Notre Dame Thriving By The Bye
An extra week to prepare for Navy’s triple-option offense that ranks third nationally (309.4 yards rushing per game) does not necessarily mean “a full extra week.”
Following the 19-14 victory versus Pitt Oct. 13, the Fighting Irish worked on the basic installation for Navy on the ensuing Monday and Tuesday morning (there were no classes during mid-term break from Oct. 13-21) before the players were given a chance to decompress and go back home following the Tuesday session.
While the bye provided a little more time to prepare for the “keep away” style that puts pressure on Notre Dame to score on every series it possesses the ball, any coach in the country will tell you there is no way to simulate it in practice compared to the real thing against a program that runs it daily and with aplomb.
Notre Dame, though, has thrived under head coach Brian Kelly in games following a regular season bye, recording a 9-1 mark that was highlighted by a 49-14 demolition of USC last season. Even when the Irish were reeling during the 4-8 campaign in 2016, they responded after the bye with a 30-27 victory over a Miami team that would then win its final five games.
Notre Dame has won eight straight after a bye, with the most recent defeat coming in 2011 versus USC (31-17). Here is the breakdown during the Kelly era:
2010: Notre Dame 28, No. 15 Utah 3
The 4-5 Irish were devastated following consecutive losses to Navy (35-17) and Tulsa (28-27), and many projections had them losing to both the Utes and at USC, which owned a record-tying eight-game winning streak against the Irish. Army in-between was no sure thing either given the huge problems Notre Dame had versus Navy’s triple-option offense.
However, with freshman quarterback Tommy Rees making his starting debut and a more power-oriented offense installed during the bye, the Irish dominated Utah and carried that momentum to a surprising 4-0 finish, culminating with a Sun Bowl win versus Miami (33-17).
2011: USC 31, Notre Dame 17
This time the Irish entered the game with a four-game winning streak and there was a buzz in the air with a) the first home night game in 21 years, b) one of the biggest recruiting weekends ever replete with five-star prospects, c) shiny new golden helmets, d) piped-in music for the first time …
Oh, by the way, there was a football game to be played, too. USC roared to a 14-0 lead after two possessions and never looked back, with an 80-yard fumble return for a touchdown by the Trojans also crushing Irish hopes.
2012: No. 9 Notre Dame 41, Miami 3
Early missed opportunities by the Hurricanes made this a rout quickly as the BCS Championship-bound Fighting Irish romped for 376 rushing yards, with George Atkinson III (123) and Cierre Wood (118) both eclipsing the century mark, and Everett Golson completing 17 of 22 passes for 186 yards.
2013: Notre Dame 14, USC 10
With starting quarterback Rees injured in the second half, the Irish relied on a dominant defensive performance, led by tackle Stephon Tuitt, to stave off the Trojans, who had Ed Orgeron as their interim coach following the ouster of Lane Kiffin.
2013: Notre Dame 23, Brigham Young 13
The second of two byes this season was Senior Day amidst snowy and freezing conditions — and after a 28-21 loss at Pitt had knocked the 7-3 Irish out of major bowl contention.
Notre Dame took a quick 14-0 lead in the first quarter, highlighted by a 61-yard score from Rees to DaVaris Daniels, and finished with 235 rushing yards (117 by Cam McDaniel on 24 carries) and 235 passing.
2014: No. 8 Notre Dame 31, Syracuse 15
Seldom will a team win with a 5-1 deficit in the turnover category, yet the Irish achieved this against the Orange. Golson (32-of-39 passing for 362 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions) at one point completed a school-record 25 straight passes (one short of the NCAA record) to up Notre Dame's record to 4-0 in this win at MetLife Stadium.
2014: No. 6 Notre Dame 49, Navy 39
Coming off a heartbreaking 31-27 loss at No. 2 Florida State, the Irish responded well against the Midshipmen by building a 28-7 lead — only to find themselves trailing 31-28 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Golson accounted for six touchdowns (three passing and three rushing), passing for 315 yards and rushing for 33, while Tarean Folston’s 149 yards on 20 rushing attempts complemented him. The Irish then would lose their final four regular season contests.
2015: No. 6 Notre Dame 24, No. 21 Temple 20
On Halloween night versus the unbeaten Owls in Philadelphia, the Irish needed a 17-yard back-shoulder touchdown pass from DeShone Kizer to Will Fuller with 2:09 remaining, and then an interception by KeiVarae Russell, to emerge victorious.
Kizer accounted for 442 yards of total offense, completing 23 of 36 passes for 299 yards and rushing for 143 yards on 17 carries, highlighted by a 79-yard touchdown.
2016: Notre Dame 30, Miami 27
Sputtering with a 2-5 record, Notre Dame roared to a 20-0 lead, fell behind 27-20 in the fourth quarter, and rallied to victory on a 41-yard touchdown run by Josh Adams and a 23-yard field goal by Justin Yoon with 30 seconds remaining. The latter score was set up by a 23-yard punt return from Chris Finke.
2017: No. 13 Notre Dame 49, No. 11 USC 14
With the 1977 national champions in attendance for their 40-year reunion, the Irish romped to an almost identical triumph (49-19 in 1977) to crack the nation’s top 10.
It was 14-0 after two possessions on 26- and 23-yard scoring strikes by Brandon Wimbush to Equanimeous St. Brown and Kevin Stepherson, respectively, 28-0 by halftime, and the ground game by Adams (191 rushing yards) and Wimbush (106) took it from there.
----
• 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_DMcKinneyand @BGI_CoreyBodden.
• Like us on Facebook