Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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24 OCT. 29, 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED TURNING POINT Pitt demonstrated it was going to take Notre Dame to the wall when it returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown and a 14-6 lead, inter- cepted a pass by junior quarterback Ian Book near its red zone the ensu- ing series, and then drove 48 yards for a first down to the Notre Dame 30-yard line. It had found a rhythm, put the Irish on their collective heels, and was on the cusp of taking a two- score advantage. The next three Pitt plays managed only one yard, and redshirt soph- omore kicker Alex Kessman's 46- yard field goal attempt missed with five minutes left in the third quarter to keep the margin at one score. The Irish then drove 71 yards in eight plays to pull within 14-12 late in the period. That nine-point swing (at least) in those two sequences was decisive. STAT OF THE GAME Junior drop end Julian Okwara was credited with seven of Notre Dame's 10 quarterback hurries in the hard-fought victory. This stat began to be kept in ear- nest over the last decade, and to Blue & Gold Illustrated's recollection, the most recorded by any Irish player until this Pitt game was six by fresh- man stalwart Aaron Lynch during a 31 13 victory against Michigan State in September 2011. Earlier in the week, head coach Brian Kelly explained how sacks re- corded are not always an accurate gauge of how much the opposing quarterback is negatively affected by a pass rush. This game truly reflected that. While the Irish had only one sack, the relentless pressure rendered Pitt's passing attack mainly ineffec- tive, with its 30 attempts totaling 126 yards through the air. 12 WEEKS OF 'MARCH MADNESS' The "survive and advance" theme of basketball's NCAA Tournament, often known as March Madness, lasts only three weeks. In college football, the model to become one of the four teams to earn a College Football Playoff bid is a 12-week endeavor for Notre Dame, and even more for Power Five teams who have a league playoff. There is always room for improve- ment, and critics might carp about the deficiencies … but to be 7-0 is special at this level of football. This same week No. 2 Georgia lost by 20, No. 6 West Virginia was whipped by Iowa State, and No. 7 Washington and No. 8 Penn State lost their sec- ond games to fall out of playoff talk. There is never any need to apolo- gize for any victory, and to avoid becoming a victim on "Upset Satur- day," which annually occurs in the sport, is uplifting, especially prior to mid-term break and a bye week. THREE OBSERVATIONS BY LOU SOMOGYI OFFENSE: WR CHRIS FINKE It was an ugly day for most of the offense, but a number of figures made clutch plays during the second half to bring the Irish back for the win. The senior wideout didn't have any scoring results, but he had the most money plays. On Notre Dame's first touchdown drive, Finke worked himself free on a corner route for a 26-yard gain to convert a second-and-21. Three plays later, he converted a third-and-six, and the Irish scored on the next play. Finke led the offense with six catches for 62 yards. DEFENSE: DE JULIAN OKWARA The Irish defensive line struggled for chunks of the game, but when it mattered most it came to the forefront — and no one more so than the junior drop end. Okwara finished the game with six tackles, a stop for loss and seven quarterback hurries. With Notre Dame trailing 14-12 in the fourth quarter and Pitt moving into Irish territory, he brought down running back Darrin Hall in space for a three-yard loss on a swing route to force a punt. The Irish offense took the ensuing possession down the field for the game-winning score. Okwara then shut down any hope of a Pitt comeback with four crucial hurries on the final two possessions. SPECIAL TEAMS: PK JUSTIN YOON In an otherwise rough game for the special teams, the senior kicker did his job. Yoon put the Irish on the board with a 22-yard field goal at the 4:34 mark of the second quarter and then nailed a 41-yarder just before the half. When kickoff specialist Jonathan Doerer's second half boot was returned 99 yards for a touchdown, Notre Dame went with Yoon on the next two kickoffs. TOP PLAYERS OF THE GAME BY BRYAN DRISKELL Senior wide receiver Chris Finke reeled in six receptions for 62 yards, a couple of which were clutch grabs that kept Notre Dame's first touchdown drive alive. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA