One Foot Down - 2020 Notre Dame Football: South Florida Bulls WeekA never-ending discussion about Notre Dame and the greater CFB landscapehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52610/ofd_fav.png2020-09-25T12:56:31-04:00http://www.onefootdown.com/rss/stream/212022642020-09-25T12:56:31-04:002020-09-25T12:56:31-04:00Brian Kelly Show Returns to Talk USF Game and Road Ahead for Notre Dame
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<figcaption>Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Some of the team’s youngest standouts proved themselves against USF.</p> <p id="zcU7Q9"><a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> head coach <span>Brian Kelly</span> was back on the air Thursday in a prerecorded segment to update fans on Notre Dame’s recent victory against the University of <a href="https://www.thedailystampede.com/">South Florida Bulls</a> and provide an idea of where the team will head going forward. Note Kelly recorded his broadcast before the decision to postpone Notre Dame’s matchup against the <a href="https://www.bloggersodear.com/">Wake Forest Demon Deacons</a>.</p>
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<h2 id="9eXZBi">On the USF Game </h2>
<p id="DyxIMm">As for ways the Irish can learn from the most recent game, Kelly said “Continuity in our passing game needs to continue to grow.” He went on to address a “revolving door at the wide receiver position” and the importance of “building that relationship with <span>Ian Book</span>” and other members of the coaching staff. The coach also explained the importance of fostering the growth of newer corners, especially considering their impactful performances in the USF game. </p>
<p id="KNT3zv">On the team’s 52-0 standout showing, Kelly said, “Defensively, you still have to play with a demeanor and a mindset and a physicality regardless of the opposition… our standard did not dip or deviate based upon who the competition was… A couple years back.. The Ball States and the Bowling Greens… we didn’t play with the same kind of pressure… and grit, and we showed that against South Florida.”</p>
<h2 id="QHxk6c">Name Drops </h2>
<p id="X0f45I">8 players wearing the gold and blue sat out of the USF game, but the setback provided the opportunity for some of the team’s youngest talent to make an impact. For example, linebacker <span>Jack Kiser</span> led the squad in tackles in the USF game. Kelly explained, “To see a guy like Jack Kiser come in and be given this opportunity and then get the game ball, that’s what it’s all about.” </p>
<p id="Ok1Mkt"><span>Ian Book</span> set the tone against the Bulls early on, and scored the first Irish touchdown within the first three minutes of the game. On the Irish QB, the coach said “I thought Ian did a nice job, I thought his pocket presence was so much more improved than the week before… calm in the pocket, settled in the pocket.”</p>
<p id="kTn6CR">After Braden Lenzy chalked up three receptions against the Bulls, Kelly highlighted Lenzy’s promising recovery from a hamstring injury and said “he sold it very well, got good separation.” Kelly explained Lenzy is playing around “90 percent.” </p>
<p id="dncILM">The coach went on to give <span>C’Bo Flemister</span> a shout out. Kelly said, “He took advantage of his carries and put himself in a really good position moving forward.” <span>Flemister</span> had ended the game with 127 rushing yards and 13 carries. </p>
<p id="vZoVTx">Follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/lauren_dangel">Twitter</a>.</p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/9/25/21456017/brian-kelly-show-returns-to-airwaves-to-talk-usf-game-and-road-ahead-for-notre-dame-irish-footballLauren Dangel2020-09-21T06:00:00-04:002020-09-21T06:00:00-04:00Three Things After the Exorcism of Brian Kelly’s Personal Demons
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<figcaption>Facebook Notre Dame Fighting Irish Athletics</figcaption>
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<p>A cathartic whooping in South Bend</p> <p id="xZb001">Your <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> pitched a shutout on Saturday against the hapless <a href="https://www.thedailystampede.com/">South Florida Bulls</a>. The result no doubt made <span>Brian Kelly</span>, who demanded a shutout from his team at halftime, a very happy man - the Irish not only delivered, but avenged one of the lowest moments of his career. With the first road trip of the season on deck for next week, what can we take away from this dominant win?</p>
<h1 id="805ind">Persistent Questions in the Passing Game</h1>
<p id="n0aKgD">Let’s get the one negative out of the way before we talk about some good things. <span>Ian Book</span>, while not obviously bad during a game in which the Irish didn’t ask very much of him, also did not show tremendous progress from the previous week. While his reads and progressions improved, he still missed several layup passes and had little to no downfield success, ending up at 12-for-19 with only 143 yards in a short outing. </p>
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<p id="kuuSxw">Meanwhile, the Irish receivers offered a lackluster effort. <span>Braden Lenzy</span> made a splash with a few nice plays early on but then disappeared, and the only other catch by a wide receiver on the day was for seven yards by Javon McKinley. It is possible that this was just a by-product of the Irish gameplan, with their dominance in the ground game meaning they didn’t have to show much through the air. It certainly did not hurt their efficiency moving the ball, but one would still have hoped to see a little more production from an Irish air attack that likely could have had its way with the Bulls secondary.</p>
<h1 id="kltK9p">The Irish Running Game Is For Real</h1>
<p id="yjqNp8">Thankfully, <span>Book</span> and co. didn’t have to produce very much, as the Irish had a big day on the ground. Notre Dame had four different players rush for touchdowns (including three by Book himself) and racked up nearly three hundred total yards. The offensive line, which took a lot of criticism after an inconsistent week one showing, got a consistent push and created holes for a bevy of Irish backs, while <span>Tommy Tremble</span> was a monster of a lead blocker.</p>
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<p id="vT8PRG"><span>C’Bo Flemister</span> led the way with a 13-carry, 127-yard performance, including an impressive 26-yard burst for a touchdown. <span>Kyren Williams</span> and <span>Chris Tyree</span> each turned in solid days of their own, with the latter getting more chances to showcase his impressive speed and prove himself a complete back in extended playing time. It was great to see <span>Jafar Armstrong</span> get in the end zone as well, as the Irish continue to search for the veteran’s ideal fit. The Irish showcased some impressive athletes; if they can continue to get the same quality of play from the offensive line throughout the season go, I don’t see many teams on the schedule they won’t be able to run over.</p>
<h1 id="uB7dAo">This Team Has Serious Defensive Depth</h1>
<p id="3wYS6Y">Even against an overmatched opponent, pulling off a shutout in FBS football is a difficult task; doing it when your defense’s best player and three other key contributors are held out is near-impossible. And yet the Irish still shut the door, with standout performances from the likes of <span>Jack Kiser</span>, <span>Houston Griffith</span> and <span>Clarence Lewis</span>. </p>
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<p id="VqWalP">Days like this are important for the development of young players, and the Irish have struggled in the past to put opponents like USF away with enough authority to get a lot of garbage time. But between the successful blowout and the holdout of multiple starters, the Irish got more than they could have asked for, and used it - 18 different players registered tackles on defense. And more than that, the young guys on defense were successful in preserving the shutout their coach demanded at halftime. With gifted and game-tested reserves, Irish fans can go into future games confident that their defense will be able to stand up against attrition.</p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/9/21/21448038/notre-dame-football-three-things-after-the-exorcism-of-brian-kellys-personal-demons-irish-ndMatt Boomer2020-09-21T01:26:29-04:002020-09-21T01:26:29-04:00OFD Podcast: Notre Dame football is the villain now — sweet
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<figcaption>Brendan McAlinden</figcaption>
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<p>Our review of Notre Dame’s 52-0 win over South Florida</p> <p id="TPU5MD">Joshua, Jude, and Brendan are back at it — and we brought some hot sauce back to the pod. The <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> are 2-0 (1-0) on the season after a 52-0 thrashing of the <a href="https://www.thedailystampede.com/">South Florida Bulls</a>. In this episode:</p>
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<span>Ian Book</span> and his role on Saturday.</li>
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<span>Tommy Rees</span> is doing something here.</li>
<li id="Jx2Xac">The amazing <span>Jack Kiser</span> does the thing for all the small town Indiana boys.</li>
<li id="mtL9n7">Joshua and Jude reach Michigan levels of disagreement on how and when to talk about the <a href="https://www.shakinthesouthland.com/">Clemson Tigers</a>.</li>
<li id="fpFaAD">
<span>Isaiah Foskey</span>’s early impact.</li>
<li id="PyJIF5">Marveling at the three-headed monster at running back with <span>C’Bo Flemister</span>, <span>Chris Tyree</span>, and <span>Kyren Williams</span>.</li>
<li id="Pb1GH5">The big depth chart hit and how Notre Dame reacted to it - with a shutout y’all.</li>
<li id="R225nL">
<span>Brian Kelly</span> wants to be a villain. Or maybe Brian Kelly wants Notre Dame to be a villain — either way or both — we’re down for that.</li>
<li id="SW6Bs9">We have some Big 10 takes.</li>
<li id="JeMHFJ">Random college football talk with a heavy dose of ACC because OF COURSE!</li>
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<p id="BLFbLf">And, as always, a ton of stuff mixed in and out of the show.</p>
<p id="vt72PN">Please take a moment to RATE and REVIEW!. All reviews left on Apple Podcasts will be read on the next OFD Podcast.</p>
<p id="2mxs5p">You can listen to the show in the player below, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. </p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/9/21/21448641/ofd-podcast-notre-dame-football-is-the-villain-now-sweet-ian-book-brian-kelly-isaiah-foskey-irish-ndndjrsJoshua VowlesBrendan McAlinden2020-09-20T17:46:24-04:002020-09-20T17:46:24-04:00Notre Dame Football: Irish stay at #7 in both the Coaches Poll and AP Top 25
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<figcaption>Jack Kiser | ACC Media</figcaption>
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<p>Let’s see how this goes next week.</p> <p id="c2hutY">For the second straight week, the <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> are ranked #7 in both the Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25. </p>
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<p id="EKGKyC">The AP voters were told to wait one more week before they start including Big 10 teams, but the Coaches Poll did not have such a request. In the preseason Coaches Poll, both the <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com/">Ohio State Buckeyes</a> and <a href="https://www.blackshoediaries.com/">Penn State Nittany Lions</a> were ranked ahead of the Irish. </p>
<p id="I9dIJ7">I suppose in a week or two — even if the Irish are undefeated — they may drop a spot or at the very least jumped by a school that hasn’t played a game because these things are stupid and make no sense at all. The Irish DO have a bye week on October 3, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they do drop.</p>
<p id="guZsh8">College football is a strange and extremely weird sport. Add 2020 to the mix and it’s only going to get 1000 times more insane. </p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/9/20/21447976/notre-dame-football-irish-stay-at-7-in-both-the-coaches-poll-and-ap-top-25-big-ten-insaneJoshua Vowles2020-09-20T10:46:21-04:002020-09-20T10:46:21-04:00Irish Ground Attack Has The Weapons to Lead Team to College Football Playoff
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<figcaption>ACC Media</figcaption>
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<p>A Multitude of Weapons in The Backfield Has the Irish Looking Dangerous </p> <p id="jE48c7">Following their 52-0 victory yesterday over the <a href="https://www.thedailystampede.com/">South Florida Bulls</a>, Notre Dame concludes the second week of the season with a 2-0 record. While the teams the <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> have faced are hardly among the upper echelon of the sport, an identity is beginning to form for the 2020 team. I believe one thing has become abundantly clear, the Irish are going to need to ride their potent ground game if they hope to make a run at the College Football Playoff. While almost every playoff participant in recent memory has had a difference-maker at the quarterback position, the Irish are going to need to be comfortable with being an outlier, similar to a 2015 Alabama.</p>
<p id="ARItUK">At this stage in <span>Ian Book</span>’s career, he is what he is, an above-average quarterback prone to frustrating bouts of inconsistency. He will never win you the “big game” alone. However, if he has a lethal running attack to lean on and can make on-time throws based on the play design, Book can help direct a championship-style offense. </p>
<p id="R61Oiq">Due to a myriad of reasons, the Irish downfield passing attack is currently non-existent. For starter’s injuries to <span>Ben Skowronek</span> (hamstring) and <span>Kevin Austin</span> (broken foot) had robbed the offense of two potential downfield playmakers. Although extremely talented, <span>Braden Lenzy</span> has yet to contribute to an offense that has been desperate for playmakers at the position for the past several years. <span>Lenzy</span> is seemingly always nicked up and never has been able to find a role within the offense for more than a couple game stretch. Jordan Johnson, Notre Dame’s first 5-star recruit at wide receiver since <span>Michael Floyd</span>, has hardly touched the field in the opening 2 weeks. During the lead up to the South Florida game, Brian Kelly acknowledged that although Johnson is a physically gifted player, he is still focusing on his “traits.” An example of this came yesterday when Johnson drew a personal foul penalty right after he got onto the field following an altercation with a Bulls defender. The penalty earned Johnson an earful from Kelly and a spot on the bench. Other players at the position who have yet to distinguish themselves from the group include <span>Javon McKinley</span>, <span>Joe Wilkins Jr.</span>, and Avery Davis. All 3 players have a role within the offense but should not be counted on to carry the passing attack.</p>
<p id="pxcKAD">The stars of the Irish passing offense right now are the tight ends. <span>Tommy Rees</span> has shown a strong preference in his 3 games as offensive coordinator for multiple tight end sets. <span>Brock Wright</span>, <span>Tommy Tremble</span>, <span>Michael Mayer</span>, and <span>George Takacs</span> all present matchup nightmares for opposing defenses due to their ability to block and run routes. While these players can certainly alleviate some of the passing woes, all are better suited for short to intermediate routes.</p>
<p id="5a6xrK">As one can see, the Notre Dame offense does have several viable receiving threats. However, there are far too many question marks to count on this portion of the offense to carry the team on a magical run. On the other hand, the rushing attack has the necessary tools in place to lead the Irish to a special season. I have already mentioned the capable blocking of the tight ends on the roster. The much maligned offensive line is proving to be a unit that is capable to be relied on. After struggling in 3<sup>rd</sup>/4<sup>th</sup> and short (less than 2 yards) a season ago, the Irish converted 4/5 opportunities against Duke in Week 1. Yesterday, I unofficially had the team converting 4/4 opportunities. While it is a small sample size, the results have been encouraging after 2 weeks of football. As has been well-documented, the line is brimming with veteran players who have seen it all in their careers. The coaching staff needs to take advantage of this unique blend of talent and experience.</p>
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<p id="UWKaZa">While it is great to have a talented group of linemen and tight ends, the main reason the team needs to forge its identity on the ground is due to the surprisingly deep group of running backs. After a nondescript freshman season, <span>Kyren Williams</span> surprised many by claiming the starting role coming out of camp. Williams turned heads with 205 all-purpose yards in the season opener. Although he didn’t have quite the same production in week 2, Williams again displayed his unique lower body power and elite quickness against the Bulls. Williams should continue to be the lead back moving forwad. In addition to Williams, freshman running back <span>Chris Tyree</span> is proving he deserves a substantial role in the offense as well. Currently, Tyree is averaging 6.1 yards per carry and possesses the type of athleticism and speed at the position that the Irish have been lacking for years. Despite his small stature, Tyree has already shown an ability to run between the tackles, though he is better suited for more outside zone and misdirection runs. The 3<sup>rd</sup> string running back, <span>Jafar Armstrong</span>, was slated to be the focal point of the offense last season until an injury in the season opener hobbled him for the remainder of the year. <span>C’Bo Flemister</span> threw his name into the ring as well after his 127 yard performance yesterday. <span>Flemister</span> ran with physicality and displayed a quick burst around the edge on several runs. Flemister certainly needs to string together several more productive games to earn the trust of the coaching staff. However, it is not hard to envision 3-5 touches per game for him moving forward.</p>
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<cite>ACC Media</cite>
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<p id="3OBE7k">With such a diverse group of backs, it will may take the coaching staff another couple of games to truly figure out how to divvy up the touches for the remainder of the season. However, with this many options, the strength of the team lies within the backfield. A commitment to the run game will only help <span>Ian Book</span>. The staff can help him play to his strengths by employing play-action passes and working the short to intermediate areas of the field. If Rees stick to this formula, the offense could end the season as one of the best in the country. Although it may be non-traditional by today’s standards, the Irish’s potent ground attack has the tools to propel the team to a magical season. </p>
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<cite>ACC Media</cite>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/9/20/21447585/irish-ground-attack-has-the-weapons-to-lead-team-to-college-football-playoff-notre-dame-nd-tyreeConnorLeichtle2020-09-19T23:12:33-04:002020-09-19T23:12:33-04:00Brian Kelly is tired of being the nice guy and blows out poor USF
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<figcaption>Ian Book | ACC Media</figcaption>
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<p>Villains </p> <p id="y0l1Xi">The only drama past the first quarter in 52-0 win by the <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> over the <a href="https://www.thedailystampede.com/">South Florida Bulls</a> was whether or not there would be a shutout. Even against bad teams, shutouts just don’t happen all of the time. They’re rare, and should be cherished.</p>
<p id="wKbeOZ">This is the 4th shutout at Notre Dame during the <span>Brian Kelly</span> era, and it’s something Brian Kelly wanted — badly. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">IM TIRED OF BEING THE NICE GUY <a href="https://t.co/NbWakd9EU1">pic.twitter.com/NbWakd9EU1</a></p>— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) <a href="https://twitter.com/jessica_smetana/status/1307414931554349061?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2020</a>
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<p id="GCKqVA">As fired up as I get at that kind of talk, it also confused the crap out of me. Does Brian Kelly think that the country thinks he’s a nice guy or does he think that he’s a nice guy? </p>
<p id="W3H8Rc">Whew!</p>
<p id="BAScmo">I tried asking about it in the post game presser, and <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteSampson_/status/1307447102973390850?s=20">other media members did</a> as well. Because of the way Notre Dame handles these things now because of the coronavirus pandemic, they were able to sidestep any and all questions related to Brian Kelly’s halftime talk. </p>
<p id="KEZqTU">On the surface, a 52-0 win over USF doesn’t seem all that surprising — except when you throw in all of the starters on defense that were unable to play today. Even when a team has ALL of their starters on the field, a shutout is still a hard thing to accomplish. It’s also something that can heavily depend upon both the offense and special teams for help. </p>
<p id="LnRILx">They got that help, stepped up, and gave Kelly exactly what he asked for as the clock hit all zeros. </p>
<p id="kRnBtQ">Back to what Kelly meant about being the “nice guy” or tired of being one... was this not his mentality for all the other cupcakes Notre Dame has played during his tenure? Did he just not care if it was a 45-6 win or 37-10 win? </p>
<p id="dcuEt9">I don’t know if I have an answer for that, but we’ve seen Kelly be able to shift his coaching philosophy before in the past — why not once again? In a sport where perception is king and actually determines the fate of teams, why would you ever do anything to not highlight your superiority over teams? </p>
<p id="RoMsZJ">If Kelly is done being the nice guy, I’m down for that. Let’s go out there and utterly destroy people. On the OFD Podcast we talk a lot about villains. Notre Dame is absolutely a villain in college football — but for the wrong reasons. Let’s have more right reasons to be the biggest bunch assholes in the country. It’s an attitude and a way of doing things. If this game was the turning point for that type of thinking, then it only makes this easy and relaxed blowout shutout even more enjoyable. </p>
<p id="BVcL3K">Thanks USF — and you can just mail those cleats stuck up your rear whenever you get the chance. </p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/9/19/21447147/notre-dame-football-brian-kelly-is-tired-of-being-the-nice-guy-and-blows-out-poor-usf-watch-speechJoshua Vowles2020-09-19T20:03:30-04:002020-09-19T20:03:30-04:00Everything Brian Kelly said after Notre Dame’s 52-0 win over South Florida
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<img alt="Notre Dame vs South Florida" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uJx4fppoAVFjY30fYNLdFcVRh9Y=/1240x588:3909x2367/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67437102/_K6E0107-2.0.0.jpg" />
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<p>Nothing about being nice.</p> <p id="YkwsXr"><a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> 52, <a href="https://www.thedailystampede.com/">South Florida Bulls</a> 0 </p>
<p id="2gnb5K"> BRIAN KELLY: Really proud of our football team and the way they responded this week in terms of getting off to a quick start. That was our point of emphasis, and doing so really put South Florida on their heels, scoring four out of the first five possessions. Defensively, taking away the run — any time you shout anybody out in college football, something to really be excited about. </p>
<p id="zOTRjv"> Also excited about the consistency that this team and these seniors in particular have shown, their 20th consecutive home win which sets the modern-day record, which very proud of our guys and what they have been able to accomplish, the consistency to do that just says so much about them and their work ethic and what they do on a day-to-day basis. Really good things. </p>
<p id="HePx7v">Yeah, there’s always going to be things that you want to look at to get better. We’re going to have to get better in some areas, but really a day to feel great about seeing a </p>
<p id="ZpFCIM"> lot of young players play and step up and they were asked to do that. Really, for me, satisfying to see a lot of young faces out there making plays. </p>
<p id="bjJCDK">So with that, I’m ready for your questions. </p>
<p id="ZoXkn2"> <strong>Q. You had three guys make emergency starts in (Jack) Kiser, (Clarence) Lewis and (Houston) Griffith. Those three guys ended up leading you in tackles today. Does that speak to the depth of this defense? </strong></p>
<p id="aRgYht"> BRIAN KELLY: Certainly does. You know and we obviously had in our minds those were guys that we felt all along when we came to camp that we wanted to get ready and felt would be down the road guys that we would need to count on. They all stepped up and I feel good with them on the field. </p>
<p id="78w0ca"> <span>Jack Kiser</span> was given the game ball for his play, and the reaction in the locker room, you know, was pretty impressive in terms of — I think everybody was excited when he got the game ball. </p>
<p id="gvQoLL"><strong>Q. What was the timing of learning you had some players unavailable, and while not ideal, it’s not unexpected. How do you feel your staff and team responded to this situation late in the week? </strong></p>
<p id="rQPMNQ"> BRIAN KELLY: Yeah, I think we live in this world where right now, you’re never prepared for it but we are aware of it and we know it could happen. I think our players responded well. Our coaches were prepared and they responded well. You hate to see anybody not be available, but it’s the reality that we live in and our guys did a great job. And it’s why we’ve prepared, you know, so deep in the ranks in terms of giving guys reps and opportunities to be prepared. </p>
<p id="rw78gG"> You know, I know it’s cliché-ish, but it’s next-man-in mentality that we have built and we trust our guys and they trust us, and we know that their preparation is going to be such that they are going to be ready to play. </p>
<p id="lt6Lks"><strong>Q. Did anyone change your perception of what they might be able to do and contribute long term? </strong></p>
<p id="e1DRrR"> BRIAN KELLY: No, I don’t know, change. I think that we’ll evaluate the film and I think probably more guys confirmed. You saw four backs that all contributed in a very positive way from <span>C’Bo Flemister</span> to <span>Chris Tyree</span>, obviously Kyren (Williams) and Jafar (Armstrong). All of them did great things. </p>
<p id="zURpHQ"> You know, defensive backfield, we played a lot of corners. Alex Ehrensberger was on scout team playing nose guard for us and he’s playing five technique and doing — got a sack, doing great things. </p>
<p id="bBORdF"> I just think that we’ve got really good players and we’ve got really good depth and they will accept the roles that we give them during the week and then they will be prepared to play if we call on them. </p>
<p id="O1mJxE"> <strong>Q. When did you find out how many players and who you would be missing today? </strong></p>
<p id="TgqR7z"> BRIAN KELLY: Yeah, it’s an ongoing process. You just kind of, you know, during the week or 2:00 in the morning or 12:50 before kickoff, you just kind of roll with it, you know. </p>
<p id="C0Y2U1">We’re prepared. We’re ready. You never want to lose any guys. But I think we are a strong group mentally. We feel for those guys that miss out on this opportunity because they put in so much time, so much effort. I’m sick about losing any player that has committed so much time and effort to the cause and their commitment to Notre Dame Football. </p>
<p id="Koq9fK"> But I’m also so excited when I get to see a <span>Jack Lamb</span> who might have been a couple of days from thinking about, he may never play again, and now he’s out there playing and there’s a smile on his face. </p>
<p id="LPEG0p"> So where there’s unfortunate circumstances, there’s great opportunities. That’s kind of how we look at it, right. We don’t look at it as there’s a great amount of pressure, but there’s great privilege to be, for me, the head coach at Notre Dame and players at Notre Dame. We look at it as not adversity but as opportunity. It’s really just the way you look at it, and that’s how we choose to look at it. </p>
<p id="fVMFmU"> <strong>Q. Why was Jack Kiser able to have so much success stepping in at the buck linebacker role? </strong></p>
<p id="fYvvfB"> BRIAN KELLY: He’s well-coached. He’s a great student. He was on scout team Tuesday and Wednesday, split his time going back and forth. He’s just smart. He does extra work to prepare. He’s a remarkable young man that, you </p>
<p id="Ug1Urq"> know, can help our offense get prepared for South Florida’s defense and then put himself in a position where he can lead our team in tackles. </p>
<p id="PXsLjs"> I was kidding Clark (Lea). I was like, what are you doing? Why hasn’t he been starting all year? You know, tongue-in-cheek. But he’s prepared himself very well. </p>
<p id="5xgyEo"><strong>Q. How close to he was to Shane Simon and Marist Liufau in preseason competition at that position? </strong></p>
<p id="ruFK10"> BRIAN KELLY: Yeah, they were all very, very good players. We feel like, you know, all of them can contribute and obviously they did. Again, I don’t think that’s going to change. Shane’s (Simon) coming back. He’ll be back, and Shane will play for us. </p>
<p id="wRFdhm"> Marist (Liufau) will be back and he’ll play for us. Jack will play for us, both Jacks. We’re blessed that we have those kind of players, and we’ll find roles for them and they will excel at the buck position, and special teams. We pulled some of their special teams responsibilities off, and that’s why we were pretty efficient in the special teams because we have guys like that on it, as well. </p>
<p id="szs1rO"> <strong>Q. Can you discuss the contributions Tommy Trimble and the tight ends gave you in the run game today? </strong></p>
<p id="Tzl0w8"> BRIAN KELLY: Yeah, they are integral. When you talk about the offensive line, and they were really good today, and I thought that they continued where they left off in the third and fourth quarter last week, you know, picking up movement. We are starting to get our aiming points down pretty good on the outside zone and our inside punch play, and then once teams start over-committing to that, then you can see how clean the counters look and the misdirection plays. </p>
<p id="FSHLDC"> But the tight ends were integral as you can see by our formation sets. We are in 12- and 13-personnel groupings. So Tremble and Brock and Mike Mayer, and even George Takacs. Bauman is not playing a lot but he’s going to play. We are really deep there and those guys are huge contributors to what we are doing at that position and running the football. </p>
<p id="JghVuf"> <strong>Q. We didn’t see a lot of </strong><span><strong>Ian Book</strong></span><strong>, but from what we did, do you feel like you saw the steps forward that you would like and how did </strong><span><strong>Drew Pyne</strong></span><strong> do from your perspective? </strong></p>
<p id="OdJrMv"> BRIAN KELLY: Yeah, Ian was better today. I thought he managed our offense very well. He’s not a manager, but he managed the things that we asked him to do. He got us off to a good start with some good completions down the field. </p>
<p id="oeLGMQ"> There are a couple balls I thought in the red zone that, you know, he could have been a little bit more finessed with, but all in all it was a really good performance. I thought he led our team to the kind of fast start that we wanted. He was really tuned in. I thought he had a great week of practice. Really liked his demeanor. Really worked on his pocket presence. I liked his calmness in the pocket. It was a really good progression from where he was last week. </p>
<p id="9UpGTx"> Yeah, and Drew is out there to eat clock. We gave him a couple of tough looks in the passing game where he didn’t have much of a look there in terms of being able to throw it, but we really like Drew, and he’ll be fine. He’s smart. He works hard in all of the meetings, and he’s always well prepared. </p>
<p id="8F3EbM"> <strong>Q. Could you comment on </strong><span><strong>Clarence Lewis</strong></span><strong> and what you saw from him specifically in his first career start? </strong></p>
<p id="1Yx6OE"> BRIAN KELLY: Yeah, obviously you can see he’s not hurried. His movements are very fluid. Plays the ball very well. His timing is excellent. He’s got all of the tools and the traits that you want in an outstanding corner. </p>
<p id="HCfl0F">We feel good with him out there on the field. And you know, he’s — I think there were a couple of times where we might have wanted him to tighten up his coverage a little bit to the field and you know, I think Mike talked to him a couple times about his ankle on tackling. But he’s a smooth player and a very confident player. </p>
<p id="OX5UMm"><strong>Q. Is this experience even more valuable for the young guys given the lack of a spring camp and an atypical fall camp? </strong></p>
<p id="Lh1dKo">BRIAN KELLY: Oh, absolutely. No doubt. To get them in the game like this where they certainly got reps in camp, but you’re still also trying to make up reps for your first team. We were on a pitch count in the sense that we didn’t want to have too much one-on-one contact during preseason camp, so we didn’t get quite as many live reps as we have had in the past. So that means the trickle-down is the twos didn’t get as many, either. Yeah, this was a great game to get those reps in for the twos and sharpen their toolbox, so to speak. </p>
<p id="WO9PUw"><strong>Q. How much do you allow yourself to look at a game like this and think about how stable the program is compared to where it was at the start of your tenure? </strong></p>
<p id="lvf1Rt">BRIAN KELLY: Yeah, for varying reasons, I don’t spend much time on that. But now that you’ve asked the question, you know, we’re certainly much further along. When I took over the program, the program was not winning. It is now a winning program. We just talked about 20 consecutive wins at home. I think South Florida is in a similar situation. So it’s hard to compare, right. They are on some hard times. You know, that’s why there’s a new coach there. So it’s really hard to compare apples-to-apples from that standpoint. We just kind of look at where we are and the consistency that we’ve built more so than anything else, and they have got a good coach. They have got good coaches. It’s a great recruiting area. I’m sure that South Florida is going to be a team to be reckoned with in their conference in the not-too-distant future.</p>
<p id="T3uRi7">*Transcript by ASAP via Fighting Irish Media</p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/9/19/21447170/everything-brian-kelly-said-after-notre-dames-52-0-win-over-south-florida-ian-book-tommy-tremble-ndJoshua Vowles2020-09-19T17:46:11-04:002020-09-19T17:46:11-04:00Notre Dame slaughters the South Florida Bulls 52-0
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<p>It was a hunt</p> <p id="8FoVCp">The <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> improved to 2-0 (1-0) on the season with an absolutely dominating 52-0 shutout win over the <a href="https://www.thedailystampede.com/">South Florida Bulls</a>. </p>
<p id="LRCTMz">Notre Dame scored touchdowns on their first 4 possessions of the game and went into the half up 38-0. <span>Ian Book</span> had a very lean day in the air going 12-19 passing for 143 yards, but scored 3 times on the ground. </p>
<p id="IqO3K5">The rushing attack is what Notre Dame really leaned on with a nice rotation of <span>Chris Tyree</span>, <span>Kyren Williams</span>, and <span>C’Bo Flemister</span> — with a little <span>Jafar Armstrong</span> mixed in as well with a TD run. Those three backs ran for over 250 yards and had 2 touchdowns (one was the first ever for Tyree). C’Bo really piled it on with 127 yards.</p>
<p id="i70K64">A lot of the yards and touchdowns were assisted by Irish part-time fullback Tommy Tremble. The Georgia native was impressive with his physicality all day, and was even rewarded with a rushing attempt on a 3rd down that gained 4 yards. He was also the leading receiver for the day with 3 catches for 60 yards. </p>
<p id="8eQU9D">Before the game started, we were informed of 8 Irish players that would be out for the day, and most of them were on the defensive side of the ball. The backups (and backups of the backups) played extremely well all day long. <span>Jack Kiser</span> was the leading tackler on the day as he replaced BOTh Shayne Simon and <span>Marist Liufau</span>. </p>
<p id="G6gFSO"><span>Shaun Crawford</span> and <span>Nick McCloud</span> were the only true starters on the field for the Irish secondary (including nickel), but <span>Houston Griffith</span>, <span>D.J. Brown</span>, and <span>Clarence Lewis</span> all played really well in their first extensive action of the young season. </p>
<p id="8Vyj9s"><span>Brian Kelly</span> asked his team for a shutout during his halftime speech. He said he was “tired of being the nice guy,” and he got a very loud response from his players. They delivered, and everything else is just candy.</p>
<p id="ovEeeS">This is the 20th victory in a row at home for Notre Dame, and despite the opponent — it’s very impressive.</p>
<p id="hAMDO9">We will have plenty more on OFD about this win. </p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/9/19/21446980/notre-dame-football-irish-slaughter-the-south-florida-bulls-52-0-recap-score-offense-defense-nd-usfJoshua Vowles