Four elements that defined Notre Dame’s 2022 home debut; 1 unique stat, 1 thing to pivot forward
By John Brice
Special Contributor
This was not the blueprint.
A week after a zero-turnover performance from its offense, Notre Dame repeatedly thwarted its offensive possessions with turnovers, saw starting quarterback Tyler Buchner dropped late, only to hobble off the field, and the Fighting Irish never quelled visiting Marshall in an 26-21 loss that spoiled the home debut of new Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman.
In an item we’ll bring you after each Notre Dame contest, here’s the 4-1-1 on No. 8 Notre Dame’s stunning loss Saturday before a capacity crowd inside Notre Dame Stadium.
FOUR ELEMENTS THAT DEFINED THE FIGHTING IRISH’S LOSS INSIDE NOTRE DAME STADIUM
- Turnovers from the Irish offense, with Buchner twice being picked off – including an impossible-to-overcome pick-six late in the fourth quarter and then backup Drew Pyne getting picked off again moments later as the Irish sought to generate a mad rally.
- The Fighting Irish defense managed to amass eight tackles for losses, including three sacks, but for the second-straight week, the group did not force a turnover – and the Irish offense also once again lost time of possession, albeit by just around 90 seconds.
- It took, perhaps, longer than most had expected, but Tyler Buchner scored the first home touchdown of the opener, and Blake Grupe moments later added the go-ahead extra-point attempt – which lifted the Irish to a 7-6 lead and seemed overall to help kick-start a sluggish performance to that point.
- Buchner’s second touchdown came on the opening snap of the fourth quarter, capping an eight-play and 75-yard drive that, with Buchner’s wheels on the ensuing 2-point conversion gave the Irish an 15-12 edge. Significant on the series, aside from ND’s ability to retake the lead? The Irish offense gobbled up real estate for first downs by rushing, passing and by the attention Marshall committed to star tight end Michael Mayer – whose ability to force the Herd into a pass-interference penalty converted a third down and sustained possession.
ONE THING TO NOTE
For the second time in as many weeks, Marcus Freeman sent a clear message of aggression to his players with the manner in which Freeman managed the Irish’s timeouts.
Last week in the opener at Ohio State, Freeman wanted to take a shot downfield and even called an early timeout in Notre Dame’s final possession of the first half to try to allow the offense to strike.
Against the Herd, Freeman did the same thing. He aggressively called timeout after Marshall’s opening play of the Herd’s final possession of the second quarter.
It didn’t work to script; the Irish defense could not get off the field, the Herd – aided by a face-mask penalty – responded and kicked a field goal for an 9-7 halftime lead.
Still, as Freeman seems to imprint this program in his vision, these are moments along the course not to ignore.
ONE THING PIVOTING FORWARD
Freeman has said the bedrock of his Irish program will be what both the offensive and defensive lines are able to do to control the lines of scrimmage. It’s the most glaring area for improvement through the season’s first two weeks, as both Ohio State and Marshall have outrushed the Irish and bottled up the Notre Dame ground games.