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✦ NEWS & NOTES standard than what we put out there on the field today." Over the past three games, Notre Dame has totaled 796 rushing yards, or an av- erage of 265.3. Particularly gratifying is Stanford and BYU both ranked in the top 10 in rushing defense. "We just know as an offensive line that when we're taking care of business and executing, we can run the ball against any- body," Cave said. For senior running back Cierre Wood, that's still not good enough. "When the season is done and over with and if we've got a ring, then you can say we absolutely did something," Wood said. "Until then, we haven't done anything." A win at 11-point favorite Oklahoma would still count as only one win, Wood noted. "A win there would mean the same thing as a win over BYU," Wood said. "It's just the next opponent, really." It has gotten to a point where head coach Brian Kelly has been doing some interven- tion to help his players enjoy the moment throughout the week and on Saturdays. He wants "the process" to be joyful, not a laborious grind. "There's so much work and preparation that goes into this that if it doesn't become fun for you, then you lose your edge," Kelly said. "I've always felt like your team keeps its edge in November when they enjoy being around each other, when they enjoy being around the coaches, when they still enjoy playing the game. "I've always felt that teams in Novem- ber have a distinct advantage if they're enjoying the process, if they really come over here and feel good about practice and understand how it's all part of their experience. "We don't come over here and have smores and campfires and sing songs. But I think you really have to enjoy the pro- cess and enjoy winning, in particular." Deep down, Cave said the players are rejoicing, but they don't want to lose their hunger. "Winning is hard," Cave said. "Coach Kelly said that. To get to 7-0, nobody could be any happier than we are." SPECIAL [TEAMS] FORCES NEEDED This Saturday at Oklahoma, the Irish special teams might have to be a crucial X-factor: • Oklahoma is No. 3 in the country in kickoff return yardage with a 31.15-yard average. Notre Dame is 93rd at 19.20. • Oklahoma is No. 6 in the country in punt return yardage with a 17.9-yard aver- age on 17 returns. Notre Dame is 111th (among 120 teams) with a 2.83 average on seven returns. • Last week against Kansas, Oklahoma's Roy Finch had a 100-yard kickoff return for a score, while Justin Brown scored on a 90-yard punt return. • The Irish have allowed only six punt returns this year and rank 30th in that category, but are 92nd in kick returns de- fense, with the opposition averaging 23.2 yards on 21 returns. Notre Dame's 2011 Special Teams Player of the Year Austin Collinsworth was lost for this season because of sum- mer shoulder surgery, but Irish head coach Brian Kelly points to two other major set- backs from the secondary this year which have hurt the overall units. "When we lost Lo Wood and we lost Jamoris Slaughter and had to pencil in players full time on the defensive side of the ball [including Matthias Farley, Zeke Motta and KeiVarae Russell], we lost some really good cover guys," Kelly said. "We're really thin there. And we're not going to be able to answer it until we get Sophomore George Atkinson III has averaged only 19.4 yards on eight kickoff returns so far this season, but the Irish hope to do a better job creating space for him to break free in the final five contests. some reinforcement. This recruiting class should help us next year when we'll have depth in personnel. "We're still one click behind in special teams with the depth of the personnel that we need — and that's just the fact. We're playing some young guys there that have to get better. But I like where we're going to go. I think our punt return is going to be re- ally good. I think we're going to have some guys that we'll be able to get on that team. "We are who we are right now. We're clearly disappointed. We have to do a bet- ter job. We have to give George Atkinson more room. We've got to do a better job — and we can. We just have to be better at that area right now." QB MISMATCH? On paper, Oklahoma has an overwhelm- ✦ PAGE 15 ing advantage against Notre Dame at the crucial quarterback position. The Sooners have Landry Jones, a fifth- year senior with 43 career starts. He is one of seven signal-callers in NCAA history to eclipse both 14,000 yards passing and 100 touchdown passes during his career. The Irish have sophomore Everett Gol- son, who has five career starts (one true road game) and is on track to start for the Irish this weekend after missing last week because of a concussion. "You would think that an experienced quarterback — somebody that has been there done that, has won a lot of games — would have the edge over a young, inex- perienced quarterback, but you don't until Saturday hits," Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said. "That's the great thing about these games." ✦ PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA

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