Brian Kelly Previews Stanford
Over the past decade, Notre Dame has not had much luck in conquering the Stanford Cardinal.
The Cardinal is 7-3 against the Fighting Irish in its last 10 meetings, and has won each of the last three. Notre Dame is ready to get back over the hump this Saturday in the top-10 matchup.
“There comes a point where if you’ve looked back on the three games, we had a lot to do with why we didn’t win the last two games,” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said on Tuesday. “There were 12 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, and we were leading last year. We went into the second half with a 10-0 lead the year before, and as you know, in both instances, we turned the football over.
“This is much more about us taking care of the football and playing it for four quarters. We have a great deal of respect for Stanford and how they run their program, but we need to play for four quarters and play good football.
“You can talk about not winning the last three games, but what we need to do is play better for four quarters.”
Even with how the rivalry has played out recently, Kelly noted this year features two different teams and presents its own challenges.
Running back Bryce Love received much of the attention at his position heading into the 2018 season and for good reason after he rushed for 2,118 yards and 19 touchdowns a year ago. It’s been a little bit of a struggle this year with just 254 yards and two scores on 59 carries in three games played.
“[He is] the best back in the country,” Kelly said of Love. “Once you think he’s down, he’s gone. You’ve got to get him on the ground and tackle him … I think he’s going to get his yards. He’s just too good of a player.
“I think you’re really focusing on making sure that you’re not short at the point of attack. You can’t put him in a situation where he can go the distance.”
While teams have focused on containing Love, junior quarterback K.J. Costello has taken advantage. The signal-caller has completed 64.0 percent of his passes for 1,056 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Senior wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside has caught seven of Costello’s 10 touchdown tosses as part of his 17 receptions for 408 yards in 2018. Junior tight end Kaden Smith is first on the team in catches, with 18 for 258 yards.
“K.J. Costello has really come into his own this year, distributing the football,” Kelly said. “He’s got a number of weapons. I think we all know JJ Arcega-Whiteside has been a go-to guy, but now obviously a number of the tight ends are outstanding, big-body types that he can get the football to. We saw that late in the game against Oregon with Colby Parkinson, Kaden Smith. You could go on and on.
“Costello’s ability to stay in the pocket, get the football out, throw for a high percentage. Looks like he’s really in control of that offense.”
Through four games, Stanford is tied for 10th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 13.5 points per game. The group is tied for 55th in yards allowed per game (356.8). In a win over Oregon last week, the Cardinal allowed more points (31) than the first three weeks combined (23).
“On the defensive side of the ball, they continue to employ a very aggressive, multi-dimensional defensive unit,” Kelly began. “Lance Anderson has been there for a very long time since I’ve been here, and you know what you’re going to get — a very physical, tough group, tough-minded.
“Defensive lineman Jovan Swann right here from the state of Indiana plays with a great motor, especially the last couple of games we’ve seen him, and then against us last year, he was all over the field.
“Linebackers are veteran players, Bobby Okereke, it seems like he’s been around forever. Joey Alfieri is just a guy who turned the game around against Oregon with the scoop and score. Very talented, a lot of moving parts there, Casey Toohill, really been impressed with the depth and kind of play-making ability at the linebacker position.”
The defensive backfield features a player very familiar with Notre Dame: former Irish commit Paulson Adebo.
“And then in the back end, veteran players back there,” Kelly said. “Paulson Adebo is playing really well at the cornerback position. We know about Alijah Holder. He’s been around for a few years; Ben Edwards, Frank Buncom are guys who we’ve recruited here.
“Very talented group across the board at all three levels on the defensive side of the ball.”
It goes without saying Saturday is crucial for both programs. A win by either team puts them one step closer to a potential College Football Playoff berth by adding a top-10 win to its résumé.
But for Notre Dame, the Irish are trying to reacquire the Legends Trophy, which has sat in Palo Alto, Calif., for three-plus years.
“We haven’t had it here in our lobby since the end of the 2014 season, so something that is very important to us,” Kelly said. “… But more importantly, it is a game where we need to play at our very best here against a top-ranked team in Stanford.”
----
• Talk about it inside Rockne’s Roundtable
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.
• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @BGI_LouSomogyi, @BGI_CoachD, @BGI_DMcKinney and @BGI_CoreyBodden.
• Like us on Facebook.