Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/226401
There is only so much practice time to devote each week, per NCAA rules. A staff has to discern what it needs to emphasize, and the premium this year was placed on protecting Rees. On The Defensive The defense that carried Notre Dame to epic heights a year earlier was expected to be the strength of 2013 again. On occasion it was, highlighted by superb home efforts against Michigan State, USC and BYU. At other times it went AWOL, aided by an inordinate amount of injuries, particularly along the front seven. Seldom did the imposing line triumvirate of Louis Nix III, Stephon Tuitt and Sheldon Day take snaps as one unit after the Sept. 14 Purdue game. Manifesting the "best of times, worst of times" theme was Dog linebacker. While mainstay Danny Spond having to quit football for health reasons was a setback, it also hastened the ascent of superstar-in-waiting freshman Jaylon Smith. The red-zone defense in 2012 was an impregnable force — until the calendar flipped to 2013. Alabama scored five touchdowns on five chances in the red zone against the Irish last January; Michigan four touchdowns on four chances; Navy four touchdowns on four chances; Pitt three touchdowns on three chances; and this time Stanford tallied three touchdowns on its five chances (while also kicking two field goals). The Irish finished the regular season 62nd in redzone defense this time. Forcing turnovers again was an issue. In 2011, Notre Dame set an unofficial school record by generating only 14. Last year it was up to 23 … and this year plummeted back down to 13. In game-changing categories such as tackles for loss or turnovers gained, the Irish ranked 109th and 114th, respectively. Depending on the week, sometimes Notre Dame fans hope defensive coordinator Bob Diaco can stay here for at last another decade — and the next week they can't wait until he takes a head coaching stint somewhere else. Such is the coaching life. Meanwhile, Auburn gets to play for the national title despite surrendering 108 points (36.0-point average) in its last three wins. Whether it's an aggressive, blitzhappy scheme, or a conservative bendbut-don't break, gap-control emphasis, every tactic has its pros and cons. Just For Kicks One would be hard-pressed to find a more clutch kicker/punter combination than junior Kyle Brindza, who in his career has converted 12 of 13 field goals in the fourth quarter or overtime (the lone miss was when the Irish were already ahead by three scores), and whose punting earned him the game ball against Michigan State. Meanwhile, 33 of his 67 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks. It used to take nearly a decade before Notre Dame recorded 33 touchbacks (moving the ball up to the 35 on kickoffs helped). Alas, the problem has been on the kicks returned — a 25.9 average that has often stifled momentum or changed the game's complexion. The Irish ranked 122nd out of 123 teams in that category. That's what happens when times are both at their best and worst. ✦