Irish Welcome Syracuse To Notre Dame Stadium

Nov. 18, 2008

Full Notes Package in PDF Format (recommended for easy reading and enhanced statistical data)

GAME 11: NOTRE DAME (6-4) VS. SYRACUSE (2-8)
DATE:
Saturday, November 22, 2008
TIME: 2:43 p.m. ET
SITE (CAPACITY): Notre Dame Stadium (80,795); Notre Dame, Ind.

TICKETS: The game is officially sold out making it the 205th consecutive sellout at Notre Dame Stadium. Since 1966, every Notre Dame home football game has been a sellout except one – a 1973 Thanksgiving Day game vs. Air Force. The Irish have now played in front of sellouts in 253 of their last 254 home games.

TV: NBC national telecast with Tom Hammond (play-by-play), Pat Haden (analysis), Alex Flanagan (sideline), David Gibson (producer) and David Michaels (director).

RADIO: ISP Sports is the exclusive national rights-holder for Irish football radio broadcasts. The Notre Dame-ISP relationship begins with the 2008 season — with ISP managing, producing and syndicating the Irish national football radio network. Notre Dame games will be broadcast by Don Criqui (play-by-play), former Irish great Allen Pinkett (analysis) and Jeff Jeffers providing pre-game, sideline and post-game reports. This broadcast can be heard live on SIRIUS Satellite Radio (channel 159). All Notre Dame home games may be heard in South Bend on Sunny 101.5 FM and NewsTalk 960 WSBT-AM. See page 12 of this notes package for more information on Irish football radio and television shows.

WEB SITES: Notre Dame (und.com), Syracuse (suathletics.com).

REAL-TIME STATS: Live in-game statistics will be provided through CBS College Sports Gametracker via each school’s respective official athletic websites.

POLLS: Neither Notre Dame or Syracuse are receiving votes in either the Associated Press poll or USA Today coaches polls.

SERIES INFO: Notre Dame and Syracuse will meet for the sixth time in history Saturday afternoon. The Irish lead the all-time series, 3-2, including capturing the last meeting, 34-10, in 2005. Notre Dame also took the other matchup inside Notre Dame Stadium, 17-15, in 1961 (see All-Time Series Results on page 30).

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Notre Dame will honor its 24 seniors (15 scholarship) Saturday afternoon. The Irish have an all-time record on Senior Day (final regular season home game) of 91-22-4. In fact, Notre Dame has won its last three Senior Day games and lost just twice in the regular season home finale since 2000.

NOTRE DAME HEAD COACH Charlie Weis: A record combined win total for the first two seasons of any Notre Dame head football coach, consecutive Bowl Championship Series appearances for the first time in Irish history, and the two most accomplished passing seasons in Notre Dame football annals – those are the most notable by-products of the first three seasons of the Charlie Weis era in South Bend.

Weis, a 1978 Notre Dame graduate and owner of four Super Bowl-champion rings as products of a stellar 15-season career as a National Football League assistant coach, wasted no time putting his signature stamp on his alma mater’s program in his first two years as Irish head coach in 2005 and 2006.

Weis and his Irish followed up a 9-3 record in ’05 and BCS appearance in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl with a 10-3 overall mark in ’06 and a second consecutive BCS invitation, this time to the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Those 19 combined wins (including eight straight in the middle of the ’06 regular season) qualified as most in a two-year period by the Irish since they collected 21 in 1992-93. It was also the first time Notre Dame played in BCS games in successive years and the most prominent two-season bowl qualification since the Irish played in the Fiesta and Orange Bowls after the 1994 and ’95 campaigns. The only schools to play in BCS games after both the ’05 and ’06 seasons were Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC.

