Notre Dame Football: Boston Massacre Revisited

In memoriam of those who were slain.

What can we say about Boston College’s performance against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday? At least they didn’t give up a 100yd receiver right? For just the third time all year BC can make that claim — so at least there’s that? There aren’t many nice things we can say about a vastly over-matched Boston College Eagles squad.

Clark Lea’s defense ended up turning in the performance of the season on Saturday. They held a top 40 Boston College offense to season lows in passing yards per attempt (3.0) and just above a season low in rushing yards (31 more yards than against Clemson). Historically, that is the lowest passing yards per attempt that a Brian Kelly coached team has ever allowed to a non-option team — outside a monsoon (NC State in 2016 averaged 2.9). Barring the 39 yard pass to Kobay White that set up their lone score, Boston College looked like Yamcha out there. They were completely out matched and made to look foolish. You almost felt bad for them.

Almost.

Senior CareGIF’ing

So with the image of a feeble Z fighter dead inside a smoldering hole still in your mind, let’s do what we do and get some Notre Dame GIF’s on the internet for public consumption.

After failing to get in the endzone on their first two drives, Chase Claypool puts the Irish up 13-6 with a sick foot drag move to juke BC corner Brandon Sebastian out of his jockstrap.

Midway through the 3rd quarter the game felt like it was stuck in the mud. The Irish had kicked 4 field goals and only lead 19-7. Sometimes all it takes to blow open a game is a big play. Enter Khalid Kareem, as he tears the ball out of Dennis Grosel’s hands and Drew White jumps jumps on it to set the Irish up in BC territory.

The second Irish touchdown is an easy pitch and catch to Cole Kmet. That touchdown gave Kmet six on the season, which ties him with Ken MacAfee(1977) for the single season record of touchdowns by a Notre Dame tight end.

A lot of things are going to be written in this off-season. A lot of those things are going to be about Braden Lenzy’s role in the offense. So far on just 14 touches, Lenzy as generated 339 yards and four touchdowns. This kid is going to be a focal point of the Notre Dame offense next year and I am very excited about it.

A lot of things are going to be written in this off-season. A lot of those things are going to be about Kyle Hamilton’s role in the defense. Hamilton has 4 interceptions so far this season, only Manti Te’o in 2012 and Harrison Smith in 2010(each with 7) have had more in the Brian Kelly era. We’re witnessing something truly special.

Since getting skunked against the skunkbears, Chris Finke has caught 20 passes for 228 yards and 3 touchdowns. It is the most catches, yards or touchdowns Finke has accrued in any four game stretch of his career. This touchdown was a wonderful way to cap senior day for the former walk-on senior captain.

With the final home game in the books, we now turn our gaze westward for the season finale against Stanford. As far as season/series finale’s go, with the prospect of a perfect season is gone, a Breaking Bad level ending is out of the question. So instead, while the Dexter series finale may have ended in disappointment for fans with the arrival of lumberjack Dexter, I think I speak for all of us, that there would be no disappointment if the Notre Dame season finale ended with the arrival of lumberjack Brian Kelly. Let’s chop wood.