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Blue&Gold_Ad 9/12/12 4:22 PM Page 1 ✦ NEWS & NOTES Award-Winning Full Service Restaurant Private Rooms Available Hand-Cut All Natural Meats The Irish offensive line has not surrendered a sack in 75 passing attempts, dating back to the win over Purdue. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA Stanford. The Irish had been known in recent years for prolific passing attacks —with poor defenses and a lack of a con- sistent running game. Notre Dame finished a disappointing 8-5 in each of Kelly's first two seasons … but the pieces seem to be falling in place during this 5-0 start in year three, with an emphasis on a more hard-nosed physical style, especially on defense. "If the blueprint was public, it would talk about right out of the gates finding those guys that can physically control the line of scrimmage," Kelly said of his first priority when he took the Notre Dame job. For all the talk about Notre Dame's football decline over the past two decades, there was always this ray of hope: If Stan- ford could win 23 games in 2010-11 while ranking among the elite universities aca- demically, then Notre Dame with its stron- ger tradition certainly could be capable of following suit. "They have challenges just as we do," Kelly said of Stanford. "They're an out- standing academic football team, they re- cruit nationally, and we do that … they're a physical football team, which we want to be as well. "I think from the outside looking in, you would say there is a lot of similarities." Saturday's game will be the first time two football teams who are ranked in the top 20 of the Associated Press poll and the U.S. News & World Report academic poll meet on the field. Kelly noted how not enough attention is paid to teams who are trying to succeed on and off the field. "I know that's one of the reasons why I came to Notre Dame," Kelly said. "I wanted to make sure that everybody knew that you could do it in the classroom and you can certainly do it on the football field." PASS HAPPY The Irish have attempted 75 passes since the last time they surrendered a sack late in a 20-17 win over Purdue. Head coach Brian Kelly said that level of protection Award-Winning Homemade Desserts The Freshest Seafood Reservations Encouraged LUNCH: Mon-Thur 4pm-9:30pm Fri & Sat 4pm-10:30pm Sat 11am-4pm DINNER: • Check Us Out At: tripadvisor • Text Yesterdays at: 72727 For Special Offers • Find Us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/YesterdaysGranger • Find us in the Best Book® TO L L F R E E 12594 SR 23 • Granger www.yesterdays-granger.com ©2012 Studio A Advertising ✦ PAGE 12