Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/941859
12 MARCH 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME THE FINAL 2017 DATA Among 129 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, here's how Notre Dame fared in some main data, and compared to recent years: Rushing Offense: Seventh — 269.3 yards per game Easily the highest output since Lou Holtz's final season in 1996 — which was 269.5 yards per game to rank eighth. However, after averaging 324.8 yards and 7.0 yards per carry during the 8‑1 start in 2017, the Irish floundered during a 2‑2 finish with just 145.0 yards per game and 4.0 yards per attempt. Passing Offense: 102nd — 178.9 yards per game Team Passing Efficiency Rating: 101st — 120.28 The passing yards numbers is inconsequential if the passing efficiency — which factors in stats such as yards per attempt — is outstanding. For example, the two teams that played for the national title, Alabama and Georgia, ranked No. 91 and No. 98, respectively, in passing yardage — but they placed 10th and 11th, respectively, in passing efficiency while averaging a remarkable 8.16 yards and 8.70 yards per attempt, whereas Notre Dame averaged merely 6.61. Getting to about 7.0 in yards per attempt is average, whereas 8.0 is out‑ standing. It's not about quantity of yardage via the pass but quality, which is why passing efficiency is more pertinent. Total Offense: 27th — 448.2 yards per game Other than his first season at Notre Dame in 2010, every offense under head coach Brian Kelly in his eight seasons averaged at least 412 yards, although that too is more about efficiency than just numbers. This year's figure was second only to the 466.4 output by the 10‑3 outfit in 2015. Scoring Offense: 24th — 34.2 points per game During the 8‑1 start, it appeared the 50‑year school standard of 37.6 in 1968 under Ara Parseghian was finally going to fall with the 41.3 figure the Irish boasted. The plummet to 18.2 points per game in the final four made it 34.2 for the season — matching the 2015 figure for the highest under Kelly. Turnovers Lost: Tied for 42nd — 17 Notre Dame tossed 10 interceptions and lost seven fumbles — but not one of the latter by an Irish running back in 354 attempts. That is a pattern that has remained consistent under third‑year running backs coach Autry Denson, just like with predecessor Tony Alford. Sacks Allowed: Tied for 83rd — 30 (2.31 per game) This would seem inordinately high considering Notre Dame was not a pass‑ oriented team and the offensive line was the recipient of the Joe Moore Award as the best unit in the country. However, more than half of the sacks (16) occurred in three of the last four games, losses to Miami (five) and Stanford (six), and then five more in the dramatic comeback win versus LSU in the Citrus Bowl. Red-Zone Offense: 14th — .913 (42 scores in 46 attempts) In previous years under Kelly the Irish usually ranked in the 70s. Especially notable is 35 of the 46 tries finished with touchdowns (24 rushing and 11 passing), a 76.09 percent that was seventh best nationally. That was a testament to an improved, and emphasized, physical ground game inside the 20‑ and 10‑yard lines, led by Brandon Wimbush's nose for the end zone — a school‑record 14 rushing touchdowns by the quarterback. Third-Down Percentage: 32nd — 43.8 (84 of 192) An appreciable improvement from the 65th‑place finish last year with a 40.5 figure (68 of 168). Only two teams finished above 50 percent. Army West Point with its triple option was a far‑and‑away first at 55.2, while Colorado State was second at 50.3. Rushing Defense: 51st — 154.3 yards per game From 2014‑16, Notre Dame allowed a minimum of 170 rushing yards per game three years in a row for the first time in its history, and the 182.4 in 2016 — not coincidentally — was the highest since the 195.4 during the 3‑9 campaign in 2007. The nearly 30‑yard improvement this season was encouraging, but shaving another 30 yards into the 120‑130 range is usually what puts a team into the upper‑tier conversation. National champion Alabama was No. 1 this season in run defense at 94 yards per game, and fellow Playoff qualifiers Clemson and Georgia were 12th and 20th, respectively, with neither allowing more than 126 yards per game. Wisconsin, Ohio State and TCU were also among the top 10 in this category. The outlier was College Football Playoff qualifier Oklahoma, whose No. 54 rating (156.5) was just behind Notre Dame's. However, the Sooners compen‑ sated with a prolific offense led by Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield. Passing Defense: 53rd — 214.7 yards per game Passing Efficiency Defense Rating: 46th — 121.88 Just like on offense, the far more pertinent numbers are the efficiency rat‑ ing, where 13‑1 Wisconsin and 13‑1 national champ Alabama were one‑two with 96.39 and 96.78 ratings, respectively. College Football Playoff qualifiers Clemson and Georgia were also in the top 15 in this category. Total Defense: Tied for 46th — 369.2 yards per game The figure was not a dramatic improvement from the 378.8 mark last year that placed 42nd. Notre Dame did post seven victories by at least 20 points in the first two months, and that often results in "garbage yards" by the opposition in the final quarter. Scoring Defense: 31st — 21.5 points per game The improvement was manifested by elevating from 62nd last season (27.8). Again, it's no coincidence that the final top 10 in the polls is replete with teams that also excelled in scoring defense. Leading the charge at No. 1 was Alabama at 11.9 points per game while College Football Playoff qualifier Clem‑ son was No. 2 (13.6), followed by Wisconsin at No. 3 (13.9). Runner‑up Georgia Sophomore cornerback Julian Love was a crucial figure in Notre Dame's improvement of most every area on defense. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA