Notre Dame combined big plays by the offense with a defense that forced four turnovers by Western Michigan to dominate the Broncos 44-20 on Saturday. Michael Floyd had three touchdown receptions and sophomores Tyler Eifert and Cierre Wood each scored from 39 yards to fuel the Irish attack. The win elevated Notre Dame to 4-3 on the season and allowed Coach Brian Kelly to clear the bench in the fourth quarter.
The Irish wasted no time to get into the scoring column after receiving the opening kickoff. Floyd was afforded single coverage on the first play from scrimmage by Lewis Toler, the Broncos’ best cover corner. Floyd underscored the talent differential between the teams by using a double move to get open downfield and spinning into the clear for an 80-yard touchdown.
Quarterback Alex Carder led a commendable effort by WMU to keep the game close and competitive during the first half. His fourth down sneak on the second of two fourth down gambles tied the score at seven. Unfortunately for the Broncos, Notre Dame opened the second quarter with another big play. Darius Fleming dropped into pass coverage and intercepted a sideline pass by Carder at the WMU 32. On the ensuing play, the Irish ran a reverse to John Goodman, who stopped and drilled a bullet to Floyd for the go-ahead score.
Notre Dame recovered a Bronco fumble on the next series, but was unable to capitalize immediately. The Irish did maintain good field position during an exchange of punts, however, and padded its lead at the 9:16 mark when Dayne Crist capped a 36-yard drive with a nine yard keeper. The extra point was blocked, but Notre Dame’s lead stood at 20-7.
The Broncos fought back with a field goal, followed by a quick three and out by the Irish that featured two sacks. Carder tried to take advantage of the brief momentum shift, but an interception by Gary Gray gave the ball back to Notre Dame. Once again, the Irish offense appeared to be unable to take advantage of a turnover, but a decision to go for it on fourth down resulted in a Crist touchdown pass to a wide open Eifert.
Trailing 27-10, the Broncos did not quit. Carder directed his team on an 80-yard march during the final two minutes to make the score a respectable 27-17 at the half. Despite three turnovers and a few exceptional plays, Notre Dame’s overall play left a lot to be desired at that point in the game. Kelly cited the penalties and mental mistakes, and his team had failed to gain any yardage on the ground after a 6/24 ratio of runs to passes.
As Western Michigan prepared to receive the second half kickoff, Irish fans wondered whether their team would retake control of the game or find themselves in another dogfight with an unheralded opponent. This question was quickly answered by the defense, which sacked Carder to force a three and out, and the offense, which cleared the way for Wood’s 39-yard scoring run after a poor Bronco punt.
Notre Dame was in complete control from that point forward. Another short WMU punt gave Crist a short field later in the third period, and a 53-yard drive was successfully concluded by Floyd’s third touchdown catch of the day. The 41-17 lead allowed Kelly to substitute freely and the only scoring to follow was an exchange of fourth quarter field goals for the final margin. Notable plays in the fourth quarter included long runs by Wood and Robert Hughes, a productive drive led by Nate Montana, and a fumble recovery by Notre Dame one play after Crist had thrown an interception.
Although the Irish scored most of their points in the first half, they played better football during the second thirty minutes. The running game is still a disappointment despite the heroic efforts of the tailbacks. Two third quarter holding penalties on running plays demonstrate the inconsistency in this area, and Crist is still not accurate enough to carry the team on the strength of his arm alone.
On the positive side, it was good to see a one-sided game in which several second teamers could participate. The Broncos fought hard and did well to score 20 points, but they had several breakdowns in all phases of the game and could manage only 37 rushing yards.
Let’s review the pregame questions that provided insight into the outcome.
Will WMU be able to continue its success in forcing turnovers? No. The Broncos forced one turnover in the fourth quarter, but gave it back to Notre Dame on the next play.
Can Notre Dame build a comfortable lead by halftime? Almost. Carder’s touchdown with 15 seconds left in the half cut the margin to only ten points, but the Irish wasted no time retaking control in the third period.
Will White attain the level of success achieved by Baldwin against the Irish secondary last week? White caught five balls for 55 yards, but most occurred after the issue was decided. He was really a non-factor throughout the game thanks to good coverage by Notre Dame.
Can the Irish rush for 200 yards and gain 450 overall? A non-existent ground game in the first half limited the Irish to 149 yards rushing overall. Several effective runs helped reverse the trend in the second half, but the holding penalties also hurt.
Will the Irish offense find its rhythm or continue to sputter at inopportune moments? There were really no nervous moments in the game for Notre Dame, but the offense was inconsistent. Great plays were mixed with sacks, penalties, poor run blocking and errant passes to open receivers. The term “work in progress” is rapidly becoming the most overused phrase in the Irish language.
Which Irish second teamers will impress the fans and the coaches? Certainly, Wood, Hughes and Eifert played well on offense. Zeke Motta played well on defense for the injured Jamoris Slaughter. Fleming is a starter at linebacker, but his first quarter interception was especially impressive since he is not noted for his pass coverage skills. Oh yeah, and the Ruffer guy set the all-time record for consecutive field goals by a Notre Dame kicker with his 17th.
Navy is next for the Irish, who owe the Middies a sound beating after suffering two recent embarrassments. This team must strive to eliminate mistakes and head-scratching plays in order to have what most would consider a successful season, but the playmaking ability and pure talent flashed by the likes of Wood, Floyd, Fleming, Te’o and others keep hope alive that the annual November fade will soon be a thing of the past.
borromini says:
Yeah baby…bring on the Middies!
terry says:
“The term ‘work in progress’ is rapidly becoming the most overused phrase in the Irish language.”
Very true, but if the shoe fits …..
Terry says:
This was a good win for the Irish, but there is somethig missing from this team. I dont know if this is the right words, but watching yesterdays game, especially the first half didnt seem like you were watching a real program.This is unusual because at each individual position I firmly believe ND has some of the best talent in the nation, yet they dont play as a team putting it all together. As I said they won.
Two horrible calls yesterday, one call and one non-call. The offensive interference in the second half on ND. Where was it? The tackling of Floyd in the end zone just prior to the ball getting there
John2 says:
One would hope that every good team gets better as the year goes on. Certainly LSU and Texas does. Joe Moores lines often were much better as the year evolved. You don’t want to be your best out of the gate. Go Irish Sink Navy!
domerInLonghornCountry'85'91 says:
As always, an excellent recap.
Happy to finally watch a game in which, as you say, “There were really no nervous moments”.
BK is starting to look like the real deal. If we go 8-4, and beat either Utah or USC (oh, beating USC would be soooo sweet), it will have been a solid start to the BK era.
Fitz says:
SINK NAVY!
Dave88 says:
First half was very sloppy and before all the “don’t ever criticize the ND head coach” types upbraid me keep in mind that Kelly himself admitted it and gave the players a tongue lashing at halftime. I believe Kelly and the coaches are doing their best but don’t seem to be getting through to the upperclassman. That there’s been only marginal improvement across the board in week 7 is cause for concern.
You still have to hold your breath every time ND has the ball since they’re Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde throughout the course of the game. I think ND has set an NCAA record for 3 and out’s in a season.
aov says:
Dave88,
I agree with you! It was Western Michigan ND beat. Lets see what happens against USC or Utah. I think they look sloppy.
Jim Prisby says:
I’m sorry but I just don’t get it. Let’s not get all excited over a win against an average MAC team. Why is it that we have to resort to trick plays to beat a team like Western Michigan? Despite the score I am really disappointed. Aren’t we supposed to be better conditioned? Better talent? We should have used this game to work on our running game and cram it down their throat! I think there was like 4 minutes left until halftime and we threw three straight passes. Brian Kelly needs to learn the words “off-tackle”. They are really good words, especially against a lesser talented team. It also shows that he has ZERO confidence in his O-Line to run any kind of power offense when it counts. This will really hurt us later…
Come to think of it, how does WM score 17 points? Our defense still sucks despite what the press prints. We play soft cover two zone defense and allow teams to pick us apart. When will we realize that we need to commmit to real defense? Our talent is better than this scheme. Look, if four guys don’t get to the QB then we need to do one of two things; we either need to send more guys and force a QB into a quick throw, OR we do what everyone does to us and send three and drop 8.
Our wins are nice but have not come against the better teams. I still believe we need a more aggresive scheme on Defense, if not for now, do it for the recruits! On offense, we still need to run the ball and not be so ‘pass happy’ in Kelly’s system.
Color me unimpressed….
NDGC99 says:
The good old days just ain’t what they used to be.
Teo says:
This isn’t a bad team when they play together. But, they’re unpolished.
I generally take issue with your suggestion that running the ball is the solution to all of our woes. I remember the Davie years. You should, too. Being able to execute a passing scheme is a sign of strength, given that we have a new quarterback and a relatively new offensive line and an All America TE injured and a few running backs banged up.
I don’t agree that we can only win with a dominant running game. We can win with a balanced attack, too. Sometimes we throw too often but Kelly’s been the coach for like 7 seven games. He shouldn’t be criticized because he likes a spread offense that relies on short passes.
One final point: right now, the offensive line does look like it struggles to develop holes for our backs. That may have something to do with Weis’ five years of coaching. These things don’t get fixed overnight.
irishhawk50 says:
I get the feeling that we are all on the same page. The Irish seem like a decent team, but not a dominant one. I am beginning to feel that what you see is what you get. I was hoping for a big leap in the quality of play by this time in the season, but it doesn’t appear to be in the cards. I know Western Michigan wasn’t a 1-AA patsy, but I expected a more convincing win. To paraphrase BK, ND can be a good team, not a great team, if they don’t make mistakes. I look forward to the Utah game to see where this team really stacks up against a top ten team. I will keep my fingers crossed.
Joe Schaefer ND'59 says:
Once the backs get to the line of scrimmage, they are on their own. The “O” line can’t’ open holes. No holes, no run game. No run game, forget Utah and SC
Kevin says:
Unless it all collapses before our eyes we should be 6-3 heading into the Utah game. We’ll see what this ND team (and the Kelly staff) are really made of at that point. I like the fact that we beat a team like we should have, but it was only WMU, a team’s whose best victory of the year most likely came in their own spring game. We’re on the right track, but there is still a lot to be desired from this team.
Teo says:
Again, I would be reluctant to make any predictions on the records. For five years, Weis paid little attention to the defense. While he was fairly bright on offense, he was operating with an NFL quarterback for most of that time. Now we have a new Q and a lot of new guys up front. We should beat Navy and Tulsa but it’s not a sure thing.
This is a team that’s a work in progress. We have to get better each week. It seems that this is what is happening.
Jim Kress says:
“There were really no nervous moments”
The entire 1st half was a nervous moment. The team took the win for granted, rolled the ball onto the field and expected WM to fall down in total submission. ND looked pathetic (for the most part) and disinterested.
The good thing was BK demonstrated real coaching skills by kicking the team in in its collective ass at halftime, made them understand they had to actually perform to win – which they did, and then made the adjustments (especially on defense) that held WM down in the 2nd half.
However, we must remember, if it were not for the WM turnovers, we’d be looking at something like a 23 to 20 win. Hardly a compelling case for hubris on the part of our Irish.
John Vannie says:
I wasn’t nervous, but I had several moments of pure disgust.
mpsND'72 says:
I was out on the west coast last weekend, but had time to watch the game. The first half stunk. Disgust does not travel well.
Andrew says:
Ok guys hold on, first i agree that i would like to run the ball more, but this is not the Holtz type team that runs the ball 40 times a game! All of you want that to be this teams ID but you have be able to see what BK is all about. Passing!! Now like i said running the ball is nice but if you are a passing team that has the weapons to use a short passing game to keep the chains moving why would’nt you do that? I believe the team took a half off and we still came out of the gate in the 3rd quarter and played well. I think BK is moving in the correct direction and he knows when/how to motivate these kids(lets remember they are still kids) unlike the past few coaches. We all knew this year would be “different” and tough to stomach, but i can honestly say that I am happy with the overall record as well as where this team is going.