Notre Dame’s 10 regular-season wins in ’06 marked the ninth time that figure had been achieved in Irish history. Weis’ 19 combined wins in his first two seasons were the most by a ND head coach in his first two years (the previous high was 17 by both Terry Brennan in 1954-55 and Dan Devine in 1975-76). For the second straight year in ’06 Weis was one of three finalists for the George Munger Award presented by the Maxwell Football Club (of Philadelphia) to the college coach of the year.

The architect in ’05 and ’06 of the two most prolific passing seasons in Irish football history, Weis effectively transformed the ND offense into one of the most productive in the nation, as the Irish scored more points in `05 (440) than in any previous season in school history – and also qualified as the most improved offensive attack in the nation, jumping its total offense production (477.33 yards per game) a national-best 131.8 yards per game better than in ’04. The Irish followed that up with another strong passing attack in ’06, with Notre Dame’s average of 264.1 passing yards per contest ranking 13th nationally and second all-time in the Notre Dame record book (behind only the 330.3 mark from ’05). The Irish protected the football nearly as well as any team in the country in ’06, with their 14 overall turnovers in 13 games ranking tied for fourth of the 119 NCAA I-A teams.

On a combined basis in 2005 and ’06 under Weis, Notre Dame led the nation in interception avoidance with only 1.6 percent of Irish passes picked off over those two years. The Irish, thanks in large part to the play of quarterback Brady Quinn, finished third in TD passes with 69 and sixth in passing yards per game (295.8) and passing rating (151.7). In ’05 and ’06 combined, compared to the previous two seasons, the Irish improved their points per game by 11.5, and their total yards per game by 90.9.

A WIN THIS WEEK WOULD…

• Improve Notre Dame to 7-4 (.636) on the season.
• Improve the Irish to 5-1 (.833) inside Notre Dame Stadium this season.
• Improve Notre Dame’s all-time record on Senior Day (final home game of season) to 92-22-4 (.797).
• Improves the Irish to 3-3 (.500) this season and 18-5 (.783) under Weis coming off a victory.
• Improves Notre Dame to 4-2 (.667) in the all-time series with Syracuse.
• Improves the Irish to 3-0 (1.000) in the all-time series with the Orange in Notre Dame Stadium.
• Improves an unranked Notre Dame squad (post 1932) to 2-2 (.500) all-time against Syracuse.
• Improves an unranked Irish squad to 2-0 (1.000) all-time against the Orange in Notre Dame Stadium.
• Improves Notre Dame to 1-2 (.333) all-time against Syracuse when both teams are unranked.
• Improves the Irish to 1-0 (1.000) all-time against the Orange in Notre Dame Stadium when both teams are unranked.
• Improves Notre Dame to 57-21-1 (.729) all-time against the current makeup of the BIG EAST Conference.
• Improves the Irish to 64-28-1 (.694) all-time against BIG EAST Conference opponents at the time of the game (includes Boston College before its move to the ACC).
• Improves Notre Dame to 31-14 (.689) all-time at home against BIG EAST Conference opponents at the time of the game (includes Boston College before its move to the ACC).
• Improves Weis’ record to 29-19 overall (.604), 2-0 (1.000) against Syracuse and 3-2 (.600) against the BIG EAST Conference.
• Improves Weis’ overall home record to 16-10 (.615) and his home record against the BIG EAST Conference to 2-2 (.500).
• Improves Weis’ record to 12-5 (.706) in November games.
• Improves Weis’ record to 23-15 (.605) in afternoon games.
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record to 831-282-42 (.738).
• Improves Notre Dame’s all-time record at Notre Dame Stadium to 302-97-5 (.754).

A LOSS THIS WEEK WOULD…

• Drop Notre Dame to 6-5 (.545) on the season.
• Drop the Irish to 4-2 (.667) inside Notre Dame Stadium this season.
• Drop Notre Dame’s all-time record on Senior Day (final home game of season) to 91-23-4 (.788).
• Drop the Irish to 2-4 (.333) this season and 17-6 (.739) under Weis coming off a victory.
• Drop Notre Dame to 3-3 (.500) in the all-time series with Syracuse.
• Drop the Irish to 2-1 (.667) in the all-time series with the Orange in Notre Dame Stadium.
• Drop an unranked Notre Dame squad (post 1932) to 1-3 (.250) all-time against Syracuse.
• Drop an unranked Irish squad to 1-1 (.500) all-time against the Orange in Notre Dame Stadium.
• Drop Notre Dame to 0-3 (.000) all-time against Syracuse when both teams are unranked.
• Drop the Irish to 0-1 (.000) all-time against the Orange in Notre Dame Stadium when both teams are unranked.
• Drop Notre Dame to 56-22-1 (.715) all-time against the current makeup of the BIG EAST Conference.
• Drop the Irish to 63-29-1 (.683) all-time against BIG EAST Conference opponents at the time of the game (includes Boston College before its move to the ACC).
• Drop Notre Dame to 30-15 (.667) all-time at home against BIG EAST Conference opponents at the time of the game (includes Boston College before its move to the ACC).
• Drop Weis’ record to 28-20 overall (.583), 1-1 (.000) against Syracuse and 2-3 (.400) against the BIG EAST Conference.
• Drop Weis’ overall home record to 15-11 (.577) and his home record against the BIG EAST Conference to 1-3 (.250).
• Drop Weis’ record to 11-6 (.647) in November games.
• Drop Weis’ record to 22-16 (.579) in afternoon games.
• Drop Notre Dame’s all-time record to 830-281-42 (.737).
• Drop Notre Dame’s all-time record at Notre Dame Stadium to 301-98-5 (.751).

IRISH TEAM NOTES

IRISH FINALLY PUNTS AGAINST NAVY

• Notre Dame was forced to punt against Navy for the first time since the 2004 meeting. The Irish had gone 247 plays against Navy without being forced to punt – dating back to a D.J. Fitzpatrick punt in the fourth quarter of the 27-9 Irish victory in 2004. The Irish ran 17 plays over three drives in last saturday’s game, 90 plays over nine drives in 2007, 62 plays over 10 drive in the 2006 and 70 plays over nine drives in 2005.

IRISH ON THE GROUND

• Notre Dame completely dominated the game on the ground last Saturday. The Irish not only outrushed the Mids, 230-178, but also earned 15 first downs on the ground to Navy’s six.
• Notre Dame’s 51 rushes were a season-high and the 230 yards on the ground were the second-most this season. The rushes were the most for the Irish since they carried it 63 times in last season’s meeting with Navy.
• The Irish rushed the ball their final 12 plays of the game and 26 of the final 29 plays for Notre Dame were on the ground.
• Notre Dame came into the game against the Midshipmen with 32 rushes of 10 yards or longer this season. The Irish ripped off six such runs against Navy.

NOTRE DAME KEPT NAVY OFF THE FIELD

• The Irish won the time of possession battle against Navy 35:33 to 24:27. It is the smallest amount of time of possession for the Midshipmen since Oct. 22, 2005 against Rice when they managed just 22:20.

YOUNG PUPS

• Freshman DB Robert Blanton picked up his first career start against Navy. Blanton is the sixth different Irish rookie to start a game this season. Blanton joined WR Michael Floyd, TE Kyle Rudolph, OG Trevor Robinson, DE Ethan Johnson and LB Darius Fleming.
• The Irish started five freshmen against Boston College, a season-high. On offense, Notre Dame started with WR Michael Floyd (8th start), TE Kyle Rudolph (9th), and OG Trevor Robinson (1st). On the defensive side, DE Ethan Johnson (3rd start) and LB Darius Fleming (2nd) got the nod.
• The five freshmen starters are the most for the Irish since six rookies were in the starting lineup in the 2007 season finale at Stanford.
• Robinson became just the fifth freshman to start a game on the Irish offensive line at any point, joining an elite club that includes teammate junior OT Sam Young (the entire 2006 season), Ryan Harris (final eight games of 2003), Brad Williams (vs. Navy and Boston College in 1996) and Mike Rosenthal (vs. Ohio State, USC and Air Force in 1995).
• Notre Dame’s freshman duo of WR Michael Floyd and TE Kyle Rudolph each established school records for receptions by first year players at their respective positions. Floyd’s total is also a record for any position.
• Floyd not only holds the rookie records for receptions and receiving touchdowns, but he also surpassed Tony Hunter’s previous school record (690) for receiving yards by a freshman.
• Notre Dame played a total of nine true freshmen and 13 sophomores in the game against Pittsburgh.
• The Irish played 53 different players against the Panthers and 22 have at least two years of eligibility remaining after this season.
• The Irish have scored 31 touchdowns already this season and 25 have come from either freshmen or sophomores, including all three scores in today’s game. The only touchdowns scored this season by upper classmen were junior RB James Aldridge (3), senior WR David Grimes (2), and junior Toryan Smith.
• The 25 of 31 touchdowns by underclassmen does not include sophomore QB Jimmy Clausen, who has tossed 18 touchdown passes this season.
• Notre Dame not only started two freshmen against Washington, but also played a total of nine true freshmen in the game, including the first career appearance for TE Joseph Fauria.

STEPPING UP ON THE SHORT FIELD

• Notre Dame defense held Boston College to a field goal in the first half, despite the fact the Eagles started three of their first four drives in Irish territory. On the three drives that began on the Notre Dame half of the field, Boston College failed to score.
• The Eagles eventually benefitted from a total of five drives that began inside Irish territory, but Notre Dame limited them to only one touchdown.
• Navy started two drives inside Notre Dame territory and the Irish limited the Mids to one score (a touchdown).
• Notre Dame’s opposition has started 17 different drives this season in Irish territory. The Irish defense has limited their opponent to just seven scores (six touchdowns, one field goal) on those 17 possessions. In fact, Notre Dame has allowed just 17 points (two touchdowns, field goal) on its opponents last nine drives that began inside the Irish 50-yard line.

