I have 76 things to say:
1 – Here we go, I hadn’t been to Kenan Memorial Stadium since the weekend of my bachelor party in 2008, a 29-24 loss to the Tar Heels. Turns out they don’t serve Captain Morgan in the press box as they did in the stands that day, but whatever…
2 – In case you’re curious, your current Irish kick return unit: C.J. Sanders with Michael Young opposite. Three tight ends in a triangle (Nic Weishar back, Durham Smythe left, Cole Kmet right) plus Austin Webster, Asmar Bilal, Jordan Genmark-Heath, Greer Martini, C.J. Holmes, Isaiah Robertson and Jamir Jones.
3 -- 30 on UNC kick coverage has his face painted like Steve Lattimer from The Program.
4 – Josh Adams carries for 10 yards over the right boundary but Notre Dame’s drive hits a snag thereafter as the Jet Sweep handoff between Ian Book and Cam Smith is fumbled. Looked on replay like Smith didn’t open his arms enough to receive the direct handoff.
The ensuing 3rd-and-23 screen gains 15 to Adams and the Irish settle for an opening drive punt. Just the second punt on an opening drive (BC) this season.
5 – Punt team for the Irish: Snapper John Shannon and punter Tyler Newsome protected by Drue Tranquill, Alizé Mack, and Jordan Genmark-Heath with C.J. Holmes, Greer Martini, Daelin Hayes, Julian Love (makes the tackle), Asmar Bilal and Durham Smythe running under it.
6 – Te’von Coney gets the start over Greer Martini. At first I thought it was a by-product of Martini covering the punt, but Coney started in the second as well.
7 – The first of FIVE three-and-outs furnished by the ND defense is keyed by a 3rd-and-1 QB hurry off the boundary by Daelin Hayes. Leaving Hayes unblocked proved unwise.
8 – Irish punt return team (busy day) shows Chris Finke deep to “return.” His blockers that miss too many blocks are as follows: Jonathan Jones, Shaun Crawford, C.J. Holmes, Isaiah Robertson, Jordan Genmark-Heath, Michael Young, Troy Pride, Austin Webster, Jamir Jones, and Donte Vaughn.
9 – Three-and-out favor returned by ND despite a 3rd-and-4 opportunity. Give the Tar Heels back seven credit; they expertly exchanged three crossing Irish underneath and Chase Claypool on the corner route. No one open, Book scrambles for 2 and a punt.
10 – Tar Heels mascot Rameses, uh, hangin’ loose, so to speak? No video, this is a family show…
11 – Nyles Morgan puts Carolina’s popgun offense behind the chains with a 1st Down tackle for loss. Morgan fought off a left tackle block on the edge but was aided greatly by a crashing Drue Tranquill off the edge, taking out the lead block. Jay Hayes helps clean up the mess – Hayes is in a perfect role this season.
That’s a sentence I never typed during the 2 ¼-season VanGorder Error.
12 – Third-and-9 and Julian Okwara’s inside pass rush flushes Chazz Surratt from the pocket. Te’von Coney pressures late and Surratt is forced to throw away. Punt #2.
13 – I think I like the Brock Huard and Bob Wischusen tandem in the booth. Wait, is it Bob? I guess it doesn’t matter because his last name isn’t Flutie…
14 – Irish passing attack decidedly horizontal early, which makes sense, because Book is on point with such throws. Claypool drags underneath two clear-out routes and the (late) pitch and catch gains 23 yards. Ends up as the longest pass play of the afternoon.
15 – Book looks deep to St. Brown on the ensuing snap but the junior receiver was well covered down the post. That might have been interference if EQ would have jumped into the defender.
16 – ND’s 3rd-and-1 handoff to Adams a little too tippy toe for my taste. Irish use quick tempo to go for it at midfield on 4th-and-almost 2 and Book isn’t even close on the sneak.
I’d be a hypocrite to criticize that call: I’ve advocated up-tempo QB sneaks on 4th-and-1in plus territory for about 25 years. This one just didn’t work. (Was actually too far to sneak, however). UNC takes over at midfield which is the real offense equivalent of taking over inside your own 5-yard line.
That offense is impossibly bad to watch.
17 – Tar Heels lose three yards on three snaps thanks to a 1st Down sack by Shaun Crawford off the boundary. (Boundary corner, in for Nick Watkins.)
Crawford is like a miniature Jalen Ramsey (FSU/Jags). A disruptive difference-maker.
18 – 3rd-and-13 and the Human Bullet, Julian Okwara, wrecks the edge. Punt #3 on tap.
19 – Dangerous pass across his body back to the boundary to Mack for a 7-yard gain and a first down between double coverage. Ill-advised nice throw. Bad snap by Mustipher but Book handled it calmly.
20 – Hey, Josh Adams is limping. (Cut/Paste)
21 – Robert Hainsey with utter domination in pass protection allows Book to gain eight yards on a scramble to the field side. Snap was at 3:37 in the first quarter if you want to see why the coaching staff identified Hainsey in the summer as a possible starter this fall. Wow.
Thoughts on 2018, left to right:
-- The logical: Eichenberg, Kraemer, Mustipher, Bars, Hainsey
-- The intriguing: Hainsey, Banks/Lugg, Mustipher, Bars, Kraemer
Discuss
22 – In the spring, Tony Jones looked like Rodney Culver. In August, he looked like Rashon Powers-Neal. Through six games this fall he’s looked like one of my neighbor’s sons. The slower one.
(My theory: I think Jones hurt his ankle in camp or after Temple and then it got progressively worse/re-injured.)
That said, Claypool with a horrid whiff on a crack-back boundary block to lay Jones out to dry…
23 – 4th-and-1 just after midfield and Alizé Mack converts on a 4th-and-1 to the boundary. Mack motioned and slipped into the flat off the snap, flashed his hands to snare the accurate throw to move the sticks.
24 – Best catch of the day by an Irish receiver courtesy Chase Claypool…about 3 yards out of bounds.
25 – Adams hammers through a gaping hole over left guard on 3rd-and-1. A clearly hurt Alex Bars (ankle) nearly got injured running too high in a block attempt. Just hammered by the defender.
26 – Mack’s gotta make that catch down the seam. Come on, man. Guys are going to touch you. Perfect throw by Book.
START OF SECOND QUARTER, 0-0
27 – 1st-and-Goal at the UNC 6 after Adams moves the chains on 3rd Down, Book fakes a Jet Sweep, rolls to the right boundary and hits a backside cross from the slot, Cam Smith’s first touchdown in an Irish uniform. Good job by the graduate to settle in an open window with receivers flowing underneath and behind.
15 play Drive, 80 yards, and ND at this point is 23 for 23 in the red zone (21 TD, 2 FG)
7-0 ND 14:54
28 – Three-and-out #4 for North Carolina courtesy a dropped pass on 2nd Down and a holding penalty on third (had to hold Okwara off the left edge). Then on 3rd-and-19 (13:42 if you want to watch), Nyles Morgan makes hustle play of the day, first bouncing off Surratt in the pocket, then spinning and chasing down the QB 14 yards down field to team with Nick Coleman on the stop. Also good hustle by Jalen Elliott who was a bit lost on his safety blitz.
29 – 2nd-and-10 boundary handoff to Josh Adams busts for 73 yards over left tackle with winning blocks as follows: Quenton Nelson pulling, Durham Smythe crack (key block), Alizé Mack motion, crack sticking with it (ditto), and Hunter Bivin (good pulling contact if not authoritative), and a Mike McGlinchey seal (dominates) – Adams does the rest.
What a half-season that kid has had.
30 – Nick Watkins with the pass breakup to guarantee three-and-out #5 and its starting to rain hard in Chapel Hill. (Of course it is, we’re in a Carolina). The Tar Heels offense is easy to track. Here are my live game notes from the press box:
3 plays 9 yards PUNT
3 plays -1 yards, PUNT
3 plays -3 yards PUNT
3 plays 5 yards PUNT
3 plays 5 yards PUNT
31 – Mack with good concentration and adjustment on the move to secure a Book pass behind him on 3rd-and-2, falling just after the marker. I talked to Mack post-game about his success as Book’s outlet receiver Saturday and I don’t think he appreciated the word “outlet” in the sentence.
Third-and-8 two snaps later (including a quick toss to Mack for 2 yards) and Book has to throw away with Mack (crossing) and EQ (jogging).
32 – That 3rd-and-8 route by Equanimeous St. Brown brought to you by istopwhenimcovered.com
33 – Asmar Bilal in for Tranquill at Rover. Gain of 19. Asmar Bilal out.
34 – Nice rhythm on this drive by the Tar Heels, 19, 13, 17, 14…and then Surratt fumbles trying to throw a screen, Khalid Kareem with the recovery. Kareem looked pretty quick returning that for about 10 yards to midfield.
35 – Irish can’t capitalize (They had previously scored touchdowns on 10 of 11 interceptions created) as Book throws to St. Brown on 1st and 3rd Down, both incomplete. St. Brown was open briefly on a 1st Down X Banana in which he first delayed then bent up the right sideline.
Tar Heels DBs talking to St. Brown at this point – because they can.
36 – Jalen Elliott breaks up the skinny post to the tight end. Nice trail coverage.
37 – How in the world did Jordan Cunningham take that interception away from Nick Coleman? Gain of 17 on 3rd and 2. Coleman breaks up a downfield toss two snaps later. He broke it up by not catching it, but breakup nonetheless.
3rd-and-6 and Julian Love with the pass breakup to force a punt. 6-and-out possession that time by the hosts. Love has 9 pass breakups this season.
