HEAD O
nO. 8 nOTRE Da ME
IRISH PASSING
Junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush appeared to have taken huge strides since the beginning of the season going into the Miami game, but came crashing back down to earth with three turnovers and only 119 passing yards, bringing his passer rating for the season back below 120.
A home game against the less talented, and perhaps more importantly, less ball-hungry Midshipmen might be just what Wimbush needs. The Midshipmen have given up almost 250 passing yards per game and four passing touchdowns in each of their last two outings, to the passing attacks of Temple and SMU. The Midshipmen have accrued a total of six interceptions this season, a welcome change from Miami last week for Notre Dame.
Yet, Wimbush’s struggles against Miami are still a concern, and the Irish will likely do their best to avoid putting the junior in a position where he needs to make many throws.
EDGE: EVEN
IRISH RUSHING
The Irish run game, dominant in eight of the first nine weeks of the season, struggled to get going against Miami, as the Hurricanes chased down Irish plays from the backside and held the team to only 109 yards on 36 attempts.
But considering the way the Irish ran the ball after struggling against Georgia, bouncing back should not be an issue, and it appears that it takes a rare combination of talent and experience on the front seven, where Navy certainly don’t match up to Georgia and Miami, to stop the Irish on the ground.
The Navy run defense ranks 64th in the nation, although that is boosted by strong performances in the opening three weeks of the season, where the Midshipmen gave up an average of less than 100 yards per game. Since then, Navy’s opponents have averaged more than five yards per rushing attempt, and against the strong Irish ground game, that could continue.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME
Tobias Hoonhout Associate Sports Editor
Last week’s loss to Miami furthered the narrative of road struggles for Notre Dame in the Brian Kelly era. It also made it possible for the Irish to slip to another loss Saturday against Navy, much like 2014.
The question now is whether Notre Dame can rally and push for a strong end to the season. And while Navy always poses a challenge, the Irish undoubtedly have the talent to pull out the win.
The biggest concern for Notre Dame should be capitalizing on its possessions and keeping the Navy offense off the field as much as possible. If the Irish offense does that, it should be a long day for Navy.
Don’t be surprised if Brandon Wimbush bounces back in a big way this Saturday and Notre Dame gets back to its winning ways.
FINAL SCORE : Notre Dame 38, Navy 17
Notre Dame fell back to earth hard last week with a blowout defeat to Miami.
Navy will always present a unique challenge, which means they’re far from the perfect team for Notre Dame to bounce back against. But a weak pass defense and health questions at quarterback means the Midshipmen should give the Irish an opportunity to get back into the swing of things.
The Irish might have a few adjustment problems with the Navy offense, and they will need to do a much better job at getting their defense off the field than last year when they lost to Navy. But their talent should be more than enough for a win, and when the team gets on top, the mindset of domina-
return.
IRISH OFFENSIVE COACHING
After Notre Dame’s blowout to defeat to Miami, Hurricanes head coach Mark Richt said his defense was aware of which plays the Irish offense was running, while Notre Dame seemed to struggle to adapt when the Hurricanes stopped them early on.
However, before that, Chip Long’s offense had looked like one of the best in the country, putting up impressive numbers even when stars like junior running back Josh Adams were out.
Navy’s defense has not been formidable under defensive coordinator Dave Pehrson, giving up over 30 points per game both this year and last, despite the team’s offense giving opponents few possessions per game.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME
IRISH SPECIAL TEAMS
Junior kicker Justin Yoon remains relatively untested this season, not being called on at all last week and having only attempted 13 kicks this season, leaving it still up for debate if his careerlow field goal percentage of 69.2 percent is a fluke or a cause for concern.
In the punt game, the Irish have had more success, with senior punter Tyler Newsome averaging an impressive 43.7 yards per punt this year.
Perry was Navy’s leading returner this season, but likely won’t be used if he’s starting at quarterback. Seven other Navy players have returned a kickoff, but none have gained much ground, as Perry accounted for 13 of Navy’s 28 kick returns.
EDGE: EVEN
IRISH SCHEDULE (8-2)
Sept. 2 Temple (W 49-16)
Sept. 9 Georgia (L 20-19)
Sept. 16 @ Boston College (W 49-20)
Sept. 23 @ Michigan State (W 38-18)
Sept. 30 Miami (OH) (W 52-17)
Oct. 7 @ North Carolina (W 33-10)
Oct. 21 USC (W 49-14)
Oct. 28 North Carolina State (W 35-14)
Nov. 4 Wake Forest (W 48-37)
Nov. 11 @ Miami (FL) (L 41-8)
Nov. 18 Navy
Nov. 25 @ Stanford
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
Bivin reflects on team traditions in fifth season
By CASSIE CORBIN sports writer
It took a bit of courage for southern Kentucky native hunter bivin to bid farewell to his hometown and pursue life under the dome. however, playing for notre dame was the graduate student offensive lineman’s lifelong dream and he has not looked back.
“I’ve always loved notre dame football from the time I was a little kid,” bivin said. “They’re the team I have always rooted for since I can
remember. notre dame is always where I wanted to go.”
bivin’s journey to that of a contributing offensive lineman began similarly to that of many: as a redshirt freshman. bivin said his redshirt season was integral to his ability to acclimate and adjust to being a top-notch student and football player at note dame.
“That was nice to have that first year as a redshirt to get my feet wet in the college atmosphere. I could get used to everything and just be a normal student for a little bit,” he
JoNATHAN boNNeR | dL | conyers, GeorGIA
said. “now, halfway through my fifth year, I remember the times during my redshirt-freshman year that we didn’t travel to away games and we would hang back on campus. It was cool to make friends with kids in the dorms. That year also allowed me to get bigger and stronger. I could get used to the game and acclimate to the speed of the game. I definitely wasn’t the biggest kid on the field anymore. everybody was better and faster and motivated.”
In addition to easing the transition from high school to, bivin’s redshirt year also made him eligible for a fifth year of playing time. The chance to be on the Irish roster one last time was an opportunity bivin refused to pass up.
“To be able to play college football anywhere is a blessing, and it’s a great opportunity that not many people get to do and can experience,” bivin said. “I consider myself lucky to have this extra fifth year. There are so many people who would give their left arm to play college football. It’s had its ups and downs. I’ve had tough times. Times that weren’t easy and times that would be easier if I had just called it quits. but, my brother always told me that when something is tough or when you are doubting yourself, if playing college football is the hardest part of your day, you are living a pretty good life. It has been a blessing.
“I love the guys here. I love the people at notre dame. I love notre dame. This has become my home; I don’t want to be anywhere else. It has been really special for me to come back and live my dream for another year.”
bivin reflected fondly on his time as a student, saying that the traditions and spirit throughout campus make playing for notre dame an unequivocal experience. elaborating on this, bivin recalled his favorite game-day tradition: the player walk to the stadium.
“ … I think my favorite tradition is the walk to the stadium from the Gug,” bivin said. “It is really my favorite thing that we do, as far as game-day traditions. I go through and there are all the college kids and adults, but I always try to make it a point and see the little kids that are standing there with stars in their eyes and seeing us as like, these great, superstars. They don’t ever picture themselves as being college players and I was that way. It seems like yesterday that I was a little kid, just looking up to these guys thinking: ‘wow, that’d be so cool.’
“[Graduate student tight end] durham [smythe] and [graduate student offensive lineman] mike [mcGlinchey] always make fun me while we walk over as the kids go for the fives, but I rub them on their heads. I’m just hoping that maybe one day, I can inspire a little kid to
chase his dream like I did. To see a little notre dame fan looking up to us like we’re superstars and hoping that they, too, will someday be a player themselves is really special to me.”
Amidst the saturday chaos, bivin looks forward to partaking in the age-old ritual — the slapping of the “Play like a champion Today” sign — as a reminder to give his all before taking the field each home game.
“‘Play like a champion’ clicks in my head as ‘mental toughness,’” bivin said. “coach hiestand talks about it all the time. It’s being your best on-command, no matter what. That’s the definition of mental toughness. when the lights are on and it’s time to go, you have got to turn it on. you cannot be lethargic and not bring intensity. you need to have energy on the field and be your best at that moment, be your best on-command.
“It’s been so engrained into the tradition and history of notre dame. It’s so cool to hit the same sign that so many great players did. every time I go down the tunnel and run out in front of 80,000 people, I get goosebumps. every single time. It’s a really awesome part of the tradition here, unlike anywhere else. I mean nobody else really has anything like that.”
Contact Cassie Corbin at ccorbin1@nd.edu
bonner completes goal by starting as senior
By MIA BERRY sports writer
In the summer of 2013, defensive lineman Jonathan bonner was heading into his senior year of high school at Parkway central high school in chesterfield, missouri, still undecided about where he would spend the next four years.
bonner was missouri class 5 All-state selection as a junior, but he had only received a few offers and wasn’t nationally ranked at the time. but on June 26, after talking on the phone with the former Irish defensive backs coach bob elliot and brian Kelly, bonner received an offer from notre dame and gave a verbal commitment to the Irish the same day.
The offer came days after bonner traveled to south bend and impressed notre dame coaches with his skills at a summer football camp. bonner attributes his rapid commitment to notre dame to wanting to follow his family’s legacy.
“one of my dream schools growing up, my grandfather was a huge notre dame fan, and that was the school I knew growing up,“ bonner said. “outside of me, other members of my family went here too. my uncle dan Knott was on the 1977 championship team with hall-ofFamer Joe montana, and sergio brown, who is like a cousin to me,
also went here, and went on to the league, so I knew all about notre dame, and when I got offered here I knew it was the right place to go. It was like a dream come true for me.”
Four years later, bonner is a consistent starter on the defensive line in his senior season. Known on the field for working alongside junior Jerry Tillery and fellow senior Jay hayes to create a pass rush and run defense that has helped bolster notre dame into the national spotlight. To his teammates bonner is known affectionately as “Lean,” a nickname derived from the fact that bonner is undersized as a defensive lineman.
nevertheless, bonner’s skill and technique has made him the target of numerous double teams. his career statistics for the Irish include 32 tackles, two forced fumbles and eight quarterback hurries. reflecting on his initial goals he had set for himself his freshman year, bonner is proud to say that he accomplished much over his career — both academically and athletically.
“my goals when I first started here was to find a major that I liked because I was unsure at the time, and that worked out well because I found a major [IT management] I liked,“ bonner said. ”[For football] the goal was to earn a starting spot on the team, which I finally did this
year.“
In his freshman season bonner, like many college freshman, redshirted to maintain a year of eligibility due to a talented defensive line that featured future nFL players in sheldon day, Isaac rochell and Jarron Jones.
After recovering from a toe injury that sidelined him in the spring season, bonner earned a backup role on the defensive line. In his sophomore and junior seasons, bonner played as a consistent backup defensive lineman and alternated between linebacker and lineman. In his senior year, bonner cemented himself as a starting interior defensive lineman in new defensive coordinator mike elko’s system.
As time winds down on his notre dame football career, bonner says the thing he will miss the most is the camaraderie between him and his fellow teammates.
“The best part about being on the team is hanging out with the guys in the locker room, the live jokes, and it a very fun atmosphere to be in with my brothers,” he said.
Throughout his journey both on and off the field, bonner has learned valuable lessons from his time at notre dame that he believes will help him live a successful life after football.
“my biggest takeaway is working hard,“ he said. “It takes a lot a work
to accomplish the things you want to do, and if you take shortcuts things won’t work out. so if anything I learned the importance of work ethic.
“… I also feel like I’ve heard from a lot of people not to regret anything, so I make sure when I get out there I do the things that I know to do, and not keep my bubble too small.”
heading into the last few games of his college football career, bonner is uncertain what the future holds for him. The nFL may not come knocking for bonner, and he is fine with that. he is set to
graduate in may of next year with a degree in IT management from the mendoza college business. The only thing he is certain of for the time being is that he won’t seek a fifth year of eligibility after redshirting his freshman season. As of now, Jonathan plans to pursue a career in IT management and although he hasn’t officially signed to work with any company, but he hopes to go into IT consulting or any line of work relating to technology.
Contact Mia Berry at mberry1@nd.edu
MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer Irish graduate student offensive lineman Hunter Bivin moves to make a block in the Blue-Gold Game on April 22 at Notre Dame Stadium.
PETER ST. JOHN | The Observer Irish senior defensive lineman Jonathan Bonner, left, makes a tackle during Notre Dame’s 52-17 win over Miami (OH) on Sept. 30.
JImmY bYRNe | oL | cLeveLand, ohio
Byrne brings easy-going personality to squad
By CHARLIE ORTEGA GUIFARRO sports writer
irish senior offensive lineman
Jimmy byrne is a complete juxtaposition to a notre dame that consists of high-profile games, sold-out crowds and intense media coverage.
hailing from cleveland, byrne has developed into an easygoing individual who also happens to be an offensive lineman for one of the best college football programs in the country. in his own words, he is a “pretty simple guy, easygoing.”
The 6-foot, 4-inch senior fell in love with the University when he visited as a high school recruit, adding that the combination of great football and great academics, combined with the campus size was the key for his decision to don the gold helmet on saturdays.
“First, was the education obviously, can’t beat that,” byrne said. “second, was the coaching staff, couldn’t beat that; i was a big fan of coach [harry] hiestand, the offensive line coach. Then just getting on campus and seeing it, being a little bit smaller, it’s more of my style than a big state school or something like that.” byrne even turned down his local football powerhouse, ohio
state, in order to play for the irish, despite the buckeyes being the first to come calling at his door with an offer.
every notre dame student has an especially special moment in his or her undergraduate career. For byrne, the most memorable experiences have been playing under the bright lights at notre dame stadium, where the largerthan-life, electric atmosphere remind him of what playing for notre dame is all about.
“every year there’s that one game that just really sticks out when you run out of the tunnel you’re like, ‘wow this is notre dame football,’” byrne said.
“my freshman year we played michigan at night and it was 37-to-nothing, i think, we won. you know, playing Texas under the lights and games like that where you just run out of the tunnel and you’re like, ‘wow, this is notre dame.’”
This season will also include one more memorable game for byrne and the rest of his classmates, as the game against navy will also commemorate the seniors of the team. byrne’s parents will be on the field with him to celebrate the grit, grind and success that byrne has endured throughout his collegiate football career.
“i think it’s just as big of a day
FReDDY CANteeN | wr | eLkTon, maryLand
for my parents as it is for me,” byrne said. “obviously, they get to be on the field and that’s a really cool experience for them.”
For incoming freshmen to the football team, Jimmy provided some veteran advice.
“i’d probably just tell them the same thing that i was told when i was a freshman: Just stick with it,” byrne said. “you know, it gets tough with school sometimes, it gets tough with football, it’s a big constraint on your time. Just stick
with it, you got a ton of resources around you, a lot of great people around here that want nothing but the best for you, they’re all going to help you succeed. Four years later, still here.”
byrne said he has learned a lot from working as a member of a team, especially a tightly-knit group like the offensive line.
“i think it’s just to be able to work in a team environment,” byrne said. “Guys from all around the country — we talk about it all
the time in the o-line — we got like 15 guys from like 15 different states, just everyone coming together, one goal, figuring everything out and moving forward towards one common goal.” byrne will be graduating in december, a semester early, with a degree in iT management and plans to work in the iT field.
Contact Charlie Ortega Guifarro at cortegag@nd.edu
Canteen embraces opportunity despite injury
By HANNAH WOZNIAK sports writer
Transfer graduate student Freddy canteen has had an impressive career thus far. in high school, the maryland native was a four-star prospect and ranked by 247sports as the no. 41 wide receiver in the country. as a senior at eastern christian high school, he played against his future irish teammates [junior quarterback] brandon wimbush, [senior offensive lineman] Jimmy byrne, [sophomore offensive lineman] Liam eichenberg
and [junior cornerback] shaun crawford.
The wide receiver played at michigan throughout his undergraduate career. as a freshman, he played 11 games and started two of them. however, as a sophomore, he only played in six games due to an injury and was unable to play junior year due to an injury. canteen graduated from michigan in just three years. during graduate school, canteen made the decision to transfer to notre dame.
“i thought the opportunity here was great. academics played a
huge part, trying to pursue a master’s degree here,” canteen said. “i’m not sure what yet, but overall [i transferred because of] the opportunity with the coaches and the degree.”
The original idea to transfer was actually initiated by notre dame.
“it was random. i got a call from one of my old coaches from high school saying that notre dame was interested,” canteen said.
“From there we set up an official visit. i liked what i had seen on campus. i liked what i heard from the coaches, players as well. i kind
of thought this is the place for me. as far as academically, i graduated from michigan in three years so it wasn’t a big deal.” in terms of the differences between age-old rivals, notre dame and michigan, canteen said the only major one is in the coaching staff.
“[notre dame is] one of the most prestigious programs in football. i don’t really see too many differences,” canteen said. “The only differences would be the coaches i would say. The atmosphere with the coaches is different.”
after transferring onto the team, canteen came in ready to prove himself.
“i just wanted to come in to show the players and the coaches what i could do,” he said. “Just show them that i’m here and committed. obviously, the injury was a little setback, but it’s like i said, again it doesn’t hinder my thought process.”
canteen started his first two games here at notre dame against Temple and Georgia, but unfortunately is out for the season with a torn labrum. canteen commented on his injury, saying that he is healing well.
“The coaches, the trainers, the strength staff have done a tremendous job in helping me rehab and get back into things. i appreciate everything they’re doing for
me,” canteen said. “They’re with me 100 percent, i’m with them 100 percent. everything’s going well.” canteen has torn his labrum twice, but he said his faith in God has helped see him through the tough times.
“i think everything happens for a reason,” he said. “i feel like my story already written. The injuries, i feel, are just the test of my faith, with the Lord. i’ll continue to work hard and do what i do, keep competing and try to fulfill my dreams.”
on and off the field, canteen considers his role to be the best teammate that he can be. he is closest with junior wide receiver c.J. sanders, junior running back Josh adams, crawford and graduate student wide receiver cam smith on the team. he considers God and his mother to be his greatest role models.
Until graduation, canteen is focused on the rest of this football season.
“For the team of course we want to win a national championship,” canteen said. “Personally, i just want to continue to be a good teammate, get back to 100 percent and help any way i can and help us reach that goal of national championship.”
Contact Hannah Wozniak at hwozniak01@saintmarys.edu
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
Irish senior offensive lineman Jimmy Byrne moves upfield to run block during the Blue-Gold Game on April 22 at Notre Dame Stadium. Byrne has seen the field in three games so far this season.
MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer
Irish graduate student wide receiver Freddy Canteen, center, jogs onto the field during Notre Dame’s 49-16 win over Temple on Sept. 2 at Notre Dame Stadium. Canteen had one reception for seven yards in the game.
Centlivre leaves his mark off the field at ND
GRANt HAmmANN | wr | dyersvIlle, Iowa
By MEAGAN BENS sports writer
from breaking his collarbone during his senior year of high school, to walking-on to a prestigious college football program to tackling a tough major, wide receiver Keenan c entlivre has been on quite a journey at notre dame.
being injured during his senior high school football season, c entlivre said he persistently worked on his recovery outside of school.
“It was the first time I missed the rest of the season and my team went to state and lost by one point,” c entlivre said. “It was tough. a nd then I played basketball. since I lost so much weight and time, I would go before school to lift in the morning and have basketball practice afterwards. a fter the season I just kept working at it to get my strength back . . . The transition here at notre dame was difficult though. definitely a step up. c ollege football is very different from high school football and it felt almost as if I have never played before.”
a fter four years as a scout player, c entlivre played his first collegiate snap for notre dame against m iami ( oh ).
“It was very surreal,” c entlivre said. “I’m out there
practicing every day and I know the plays and what to do, but I am always there on the sideline. To actually be on the field, the lights are a little bit brighter.”
a lthough c entlivre’s great grandfather, James Keenan, was a notre dame graduate who donated and dedicated the dorm Keenan hall in memory of his son, James Keenan Jr., c entlivre said he did not grow up thinking he would attend the university.
“I had no idea I would end up going here,” c entlivre said. “my mom always told me she wanted me to go here when I was little. but I wouldn’t say I’m a traditional legacy . . . I’ve never even met my grandfathers, they passed away before I was even born. It was kind of over my head when I was little. They donated a dorm, which is cool, but I didn’t feel entitled to anything. I didn’t even think I could get in here.”
Pursuing a degree in neuroscience and behavior, c entlivre plans on taking the mcaT in a pril, taking a gap year and then going to medical school.
“I knew I wanted to be a doctor, but at same time knew I wanted to be exposed to things past medical school and make sure I was engaged,” c entlivre
said. “neuroscience sounds cool, so I started it and stuck with it, but it has definitely been hard, especially with the hard sciences.”
a s a senior interested in the medical field, c entlivre has found his own niche in leadership on the team as the Uplifting athletes president of notre dame chapter.
“not everyone can be a captain as far as leadership goes,” c entlivre said. “I try to do my best as a senior to lead where I can on and off the field and be my best with them as far as the scout team goes.
“I’ve been handed down the presidency of Uplifting athletes that raises money and awareness for rare diseases. we always do a bowling event in the summer, and I organized that and kept it going. This year we also did a l ift for l ife. It was the first year doing it and it was a huge success. we raised over $17,000 for rare diseases research. Personally, I never had anyone close to me affected by rare diseases. It was something when I came here as a freshman that the older guys helped out with and I thought it was really cool and it’s in the field I’m interested in.”
Contact Meagan Bens at mbens@nd.edu
hammann learns from football experience
By HANNAH WOZNIAK sports writer
Iowa native Grant hammann followed in his father’s footsteps.
hammann’s father played at the University of Iowa, and hammann chose to play college football as well — as a wide receiver at notre dame.
hammann said the decision to come to notre dame came down to the academics, as well as the school’s culture.
“It started with academics and then [former assistant coach bob] e lliott called me when I was a junior and asked me if I wanted to consider playing football here and I decided yes,” hammann said. “academics kind of just sold it and then the culture of notre dame.”
The marketing major played wide receiver, safety and quarterback at beckman h igh s chool in d yersville, Iowa. he was named to the a ll-Tristate regional Team and was awarded a ll-Iowa, a ll-d istrict, team co-mv P and d istrict mv P, helping his high school team to the state semifinals. hammann is also exceptionally fast. In high school he achieved 14 state medals and clocks in at 4.34 seconds for his
40-yard dash time.
w hen discussing what he plans to take away from his experiences at notre dame, hammann said his experiences with difficult situations will be the ones that stick with him.
“If you have someone that you don’t necessarily like or if you are in a situation that you don’t necessarily like how you can kind of dig yourself out of that and just kind of manage the adversity so that you can come out on top and be successful with it,” hammann said.
hammann said being on the team has taught him many valuable life lessons. o ne of the best ones, he revealed, is the time management skills he learned.
“r ight now I am in eight classes and I have football too,” he said. “Trying to manage pretty much being up from six in the morning and then not getting home ‘til 10 at night. you have to figure out the little 15 minute increments that you can get your work done in and you really have to plan everything out.” being on the scout team has also taught hammann a lot about perseverance.
“It’s just a thankless job,” he said. “ you just have to do your
job regardless of what’s going on and just kind of roll with the punches.”
The former Keough resident plans on working in sales after graduation.
“a fter graduation I am doing sales for a company called stryker and I’m actually really excited about that, so it’ll be fun.”
hammann will miss his teammates themselves most of all. he said he is closest with senior defensive lineman r yan Kilander, his roommate.
“I’ll miss all the guys. my closest friends are on the team,” hammann said. “It’ll be kind of different to go out and not see them every day.”
o ne quote that he hoped to remember and take with him is “don’t let anyone steal you happiness.”
“I don’t remember who said it but the quote was, ‘don’t let anyone steal your happiness’ and someone told me that I think my freshmen year,” hammann said. “That just kind of stuck with me throughout, so no matter how hard anything gets, you just have to be happy and don’t let anyone steal it from you.”
Contact Hannah Wozniak at hwozniak01@saintmarys.edu
Observer File Photo
Irish senior wide receiver Keenan Centlivre jogs off the field during the Blue-Gold Game on April 18, 2015, at LaBar Practice Complex.
MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer
Irish senior wide receiver Grant Hammann jogs out of the tunnel before Notre Dame’s game against Temple on Sept. 2.
mokwuah pursues football dream at nd
By HANNAH WOZNIAK sports writer
senior defensive lineman pete mokwuah began playing football when his family moved to staten Island, new York.
“I moved, and when I moved, there was a football field about 10 minutes from my house and I said, ‘mommy, I want to play football,’” mokwuah said. “Yeah, that was exactly what I said. I was 8, and I said ‘mommy, I want to play football.’ she didn’t want me to play because she thought I would get hurt or something, but I wasn’t that good at basketball, so it was time to start playing.”
originally, mokwuah was recruited by rutgers University, but when notre dame came knocking, he couldn’t pass the opportunity up.
“I was actually recruited to rutgers University for eight or nine months,” mokwuah said. “nd came knocking at my door around late december, but that was my best offer and that was the best university to choose, so I committed on the spot. I kind of chose notre dame mostly on my gut instinct, knowing something about that program — not a lot, but just knowing that it was an elite program. I just knew that I had to make that move, and it was getting close to signing day, so I
didn’t even want it to linger on.”
The humble defensive lineman used to play running back before switching to the defensive line.