IRISH ON THE DEFENSE

• Notre Dame forced Navy into a three-out on its opening possession of the game. The Midshipmen had scored on their opening drive in each of their first nine games this season.
• The Irish limited Navy to just one first down in the first quarter and 21 total yards on 12 plays. Navy had 21 yards on nine rushes and failed to complete a pass on three attempts.
• Navy did not register a first down (without benefit of penalty) until the 8:20 mark of the second quarter.
• Notre Dame did not allow Navy a rushing first down until the Midshipmen’s final drive of the opening half.
• The Midshipmen entered last Saturday’s game averaging 308.00 yards per game on the ground. Navy managed just 97 yards on the ground on 22 carries in the first half. In fact, 37 of those 97 yards came on two carries – a 15-yard rumble from fullback Eric Kettani and 22-yard touchdown run from Cory Finnerty.
• The Irish defense came out of the halftime lockeroom and dominated the Midshipmen in the third quarter. Notre Dame limited the Middies to just 33 total yards on 11 plays and only one first down. All 11 plays were rushes.
• In the first and third quarters combined, Notre Dame limited the Midshipmen to just a pair of first downs and one came on an Irish defensive penalty.
• Notre Dame held Navy to just 178 yards rushing on the day. It is the fewest rushing yards by the Midshipmen since Rutgers allowed just 113 on Oct. 14, 2006.
• The Irish held Navy to just 1-for-13 on third down. The Mids’ only third down conversion came on their final drive of the game.
• Notre Dame forced Navy into nine punts this afternoon. Their previous single-game high from this year was six against Wake Forest on Sept. 27. The nine punts were the most by the Midshipmen since they punted 11 times against Rutgers on Oct. 14, 2006.
• Navy’s 242 total yards are the fewest for the Midshipmen since that Rutgers game of 2006.
• Notre Dame, which allowed just 242 total yards against Navy last weekend, has allowed under 250 yards of total offense in each of the last two games. In fact, the Irish have allowed less than 250 yards of total offense in three of its last four games.
• The 958 yards of total offense allowed by Notre Dame over the past four games (Washington, Pittsburgh, Boston College and Navy) is the fewest yards allowed by an Irish defense over any four-game span since the final four games of the 1996 season. Notre Dame allowed 924 yards against Boston College, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and USC.
• In the final 2007 NCAA stats, Notre Dame ranked 72nd in scoring defense (28.75), 39th in total defense (357.00) and 96th in rushing defense (195.42).
• The Notre Dame defense stepped up in adverse conditions to keep the Irish in the game against Boston College. Notre Dame held the Eagles to 3-of-14 on 3rd down conversion attempts while holding the Eagles to 246 yards.
• The Irish limited Boston College to just 10 offensive points. The Eagles other touchdown came on an interception return. The Eagles only touchdown drive, which covered just 48 yards, followed sophomore WR Golden Tate’s muffed punt.
• Notre Dame limited Boston College quarterback Chris Crane to just a completion percentage of 40.9% (9-of-22) and 79 yards — the fewest allowed this year by the Irish.
• Notre Dame forced six three-and-outs in the game and nine of Boston College’s 14 drives gained seven or fewer yards. In fact, the Irish have forced 15 three-and-outs in last three games.
• The Irish did not register a defensive penalty the entire game.
• Over the entire Washington game and the opening quarter against Pittsburgh, Notre Dame’s first team defense allowed 61 total yards on 47 plays – good for an average of 1.3 yard per play. In fact, the Irish forced eight three-and-outs on defense in 12 opponent drives.
• Pittsburgh did not convert a first down until the 11:50 of the second quarter.
• The Panthers had 11 possessions in regulation. Notre Dame forced Pittsburgh into a trio of three-and-outs before overtime. The Irish have now forced nine three-and-outs in their opponents last 20 drives in regulation.
• Simply put, Notre Dame registered its top defensive game in recent memory at Washington. The Irish limited the Huskies to only 124 total yards on 48 offensive plays (only 2.6 yards per play) — all Notre Dame bests since head coach Charlie Weis arrived in South Bend in 2005. In fact, the 124 total yards were the fewest for an Irish opponent since Rutgers managed only 43 in a 62-0 Notre Dame victory on Nov. 23, 1996.
• The Irish forced the Huskies to punt on each of their first nine possessions. Washington’s longest drive of the game (prior its final drive of the game) went for 14 yards. The Huskies did have a nine play drive that managed just nine yards.
• Notre Dame forced Washington into six three and outs over its first nine drives.
• Prior to that final Huskies’ drive, in which they marched 69 yards on 10 plays against Notre Dame’s third-team defense to avoid their first home shutout since 1976, Washington had only 55 total yards on 38 plays. The Huskies had not been held below 100 yards of total offense in nearly 60 years.
• Notre Dame held Washington to plays of two yards or less 30 times over its 48 plays. Notre Dame did not allow a play of longer than eight yards prior to that final drive. Washington finished the game with eight plays of over eight yards and five came on that final meaningless drive.
• While the Irish did not force a turnover, they did register four sacks against Washington. Notre Dame managed just one sack over its first four games, but the Irish have totaled 12 in their last four games.
• Notre Dame also limited the Huskies to just nine first downs, but five came on that final drive. The nine first downs allowed are the fewest under Weis and fewest by an Irish opponent since Pittsburgh managed just nine in a Notre Dame 20-14 victory on Oct. 11, 2003.
• Washington could only muster 26 yards rushing on 23 carries, just 1.1 yards per carry. The 26 yards rushing are the fewest for an Irish foe since UCLA had 26 in last season’s meeting. Notre Dame did not allow a rush of longer than eight yards all game.