38 – Punt pins ND at its own 1-yard line and two snaps later, Book is picked off on his side of midfield taking a shot to a double-covered Chris Finke running a corner to the right.
39 – North Carolina responds with a 6-play, 49-yard drive for its first score. Surratt’s 3rd-and-4 escape on a keeper (Okwara) for 16 yards kept the drive alive and his 25-yard jump ball to Anthony Ratliff-Williams over Julian Love capped the effort. That’s the fifth touchdown pass Love has allowed in six games. (Miami the exception.)
Credit the Irish secondary (Love and Elliott) for shutting down an end around pass attempt (covered) on the drive. Elliott was beaten for a dropped/misjudged touchdown one snap prior to the score.
40 – Of note, Love was playing off-man coverage to the boundary on the TD. Boundary cornerback Nick Watkins was aligned to the field.
Anthony Ratliff-Williams is flagged for running his mouth at Love post-TD.
14-7 ND 1:45 remaining in the half
41 – Irish offense stalls at the UNC 44 after a seven-play, 31-yard drive (six passes by Book and one 9-yard scramble by the redshirt-freshman). Tyler Newsome drops a punt inside the Tar Heel’s 2-yard line and then the North Carolina offensive brain trust takes over:
42 – After a nonsensical first down deep shot, Surratt attempts a 2nd Down delayed handoff out of the shotgun two yards deep in the end zone – Jerry Tillery and Jay Hayes win up front for the safety. A gift two points for the Irish. Had North Carolina just pushed the ball forward on three snaps, the half would have ended (ND had just two timeouts, 38 seconds remaining.)
16-7 Irish at the Half
43 – Had to be an awkward staff conversation at the break in the host’s locker room, don’t you think?
44 – Tillery picks up where he left off, changing scrimmage and allowing Te’von Coney to penetrate for the tackle-for-loss. Sets up 3rd-and-4 two snaps later and the play of the day as Julian Okwara runs unfettered into the backfield, gets his mirror-hand in the passing lane and tips Surratt’s pass in the air, catching it thereafter for the athletic INT.
“Just like we practice everyday,” Okwara reveals post-game. By the way, the always aware Shaun Crawford was begging for the late pitch from Okwara as he fell (would have been a walk-in TD).
45 – Josh Adams converts on 3rd-and-1 at the 6-yard line three snaps later. His last carry of the day (dehydration, into the locker room). The left line just caved in their counterparts in blue on that 3rd Down. I think
My goodness Chase Claypool! Pancaking North Carolina’s best football player M.J. Stewart in open space.
46 – First and goal false start Bivin. Bivin then with an obvious reaching hold attempt after failing to recognize an X-stunt that flushes Book.
5th-year seniors can’t do those two things when their offense is staked with 1st-and-G inside the 6.
Reading Brian Kelly’s lips: “Okay, get him out, Harry.” Tommy Kraemer takes over for Bivin on third down following a North Carolina timeout.
Irish settle for a field goal after 14 consecutive red zone touchdowns.
19-7 near the 11-minute mark
47 – Kick coverage unit to round out your special teams questions: Julian Love, Te’von Coney, Robert Regan, C.J. Holmes, Nic Weishar, Isaiah Robertson, Austin Webster, Jordan Genmark-Heath, Nicco Fertitta and Cole Kmet aiding kicker Justin Yoon.
More competitive games should include Greer Martini, Shaun Crawford and Drue Tranquill, plus a healthy Dexter Williams.
48 – Brock Huard does a good job. Looks like he’s painted on the screen, but does a really good job.
49 – The second of four consecutive three-and-outs by UNC is furnished by Julian Love (Stuff after a short pass to the boundary), Shaun Crawford (tackle after gain of 5 to the field) and a 3rd-and-4 Stuff by Nyles Morgan for a 1-yard gain. Crawford influenced the play with blitz off the slot (Nickel).
50 – It has recently occurred to me that Mike Elko is better at some stuff pertaining to football than was (is) Brian VanGorder.
51 – Book across-the-body throw on the boundary roll to a dragging Durham Smythe. If Wimbush could hit that throw with consistency he’d be a superstar.
52 – After a UNC penalty stakes the Irish to 1st-and-Goal at the 18-yard line, Book throws high and behind a covered Smythe for an interception and Notre Dame’s first red zone failure of 2017. Not bad after 24 successful visits.
53 – Huard: “That just felt a little greedy. Just run the ball.” – I concur.
54 – UNC’s ensuing 3rd three-and-out of the second stanza brought to you by incompetence…and here come the boos. 3rd-and-1 (or less) and a boundary bubble is dropped.
Run the ball! (Feels good to say that to somebody else.)
55 – FINKE! YARDS! 23 of them to be exact, tying his career-best punt return set last October against Miami.
