Print Edition of the Irish Insider for Friday, October 20, 2017

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The observer | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

By DANIEL O’BOYLE Sports Writer

In 2015, Daelin Hayes was set to play for USC. He was set to one day stare down Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush and attempt to sack the Irish signal-caller.

He was set to be teammates with Trojan offensive stars Deontay Burnett, Ronald Jones II and Sam Darnold.

And his favorite college player was Jaylon Smith.

Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith.

He made no secret of it, admitting he loved to watch Smith in an inter view while still committed to Notre Dame’s biggest rivals.

W hen the Irish opened the season that year, Hayes

would still be committed to the Trojans, but the Irish weren’t done tr ying to convince him to f lip his commitment, and the five-star recruit went to Notre Dame Stadium to watch the Irish open their season against Texas.

In the second quarter, Smith — wearing the number nine — sacked Texas quarterback Tyrone Swoopes.

Smith celebrated the way he had done since his high school days, with a swipe of the turf.

Two years later, Daelin Hayes made his first college start. Not for the Trojans, but for Notre Dame.

Hayes wore Smith’s number nine. And when he stuffed an Owls run at the line, he took a swipe at the

turf.

W hen asked about the celebration, the 6-foot-3, 258-pound Hayes — the player tasked with striking fear into opposing quarterbacks — doesn’t just laugh.

He giggles.

“We talked before that game and he told me to hit the celebration,” Hayes said.

“That was just an opportunity to pay homage. He was number nine before me, he was a playmaker before me and he kind of was an example of what type of player I wanted to be when I got here, so that was an opportunity to recognize all of that.”

The change, from a Trojans commit to an Irish defensive end taking over Smith’s legacy began over a year after Hayes committed to USC,

when the Trojans fired head coach Steve Sarkisian. The Irish persistence in recruiting seemed to have paid off as Hayes decommitted.

Smith, in particular, played a major role in tr ying to bring Hayes to Notre Dame, keeping in regular communication with the prospect.

“Obviously we were never on the team together, but he was a huge inf luence on me,” Hayes said. “He was like a big brother. We talked a lot before I committed and after I committed.”

But after decommitting from USC, Hayes would continue to keep his recruiting process interesting. After announcing a top three of Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan State, the Michigan native made national waves

in the way he committed to the Irish. Hayes starred in a video paying tribute to “The Dark Knight,” running through the streets of Detroit before reaching a Notre Dame billboard.

It takes a certain level of talent to earn the right to announce a commitment in such a dramatic fashion.

It takes a whole different level of talent to do so after a high-school career that saw two season-ending injuries, as well as a junior season cut short when Hayes had to move back to Michigan from California.

Hayes faced that kind of adversity, injuring his left shoulder only four plays into his sophomore season. After moving to the West Coast and back, Hayes shone in

ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer

Irish sophomore defensive lineman Daelin Hayes, second from the left, fights against a block during Notre Dame’s 38-18 victory over Michigan State on Sept. 23 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. Hayes has recorded 14 tackles and two sacks this season, and he played in all 12 games last season after suffering multiple injuries in high school.

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the opening two games of the 2015 season for Skyline High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, before injuring his right shoulder, ending his high school career, in Week 3 of the season.

But Hayes remained an elite prospect in spite of his injuries. He said he didn’t just succeed in spite of the injuries, but was able to grow as a person and as a player while missing time on the field.

“It was a difficult process, just being young and having the game taken away three consecutive times,” he said. “That hurt at first, but I think it definitely helped me in maturing, understanding ever y thing and not taking the game for granted.

This is a great opportunity and ever y day I say a prayer and say I’m thankful for all of this, I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to play and that I hope to continue to play and have this opportunity.”

So when Hayes stepped on the field in 2015, his goals were ver y different to other five-star prospects like Smith. Hayes didn’t record a single sack or tack le for loss and made just 12 tackles. Apart from a tipped pass in Week 2 against Michigan State that turned into an interception for Devin Studstill, Hayes didn’t seem like a game-changer. But to Hayes, the season was still a huge success, because after his injuries the most important stat for him was the “games played,” column.

Hayes appeared in ever y single encounter of the Irish season, giving him the feel for the field that he needed.

“Just playing ever y game was awesome,” Hayes said. “I think it was huge just having a year of finding my place on the field, of learning and of

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish sophomore defensive lineman Daelin Hayes lines up before the snap during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7 at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Hayes recorded two tackles against the Tar Heels.

experience.”

This year, however, Hayes has proven why he was so highly rated to begin with.

Hayes has 3.5 tack les for loss and two sacks already, including an eight-yard sack of North Carolina quarterback Chazz Surratt during the last Irish outing in Chapel Hill. Hayes also recovered two fumbles this season: one by Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm to set up the only Irish touchdown in the 20-19 loss to the Bulldogs and one by Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke, which the Irish offense again turned into a touchdown on their way to a 38-18 victor y.

“It definitely feels really good now to start and really

impact games,” Hayes said.

“Experience and staying healthy have been big in letting that happen, and then preparation. Off the field preparation has been a really big help for me in making this step up.”

Hayes’s personal improvement has among the most notable changes on a defensive line — and a defense as a whole — that has vastly exceeded expectations in 2017.

Expected to struggle after a poor 2016 and the losses of players such as Jarron Jones and Isaac Rochell, the Irish defensive line has instead looked like one of the top units in the nation, as the Irish have given up only 16.8 points per game and just 3.7

yards per rushing play.

“It speaks volumes to the ty pe of guys we have in the room and the mindset all of these guys have, players and coaches,” Hayes said.

“Ever yone has a mindset to get better and I think that really shows. The guys really took all of that to heart this offseason and really embraced it, and now we’re seeing the fruits of that.”

But now, Hayes faces his biggest test yet: the Trojans team he committed to as a high school sophomore, led by likely NFL first-round quarterback Sam Darnold.

But Hayes says his focus isn’t on the players he knew that he’ll have to go up against, and it’s not on the reputation

of the player he’s tr ying to bring down. It’s just on playing his own game the way he has ever y other game this season.

“It’s cool to get the opportunity to play them, but at the end of the day we’ve got to play our own game, we just focus on what we’re doing and we know that ever y thing else will take care of itself,” Hayes said. “That’s not really a thought that comes into my mind. It’s just like any other opponent, we just want to play our own game ever y week. I’m just thinking about preparing to kick their butts.”

Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu

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The observer | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

INSidER

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish junior wide receiver Miles Boykin lines up at the line of scrimmage during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7 at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Boykin tallied two receptions for 18 yards in the game and has 165 receiving yards in his career on 10 receptions, including two touchdowns catches.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish sophomore quarterback Ian Book runs upfield during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish junior wide receiver Chris Finke, left, returns a punt during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7. Finke returned four punts for 44 yards against the Tar Heels.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish sophomore defensive lineman Khalid Kareem sizes up a Tar Heel offensive lineman during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Senior defensive lineman Jay Hayes lines up before the snap during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7.

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commentary

USC game will define rest of ND’s season Tobias Hoonhout Associate Sports Editor

Over a month ago, I argued that Notre Dame’s season was dependent on a w in at home against Georgia.

I was w rong.

For while the then-No. 24 Irish (5-1) entered the Gergia game w ith a big chance to make a statement, and subsequently stumbled w ith a chance to w in the game against the Bulldogs.

They didn’t fall f lat on their face. Notre Dame righted the ship by rattling off four blowout w ins in a row, three of which were on the road,

to suddenly get right back to where head coach Brian Kelly needed his team to be.

And Georgia has looked like a better and better team as the season has gone on, still undefeated and currently ranked No. 3 in the countr y, making the Irish perhaps the strongest one-loss team in the countr y.

So yes, things are looking up for the Irish. But now, the season starts for real.

Notre Dame’s final six opponents have a combined seven losses, and four of those teams are currently ranked. And the first of the bunch is arguably the biggest, w ith No. 11 USC

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coming to tow n this weekend. Is play ing the Trojans (6-1, 4-1 Pac 12) to start a good thing or a bad thing?

Depends on what Irish team comes to play.

For while Notre Dame is six games in, there are still a number of question marks surrounding the Irish, particularly on the offensive end. Now, there are still plent y of positives. The topfive run game is averaging over 300 yards per game, w ith a quartet of talented backs and junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush using the experience and talent of Notre Dame’s offensive line to their advantage, and the red zone efficiency is still 100 percent w ith Wimbush under center.

The passing game, however, is still anyone’s guess.

Do the Irish have the talent?

Absolutely. Junior receiver Equanimeous St. Brow n is still a stud and sophomore Chase Clay pool has had f lashes of something more than just raw potential, not to mention the loaded tight end position. A nd Wimbush himself has had throws that make him look like a bonafide passer.

But regardless, it’s clear the passing game isn’t a priorit y for Kelly and offensive coordinator Chip Long.

And while I give Kelly a lot of credit for recognizing his strengths and committing to them, even though running the football has never been the bread and butter of a Brian Kelly offense, the unbalance is still a disconcerting.

Because what happens when the run game fails?

Like it did against Georgia?

The Irish were only able to put up 19 points, one touchdow n and a mere 55 rush

yards against the Bulldogs, ultimately failing to adjust and capitalize through the passing game. And while Georgia boasts the 10th-best run defense in the countr y, USC is no pushover either, especially in a rivalr y game like the one this Saturday.

If the Irish start sputtering, w ill the offense be able to adjust and still pose a threat?

On the defensive end, coordinator Mike Elko has done a tremendous job in transforming the Irish into a turnover machine, as Notre Dame has already equaled its turnover margin from the last t wo seasons w ith 14 takeaways through six games. The run defense has also been dominant, only allow ing one touchdow n on the ground so far this year.

But in the secondary, there are still question marks. The Irish rank a lowly-117th in pass defense, and against the Trojans and redshirtsophomore quarterback Sam Darnold, there should be cause for worry. For Notre Dame to come out on top, the secondary is going to have to make plays consistently, a tall order for a unit that has struggled with being consistent, not to mention the fact that Darnold is the best passer the Irish have faced this season.

USC w ill be the second ranked team the Irish have played at home this season.

And while Georgia certainly matched up better against Notre Dame’s strengths than the Trojans do, the ultimate question remains in how the Irish w ill handle the pressure.

In each of their five w ins this year, the Irish have been able to coast to the

finish line. Against weaker opponents, it’s a good strateg y — make some early plays, run up the lead to a comfortable margin and put the game away as early as possible. But what happened in Notre Dame’s sole loss this year? Georgia played the Irish close the whole game, as the matchup warranted, and in the fourth quarter, the Irish choked.

Last year, Notre Dame couldn’t put games away, and then couldn’t come up with the plays needed to win the game in the fourth quarter. It’s why a team that was picked 10th in the preseason poll sputtered to 4-8.

And while the program has consistently repeated that the problem is a thing of the past, and that this year the mentality has changed, in the one game this season that actually posed a real test for four quarters, the same fatal f law reared its ugly head.

This matchup with USC means an awful lot to the Irish. It means beating arguably Notre Dame’s biggest rival. It means winning a game over a ranked opponent for the first time in almost two years. It means a strong start to the second half of the season and the needed win to solidify Notre Dame’s playoff chances. And it means finally putting to bed the uncertainty of whether the Irish have the toughness to find a way to win, late in the game, in marquee matchups that really matter.

Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu The opinions in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish junior wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown looks on as a play comes to an end on the other side of the field during Notre Dame’s 33-10 win over North Carolina on Oct. 7 at Kenan Memorial Stadium.

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The observer | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Wimbush looks to put development on display

By BEN PADANILAM Editor-in-Chief

Patience is a virtue, and it’s one Irish junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush knows well.

Having sat on the bench behind DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire and not seen the field for the better part of two seasons, Wimbush was finally handed the keys to the kingdom of the Irish offense in the spring.

And that only made having to sit out his team’s last win over North Carolina with a right foot injury all the more difficult.

“It’s a little weird, but I’ve done it for two years,” Wimbush said Wednesday.

“It’s not something that you want to do after starting five consecutive games. … I would’ve been able to get out there mentally and operate the offense. How effectively we don’t know, obviously, but if it came down to it, I think I would’ve been able to go out there and execute.”

And with sophomore Ian Book under center against the Tar Heels, Wimbush was forced to watch the game from the sidelines. Irish head coach Brian Kelly said not playing Oct. 7 affected Wimbush that day, as Kelly thought he was less focused on learning from the game and more focused on playing it due to his youth as a starting quarterback.

“I know he wanted to try to play the game. His focus was much more about trying to play the game than learning from what transpired in the game,” Kelly said of Wimbush on Tuesday. “I think if maybe he’s a little further along in his process, that maybe he picks up more from the game.

“I think there was too much angst and anxiety of wanting to play and trying to get in the game and him feeling like he was out of place on the sideline. I don’t know that he was totally in the right place in terms of mentally trying to learn things and see things as they unfold.”

But the one thing that frustration did force Wimbush to do was refocus himself during last two weeks so as not to let his absence have a negative carryover effect.

“It was a little bit frustrating because I wasn’t able to be out there and help the guys win the game and keep that camaraderie going that we had built, so it was important for me to get back out there last week and show the guys why I am the quarterback,” Wimbush said.

And many of his teammates have seen just that over the last two weeks since Wimbush returned at full strength.

“He looks great.

He looks like Brandon,” Irish

captain and graduate student offensive lineman Mike McGlinchey said Wednesday.

“You can’t really say much other than that. He’s going to do great things for us. “ … Brandon’s kind of been our life and soul of this football team so far, especially on offense. Everything that we do goes through him, and he’s a great leader, great person and great teammate. It means everything to have him on the field with us.”

The three weeks since his last start has also allowed Wimbush to continue his development as a passer, particularly given Saturday’s game will be just his sixth start at quarterback for Irish.

“It’s been three weeks man, and I obviously haven’t played a game, and I’m excited to get back out there with my guys,”

Wimbush said. “But just having three weeks to watch more film, to work on technique, to work with the timing of the receivers and just get back into a groove I think has been huge.”

But that maturation process has continued since the spring, as Wimbush has felt the game slow down for himself with each additional week he has been under center for Notre Dame.

“I think the game has slowed down immensely for myself and for the rest of the offense,” Wimbush said.

“We’re at a point where we’re going to start clicking on a new level, and I’m excited to see what that looks like this weekend. Recognizing the defense is something I had to improve on, and I think I did.”

With that development has

come on-field production, which may not show up in the modest statistics Wimbush has put up through the air, but have impressed the coaching staff nonetheless.

“But I think as we got a chance to kind of sit back a little bit and do a little bit more of the analytics and dive deeper in what he’s done, it doesn’t jump out at you on film,” Kelly said. “But his production numbers are really, really interesting in terms of big plays with his feet and big chunk throws, conversions on third and fourth down situations.”

And the junior quarterback said he believes much of that maturation is the direct result of his increased understanding of the role of preparation, which bolsters both his confidence and ability to execute.

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“[The biggest things I’ve learned are] the speed of the game and where I have to be in my preparation in knowing a scheme of a defense, and how my preparation can obviously lead to better execution,” Wimbush said. “I think that’s huge because I had two weeks to prepare for USC, and I just feel way more confident going into this weekend.”

As he continues to grow as a passer, Wimbush said he expects the offense to reach new levels. And he plans to put that on display starting this weekend against the Trojans.

“We’re excited for USC to come into town, and I’m excited to get back out there and put on a show,” Wimbush said.

Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu

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KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish freshman running back C.J. Holmes prepares for the snap as the Tar Heels line up in punt formation during Notre Dame’s 33-10 win over North Carolina on Oct. 7 at Kenan Memorial Stadium.

EMMET FARNAN | The Observer

Junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush scrambles to his right while keeping his eyes downfield during Notre Dame’s 52-17 win Sept. 30.

EMMET FARNAN | The Observer

Irish junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush rolls out to his left and looks downfield for an open target to pass to during Notre Dame’s 52-17 win over Miami (OH) on Sept. 30 at Notre Dame Stadium.

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ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer

Irish junior running back Josh Adams looks to regain his balance after breaking a tackle during Notre Dame’s 38-18 win on Sept. 23.

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Junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush looks to pass during Notre Dame’s 38-18 win over Michigan State on Sept. 23.

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Darnold, Jones II lead latest crop of USC stars

By MAREK MAZUREK Assistant Managing Editor

The last time a ranked USC team faced a ranked Notre Dame team was eight years ago in 2009.

Jimmy Clausen quarterbacked a No. 25 Irish squad into The Coliseum against a No. 6 Trojans team coached

by Pete Carroll.

USC won that game 34-27.

And over the next decade the two teams couldn’t find a way to come together when both had a number in front of their names.

The late 2000s saw Notre Dame fire Charlie Weis and rebuild under Brian Kelly while the mid-2010s saw USC wade through the aftermath of a pay-for-play scandal and NCAA penalties.

This Saturday, for the first time in eight years, the No. 11 Trojans (6-1, 4-1 Pac-12) and the No. 13 Irish (5-1) will meet with national implications on the line for both teams.

“We want to make sure that our players know that you get great opportunities like this at Notre Dame to play on a great stage like this against a rival in USC, against a very, very good football team,” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday about the magnitude of Saturday’s matchup.

“The great players that have played in this game across the decades. I think that’s what stands out when people talk about Notre Dame, USC; it resonates. It’s got brand power. It sits up there with the great rivalries of college football.”

In fact, Saturday’s matchup marks the most meaningful game between the long-time rivals since 2005’s nail-biter, which concluded in the infamous “Bush-push.”

“It’s going to be a great challenge, a great environment from a history standpoint, a legacy standpoint, but actually within this season too,” Trojans head coach Clay Helton said Tuesday. “It’s nice to see both teams in the national spotlight this week and highly ranked.”

This year’s game, however, will feature a new cast of stars. Instead of Matt Leinart or Matt Barkley, USC red-shirt sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold takes the spotlight, surrounded by NFL draft talk.

“I think everybody nationally knows about Sam Darnold and what he can do, Heisman trophy candidate,” Brian Kelly said. “Great supporting cast: Ronald Jones, etc. Very, very capable in many areas; the ability to throw it. They are going to be a challenge as it relates to their passing game, and they are very good at running the football, as well.”

Darnold comes into the matchup against Notre Dame

with a 62.7 percent completion percentage and over 2,000 yards passing on the year.

“I think in the last two games; I’ve focused here on the passing game,” Helton. “[Darnold’s] a kid that’s thrown six touchdowns and one interception in the last two games, in both still completing over 300 yards with the ball. I’ve seen him progress through this season especially in the passing game, I’m proud of him.”

Darnold will likely be the most talented quarterback the Irish face this year, but Helton said what makes Darnold special is his game knowledge and situational awareness.

“The most proud play I had from him the other night [was] where he pulled the ball down, made the linebacker miss, got

the first down and got down,” Helton said. “Him being able to do all that together is a sign of his progression.”

While Darnold has put up impressive numbers, he has been prone to interceptions, throwing nine on the year.

To compliment an NFLcaliber quarterback, USC also sports an NFL-caliber running back in its backfield in Ronald Jones II. Jones has racked up 640 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns this season, but there have been concerns about his ankle entering game week.

Jones II will likely play at less than 100 percent, but Kelly said the star back can still pose problems for Notre Dame’s defense.

“Well, he’s got speed, explosiveness, great vision. I love Ronald,” Kelly said. “We

recruited him out of high school. He’s just a terrific back.

“You know, he’s a featured back. I think he’s as good as anybody in the country and he runs behind an offense that can throw the football.

So creates great opportunities and great space. He’s a weapon. Dangerous, dangerous player.”

However, USC’s injury problems don’t end with Jones II. The defensive front especially is an area of concern for the Trojans as defensive linemen junior Rasheem Green, senior Josh Fatu and junior linebacker Porter Gustin have recently dealt with injuries.

On Wednesday, Helton announced that Porter, who had been dealing with a variety of injuries and underwent surgery in early September will sit out versus Notre Dame.

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Fatu will also sit out due to concussion symptoms after being in an automobile collision earlier this week.

“Josh [Fatu] is probably out for this game, going through concussion protocol,” Helton said. “We’ll see if we can’t get him back in next week. He’s listed day-to-day, but the reality is probably next week.”

Green however will play, and Kelly said the Trojans’ pass rush is one of his primary concerns about the USC defense.

“I think if you look at their defensive front, it’s probably more than anything else, been one where they have gotten a lot more disruptions; the ability to pressure the quarterback,” Kelly said.

Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu

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EMMET FARNAN | The Observer

Irish sophomore running back Deon McIntosh finishes a 26-yard touchdown run during Notre Dame’s 52-17 victory over Miami (OH) on Sept. 30 at Notre Dame Stadium. McIntosh ran for 47 yards and one touchdown versus the RedHawks and has accumulated 230 yards and four touchdowns on 40 carries so far this season.

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ND defense seeks domination versus Darnold

By BEN PADANILAM Editor-in-Chief

In 2016, Notre Dame’s defense forced a total of 14 turnovers, intercepting eight passes and recovering six fumbles.

Through six games of 2017, the Irish defense has matched that total with eight fumble recoveries and six interceptions.

In his 13 games in 2016, Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold threw nine interceptions.

In his first seven games of 2017, the redshirt sophomore has also matched last year’s total in the category, leading all Pac-12 signal-callers this season.

It’s those trends No. 13 Notre Dame (5-1) will be looking to take advantage of in Saturday’s game against No. 11 USC (6-1, 4-1 Pac-12).

“I think it’s a strength and a weakness of his,” Irish captain and senior linebacker Drue Tranquill said of Darnold’s aggressiveness. “[The number of interceptions] stems from his competitiveness and his desire to extend plays and get the ball downfield to his receivers. If he wants to throw balls in tight windows, we’ve definitely had a focus on guys getting their hands on balls Paid Advertisement

and disrupting the ball.”

Much of Notre Dame’s ability to turnover its opponents can be attributed to the mentality shared by the entire defense: dominating the opposition. And senior defensive lineman Jay Hayes said its that mentality which the Irish will bring into Saturday’s matchup as well.

“We sit in this meeting room and it’s about dominating your opponent — having the skill sets and knowing what it takes to dominate your opponents,” Hayes said. “ … That message is reiterated throughout the defense — throughout the defensive line, throughout the safeties, throughout the linebackers, everybody. Dominate your opponent. The guy across from you, dominate him.

Look him in his eye, dominate him. So that’s what we’ve got to do going into this game.”

But the Irish defense is well aware that the domination it aims for won’t come easily.

While stopping Darnold may be the more apparent challenge, Notre Dame defenders realize that containing junior running back Ronald Jones II in the run-pass option attack the Trojans utilize will also be a challenge, as he has averaged 106 yards per game on the ground in his six games played this season. Between Darnold and Jones, the Irish expect a challenge, but it is one they also expect to meet so long as they play within themselves.

“They’ve got a lot of dynamic playmakers all over the field,” Tranquill said. “ …

We just have to be sound and execute our defense, and if we do that, I think we’ll come out victorious on defense.”

“We plan on slowing them down the way we’ve slowed

ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer

Irish senior defensive lineman Jay Hayes reads the quarterback and watches the ball on a read-option play during Notre Dame’s 38-18 victory over Michigan State on Sept. 23 at Spartan Stadium.

everyone else down,” Irish sophomore defensive lineman Daelin Hayes said. “We focus on us, we focus on our process and we’re getting prepared for the fight.”

And that execution and focus will be multi-faceted; for the Irish linebackers and defensive backs, the emphasis will be on not allowing chunk yardage should Darnold extend plays outside of the pocket.

“He’s a playmaker,” Tranquill said of Darnold.

“He can extend plays, has a very quick release in his [run-pass option] game and has the ability to scan the field and get deep within his progression. So we’re going to have to plaster routes.

“We’re going to have to focus on that downfield so that when he extends plays and gets out of the pocket, he

can’t make those big plays.”

For the defensive line, however, the emphasis will be on preventing Darnold from getting outside of the pocket in the first place, making him uncomfortable while stuck between the tackles. “[The key will be] just getting in his face and being able to hit the guy makes him uncomfortable,” Daelin Hayes said. “[Irish offensive coordinator Chip Long] says the quickest way to shut down an offense is to hit the quarterback and make him uncomfortable, so I think that’ll be huge this week.”

And the ability to rotate personnel constantly on the defensive line has allowed the Irish to be disruptive consistently throughout games.

“We’re just fresh,” Daelin Hayes said. “If you’re only in for five to six plays and you

sub out the next series or whatever, you’re going to be fresh [and] … able to go out and make plays and be explosive, give it everything you got.”

That explosiveness is a trait the Irish defensive line expects to play an important role in Saturday’s game with the Trojans, as the defense hopes to use this game as a showcase of its ability to do what it believes it has done throughout this season: dominate its opponents.

“You’ve got to be relentless, and I think, going into this game, that’s what our guys are going to do — we’re going to be relentless,” Jay Hayes said. “This is a good game to show our abilit y to be relentless.”

Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu

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ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer

Irish senior linebacker Drue Tranquill fights through a blocker to reach the passer during Notre Dame’s 38-18 victory over Michigan State on Sept. 23 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan.

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HEAD T

7:30 p.m. ET | Notre Dame Stadium KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

TROJANS PASSING The Irish pass defense has been strong this year, limiting opponents to a completion percentage of just 54.4 percent and recording six interceptions in six games, with the only major statistical black spot coming thanks to garbage time yardage at Michigan State.

But the Irish are yet to face a Sam Darnold.

Georgia’s freshman quarterack Jake Fromm has proven to be superb this year, but was asked to do little in his first career start against the Irish. Darnold brings not only talent, but also experience. The six quarterbacks the Irish have faced so far this year combined for only 21 starts, seven starts against Power-5 opposition and zero Power-5 wins before facing Notre Dame. Darnold brings 17 starts and a 14-2 record against power-five teams.

Darnold became a top NFL prospect for a reason, not just because of 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, but also because of his combination of accuracy, arm strength and ability to extend a play. A high turnover rate this year may prove he has weaknesses, but you can’t pick against a quarterback like Sam Darnold.

EDGE: USC TROJANS RUSHING In junior Ronald Jones II and freshman Stephen Carr, USC has one of the best running back duos in the nation when healthy. But the versatile Carr has missed time already this year and is unlikely to be 100 percent healthy for Saturday.

Jones is a more-than-capable back on his own, rushing for over 100 yards four times this year, as well as making up 134 yards on the ground against the Irish last year. Jones gave the Trojans the lead last week against Utah with an acrobatic score and possesses the speed to be a big play threat any time he gets into space.

The Irish run defense has been stout this year, however, holding opposing teams to less than four yards per carry. But with senior linebacker and top run-defender Greer Martini out with a knee injury, Jones may have more of an opportunity to break off a big play.

EDGE: EVEN TROJANS OFFENSIVE COACHING Trojans head coach Clay Helton served as offensive coordinator under Steve Sarkisian before taking over as head coach, while former Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin took the step up to take charge of the Trojan offense last

No. 11 USC

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

season. USC coaches in recent years have always had the help of top quarterback recruits, but Martin and Helton deserve credit for teaching quarterbacks like Darnold the Trojan prostyle system and creating an offense that puts up 477 yards per game.

On the Irish side, defensive coordinator Mike Elko continues to look every bit the star coordinator he was expected to be, forcing three-andouts on the opening five Tar Heel possessions in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Elko deserves a large amount of the credit for the incredible Irish defensive turnaround this year as he proves to be one of the very best coordinators in the nation.

WR

(R-Sr.) Steven Mitchell Jr. 4 (So.) Michael Pittman Jr.

6

LT LG C RG RT TE

(R-Jr.) Toa Lobendahn 50 (Fr.) Austin Jackson 73

(Jr.) Ronald

Jones II

RB QB

25 7

(Fr.) Stephen Carr

(R-So.) Sam Darnold 14 (R-Fr.) Matt Fink 19

(R-Jr.) Chris Brown

77

(R-So.) Roy Hemsley 63

(R-Sr.) Nico Falah 74 (R-So.) Cole Smith 66

(Fr.) Andrew Vorhees 72 (R-Jr.) Jordan Austin 56

(Jr.) Chuma Edoga 70 (R-So.) Clayton Johnston 76

EDGE: NOTRE DAME

(Jr.) Tyler Petite 82 (Fr.) Erik Krommenhoek 84

(Jr.) Deontay

TROJANS SPECIAL TEAMS Trojans freshman kicker Chase McGrath didn’t attempt a field goal in either of his first two games for USC. After missing his firstever attempt, he needed to make his second to prevent an upset loss to Texas. McGrath made that, and a 43-yarder in overtime as well as a career-long 46-yarder against California, on his way to eight consecutive successful kicks.

Still, the freshman’s inexperience could prove to be a concern.

Walk-on redshirt-junior Reid Budrovich won the USC starting punter job from scholarship punter and returning starter Chris Tilbey, and he has proven effective this year.

Budrovich’s 44.6-yard average puts him in the top 25 in the nation, and he shined in the Trojans defeat to Washington State, with three punts inside the 20 and a long of 63 yards.

The Irish made some sort of impact in punt returns for the first time this season against North Carolina, with junior Chris Finke returning four punts for 44 yards.

Burnett

80

(R-Fr.) Velus Jones Jr. 23

WR

WR

(R-Fr.) Tyler Vaughns 21 (Jr.) Jalen Greene 10

(Jr.) Iman Marshall 8

(Jr.) Isaiah Langley 24

(Sr.) Uchenna Nwosu 42 (Jr.) Marvell Tell III 7

(R-Sr.) Matt Lopes 37

(So.) Oluwole Betiku Jr. 99

FS

CB

OLB

(Jr.) Rasheem Green 94

(Jr.) Cameron Smith 35 (So.) Jordan Iosefa 56

(R-Jr.) Malik Dorton 44

ILB

(Fr.) Brandon Pili 91 (R-Sr.) Kenny Bigelow Jr. 95

(R-So.) John Houston Jr.

10

(Fr.) Levi Jones 13

(R-Sr.) Chris Hawkins 4 (Fr.) Bubba Bolden 2

SS

ILB

(R-So.) Christian Rector 89 (R-Fr.) Liam Jimmons 93

(So.) Connor Murphy 90 (So.) Oluwole Betiku Jr. 99

OLB

(So.) Jack Jones 25

EDGE: EVEN

DE NT DE

(Jr.) Isaiah Langley 24

CB

TROJANS SCHEDULE (6-1, 4-1 Pac-12) Sept. 2 Western Michigan (W 49-31) Sept. 9 Stanford (W 42-24) Sept. 16 Texas (W 27-24 OT) Sept. 23 @ Cal (W 30-20) Sept. 29 @ Washington State (L 30-27) Oct. 7 Oregon State (W 38-10) Oct. 14 Utah (W 28-27) Oct. 21 @ Notre Dame Oct. 28 @ Arizona State Nov. 4 Arizona Nov. 11 @ Colorado Nov. 18 UCLA

(Fr.) Chase McGrath 40 (R-Fr.) Michael Brown 49

(R-Jr.) Reid Budrovich 46 (R-Jr.) Chris Tilbey 36

(R-Jr.) Ajene

Harris

27

(So.) Jack Jones 25

PK P PR

(R-Jr.) Wyatt Schmidt 86 (R-Jr.) Reid Budrovich 46

(R-Fr.) Velus (Fr.) Damon

Ben Padanilam

Marek Mazurek

Elizabeth Greason

Editor-in-Chief

Assistant Managing Editor

Sports Editor

The win over a top-15 opponent has eluded Brian Kelly and Notre Dame for quite some time.

And it won’t come easily Saturday — Sam Darnold, despite what the numbers indicate this season, is still has an elite arm, and Ronald Jones II is an elite and perhaps underappreciated rushing talent.

But in games where USC has gone down to the wire — Texas, Washington State and Utah — the Trojans have traded scores with their opponents, leading Darnold to force throws and be inefficient.

And the Irish have seemingly followed that formula this season, scoring early and allowing a deep defensive line to disrupt opponents late in games.

And it’s a formula that might just get the Irish that elusive win.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 34, USC 31

If you told me at the beginning of the season that Notre Dame would enter its game versus USC as the favorite on paper, I wouldn’t have believed you.

But the Irish are the odds-on favorites, at home and USC is battling some key injuries on defense.

Despite that, Brian Kelly and his team have consistently failed to pick up wins in key games like this one. Beating a top-15 opponent requires a complete game from all sides of the ball and coaching staff. The Georgia loss in Week 2 showed the Irish haven’t figured that out yet.

Until Kelly and Notre Dame show they can win versus a top-15 foe, Irish fans should not get their hopes up beyond cautious optimism. In the end, Sam Darnold will outshine Brandon Wimbush in the air.

FINAL SCORE: USC 35, Notre Dame 27

Jones Jr.

