Tag: Notre Dame vs. Syracuse

7 points on special teams …. Notre Dame is now one of 20 teams in the country to have a kickoff return for a touchdown …. Notre Dame allowed Syracuse to convert just 20 percent of its third downs …. 5 touchdowns of 50-plus yards …. 4.5 yards per play allowed on first down in the second half …. 1 forced fumble ….

Click here for Blue and Gold Illustrated: “Five Telling Stats From Notre Dame-Syracuse”

1. The Notre Dame defense made progress … 2. Back to work. … Kelly made good on his promise to play more people, as an amazing 27 players were credited with tackles …. forcing nine Syracuse punts — four times on three-and-out …. 3. What a wild start. … five consecutive touchdowns to open the contest — and Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer had thrown bombs of 79 yards (on the first play from scrimmage) and then 67 yards to sophomore Equanimeous St. Brown within the first four minutes of the game. Throw in C.J. Sanders’ 93-yard kickoff return — and Notre Dame accounted for three TDs in less than five minutes to open the action. … Kizer already had 356 passing yards by halftime …. 4. DeShone Kizer is a dynamic player. … ranked fifth nationally in passing yards per completion (16.49), third in yards per pass attempt (10.38), sixth in passing TDs (14), ninth in passing efficiency (175.4), 12th in passing yards (1,567) and even 19th in rushing TDs (six). No Irish quarterback has ever participated in a Notre Dame victory and thrown for as many yards (471) as Kizer did Saturday. … 5. Some normalcy now returns. A win over Syracuse doesn’t solve everything, but at least Notre Dame this week in preparation for North Carolina State can seek some sense of routine again. …

Click here for und.com: “Notre Dame-Syracuse 2016: What the Irish Learned”

Fox Sports noted improvement and a greater sense of urgency in Notre Dame’s defense in the Irish victory over Syracuse.

… It wasn’t a perfect performance … that’s OK. Saturday proved Notre Dame is still a work in progress, and there’s nothing wrong with that. … the Irish’s much maligned defense looked, well, better on Saturday. … after giving up 13 points in the first five minutes, they calmed down and relinquished just 20 the rest of the game. … The Irish defense played with a renewed sense of urgency … They held Eric Dungey to 60 percent passing and Syracuse as a whole to just 3-of-15 third down completions. They blocked two PAT attempts. And if you watched closely, the guys on the field seemed to play their hearts out for new defensive coordinator Greg Hudson.

The Notre Dame offense is said to have the potential to be one of the most lethal units in college football.

… the offense … showed just how explosive they can be. DeShone Kizer was phenomenal, throwing for 471 yards, and showing why he is quickly moving up NFL Draft charts. Josh Adams and Dexter Williams added a formidable ground threat with over 180 yards combined on the ground, and it was nice to remember how well Torii Hunter Jr. and Equanimeous St. Brown complement each other at wide receiver when fully healthy. If everyone can stay on the field, this remains one of the most lethal units in college football.

Notre Dame has had a lot of changeover in personnel from last year, including six players going in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft

It’s important to remember that the the Irish are still a painfully young team — a team that lost a lot of key pieces off last year’s club … Keep in mind the Irish had six players selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft …

Click here for Fox Sports: “Why Notre Dame fans have no reason to panic; The Irish didn’t just beat Syracuse Saturday. They took a major step in the right direction in doing so”