Notre Dame was far from dominant on Saturday, but the Irish stopped Purdue when it counted for a 23-12 victory in the season opener for both teams. Brian Kelly’s squad showed considerable improvement in the running game, and the performance of both the defense and special teams was very encouraging. Quarterback Dayne Crist looked sharp in the first half, but his lack of experience in the pocket was evident later when the Boilermakers mounted a comeback. Fortunately for Notre Dame, this year’s team does not have to rely entirely on the quarterback’s individual efforts to win a ballgame.

Both offenses sputtered early, but the Irish received a boost late in the first quarter when Darrin Walls intercepted a pass by Purdue’s Robert Marve deep in Irish territory. Cierre Wood came in at running back for his first collegiate action and proceeded to rip off runs of 15, 16 and 13 yards. Starter Armando Allen apparently got the message, because he returned to the game and immediately ripped off a 22-yard touchdown run to give Notre Dame a 7-0 advantage.

 The teams exchanged short field goals in second quarter as the defenses held firm, and the Irish extended their lead to 13-3 just before intermission with a 46 yarder by David Ruffer. Notre Dame appeared ready to blow it open in the third period when the defense sacked Marve on consecutive plays and Allen returned a punt for 40 yards behind a good effort block by Prince Shembo. Crist capped the subsequent 30-yard drive with a 5-yard toss to TJ Jones for a 20-3 lead less than five minutes into the second half.

The Irish defensive line asserted itself once again by sacking Marve, but an apparent fumble and defensive score was correctly reversed by the replay officials. Purdue was forced to punt from its end zone, however, and Notre Dame took over near midfield. A long pass from Crist to Michael Floyd carried into the red zone, but Floyd lost control of the ball without contact two plays later after another reception that appeared to be destined for six points.

The Boilermakers responded to the gift by driving the length of the field, only to turn the ball over themselves near the Irish goal line on the first play of the fourth quarter. Gary Gray deflected a pass into the massive arms of nose tackle Ian Williams, and Notre Dame survived the threat unscathed. Well, almost. Allen could not get out of his own end zone on the ensuing play as the blocking broke down in front of him. The safety closed the gap to 20-5, and Purdue took over after the kickoff in good position.

Marve moved his team into scoring position, and called his own number from the Irish 23 on a fourth and one play. The packed-in Notre Dame defense was caught flat-footed and Marve raced untouched into the end zone. Leading now by only 20-12, the Irish caught a break when Marve’s celebration penalty pushed Purdue’s kickoff back 15 yards. Wood broke off a good return only to be stripped of the ball, but the Irish luck continued when Zeke Motta recovered at the Boilermaker 41.

With the game on the line, Purdue held firm by sacking Crist twice in the next series. Notre Dame’s defense, which had been on the field for a considerable part of the second half, managed to hold on as Walls defended two heart-stopping deep passes by Marve against in single coverage. Allen then reasserted himself behind a more bullish Irish offensive line, and Ruffer iced the game by drilling a 37-yard field goal with 4:30 remaining for a 23-12 advantage. Purdue’s last gasps fell short and Crist knelt down with the ball to secure Kelly’s first win in South Bend.

Each team cost itself a probable touchdown by turning the ball over near the opponent’s five yard line, and the offenses were generally inconsistent. The Irish enjoyed a clear advantage in the running game, both in talent and execution. The lopsided difference in the defensive secondaries was also evident, as Notre Dame’s group covered and tackled much more effectively than the inexperienced visitors.

Let’s review the answers to the pregame questions regarding the keys to victory:

Will Crist’s passing allow Irish fans to forget about Clausen? – Crist’s passing was quite good (19 of 26 for 205 yards and one TD) but his pocket presence and decision making need some work.

Will Marve struggle after a year on the sidelines? – Yes. He threw 42 passes for only 220 yards, and the two interceptions occurred deep in Irish territory.

Can Notre Dame run the ball successfully, especially in the fourth quarter? – I’m quite happy to answer in the affirmative.

Will the Irish help create a new star for Purdue at running back? – Purdue ran for only 102 net yards, and Ralph Bolden’s job is safe whenever he returns to the lineup.

Can the Irish offensive tackles hold up against Kerrigan and Gooden? – Purdue had its moments with the safety and a couple of sacks, but Martin and Dever competed well overall. Crist also held the ball too long on occasion.

Will Notre Dame’s defenders play physically and exhibit solid tackling fundamentals? – The secondary was exceptional, but the linebackers missed a few chances that will be run continuously in the film room this week.

Will the Irish special teams finally show some improvement? – Ruffer was outstanding and the return teams actually featured some real blocking.

Will Notre Dame’s attitude and energy level under Kelly be improved from recent lackluster campaigns, and can they sustain it through four quarters? – Yes, and that is good because the defense really had no choice. Purdue won the time of possession battle by a full ten minutes.

Other positives for Notre Dame included the absence of penalties and mental breakdowns. The defensive line and secondary were much better than last season, and the offensive line held its own against a representative front seven. Jones, Theo Riddick and Duval Kamara showed they can contribute and divert attention from Floyd and Kyle Rudolph. Wood has great burst and shiftiness at running back while Allen remains solid. I would like to see a big back take some snaps in the red zone, and was disappointed that Crist ran the ball (unsuccessfully) inside the ten on two occasions where the offense ultimately failed to score a touchdown.

Michigan comes to town next week, and we’ll find out which team is really ready to take a major step forward after a couple of forgettable seasons.