NOTRE DAME’S OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT THE BEST IN THE NATION

• Entering this weekend’s action, Notre Dame’s 129.25 yards-per-game improvement for the Irish offense this season is rated tops in the nation, ahead of a list that includes Oklahoma, Pittsburgh and Georgia.
• The vast improvements are not exclusive to the offensive side of the ball. The Notre Dame defense has also made major leaps from a season ago.
• Notre Dame is the only school that is among the top 12 in most improved offense and scoring defense.

TURNOVERS

• Notre Dame’s turnover difficulties continued last weekend against Navy. The Irish turned it over on their first two drives of the afternoon (interception and a fumble) and then again (interception) on its second-to-last drive of the first half.
• The Irish did, however, force a turnover late in the second quarter that set up the go-ahead Notre Dame field goal. It was the first forced turnover for Notre Dame on the road since the Michigan State game earlier in the season (a span of 15 quarters).
• Notre Dame added a fourth turnover deep in Navy territory with 4:54 to go in the game. The Irish had first and goal at the two-yard line leading 27-7 before freshman Jonas Gray fumbled.
• The Irish were charged with a fifth turnover (team fumble) on Navy’s first onside kick late in the fourth quarter.
• The Irish now have a minus-17 turnover margin in their five games away from Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame has forced two turnovers (Michigan State, Navy), while the Irish have committed 19 turnovers along the way, including a trio of five turnover games (North Carolina, Boston College and Navy).
• The Irish were minus-five in turnover margin against Boston College, which was the identical spread Notre Dame found itself against North Carolina earlier this season. Notre Dame has registered a minus-five effort in the turnover department just three times since the start of the 2002 season and two have come in the last four games.
• Notre Dame has now registered five turnovers in a game three different times in 2008 (actually all in the last five games). Prior to this span of games, one must go back 110 games to find Notre Dame posting three seperate five turnover games.
• The Irish turned it over five different times (four interceptions and a fumble) at Boston College. That does not include a block punt that led to the Eagles only offensive touchdown.
• The Irish were minus-five in turnover margin against Boston College, which was the identical spread Notre Dame found itself against North Carolina earlier this season. Notre Dame has registered a minus-five effort in the turnover department just three times since the start of the 2002 season and two have come in the last five games.
• Notre Dame forced four Stanford turnovers in its victory on Oct. 4. Over their last five games, the Irish have forced four turnovers and three came against Pittsburgh. Notre Dame has not forced a single turnover in three of the five games.
• After failing to record a turnover in two games against Washington and North Carolina, Notre Dame picked off three passes against Pittsburgh. The Irish had a +3 advantage in turnover margin. In fact, Notre Dame had not lost a game when owning a +3 advantage in the turnover department since Sept. 4, 1999 when the Irish lost at Michigan, 26-22.
• Notre Dame did not force a turnover in the victory over Washington and did not force one in consecutive games (also included the North Carolina game). The Irish had not gone back-to-back games without forcing a turnover since meetings with North Carolina and Air Force in 2006 — a span of 20 games. Prior to this season’s matchup with the Tar Heels, Notre Dame had recorded seven interceptions and recovered seven fumbles in its first five games which ranked sixth-best in the NCAA FBS of schools that had played an equal number of games.
• Notre Dame entered the game against North Carolina with a +5 advantage in turnover margin and ranked tied for 20th in the NCAA FBS. In fact, Notre Dame had gone the two previous games (Purdue and Stanford) without committing a single turnover. The Irish had not gone two straight games without a turnover since the 2006 season when ironically enough Notre Dame went without turnovers in victories over the Boilermakers and Cardinal.
• The Irish committed five turnovers (two interceptions, three fumbles) against the Tar Heels, while North Carolina failed to commit one. The minus-five in turnover margin is the largest for Notre Dame in a game this season and largest turnover margin since Nov 2, 2002 in a 14-7 loss against Boston College.

— ND —