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Notre Dame Defense To Remain At Top Of Brian Kelly's Attention List

Brian Kelly' attention will remain mostly on defense in the coming week(s). (Joe Raymond)

After winning a 50-33 shootout against Syracuse on Saturday, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly is hardly in a one-and-done mode with the defense. After spending his time last week implementing the tweaked defensive scheme with newly promoted coordinator Greg Hudson, Kelly said during his 10-minute Sunday afternoon teleconference that his focus will remain on that side of the ball.

“I'd want to stay involved in really everything that we're doing,” replied Kelly on remaining with the defense in the coming week or weeks. “We're still drilling down on some things defensively that require a little bit more of my attention than, say, conceptual things on the offensive side of the ball.”

This is not about putting in the foundation of a new defense for 2017 and beyond, but rather using what is available at maximum capacity for the here and now.

“It's let's put these guys in a position to succeed this year, utilizing a lot of young players, gaining experience as we go, and being smart about utilizing our personnel,” Kelly summarized. “In other words, putting them in places to succeed.

“So this is a short-term approach to the season, but it's also a long-term approach in the sense that we are getting a lot of young players some valuable experience.”

One example of maximizing a players skills is with junior defensive lineman Jay Hayes, who Kelly refers to as a “tweener.” Hayes is not a classic five-technique speed rusher at 285 pounds to play on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle, but he also is not necessarily a three-technique who is on the outside shoulder of a guard. He’s more of a ‘4’ in specific fronts.

“When you're in our stack defense, it allows him to really bully that tackle, playing inside-out,” Kelly said. “It really fits him well and so it's a front that you'll see a lot more because of his ability to really two-gap that tackle and it allows him to do a lot of good things.

“…The scheme fits him. So my job is to really get our guys in positions where they can maximize their talent. Including this defensive front really allows Jay to blossom in this kind of look.”

That’s not to say Kelly will now remain dormant with the offense. Among the areas he wants to shore up on that side of the ball is a more consistent running attack.

“My offensive concerns are still about detail and maybe some finer things within the game,” Kelly said. “But there's many more other things that I have to be involved with on the defense, so I would say if you're breaking up the day, a little bit more time on defense, but not losing sight of what's going on on the offensive side.

“…We've got to be a little bit more effective in our four-minute offense and running the football.”


As for special teams, the Syracuse contest was a microcosm of that unit running hot and cold. The plus included sophomore C.J. Sanders’ 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and fifth-year senior Jarron Jones’ sixth career blocked kick, resulting in a two-point play for the Irish the second time this year. The negatives include the Orange’s Brisly Estime returning three punts for 128 yards, notably a 74-yarder to set up a touchdown in the final minute of the first half. He also had another return for 38 yards. Syracuse’s last touchdown was set up by a fake punt in which Notre Dame committed a penalty.

“There’s been a lot of really positive things in our special teams, but we've had the penchant of giving up some big plays, as well,” Kelly said. “…It just seems like we've had bad timing where we've given up a punt return or a kickoff return … we need to continue to improve in our tackling and just overall the consistency of the unit.”


News, Notes, Injury Updates

• Starting senior right guard Colin McGovern suffered a high ankle sprain that will sideline him for a spell. Senior Hunter Bivin is his replacement, and also would be the first tackle option. Kelly said it would take a slew of injuries before freshman Tommy Kraemer would be used and consequently burn a year of eligibility.

Nobody else is listed as “limited” for Tuesday’s practice.

• Senior running back Tarean Folston did not play at Syracuse because he turned his ankle on a screen pass in last Thursday’s practice during a two-minute drill. Kelly said Folston should be back in the rotation against North Carolina State this weekend.

“He worked hard to try to get back [for Syracuse], but he just was not even close to being able to give us the kind of play necessary,” Kelly noted.

• Junior cornerback Nick Watkins, projected as a preseason starter, will undergo surgery again and has been ruled out for the 2016 season after he was examined on Friday by the Notre Dame medical staff.

• Sophomore running back Dexter Williams was singled out for his passion during the Sept. 24 Duke debacle, and he followed up with a 59-yard reverse-the field touchdown run at Syracuse to finish with 80 yards rushing on eight carries. According to Kelly, Williams’ growth goes far beyond having added 15 pounds from his freshman to sophomore year.

“He's grown in maturity, and I think that's translated itself on the field,” Kelly said. “He comes to practice every day with great energy and enthusiasm and I think that that has a lot to do with him being very comfortable here at Notre Dame.”

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