56 – Solid screen blocking by Mack to give Book 11 yards on a keeper. One snap later, Deon McIntosh skates through a gaping hole over left guard (great seal inside by Mustipher, too) and jukes a second-level defender finishing for a 35-yard touchdown.
26-7 ND. Ball Game with about 6:30 to play in the 3rd
57 – Three-and-out again (four straight) with Daelin Hayes unblocked through the left B Gap (guard/tackle) for a 3rd Down sack. Man he closed in a hurry. Good coverage by Love on a 1st Down deep shot and chase-down pressure/QB hit by Julian Okwara on section. Tillery with a twist underneath Bonner seemed to draw the left side’s attention.
58 – Surratt looks like Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson from A Few Good Men, only with worse pocket presence….
59 – That’s 10 three-and-outs on 13 possessions. This Irish defense is sound, they play hard and are at worst, “good,” but let’s not ignore the reality: North Carolina is impotent offensively.
60 – Hey it’s Kevin Stepherson! 11-yard gain erased by penalty.
61 – Finke with another good return but Troy Pride had an illegal block in the back. (And celebrated it a little too soon.)
62 – After a UNC third-down conversion (no, seriously), Jordan Brown then gains 16 with what Wischusen aptly points out was the first gap breakdown of the day for the Irish. I can handle that late in the third.
63 – Two more third down conversions, the latter due to a pass interference on Julian Love sets up the Tar Heels with 1st-and-Goal at the ND 8-yard line at the end of the 4th Quarter. (Pressures/QB hits by Tillery and Okwara prior).
64 – Goal Line Stand (relatively speaking):
- Tranquill with a Stuff inside, no gain on 1st Down
- Surratt Stuffed for one yard on a keeper (Love). Great tackle in space to the field side as Martini and Coney crash lead blockers. That’s team defense.
- Shaun Crawford with a diving pass breakup in the end zone (though it wouldn’t have been caught.)
- Heels want to go for it despite the fact that a field goal would cut the lead to 16 (two scores, two conversions). The football gods take mercy on Larry Fedora with a holding penalty (well, it negated a touchdown, but hey, mercy is for the weak, anyway) forcing him to kick the field goal from the 17.
16 plays, 56 yards and just a field goal to show for it
26-10 ND early in the 4th Quarter
65 – 14:11 to go and It’s about to get tedious up in this film review, err, kitchen counter…
66 – What a run by McIntosh! Steps out of one tackler, runs over another, spins away from the grasp of a third and drives through three tacklers to finish, all for a 9-yard gain. Holy Cow. This isn’t just finishing because you’re fourth string, this is punishing to opponent.
67 – Another would-be-tackler run over by McIntosh. Wait, Maybe he and Jones switched numbers last spring?
68 – Deon McIntosh doesn’t like wearing #38. Told Brian Kelly it’s “not a running back’s number.”
Which is funny, because this is an exact exchange in August at Culver Academies during the opening practice:
-- Colleague: “McIntosh is wearing #38?”
-- Me: “That’s the number of a running back that gets cut.”
(In case you missed it, Kelly since told him he is now a known commodity as No. 38 and shouldn’t change.)
69 – 4th-and-2 at the 29 of UNC and McIntosh dives for a first down despite getting tripped on the run about two yards short. Great field awareness. Two snaps later from the 23-yard line, McIntosh rips off his fourth touchdown (three from more than 20 yards out) since making his collegiate debut at Boston College.
McIntosh over 100 yards. What an unexpected bonus for this Irish offense.
33-10 ND with 9:05
70 – Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey. That’s a long day at the office.
71 – How would one go about fighting Quenton Nelson? Because I don’t think punching him would be that effective.
72 – Drue Tranquill with a strip and recovery after North Carolina puts together a decent drive. As noted in yesterday’s Monday Musings, Tranquill and Crawford are tied with an aggregate 11.5 big plays through six games this season. (TFL, INT, FF, FR, PD).
73 – C.J. Holmes helps the Irish run out the clock, churning out 32 yards on 9 carries, his best a 10-yard burst over left guard after he waited for a lane to develop behind a pulling Tommy Kraemer and the combo of Nelson and McGlinchey double teaming #97 Jalen Dalton.
If you have this game on DVR (it’s available on YouTube on this board courtesy “RallyLoyalSons,” please go to the 5:50 mark of the 4th Quarter and check out #97’s post-play expression. Not what he signed up for.
https://247sports.com/college/notre...ntents/Full-Notre-Dame-Games-So-Far-108714717
74 – “Nothing better than busting the will of your opponent,” says Huard.
Never thought I’d hear that – on more than one game broadcast, to boot – while watching the Kelly Era Irish.
75 – As John Keats said, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” And by ‘A thing of beauty’ he meant ‘run blocking’
76 – Post-game question that probably should have been asked of Larry Fedora:
“How dare you?”
