Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME the rushing average of 193.86 yards per game through the first seven weeks was on pace to be the best since the 213.5 figure during the 2000 BCS season. That leaves special teams. Entering the Oct. 27 showdown at Okla- homa, Notre Dame ranked 111th in punt re- turns (2.83 yards per at- tempt) and 93rd in kick returns (19.20-yard aver- age) among 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Last year as a fresh- to give George Atkinson more room. We've got to do a better job — and we can." Last year, the Irish man, running back George Atkinson III scored on kickoff re- turns versus Michigan State and USC while av- eraging 26.1 yards per return, but this year his first eight kickoff run backs averaged just 19.4 yards. The new rule that now has kickoffs com- ing from the 35-yard line instead of the 30 has allowed fewer oppor- tunities for Atkinson, but Kelly still said the unit must maximize the chances it has. "We're clearly disap- pointed," Kelly said four days before the Okla- homa game. "We have were dead last during the regular season in punt return average — totaling only three yards and not even attempt- ing a return in the final eight games. When se- nior Michael Floyd was finally given a chance for his first return in the Champs Sports Bowl, he ran 41 yards, thereby helping Notre Dame fin- ish 112th in punt return average with a 3.69-yard average. However, freshman but Kelly points to two other major setbacks from the secondary this year that have hurt spe- cial teams. "When we lost [Lo] Davonte' Neal had at- tempted only 12 returns through the first seven games, and both of his tries against BYU re- sulted in lost yardage. The Irish usually are in "punt safe" mode, guarding against fakes, with almost no blocking help for Neal. Mean- while, in kick coverage, Notre Dame ranked 92nd. Notre Dame's 2011 Special Teams Player of the Year Austin Collin- sworth was lost for this season because of sum- mer shoulder surgery, Wood and we lost Jamoris Slaughter and had to pencil in play- ers full time on the de- fensive side of the ball [including safeties Mat- thias Farley and Zeke Motta, and cornerback 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 some rein- forcement. This recruit- ing class should help us next year where we 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."