Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 139 For The Record • Everett Golson nearly became the second quar- terback during the Kelly era to start every game in a single season. Tommy Rees started all 13 in 2013 and Golson started the first 12 in 2014 before sophomore Malik Zaire got the nod against LSU in the bowl game. With Golson transferring to Florida State, Notre Dame is without a controversy at signal-caller dur- ing the offseason. Barring an injury to Zaire during the 2015 season, he is expected to start each game next season. • Three players, each a sophomore, started all 13 games on defense last season: linebacker Jaylon Smith, cornerback Cole Luke and defensive lineman Isaac Rochell. Injuries contributed to the struggles of the defense during the second half of the season with most starters shelved at one point or another. The Irish featured eight different starting lineups during the regular season, including five in the five November games. Not coincidentally, Irish opponents averaged 43.4 points and 244.2 rushing yards per contest in those November contests. • Notre Dame finished 45th in the nation in red- zone touchdown percentage in 2014. It has rarely fared well in that category under Kelly, with previous ranks of 100th (53.33 percent) in 2013, 112th (48.33 percent) in 2012, 28th (66.67 percent) in 2011 and 87th (56.52) in 2010. • Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald became the fourth coach in the past 50 years to defeat Notre Dame as a player and then a head coach. The Wildcats topped Notre Dame 17-15 in 1995 and Fitzgerald led the program to a 43-40 overtime win at Notre Dame Stadium Nov. 15. By The Numbers 22 The number of times Everett Golson turned the ball over in 2014 — the most by a player in a Power Five conference according to ESPN Stats & Information (Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg was second with 21 and Florida State QB Jameis Winston was third with 20). After not committing any in the first three games, he did so four times in the 31-15 win over Syracuse Sept. 27. Head coach Brian Kelly ulti- mately pulled him midway through the 49-14 loss at USC Nov. 29. Golson played but did not start in the bowl game, and transferred months later. 7 Consecutive games in which the Irish defense surren- dered 30-plus points to end the regular season. Notre Dame allowed an average of 12.0 points per contest in the first five games before injuries, up-tempo of- fenses and turnovers by the Irish offense contributed to the unit's demise. 1991-93 The most recent time, prior to 2013-14, that Notre Dame won bowl games in consecutive seasons. The Irish topped Rutgers in the 2013 Pinstripe Bowl and LSU in the 2014 Music City Bowl for back-to-back postseason wins. Notre Dame is 4-2 in bowl games since 2008, when the Irish won the Hawaii Bowl for the program's first postseason victory since 1993. Feb. 4 — During a relatively quiet National Signing Day that featured no late decommitments or surprise flips to the Irish, a report by CoachingSearch.com indicated that recently fired Michigan head coach Brady Hoke would join Notre Dame's staff as its defensive line coach (with current defensive line coach Mike Elston presumably switching to linebackers). Hoke shot down the erroneous report and the Irish announced the signings of 24 players later in the day. Feb. 7 — Running backs coach and recruiting coordina- tor Tony Alford departed Notre Dame for a position on Urban Meyer's staff at Ohio State. Alford marked the third Irish assistant to leave that week, with quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur (Atlanta Falcons) and defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks (Oklahoma) also leaving for other positions. Feb. 13 — Notre Dame added Cal graduate transfer safety Avery Sebastian to the program. Feb. 26 — University president emeritus Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh passed away at the age of 97. He served as university president from 1952-87 and is regarded as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. March 2 — Kelly announced the hiring of Mike San- ford (offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach), Autry Denson (running backs coach), Todd Lyght (de- fensive backs coach) and Keith Gilmore (defensive line coach). March 4 — Hegarty announced his transfer from Notre Dame for his fifth season of eligibility. He joined the Or- egon program in late May. April 18 — Due to Campus Crossroads construction, the annual Blue-Gold Game is moved to LaBar Practice Fields. May 2 — Koyack is the lone Irish player selected in the NFL Draft, going in the seventh round with the No. 229 overall selection. May 6 — Golson announces his transfer from Notre Dame for his fifth season of eligibility. Nearly two weeks later, he joins the Florida State program. June 11 — Rising sophomore defensive end Jhonny Wil- liams announces that has asked for and been granted his release from the University of Notre Dame, and intends to transfer to another school. INDIVIDUAL PLAYS 1. Heartbreak at Florida State — A controversial pass interference penalty nullified a likely game-winning touchdown pass from Everett Golson to Corey Robinson Oct. 18 in Tallahassee, Fla. A score would have ended No. 2 Florida State's 22-game winning streak and improved the Irish to 7-0. Instead, Notre Dame went into a tailspin and lost five of its last six games. 2. Ben Koyack's Catch Seals Win — Tight end Koyack hauled in a scrambling Golson's laser pass on fourth-and-11 from the 23-yard line with 1:01 left to pull the Irish ahead of Stanford in a dramatic 17-14 home victory. A Cardinal win would have marked its fifth in six tries against the Irish. 3. Kyle Brindza Secures Bowl Win — Kyle Brindza's 32-yard field goal as time expired clinched Notre Dame's 31-28 win over LSU in the Music City Bowl Dec. 30. Brindza had missed a game-tying field goal in the second-to-last game of the season and was inconsistent during the season's second half while the team dealt with holding issues. Just as the kick marked a positive ending to Brindza's career, it gave Notre Dame optimism heading into the offseason. 4. Converting On Fourth-And-18 — With Notre Dame driving for a potential game-winning drive at No. 2 Florida State and the Irish facing fourth-and-18 at their own 43-yard line, Golson scrambled to his right and unloaded prior to enduring a massive hit. Robinson caught the pass and extended past the first down marker to continue the possession. 5. Sack And Shutout — With Michigan facing fourth-and-10 at the Notre Dame 23-yard line on its last real chance to avoid a shutout, freshman Kolin Hill sacked quarterback Devin Gardner and gave the ball back to the Irish offense. Immediately after the play, VanGorder conducted his fist pump from the sidelines that became the moment that represented the blowout win, and a favorite visual among Irish faithful. For the first time since 1985, Michigan had been shut out and Notre Dame claimed victory in the end of the series for the foreseeable future. Tight end Ben Koyack's 23-yard scoring grab on fourth-and-11 with 1:01 remaining gave Notre Dame a 17-14 triumph over Stanford Oct. 4. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA