Notre Dame dominates North Carolina: 5 instant takeaways
Notre Dame looked like they forgot to unpack any energy or interest when they got underway Saturday at North Carolina but in spite of not putting a single point on the board and trailing at the end of the first quarter, the Tommy Rees guided offense came to life and the defense pretty much dominated en-route to a 45-32 victory that was nowhere near as close as the final score indicated.
The win moves Notre Dame to 2-2 on the year which is a disappointment compared to preseason expectations but feels pretty good after just how awfully the Marshall debacle went down.
So what finally clicked for the Irish and what left questions? Here are five instant takeaways from the 45-32 Fighting Irish victory.
1 of 5: OFFENSIVE LIFE!!!!
(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Oh my goodness Drew Pyne can throw the ball more than a handful of yards down the field!
I know the North Carolina defense is nothing to write home about but you can only play who is on your schedule and let’s face it, nobody expected Notre Dame to challenge 50 points today, something they would have accomplished if not for a late fumble.
It was far from perfect, especially the first quarter and close to the game, but dedication in the run game led to success on the ground, that then helped open passing lanes and the Irish offense was off to the tune of 576 yards. Again, I know it was North Carolina and the Tar Heels defense was as bad as advertised, but imagine what we’d be talking about if the Irish just managed to sneak out a 31-28 victory or something of the sort.
Audric Estime was a beast and deserves love in this one as he ran for 134 yards and a pair of scores while averaging more than seven yards per carry.
2 of 5: Suffocating Defense Early
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With 6:55 left before halftime, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye found Josh Downs for a three-yard touchdown that tied things at 14 and gave Maye 99 passing yards on the day. It was until the blown coverage where Maye found Antonie Green for 80 yards and a Tar Heels score with 4:08 remaining in the third quarter (and Notre Dame leading 38-14) when Maye finally eclipsed the 100-yard mark. That kind of dominance over an offense as capable of North Carolina’s takes stellar play by all groups and that’s exactly what the Irish got.
3 of 5: Michael Mayer invaluable to offense
AP Photo/Chris Seward
As noted above some great things happened on the offensive side of the ball but I want to look a bit at how they were made possible to happen. Here’s a hint: it involves the huge guy who wears No. 87.
I don’t know how many times the game broadcasts have mentioned the friendship between Michael Mayer and Drew Pyne the last two weeks but Mayer was as good of a friend as a quarterback could have Saturday. He wound up with seven receptions for 88 yards and a score which aren’t earth-shattering, even for a tight end, but when Pyne was able to hit him a couple times, specifically in converting third downs it was obvious how much other aspects of the game started to click for the Irish. Mayer is every bit as good as advertised and it’s just a matter of time until he breaks Ken McAfee’s touchdown record for a tight end in Notre Dame history.
4 of 5: Praise for Tommy Rees
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Listen, if we’re going to butcher the guy for his play-calling when things don’t work then when things go even better than planned like they did Saturday it deserves praise. I’ve thought highly of Rees but he can get in his own way at times, seeming almost stubborn in trying to make something work instead of taking what is there. He didn’t do that today as what he called wasn’t overly complicated but a couple shots deep early kept the defensive backs from playing up, which helped get the ball to Mayer as well as helped the running game. As a result you saw a much-improved Drew Pyne and an offense almost put up a 50-burger despite not scoring in the first quarter and coughing up a fumble down near the Carolina goal line.
5 of 5: Still a lot to clean up
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“Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy…run it again!” – Dan Devine in “Rudy”
That fits for things with Notre Dame today on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. I don’t want to end on a low note with this piece but just a few things I’d really like to see not happen in October:
An opponent pass play to go for more than 50 yards (64 and 80-yards for scores both happened today)
A timeout have to be called on offense because a play doesn’t get in on time. Whether that comes down to the coaches and the time it takes to make the call, the literal red-shirted backup quarterbacks who deliver it from the sideline, or Pyne in getting it lined up I’m absolutely sick and tired of seeing it and we did so twice today.
A red zone turnover
Starting a possession in plus-territory and walking away with no points to show.
Just a few things to chew on this evening following the Irish victory. In all it was a great day so I don’t want to end it on a sour note. Wins are worth celebrating, if two weeks ago today didn’t teach you that I have nothing for you, but there is a lot to look forward to these next two months even if a CFP appearance is off the table.