NDGC99 says:
Nice, measured reply to Jim Prisby up there. Sure would be nice if we could sling it around the field like last year’s Cincinnati offense when we need to, then pound it on the ground like the old ND teams of the early 1990s when we want to chew up clock. I’m no football expert, but it seems a team learning a new system that is generally dependent on the pass might as well focus it’s first few weeks on learning the system rather than beating the crap out of smaller, inferior opponents with a power running game that is not a focus for the offense. How does knowing that ND can pound it down the throat of an undersized front seven for Western Michigan or Navy improve its ability to pound it against Utah or USC? Granted, this team has demonstrated a sickening inability to put teams away. But ND left any reason to play for style points and running up the score behind in East Lansing – now they need to win games while improving their execution in the new systems.
Now if Kelly can someday achieve a spread offense that can run the ball even when the defense knows it’s coming, I think we’ll all be pleased. But expecting that to materialize before the Utah game, and using it as the measuring stick for whether the team is making progress, is a tall order. I hope they rise to the challenge.
Teo says:
ND is a good team, not a great team. Of the remaining games, I see losses against the Utes and the Trojans. I also see a close game against Navy next week. Simply, this team has had years of awful management. I know that some people loved Charlie but when I see this team tackle and I see this team block I remember what good football is supposed to look like. It’s not just a question of four-star talent. It’s a question of leadership, of character, of drive, of execution.
Kelly brings the right kind of leadership, which most definitely includes calling out players who look lackidaisical and overconfident. Fundamentally, the kids are getting better. But, for those who think that this is a team who could stay in the same building as Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Wisconsin or, well, Boise State, you’re nuts. Again, this team had years of poor management. I was a Charlie fan because I didn’t want to go through a change in head coaches. But, we should have seen the writing on the wall when we were 3-9. Instead, we had two more awful years and here we are.
I do like the progress I am seeing. We’re blocking better and we’re creating holes at the right time. We’re making open field tackles. But, we’re not even close to where we need to be.
LetsGoND says:
Teo said, “But, for those who think that this is a team who could stay in the same building as Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Wisconsin or, well, Boise State, you’re nuts”
—
Great point Teo.
Right now, these latest wins, are essentially a smoke screen covering a lack of contunity with this force fed d1nk-and-dunk offense (although the increased throws to Floyd makes you think of Weis’ vertical style– Kelly decided to stop being stubborn it seems). With no running game.
If ND were to play Alabama or Boise State, it would probably look like… well.. Cincinnati against Florida last season. ND would be dismantled thoroughly; posthaste.
Teo says:
We ran pretty well in the second half last week. I would say that we’re starting to figure out how to take advantage of a defense’s weakness — and that includes figuring out how to run the ball when it’s needed. It’s not a perfect offense but I’m starting to feel like we’re going in the right direction.
LetsGoND says:
Oh, and when l was listing teams that would dismantle Notre Dame, I forgot to include Navy. My fault.
aneis says:
Leadership or intimidation? I was so excited when BK and his team were hired. ButAs watching him rant , scream,bully and intimidate players remindes me of Bobby Knight and makes me long for John Wooden. These young men (please coach drop the “KIDS” label) deserve mentoring and a balance of teaching moments mixed with committment and passion> i believe players would go through a wall for Ara and Lou because they had emotional balance. They knew when to light a fire but also how to edify and inspire. Like the time Lou held his field goal kickers head inthis wo hands after a critical miss was an inspirational world away from Kelly”s
Teo says:
Football is a game of motivation. On offense, coaches need to motivate eleven guys toward one goal — at one time. On defense, same thing. So, Kelly is motivating his kids. And, yes, he storms the sidelines. Lou and Ara did the same thing. He screams at his players. Ara and Lou did the same thing. So do big-time coaches (you’ll note that I did not write “other” big time coaches because I don’t know that Coach Kelly falls in that class yet).
Is he Bobby Knight, physically assaulting players? I haven’t seen that at all. Sure, he gets frustrated and he vents but that emotion — the thrill of a touchdown and the agony of a penalty — is not a bad thing. It’s actually something that’s been missing in this program since the days of Lou. I don’t remember Davie or Willingham or Weis expressing their frustration in a similar manner.
VicPaul says:
aneis…couldn’t disagree with you more. After listening to T’eo speak today, this team is a team. They play for their coaches, their team mates and for their Lady. BK has had to come in and change years, and I mean years, of losing behaver. Are we there? Heck no. But we sure are moving in the right direction….And if kickin a little ass on the sideline helps us get there faster, I’m all for it. Go Irish beat Navy!!!!!!!
GW says:
Western Michigan hung tough in the first half. They were overmatched, but got by on determination and wits. ND needs to shore things up on both sides of the ball to be a really top team.
Chris says:
Seems like most of you fans have been asleep for the past 15 years….this program has many many monkeys on its back and the ship simply does not get righted properly in one year. We get rid of one monkey at a time and while it seems ridiculous – this team needs to learn to win again. Odd for ND in general but true none the same. BK is doing a tremendous job thus far. As long as he stays in the grill of these players and continues doing what he is doing a solid foundation will be rebuilt for this program. We basically have a freshman QB as far as Crists playing experience goes, all in all the offense is doing pretty damn good especially learning an entirely new offensive scheme. We finally have a big time play maker and one tough hombre in Manti’ on D – and eventually the supporting cast will fall in line. Stay the course – lots more going on w/ ND football than just getting players to execute the X’s and O’s. GO IRISH!
Patrick says:
Every time I read the comments on here I chuckle. Notre Dame can never win with some of you guys. They win by 24, but they didn’t win by enough. They win a close game, and they should have put it away in the 1st quarter. They throw for 350 yards, and they should have run more. They run for 190 yards, and they should have thrown to Michael Floyd more. They hold a team to 37 yards rushing, but didn’t stop every pass attempt. They hold a team to 150 yards passing, but didn’t keep their opponents to less than 30 yards rushing. GET OVER IT!
This is not a Holtz team. Notre Dame (and this entire spread system) will NEVER run an I-formation half back dive for 8 yards at a time. You are not going to see 250lb halfbacks who run 4.8’s in the ND backfield. The days of 320lb offensive lineman who can do no more than run block are G-O-N-E.
The run? While I do agree the run is important, it is no more important than the pass, or catching, or solid QB play. Football has evolved to a stage where teams can – and do – win with a minimal running game. Whereas 20+ years ago the run was heavily featured, it is not anymore. And when it is, it is usually featured by the QB – ala Denard Robinson.
Is this a BCS team? Nope. Is it a 9 win team? It shouldn’t be. But what do you expect from a team laden with under-performing players who were conditioned to fall apart in games?
And to those who expect to see the Bearcats offense in this ND team – wake up. It takes years to develop that. For some reason, you guys think all it takes a magical snap of the fingers and a pro-style offensive system will magically become a spread offense. Look at Michigan and how long it has taken them to adjust. For the major college football fans, remember when Army switched from the option to a passing attack? How about Nebraska from their option to the Callahan passing game? It NEVER happens right away. Ever. Why? Because first their is a philosophical change, sometimes 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Players must unlearn what they have learned. Second, the physical characteristics of the players are different in each system. And three, they have very little time to perfect it, prior to the season starting. And it ends up becoming a crash-course during the season.
To me, year 1 is about establishing passion and work ethic. Year 2 is about significant progress on both sides of the ball (statistically speaking). And Year 3 is its perfection.
aov says:
No to rain on your parade, but it was Western Michigan ND beat by 24 a D-1A team. Lets see what happens in the next few weeks. Has Michigan adjusted? Will Rich Rodg still be coaching at Michigan in two years? Last time I checked Callahan was fired at Nebraska. Most of the time I read comments on this here I feel like I am at a Cubs game. We are two years away from being a contender. How many times or years can this be said. 1988 was a long time ago.
DT80 says:
Patrick-Nice post, especially regarding how dramatically football has changed in the last 20 years. You can be very successful these days as a pass first team, even at the pro level. You don’t have to look any further than last’s year’s Super Bowl for a good example.
aov-I believe you are referencing the old D1A and D1AA system. That was replaced by the current FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) and FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) system a few years ago. ND and Western Michigan are both FBS schools.