“I told [Irish junior running back] Josh adams that, yeah, he can laugh it up all he wants, but if he had seen me in sixth grade, I don’t think he would’ve been able to catch me,” mokwuah joked.
according to mokwuah, the feeling of running through the tunnel never changes.
“It always feels like the first time. You approach the stadium, you see the fans with all of their attention looking towards that center part of the stadium, and you just start to get the chills,” mokwuah said. “You realize that in that tunnel, you are with your teammates, you are in the moment and you are about to go out with your brothers and battle to the very end.”
on and off the field, mokwuah said he knows when it is game time.
“on the field, I am tough, hard to move, hot-headed at times, slightly emotional and edgy,” mokwuah said. ”off the field, I am the jokester. everybody comes to me for the jokes.”
after coming off a 4-8 season in 2016, mokwuah said there is definitely a different feel to the team.
“The feeling, how do I describe it? I mean, I’m in the same
CAm SmIth | wr | coppeLL, Texas
building that I was in the 4-8 season, but there’s a different feel to it,” he said. “You can just tell. The procedures that this team takes in order to be champions is evident of the attempt to execute that plan. I think that’s what was different from last year — we didn’t really have an identity. we lost like seven games by one possession. w hat we did this year, the little things that we did and some of the traits that we’ve implemented and even made permanent within us is the reason that we don’t have those type of games or we don’t feel that we don’t have an identity. we know who we are and we have to come out every week and execute the same exact way, and that’s different from this year and last year.”
mokwuah has a lot of respect for his fellow teammates and for his coaches, adams, senior punter Tyler newsome and junior wide receiver c.J. sanders.
“I respect their demeanor and their work ethic,” mokwuah said. “[senior offensive analyst Jeff] Quinn brings energy to practice every day, and I really respect that. his consistency is crazy. he is always wanting you to get better, and he wants you to grow your game. I respect him.”
one of his favorite quotes is, “count on me.”
“I like it because, to everybody,
it can mean something different, but when everybody means the same thing ... is when you know you have something special,” mokwuah said. “That quote can go either way, but it has a lot of significance.”
Looking at the rest of the season, mokwuah plans to stay focused.
“For the team, I would like to contribute to this awesome defense, get some tackles, get some TFLs for all my d-line guys and just ball out for my brothers really. That’s all I really want to do,” he said.
In life, mokwuah said he owes a lot to his mother and considers her to be his greatest role model.
“she raised me to have enough
work ethic to put me in the position that I am in now, and I can’t thank her enough for that,” mokwuah said. ”maybe I was being stubborn back in the days and hard-headed, and I didn’t know all the good that she was doing for me and the lessons that she was trying to teach me. every day, I might just think of something that she might have taught me years ago, and I just realize, ‘man, it’s crazy.’”
The senior is currently taking one step at a time and waiting to see what opportunities may end up presenting themselves.
Contact Hannah Wozniak at hwozniak01@saintmarys.edu
Smith proves his worth despite injuries
By CHARLIE ORTEGA GUIFARRO sports writer
Graduate transfer cameron smith joined the notre dame roster to add depth to the receiving corps. The wide receiver from arizona state University (asU) came to south bend seeking to prove what he can do and easily integrated into the system.
The product of coppell, Texas, racked up 1,000 yards his senior year of high school. smith said he
enjoyed his time playing in high school especially because of the atmosphere.
“Good times [in high school], I miss high school football,” smith said. “It’s — I wouldn’t say a small city — my high school was pretty big but, the city wasn’t that big, so football was pretty big there because that was like, not all you have but, a lot of the attention went there. I enjoyed my time there.”
he added his success in his senior season of high was a result
of trying to make up for an injury that sidelined him for much of his junior season.
“so, I was hurt my junior year — missed like half the season — so I came into my senior year just trying to make the most of it, the expectations weren’t really there,” smith said. “I got my first offer like halfway through and it was Illinois, for me, that was great like, I was ready to sign right there. Just game after game I continued to click with my quarterback and more offers rolled in and here I am now.”
on his decision to come to notre dame, cameron added that he thought this was a good opportunity for him to prove what he was able to do on the field.
“I have a history of injuries at asU and at that point, I felt like my opportunities there were kind of limited,” smith said. “so, the coaches that were at asU are now here — some of them — and I felt like coming here, I would have an opportunity to display what I’ve already showed back then, before I was injured because that’s what they saw. I just felt they would know what I’m capable of doing.”
The asU wide receiver managed to make the all-pac-12 FirstTeam and second-Team squads while playing for the sun devils, but smith says that those accomplishments don’t mean much to
him. Football, he says, is more about personal growth than it is anything else.
“The rewards never really got my attention too much,” smith said. “I just try to handle my business on and off the field, and whatever happened, happened. I appreciate it but, it’s not the end goal for me; it’s just more about bettering myself, the accolades and awards never really had been a focal point. I play football because it gives me an opportunity to show my growth essentially, day-by-day progression type of deal. That’s what I think life is all about, just growing.”
with that in mind, it is no surprise that smith’s favorite experience at notre dame has been becoming a part of the brotherhood of the football team.
“honestly, just going through the grind with my teammates [has been my favorite part],” smith said. “we have tough workouts so, just being able to see my brothers on my left and right sticking together and going through difficult times and enjoying the triumphs have been my favorite moments.” apart from football, cameron has found a passion for bodybuilding, a product of being sidelined for the entire 2015 season at asU due to injury.
“bodybuilding man, I’m really into bodybuilding,” smith said.
“w hen I got hurt that 2015 year that’s all I did, like three times a day I was in the gym, lifting. after football, that’s what I plan to do.” In respect to that 2015 season, cameron commented on how tough that season was for him adding that he grew mentally from it.
“Yeah, it [was] very tough, staying on the sideline is not fun at all once you’ve already been out on the field,” smith said. “I was itching to get back on the field and just play some football. [mental growth is] inevitable in my opinion. If your heart is into it, I think you learn things not being on the field and just watching other players play.”
smith provided some final thoughts about his gratitude for an opportunity to play for the Irish and his hope that he can get back on the field, after recovering from a current injury.
“I’m just grateful that I was given an opportunity to come here and I appreciate everyone who has supported me through the tough times,” smith said. “I’ve missed a couple of games now so I kind of feel like I haven’t been contributing the way I should have but, I hope that soon, very soon, I can get back out on the field.”
Contact Charlie Ortega Guifarro at cortegag@nd.edu
MICHELL MEHELAS | The Observer Irish senior defensive lineman Pete Mokwuah fights to get off of a block during the Blue-Gold Game on April 22.
SARAH OLSON | The Observer
Graduate student Cam Smith makes a cut with the ball during Notre Dame’s 20-19 loss to Georgia on Sept. 10 at Notre Dame Stadium.
Weishar thrives on field in senior season
By MIA BERRY sports Writer
The i rish fake the run and sophomore quarterback i an b ook passes to a wide open n ic Weishar. Touchdown.
h is second touchdown of his career the first one coming against Temple several weeks prior. Weishar used one word to describe his touchdowns: awesome.
i n his senior year, tight end n icholas “ n ic” Weishar has finally earned his spot on the field for the i rish. i n only ten game this season, Weishar has matched his career receptions and has caught the first two touchdowns of his career, most recently against Wake Forest.
“ it was an unbelievable experience,” Weishar said on scoring against the d emon d eacons. “o bviously there’s nothing like getting into the end zone it’s really cool, and having all your teammates come hug you after is an awesome experience.”
b ut the c hicago native’s journey to catching touchdowns in front of thousands of fans wasn’t a direct one.
b efore committing to the i rish, Weishar was an a rmy a ll- a merican and four-star tight end at m arist h igh s chool. Weishar recalls developing his love for football from his two older brothers, and Weishar committed to n otre d ame over the likes of o hio s tate, o klahoma and m ichigan.
“ n otre d ame was just the perfect fit for me,” Weishar said. “ i ’m pretty close to home. i ’m from c hicago, so not too far of a drive for everyone to come to a game. Just the combination of the
athletic tradition and academics as well is what really attracted me here.”
Weishar redshirted his first season at n otre d ame, and started off his college career as a valuable member of the scout team while he strived to get better with the hopes of one day seeing the field. h e remembers his redshirt year as difficult, but looking back he also realizes it was beneficial to him in the long run.
“ it was definitely hard especially coming from high school where you know you’ve been making a lot of plays in the last four years. You’re the big man on campus, but coming in here you have to get humbled a little bit. i think every freshman needs that,” Weishar said. “ i kind of took the mindset that i was on the scout team and i wanted to make our own defenses as good as they could be. For me personally, i wanted to get better playing against great defenses — every practice helped me get better, and obviously the weight room helped me make great strides as well. it was a really beneficial year for me.”
When enrolling in n otre d ame almost four years ago, Weishar created goals that he had hoped to accomplish over his n otre d ame career.
“ m y goals on the field were to just be doing what i can to find a way on the field anyway possible. m y freshman year i ended up getting redshirted and the year after that i was able to play a lot of tight end, and that was a great thing for thing for me. o bviously, the goal is to win a n ational c hampionship has always been a goal too,” Weishar explained. “o ff the
field would be to continue to grow as a man, and do well in school. it’s been good i think most of my goals have been reached so far. s o it’s been a great time.”
Weishar is far removed from his redshirt days, as he has contributed on offense for the last three seasons, but he believes he will never fully get used playing in front of thousands of spectators on a weekly basis.
“ it’s awesome, and it’s hard to describe. it’s kind of the feeling when you’re out there you’re not really thinking about it, but it when you rewatch the game on tv you’re thinking ‘ h oly c ow! a million people just saw that.’ it’s a surreal feeling for sure,” Weishar said.
it’s no coincidence that Weishar is thriving in his senior year, especially since the hiring of offensive coordinator c hip l ong, who is known for his two tight end system. Weishar admires the presence l ong has brought to the locker room in his lone season with the i rish, and as a senior he’s finally embracing his leadership role within his position.
“ it’s been awesome. The offense does feature a lot of two tight end sets which is something pretty cool and unique about us,“ he said. “[ l ong’s] come in and brought a different culture to the locker room. You know it’s a lot of fun listening to him, and everyone respects him so much, but he also knows how to have fun in the locker room too. it’s a pretty cool combination between everybody.
“This year has been great, obviously d urham [ s mythe] and i , the older guys in the
room, so to say we have a little bit of a leadership role there, bringing the younger guys b rock [Wright] and c ole [Kmet] in and taking them under our wing and leading and showing them what a n otre d ame tight end is supposed to be. it’s been an awesome experience and obviously a lize [ m ack] has been around too. We have a great group of guys.”
i n the spring, Weishar will graduate a with a degree in finance from m endoza c ollege of b usiness. c urrently, he has a fifth year of eligibility stemming from him redshirting his freshman year. i f he were to take a fifth year he would apply for n otre d ame mba
program to further the possibility of a future in finance. The senior hasn’t ruled out the possibility of going to the n F l , and would love to continue his football career at a higher level.
a s his career comes to a close, Weishar only hopes he’s made a mark here at n otre d ame.
“ i want my legacy to be someone who was a great teammate, a man of integrity and just someone that people could always count on to either brighten their day or lead them in the right direction.”
Contact Mia Berry at mberry1@nd.edu
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer Irish senior tight end Nic Weishar celebrates after scoring a touchdown in Notre Dame’s 48-37 win over Wake Forest on Nov. 4.
Paid a dverT isemen T
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Irish senior tight end Nic Weishar takes the ball upfield during Notre Dame’s 48-37 victory over Wake Forest on Nov. 4 at Notre Dame Stadium. Weishar has two touchdown receptions this season.
Irish set for final home recruitment weekend
By ELIZABETH GREASON sports e ditor
no. 8 notre dame will have its final chance to show recruits what it has to offer at home this season saturday as the Irish take on navy.
notre dame (8-2) will have some ground to make up with recruits after its blowout loss to miami (FL) last weekend. The hurricanes knocked the Irish out of contention for the college Football Playoffs in front a number of recruits who were on their official visits to miami but also have notre dame on their radars.
According to blue and Gold recruiting analyst david mcKinney, one loss should not be too detrimental to notre dame’s pursuit of recruits, as most high schoolers are able to look past one poor showing.
“It’s only one loss, obviously it was a blowout, that’s not what they wanted to do on the national stage as a top-10 team, but I think a lot of these kids, most of these kids are smart enough to not hang their hat on one loss,” mcKinney said. “so, I don’t think it will have a huge negative connotation, but there were a lot of recruits there visiting miami, who obviously saw miami be better than notre dame that night, but in the long run, I don’t know if it will have a huge, huge effect.”
miami followed a similar strategy to one that notre dame frequently employs in marquee matchups and brought in a number of recruits who are also looking at the Irish. This paid off for the hurricanes, as the Irish struggled mightily. mcKinney said in order to make up for this performance in front of recruits, the Irish need to win out and focus on getting to a new Year’s six bowl.
