to the playmaking St. Brown (four catches for 80 yards and one TD) is a work in progress now. As anticipated, the tight ends are much more active in new offensive coordi- nator Chip Long's attack, snaring seven passes for 71 yards and a score. Senior Nic Weishar (three catches for 20 yards) made an outstanding leaping catch for a 12-yard TD. ADVANTAGE: Even SPECIAL TEAMS Notre Dame's coverage was strong, especially on punts. Senior Tyler New- some's 54-yard punt in the first quarter with only a two-yard return flipped the field with the Irish still ahead 7-0 and helped set up a 59-yard march for the second TD. In the second quarter, a 50-yard punt by Newsome from his 20 resulted in zero gain on the return because of superb coverage by sophomore cornerback Julian Love. Missed field goals from 44 and 47 yards by junior Justin Yoon were the negative, but Temple also missed from 36 yards that could have pulled them to within 28-13 in the third quarter. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS The most significant third-down play was by Notre Dame on third-and-goal from the 8-yard line with the Irish leading 7-0. When Wimbush dropped back to pass, the pocket began to collapse, but he found an opening outside to rush untouched into the end zone. With the Irish ahead 28-10 in the third quarter they held on third-and-three on an option play to force a punt. Notre Dame was 6 of 13 (46.2 percent), while perhaps the most impressive stat for the Irish defense was limiting Temple to 5 of 17 (29.4 percent) on third down plus 0 of 2 on fourth down. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame TURNOVERS Turnovers were a wash with one apiece, an interception toss by Wimbush in the third quarter and a Temple fourth-quarter fumble near midfield on fourth- and-one that was returned 15 yards by senior rover Drue Tranquill. The difference is Temple failed to score despite setting up shop at Notre Dame's 14, while the Irish went ahead 42-16 after Tranquill's recovery. ADVANTAGE: Even ANALYSIS Notre Dame instantly asserted its dominance with a 70-yard drive on the opening series that took only 33 seconds with a 33-yard pass to St. Brown and a 37-yard scoring run by Adams, who demonstrated his acceleration skills. It was 28-3 less than 19 minutes in, and the outmanned Owls never posed a serious threat. Next to Miami (Ohio), Temple probably would be considered the most overmatched foe on the 2017 Irish slate. It's the type of game you would expect Notre Dame to win handily — and it did. That has often not been the case over the years. ON PAPER REVISITED BY LOU SOMOGYI Junior wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown led the Irish with four recep- tions for 80 yards and one touchdown. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA