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Notre Dame 2016 Final Team Stats: Offense & Defense

Notre Dame’s first sack didn’t come until junior linebacker Nyles Morgan got one in game four versus Duke Sept. 24.
Notre Dame’s first sack didn’t come until junior linebacker Nyles Morgan got one in game four versus Duke Sept. 24. (Bill Panzica)


With Notre Dame’s 2016 football season now concluded and a 4-8 record in the history books, here are how its numbers stacked up nationally on offense and defense against 128 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams.

The figures will change after conference championship games and bowl contests, but not too dramatically.


Rushing Offense: 80th, 163.3 yards per game.

Passing Offense: 48th, 254.3 yards per game.

Total Offense: 65th, 417.6 yards per game.

Scoring Offense: 55th, 30.9 points per game.

Red Zone Offense: 71st, .833

Third-Down Conversions: 65th, .405 (68 of 168)

Turnovers Lost: 63rd (tie), 18 (nine fumbles and nine interceptions)

• The rushing averaged dropped 44 yards from last season. Typically, when Notre Dame is in the 120- to 165-yard range in that category — as it has been for the most part this century — it isn’t a contender (and sometimes not even at .500).

• In the red zone (at or inside the opponent’s 20-yard line), Notre Dame scored 40 times in 48 possessions. Thirty of them were touchdowns (16 passing and 14 rushing), and there were 10 field goals.

• Not one of the nine fumbles was lost by a Notre Dame running back, who totaled 321 carries this year. The fumbles were lost either by a quarterback, a wide receiver or on special teams.


Rushing Defense: 72nd, 182.4 yards per game.

Passing Yards Defense: 24th, 196.4 yards per game.

Pass Efficiency Defense: 79th, 134.56 rating.

Total Defense: 44th, 378.8 yards per game.

Scoring Defense: 63rd (tie), 27.8 points per game

Red-Zone Defense: 44th, .810.

Third-Down Conversions: 60th, .390 (67 of 172).

Quarterback Sacks: 118th, 14.

Turnovers Forced: 98th, 14 (six fumbles and eight interceptions)


• For the first time in its history, Notre Dame allowed at least 170 yards rushing per game for three consecutive seasons. Last year it was 175.6 — which also ranked 72nd and was deemed “unacceptable” by head coach Brian Kelly. This year’s figure also was the most since the 195.4 average during the 3-9 campaign in 2007.

• The passing yards per game stat, the best figure on paper for Notre Dame this year, is generally rendered meaningless if the rushing yards stat is high. What it usually means is if teams can run effectively and control the line of scrimmage, less passing often is required.

For example, Notre Dame’s 1977 national champs finished 104th in passing defense (yardage allowed). That’s because it was third against the run and opponents often racked up window dressing passing numbers by trying to play catch up.

• Opponents reached the Notre Dame red zone 42 times and scored 34 times. Of those 34 scores, 26 were touchdowns (19 rushing and seven passing).

• Although we haven’t done all the research, the sack total likely is one of the lowest, if not the fewest, in a season at Notre Dame. The tackles for loss total (61) ranked 101st.

Special teams are a separate story, but we believe the five touchdowns allowed by the Irish this year (two kickoffs, one punt, one blocked punt and a fumbled punt by the Irish) were the most in one season at the school.

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