“You just keep winning, close the season strong, go to a new Year’s six bowl, beat navy, beat stanford,” mcKinney said. “obviously, the Playoffs are pretty much out of the picture unless absolute chaos happens, but they beat navy, they beat stanford, they go to a new Year’s six bowl, they’re looking a lot better coming off the season than they were last year, when they were sort of limping to signing day — losing recruits like Pete Werner and elijah hicks and Paulson Adebo. This year, I don’t think they’re going to have that situation after the season where guys are backing off their pledges. I really don’t see that happening. so just win these last two games, go to a good bowl game and win that game, and I think that’ll speak for itself.”
The Irish did not pick up any commitments this week after gaining a verbal commitment from three-star corner Joe Wilkins Jr. the previous week and three-star wide receiver Geordon Porter the week before. mcKinney noted this week’s lack of commits is likely not as much due to the squad’s showing at miami, but can simply be attributed to the fact that the recruiting season is reaching a slowing point for many athletes who plan on holding out on their decision.
“I don’t think the loss has
anything to do with it,” mcKinney said. “It’s kind of getting down to the point where kids are making decisions, but a lot of them will hold off until mid-February. [notre dame] got three commitments over the last month, so it’s been kind of a quick time. A lot of times, things get really fast for a bit of time and things slow down a lot. I think from Aug. 11 was when Kevin Austin committed, then I don’t think they had another commitment until Paul moala on oct. 22. In recruiting, sometimes things are going really fast and sometimes things are going really slow. It’s kind of a cyclical thing.”
Looking forward to this weekend, four of the nation’s top recruits will be on campus.
“Probably the biggest name is Payton Wilson, who is a four-star linebacker. he’s in the top 250, from north carolina,” mcKinney said.
“he’s committed to the University of north carolina, but he’s taking visits, notre dame obviously being one of them. he’s got a really good relationship with [Irish linebackers coach] clark Lea and [defensive coordinator] mike elko, who recruited him when they were at Wake Forest, so that’s carrying over and that’s been very important to him. so, he is kind of the marquee name for this weekend for the class of 2018.
“And then for 2019, there’s two guys to really keep an eye on. one is Joseph Anderson, he’s a four-star defensive end from murfreesboro, Tennessee. he’s obviously important. he really likes notre dame. This is his second visit this year and his third visit overall to notre dame and I think notre dame has a really, really good shot with him. Then there’s John olmstead, he’s a 2019 offensive tackle. I think notre
dame is in very good position with him. he’s from new Jersey, so a state that notre dame obviously makes a priority. They’ve got three guys in the class of 2018 committed out of the state of new Jersey.”
Three-star tight end Tommy Tremble will also be returning to campus this weekend for an unofficial visit, just weeks after making his official visit at the Usc game.
“We’ve thought for a long time that notre dame is the leader and I expect Tommy Tremble to be in the class when all is said and done,” mcKinney said. “Whether that happens sooner or later, we don’t have an exact read on. he wants to take other visits. he’s got visits set up to michigan and UcLA, but he’s coming back to notre dame on his own dime less than a month after making his official visit, so I think that should be really all you need to know.”
This weekend will be notre dame’s last chance to seal the deal with any potential commits with a home game.
“I think any time there’s an atmosphere like that [in playing navy], that’s a positive and obviously they’re wearing those alternate uniforms, some guys are into those, some guys aren’t, but you know, I think that will catch the eye of various guys coming into town,” mcKinney said. “It’s the last home game, I think they’ll probably play into the tradition and the atmosphere of everything and just kind of that aura that notre dame gives off. obviously, with this being it for those seniors, I think they’ll kind of be into that a little bit, talking to these recruits, ‘You’ll be doing this in four years,’ stuff like that.”
Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu
PAI d AdverTIsemen T
Triple-option offense set to test Irish defense
By MAREK MAZUREK
Assistant managing e ditor
When notre dame’s defense watches film of opposing teams, it sees a lot of different looks from week to week. but this week, notre dame won’t see spread offense or read-option looks that have become commonplace in college football.
Instead, notre dame (8-2) will see the same offense it’s seen for much of its last 91 meetings with navy (6-3, 4-3 AAc) — the triple option.
“First of all, it’s about getting back to our traits, and you have to have an incredible attention to detail when you play navy and their offense,” Irish head coach brian Kelly said Tuesday. “I think everybody knows quite well how prolific they are and how difficult they are to stop. They do things offensively that teams each and every week struggle to defend.”
While navy’s offensive system is generally a known-quantity, who will quarterback that offense on saturday is up in the air.
navy started the year with junior Zach Abey as the signal caller, and he has over 700 rushing yards on the season. but Abey injured his shoulder during the fourth quarter of navy’s contest with Temple two weeks ago, and so midshipmen head coach Ken niumatalolo had sophomore slotback malcolm Perry play the quarterback position versus smU last week.
Perry ran wild for 282 yards and four touchdowns, but he twisted his ankle toward the end of the game.
“malcolm for his first start, he played phenomenal,” niumatalolo said during monday’s teleconference. “he wasn’t perfect, didn’t get everything right, but provided the spark we were looking for. … he’s the best ball carrier in all my years of being here.”
should Perry and Abey both be unavailable, junior Garret Lewis — who led the midshipmen to
The way to get more chances with the ball, Kelly said, is to play better defense.
“Get off the field defensively, right? It starts there,” Kelly said. “so each year you look at what you’re doing defensively, and we’ve been much better on third down, much better taking the football away. We’ve got to get back to playing that kind of defense where we’re much more aggressive. We’re defeating individual blocks and making plays on third down to get off the field. We need more than six possessions. six possessions is not going to do it. It’s too razor thin.”
next two games define nd’s year
Ben Padanilam e ditor-in- c
41-8. safe to say no one saw that one coming — at least not like that.
The result was surprising — as a team in the thick of the playoff picture potentially controlling its own destiny, notre dame was expected to do much better than a 33-point defeat to a team it was favored to beat on the road.
so yes, saturday night’s performance was disappointing.
talented miami team shouldn’t have been altogether surprising; but a 33-point shellacking warrants criticism.
a game-winning field goal drive against smU — would be navy’s next best option. on monday, niumatalolo said the team has to wait and see the extent of Perry’s ankle injury as to whether or not he can start versus notre dame.