23

(Fr.) Stephen Carr

7

Johnson

48

(R-Jr.) Wyatt Schmidt 86

H KR LS

USC will be Notre Dame’s first true test since the team’s one-point loss to Georgia. However, a series of blowout wins have proven the Irish have come a long way since the start of the season and should be ready to go against the Trojans on Saturday.

Assuming Brandon Wimbush and the Notre Dame stable of running backs is as healthy as Brian Kelly claims, the Irish offense should be able to pose a major challenge to the country’s No. 67 defense in USC. The Irish defense has continued to impress, and while the Trojans will be the first real challenge since the Bulldogs, its ability to force turnovers should be able to hold up, even against the impressive USC receiving corps.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 27, USC 24

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13

O HEAD on NBC

no. 13 Notre Dame

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

IRISH PASSING

CB

Julian Love (So.)

27

8 Donte Vaughn (So.)

BUCK DE DT DT DE

4

Te’von Coney (Jr.)

44 Jamir Jones (So.)

Andrew Trumbetti (Sr.)

Jonathan Bonner (Sr.)

55

95 Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa (Fr.)

Jerry Tillery (Jr.)

99

WR WR RT RG C LG LT TE WR

H KR LS

MLB

5

21

Jalen Elliott (So.)

14 Devin Studstill (So.)

Nyles Morgan (Sr.)

44 Jamir Jones (So.)

41 Kurt Hinish (Fr.)

Daelin Hayes (So.)

9

S

98 Andrew Trumbetti (Sr.)

Rover CB

S

Jay Hayes (Sr.) 98

93

7

Nick Coleman (Jr.) 17

24

Isaiah Robertson (Fr.)

Drue Tranquill (Sr.) 22

23

Asmar Bilal (Jr.)

Nick Watkins (Sr.)

20 Shaun Crawford (Jr.)

Equanimeous St. Brown (Jr.)

6

81 Miles Boykin (Jr.)

83

Junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush has proven a strong leader of the Irish offense, with his running ability playing a significant part in the Irish offensive success this season. But as a passer, his deficiencies are obvious. Wimbush’s accuracy is suspect in all situations and nonexistent on the run. Making matters worse, the Irish receivers — touted as an extremely deep and talented group before the season — have not lived up to expectations, even when Wimbush is giving them accurate passes.

The Trojans have given up over 260 yards per game through the air to Power-5 teams, but has also allowed those teams to complete less than 55 percent of their passes. Injuries on the defensive line may limit the Trojan pass-rush, but they should still have enough to get the best of Wimbush.

Expect the Trojans to give Wimbush some easy opportunities to beat them with his arm in exchange for shutting down the run.

Whether he can take advantage of them may decide the game.

EDGE: USC

Chase Claypool (So.)

10 Chris Finke (Jr.)

IRISH RUSHING

Tommy Kraemer (So.)

78

72 Robert Hainsey (Fr.)

Alex Bars (Sr.)

71

70 Hunter Bivin (Gr.)

53

Sam Mustipher (Sr.)

57 Trevor Ruhland (Jr.)

RB QB

33

Josh Adams (Jr.)

2 Dexter Williams (Jr.)

7

Brandon Wimbush (Jr.)

12 Ian Book (So.)

Quenton Nelson (Sr.)

56

76 Josh Lugg (Fr.)

Mike McGlinchey (Gr.)

68

74 Liam Eichenberg (So.)

80

Durham Smythe (Gr.)

86 Alize Mack (Jr.)

15

Cam Smith (Gr.)

87 Michael Young (Fr.)

4

Montgomery VanGorder (Sr.)

85 Tyler Newsome (Sr.)

3

C.J. Sanders (Jr.)

34 Tony Jones Jr. (So.)

John Shannon (So.) 82

54

Nic Weishar (Sr.)

PK P PR

19

Justin Yoon (Jr.)

39 Jonathan Doerer (Fr.)

85

Tyler Newsome (Sr.)

42 Jeff Riney (Jr.)

10

Chris Finke (Jr.)

3 C.J. Sanders (Jr.)

EDGE: NOTRE DAME IRISH OFFENSIVE COACHING

Notre Dame vs. Temple

Irish offensive coordinator Chip Long has struggled to find a way to get the passing

Tobias Hoonhout

Daniel O’Boyle

Associate Sports Editor

Sports Writer

While the 5-1 Irish have looked good so far this season, there’s a caveat — they have beaten all the teams they were supposed to, while losing the one game that was going to be a toss-up.

But now, Notre Dame faces USC as the start to a stretch of four ranked opponents over the final six games of the season.

This game gives Brian Kelly’s team a huge opportunity to make a statement to start the second half of the season. To run the table, the Irish need to start on a strong note, and frankly, this game seems to be happening at the perfect time. The Irish are coming off a bye week of rest and preparation, while the Trojans have struggled of late.

Expect big things from the Irish this weekend.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 38, USC 24

The run game has been a clear strength for Notre Dame this season. The Irish have rushed for an average of over 300 yards per game this season for 6.9 yards per attempt.

Midseason All-Americans Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson have been at the forefront of that, opening up holes for the Irish ball carriers, whether it’s junior starting running back Josh Adams, quarterback Brandon Wimbush or any of the backups who have shone behind Adams already this season.

The Trojan run defense has mostly been impressive this season, apart from allowing 265 yards to Western Michigan and 6.5 yards per rush to a Stanford offense led by Bryce Love.

Against the most dangerous running quarterback they faced this year — Sam Ehlinger of Texas — the Trojans limited the Longhorns to less than two yards per carry.

But the Irish running attack has too many talented players, and Adams is too much of a big play threat, especially with McGlinchey and Nelson blocking for him.

The Irish have easily taken care of five of the six teams they’ve faced this season, but still lack a real quality win this season, an issue that has plagued Brian Kelly for too many seasons in the past.

There are doubts about Kelly’s ability to earn real trademark wins, but this looks like it could be the perfect opportunity to get one. The performances of Irish opponents so far should give Notre Dame confidence, while USC faces injury issues on the defense and has also struggled out of the gate offensively. If the opportunistic Irish defense can put the offense in good situations early on, that might be enough.

Kelly has his struggles against the best teams, but USC may not be able to play four quarters like one.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 28, USC 27

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

game going all season, but he has been in charge of an offense that’s been dominant on the ground.

Trojans defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast has extensive NFL experience, serving five years as the Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator and one at the same role in Kansas City, while also serving roles with the Houston Oilers, Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. The Trojans may rank in the middle of the pack for defensive yardage, but 15 turnovers in their last five games show that they can make the big play.

EDGE: USC IRISH SPECIAL TEAMS Junior kicker Justin Yoon made his only field goal attempt against North Carolina, bringing him to 7-of-10 for the season, though at only 29 yards, it was not a major test. Still, despite his 0-for-2 season opener, Yoon’s experience and impressive Irish career so far suggests that he can mostly be trusted. Yoon also looked much more impressive in kickoffs against the Tar Heels than either he or freshman Jonathan Doerer had all season, showcasing improved power.

Irish senior punter Tyler Newsome’s powerful leg has been known for years, as shown by his 44.4-yard punting average. But until the Irish faced the Tar Heels, short-field situations appeared to be a glaring weakness in his game.

Two weeks ago, however, a Newsome punt stopped at the one-yard line and set up an Irish safety.

Yoon and Newsome will be relieved they won’t be kicking to Adoree’ Jackson this year, but Velus Jones Jr could be a threat on kick returns with a 27.1-yard average. On punt returns, Ajene Harris has 27 yards on six returns.

EDGE: EVEN IRISH SCHEDULE (5-1) 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 Oct. 28 North Carolina State Nov. 4 Wake Forest Nov. 11 @ Miami (FL) Nov. 18 Navy Nov. 25 @ Stanford

Follow Observer Sports on Twitter for live updates and analysis during the game this weekend and all season long. @ObserverSports

14

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Kelly talks injury report, offensive matchup

By BEN PADANILAM Editor-in-Chief

Coming off of its bye week, No. 13 Notre Dame will spend the week preparing for arguably the most important game of its season thus far: a matchup under the lights of Notre Dame Stadium against No. 11 USC. And the week of rest enabled the Irish (5-1) to allow

some of their injured players to heal up in anticipation of Saturday’s game, as they will have junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush back under center after he missed his team’s last game, a 33-10 win over North Carolina on Oct. 7.

“There are no questions about his health, so I think we can put that to rest in terms of how he is,” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said of Wimbush

on Tuesday. “He’s 100 percent. There’s no health issues at all.”

The Irish also expect to have several other players back in the fold: The topthree running backs on the depth chart — juniors Josh Adams and Dexter Williams and sophomore Tony Jones Jr. — will all be “good to go,” Kelly said, while freshman defensive lineman Myron

Tagovailoa-Amosa got over his chest contusion last week and has shown “no ill effects” throughout this week.

One player who the Irish will be missing for Saturday’s game against the Trojans (61, 4-1 Pac-12), however, is captain and senior linebacker Greer Martini, Kelly confirmed Thursday. On Tuesday, Kelly said Martini had injured his knee in practice

ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer

Irish junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush, center, plants his foot and cuts upfield toward the open running lane during Notre Dame’s 38-18 win over Michigan State on Sept. 23 at Spartan Stadium. Wimbush has 402 rushing yards and a team-high eight rushing scores on the season.

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and was a “day-to-day kind of situation.” Junior linebacker Te’von Coney will start in Martini’s place at the buck linebacker spot for the Irish on Saturday.

Wimbush’s development With his starter back in the fold and over his right foot injury, Kelly said his focused as shifted to continuing to develop the quarterback, who has impressed him so far this year.

“We went back and, as you know, in these bye weeks evaluate and self-scout, and he’s been really productive in a number of areas for us: moving the chains, fourthdown conversions, third down, big plays,” Kelly said of Wimbush. “He’s done a lot of really good things to get us to where we are today, and yeah, there has to be some improvement in some other areas, but from a productivity standpoint, he’s done some really good things, and he’s only going to get better.”

And while Saturday’s game might be the most significant contest Wimbush has played in thus far, Kelly said the experiences the junior had

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15

under the lights against nowNo. 3 Georgia and at No. 18 Michigan State were integral aspects to his growth.

“Each step is a building block for him and being more comfortable and calm in the moment,” Kelly said. “We’ve seen that he settles in nicely as the game kind of unfolds. … We just want to keep that confidence level in him and his ability to continue to make those [big] plays, and this will be another step in that maturation process.”

Stepherson Another player the Irish have seen develop from where he was at the beginning of the season, according to Kelly, is sophomore wide receiver Kevin Stepherson. Kelly said Stepherson will see more time on the field this week than he previously was seeing, and his time on the field should continue to grow as the season goes on.

“Yeah, I think you probably saw what we saw — [he] was somebody that needed to get re-introduced into the game and get back up to game speed, game conditioning, even in a sense it was preseason for him in a lot of ways,” Kelly said. “He’s had a really good off-week and this week, you’ll see more of him.

MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer

Irish sophomore wide receiver Kevin Stepherson brings in a pass along the sideline while getting tackled by a Stanford defender during Notre Dame’s 17-10 loss to Stanford on Oct. 15, 2016, at Notre Dame Stadium. Stepherson has zero catches in his limited playing time so far this year.

As we progress over the next half of this season, our expectations are to see his role increase.”

Trojans defense On the other side of the field, the Trojans offense has garnered significant attention with redshirt-sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold leading the way, but Kelly said the USC defense poses just as much of a challenge for the Irish.

“Defensively, Clancy

Pendergast is an experienced defensive coordinator. He’s done a great job,” Kelly said.

“I think if you look at their defensive front, it’s probably — more than anything else — been one where they have gotten a lot more disruptions; the ability to pressure the quarterback.”

On the USC defensive line, Kelly singled out junior Rasheem Green and senior Josh Fatu as two of the more disruptive and impactful players on the Trojan defense.

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The player he has been most impressed with, however, was junior linebacker Cameron Smith.

“I think my favorite player on the defense is Cameron Smith,” Kelly said. “He’s all over the field. He’s smart, great tackler in space. [He has] the ability to do a lot of things in coverage, but plays well in the box.”

And the talent is not limited to the front seven, as Kelly said the Trojans defensive backfield — led by junior

safety Marvell Tell III and sophomore cornerback Jack Jones — both “plays the ball well in the air” and tackles as well as any defense backfield the Irish will see this season.

“Back end of the defense is as good as we’ve seen,” Kelly said. “ … I think this is a really good tackling defense in the back end, as good as I’ve seen in my eight years in terms of their ability to tackle.”

Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu

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Sophomore quarterback Ian Book scrambles out of the pocket during Notre Dame’s 33-10 win over North Carolina on Oct. 7.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Graduate student wide receiver Cam Smith makes a cut during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7 at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Smith caught his first touchdown of the year in the game.

EMMET FARNAN | The Observer

Irish sophomore quarterback Ian Book makes a cut upfield during Notre Dame’s 52-17 victory over Miami (OH) on Sept. 30.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish captain and graduate student offensive lineman Mike McGlinchey, right, drops back in pass protection during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7.

EMMET FARNAN | The Observer

Irish sophomore cornerback Julian Love, center, makes a tackle during Notre Dame’s 52-17 victory over Miami (OH) on Sept. 30. Love has 27 tackles and one interception on the year.

EMMET FARNAN | The Observer

Irish junior running back Josh Adams sprints for a 73-yard touchdown during Notre Dame’s 52-17 victory over Miami (OH) at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 30.

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Irish junior running back Josh Adams looks to juke a UNC defender during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7.

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Senior linebacker Drue Tranquill stares down a Tar Heel offensive lineman in Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish sophomore quarterback Ian Book escapes the pocket during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7.

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Recruiting

USC game sets up big recruiting weekend

By ELIZABETH GREASON Sports Editor

The Irish recruiting trail will be back in full swing this weekend as No. 13 Notre Dame takes on its first marquee opponent in No. 11 USC since its 20-19 loss to Georgia on Sept. 9.

Notre Dame’s recruiting slowed after the Georgia game, as Miami (OH) was not a matchup that would provide much intrigue for top recruits and the Irish were on the road for their other three games, on top of a bye week.

The Irish (5-1) will be hosting a number of the country’s top recruits from three different classes against the Trojans (6-1, 4-1 Pac-12), many of whom are also taking a close look at the USC football program according to Blue and Gold recruiting analyst David McKinney.

“Obviously it’s a big game for Notre Dame, it’s a marquee game nationally so they want to bring a lot of guys in here first,” McKinney said. “Obviously, the biggest name that’s going to be here is Amon-Ra St. Brown from Mater Dei in California. Rivals has him as the No. 1 wide receiver in the class, the No. 4 player in the class. There’s obviously Notre Dame connections with him being the younger brother of Equanimeous St. Brown, so he’s coming into town. A couple of his four-star teammates are coming too, from Mater Dei. Linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu, he’s a fourstar. Rivals has him as the No. 84 player. … And then four-star offensive guard Chris Murray coming to town as well. So, obviously a lot from the same high school.

“Other guys coming in, Tommy Tremble, a tight end from Georgia who has been on Notre Dame’s radar for a long time,” McKinney said. He’s pretty much their only remaining tight end target now, so this is a big visit for him. He was supposed to come in for the Georgia game, but he got injured and wasn’t able to fly, so he’s coming in this weekend.”

St. Brown will be the primary focus for the Irish coaching staff, as the youngest of the St. Brown brothers is also being heavily recruited by USC, as well. His oldest brother, Equanimeous, is a junior receiver for the Irish, while his middle brother, Osiris, is a freshman receiver at Stanford.

McKinney said having an older brother already on the Notre Dame roster could be both a blessing and a curse for the Irish in the Amon-Ra St. Brown recruiting process.

“It’s obviously a good thing to have a brother in the program, but just getting a feel for him, maybe Amon-Ra might want to carve his own path somewhere,” McKinney said. “I don’t know that for sure, but he’s always said that playing with Equanimeous or Osiris at Stanford would be nice, but ultimately it’s his

decision. I can see him being a guy that wants to carve out his own path and do his own thing at a different school, but I think there’s merit to both situations there, because he has considered the possibility of playing with one of his brothers, I think that would be fun for him, but also, again, I think he may be the kind of guy who wants to do his own thing.”

In years past, Notre Dame has brought in a number of West Coast recruits for the USC matchup. This strategy will be no different this year, as the three four-star recruits in St. Brown, Tuliaupupu and Murray, all from Mater Dei in Santa Ana, California, will be making official visits, along with Tariq Bracy, a three-star athlete from Milpitas, California.

“ … Four official visitors from one region of the country is certainly notable,” McKinney said.

McKinney also noted that the strategy of bringing in Notre Dame recruits who are also USC recruits could backfire for the Irish, should the Trojans put on a particularly impressive performance Saturday.

“If USC were to come in and win by 30, which I certainly don’t expect to happen, that’s obviously not going to look good,” McKinney said. “And a lot of those kids, especially Amon-Ra and Solomon, are really considering USC as well and USC is in really good position with those kids, so it wouldn’t look good to lay an egg. But, when it comes down to it, the weekend is about Notre Dame and, obviously the game is about part of it and a lot of it is

the stuff going on outside of the game. But, it certainly wouldn’t look good if Notre Dame went out there and laid an egg against USC in front of a bunch of kids who are considering USC.” As the USC game is such an integral one in terms of recruiting for the Irish, McKinney said the main focus for Notre Dame needs to be on the game itself and on defeating the Trojans, which will prove to recruits that the Irish truly are a national team once again.

“First goal is to win, to beat USC. Just go about your business,” McKinney said. “A lot of times Notre Dame speaks for itself. Bringing a kid to Notre Dame and taking him to the game and showing him campus kind of gets the job done for them sometimes. Of course, coaching

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staff will be pushing and meeting with these kids and telling them all these things, but Notre Dame is a little bit different than some other schools where the history and tradition surrounding the school kind of speaks for itself, so they are going to be pushing for a lot of these kids, so the first priority is to go out and beat USC and show these kids that are coming in that the 4-8 season, first of all, is done with, and the first half of the season where Notre Dame dominated some lesser opponents wasn’t just them dominating lesser opponents, it was them dominating because that’s what they do. So, going out and beating USC is the first goal for the season and for recruiting.”

Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu

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KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Sophomore quarterback Ian Book makes an adjustment at the line of scrimmage in Notre Dame’s 33-10 win over North Carolina on Oct. 7.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish junior kicker Justin Yoon kicks off during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7 at Kenan Memorial Stadium.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish junior linebacker Te’von Coney reads the play during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7. Brian Kelly said Coney will start against USC in place of the injured Greer Martini.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish junior wide receiver C.J. Sanders returns a kick during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7 at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

EMMET FARNAN | The Observer

Sophomore cornerback Troy Pride Jr. backpedals after the snap during Notre Dame’s 52-17 victory over Miami (OH) on Sept. 30 at Notre Dame Stadium.

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The observer | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer

Junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush throws a pass during Notre Dame’s 38-18 victory over Michigan State on Sept. 23.

INSidER

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Irish defenders bring down a Tar Heel ball carrier during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7. The Irish defense did not allow a first down to the UNC offense until the game’s second quarter.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON The Observer

Irish junior tight end Alize Mack, left, carries the ball during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory over North Carolina on Oct. 7 at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mack tallied six receptions for 38 yards in the contest.

KATHRYNE ROBINSON | The Observer

Junior defensive lineman Jerry Tillery fights past a Tar Heel offensive lineman during Notre Dame’s 33-10 victory on Oct. 7.

ROSIE LoVOI | The Observer

Irish freshman safety Isaiah Robertson, right, brings down a Spartan ball carrier as sophomore cornerback Donte Vaughn, center, looks on during Notre Dame’s 38-18 victory over Michigan State on Sept. 23 at Spartan Stadium. The Irish defense forced three turnovers in the game, including a forced fumble at the goal line by sophomore Shaun Crawford.

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