Victory!!!! Notre Dame snaps their three-game losing streak with a 31-13 victory over Boston College. It wasn't perfect, but a win is a win. And hey, they beat a team they were supposed to beat (*cough* Charlie Weis *cough* Syracuse *cough*).Notre Dame as a whole put in a much better performance than last week, although they really had nowhere to go but up from the Stanford game.
Game Ball-
This is a little snippet I decided to add each week about the Notre Dame player that I thought really stood out in the game. This week's game ball goes to sophomore wide receiver Theo Riddick. I really liked what I saw out of him tonight. He looked especially good after the catch. Riddick is still a bit raw- he IS only a sophomore after all- but if he can continue to improve over the course of this season, he should be a dangerous weapon next year.
Positives-
-Obviously, the offense was much, much better this week. They were able to actually establish a rhythm, especially in the first quarter. Their attack was also much more balanced this week. Dayne Crist handed the ball off almost as much as he threw it. I absolutely loved their touchdown drive in the third quarter. Not only did the Irish convert several big third downs and mix up the play calling, but it was exactly the kind of drive I was talking about in my post last week; it was a time-consuming drive that allowed the offense to get into a groove, burned minutes off the clock, and gave the defense a rest. I guess Brian Kelly reads my blog posts.
-The defensive line did a much better job of getting pressure on the quarterback. It took them a while, but they did wind up with four sacks on the game. Granted, Boston College does not have the most physical offensive lineman in college football, so there is still plenty of work for ND to do on this front, but I was pleased to see them getting to the quarterback more this game.
-The receivers are doing a great job of blocking downfield, which comes in handy when Armando Allen breaks loose.
-Notre Dame did not have a single penalty in the first half (other than a holding call, which was declined) and only had one or two in the second half. This is the sort of discipline the Irish haven't seen in years, and it was a glorious sight to see. Okay, glorious is pushing it a bit. But it was very refreshing to see them penalized so little. Taking fewer penalties is one aspect of the game that I feel is often overlooked, but gives teams a better chance of winning.
-Brian Kelly did not wear a visor this game! More proof that he reads my blog posts.
-The defense was excellent against the run. Granted, BC doesn't exactly boast a high-powered running attack, but you know you did something right if you hold a team to only five rushing yards on the night. The defense did an excellent job on third downs as well. BC only converted two or three the entire game.
Negatives-
-TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS. Notre Dame had two interceptions this game, but lost two fumbles and Crist threw one interception. ND is now about -4 on turnovers for the year. This week's turnovers didn't end up being costly- BC only got three points off of them- but good teams will find a way to capitalize on those kinds of mistakes, just like Stanford did last week. The easiest way for a team to beat themselves is off of turnovers, and that's what will happen if Notre Dame doesn't start taking better care of the ball.
-The offense needs to adjust quicker and find more consistency. I'm willing to cut them some slack on the consistency front, as Crist is still getting comfortable with his role as starting quarterback and developing chemistry with his receivers. Also, the players are still learning Kelly's offense, which is very different from Weis's. But the BC defense made some adjustments after giving up 21 points in the first quarter, and it took the Notre Dame offense too long to readjust their scheme accordingly.
Work still needs to be done, but it was great to see Kelly get a "homecoming" win with a number of his friends and family watching. Notre Dame's next four games are very winnable. Pitt is up next, then West Michigan (if they lose to West Michigan, I may give up on life and join a convent), Navy, and Tulsa. We can't write them up for four straight wins just yet, but it could very well happen! GO IRISH!
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