“There’s clearly a little bit of difference in terms of who they are with their quarterback situation,” Kelly said. “so just looking at their numbers, Zach right now is their leading rusher, and if you go by just looking at that, you’d say, all right, how do you defend him? he’s difficult in itself, but malcolm Perry runs for over 200, and they rush for 556. so you’ve got two quarterbacks of different style, but one’s the leading rusher that didn’t play last week because he’s banged up, and then malcolm Perry comes in and rushes for over 200.
“so, obviously, you have to be able to play the triple option. You still have to be able to play both of them out, and that’s what makes them very difficult to defend.”
Whoever starts at quarterback will be asked to carry the ball a lot. navy is the nation’s leading rushing offense, averaging just under 370 yards on the ground each game. navy is also one of only five teams with more rushing yards per game than notre dame. but for the Irish, navy’s total yardage may not pose as much of a problem as its time of possession. Last season, navy defeated notre dame 28-27 and controlled the ball for 33:53, and wound down the final 7:29 off the clock in the fourth quarter with the game in the balance. The Irish only managed six offensive possessions and scored on five of them, but still fell short.
“offensively, we have to be able to score,” Kelly said. “Last year, obviously, we scored, but we didn’t score touchdowns. You have to score touchdowns. You have to finish off your drives. You have to be extremely efficient, and that’s what their offense forces you to do is to be extremely efficient on offense.”
With six wins, navy has reached bowl eligibility for the 14th time in the last 15 seasons, but the season had a chance to be truly special for the midshipmen. navy started the year with five straight wins, but lost three weeks in a row, before a close win over smU last week.
but no matter navy’s record, niumatalolo’s squad has given the Irish fits in recent years. notre dame beat navy in each game from 1964-2006. since a midshipmen win in triple-overtime in 2007, however, navy has won the matchup in 2009, 2010 and 2016. even in notre dame’s wins in 2009 and 2010, navy put up 36.5 points a game.
one recent addition that should help the Irish slow down the triple option is defensive coordinator mike elko. Kelly said one of the things he looked for in a new defensive coordinator was the ability to coach against the triple option.
“his background is that he’s had to stop option teams before, Georgia southern,” Kelly said of elko. “he’s been in the option system. That was something that we vetted out in the interviewing process. so very comfortable with what we’ll be doing in terms of — this isn’t a defensive coordinator that’s coming in inexperienced in terms of stopping the option.”
but while elko has experience against triple-option teams, navy’s offense falls into its own category in terms of giving different looks, Kelly said.
“They have so many different formations, so many different looks,” Kelly said of the navy offense. “They made a change obviously at the quarterback position, you know, after the Temple game. They had a bye week, and they made a change there, and that made a huge difference to their running game.
“clearly, they are always looking to make some adjustments, and you have to be prepared for every look for the last 10 years. They did some things against us two years ago that we hadn’t seen in six, seven years. so you have to be able to adjust and sometimes adjust on the fly.”
Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu
but what wasn’t surprising — but was equally disappointing — was the quick, negative reaction from fans across social media. some were quick to crucify then-no. 3 notre dame, calling the season a failure with its college Football Playoff hopes essentially dead. others called for head coach brian Kelly to get fired or leave of his own accord.
now those reactions were and still are, by definition, overreactions.
When the season started, the Irish (8-2) were coming off an extremely disappointing 4-8 season and expectations were relatively low. The team was unranked, not expected to even be in the Playoff picture and hoping to build a foundation for a brighter future.
Personally, I figured in the spring when our sports staff made its annual season predictions that this team would be 8-4 heading into its bowl game — with losses to Georgia, Usc and miami (FL) at this point.
sitting at no. 8 in the latest edition of the Playoff rankings and a strong chance at a new Year’s six bowl game, notre dame has exceeded those expectations thus far.
And, for the most part, the Irish have showed themselves capable of playing to the standard which has defined this season — embodying the buzz phrases such as “laser focus” and “attention to detail” written on the walls of the auditorium in the team’s practice facility.
so no, no one should outright dismiss this season as unsuccessful or call for the head of its head coach after saturday’s loss. but there is a flip side to that.
Underlying the bevy of social media overreactions is very real and very fair concern for what transpired in miami Gardens, Florida, on saturday. The conclusions being drawn might not be realistic, but that doesn’t mean the blowout defeat can be altogether dismissed.
because it is fair to say expectations for this team changed. by entering the game 8-1 and ranked third in the country, notre dame was expected to come away from hard rock stadium with a win, and there was nothing unreasonable about that.
A loss to an undefeated and
It can’t be ignored the Irish came in with a poor offensive game plan — they knew miami’s defensive front was defined by its speed, but they countered with slow-developing run plays and read options. And when those inevitably stunted the run game against the fast front, the Irish were forced to ask junior quarterback brandon Wimbush to carry them with his arm, a task he was altogether unready for. on the defensive side, the Irish missed several tackles and looked soft up the middle. They allowed the hurricanes — particularly redshirt-junior quarterback malik rosier and sophomore running back Travis homer — to move the ball with ease, just as they allowed Wake Forest to do so in the fourth quarter of its last game.
It doesn’t matter so much that notre dame lost to miami; rather, it matters much more how they lost.
because that standard I just said the Irish have played to all season so far? It wasn’t played to saturday. And that’s why notre dame’s next two games are so important.
In it’s last five quarters of play, notre dame has failed to play to the standard it set in its previous 27 quarters. And that’s a significant problem when Kelly has said all season — including in the aftermath of saturday’s defeat — notre dame’s “one mission” entering this season was to redefine the standard for football at notre dame and to play to that standard.
If that statement is true, then notre dame’s goals haven’t changed, even if its prospects of competing for a Playoff appearance have.
so this weekend’s game against navy offers a new test for notre dame; because at least in Georgia, the Irish can say that attempted to play to their undeveloped standard and just narrowly missed out on a victory against an elite team.
The same can’t be said for their loss to miami.
so, just as my colleague marek mazurek previously said, notre dame’s season is far from over — and in some ways, it’s most important games are still ahead of it. because they’ve lost sight of their standard as of late, and they have a chance to rediscover it starting with saturday’s senior day game against navy.
For although notre dame’s season outlook has changed, the standard it plays to in every game — its “one mission” for this season — shouldn’t.
Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu
The opinions in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
hief
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
Former Navy quarterback Will Worth tries to juke Irish junior safety Nick Coleman in Notre Dame’s 28-27 loss to Navy on Nov. 3, 2016.
