This past weekend, Notre Dame defeated a now 1-4 Louisville team 12-7 in a game that left Fighting Irish fans thinking there’s no way their team deserves to be ranked No. 3 in the country.
For as frustrating as the win was, there are both good and bad observations to glean from such an uninspired victory.
Below are offensive and defensive observations, utilizing Pro Football Focus' advanced statistics, from Notre Dame’s performance on Saturday.
OFFENSE
Notre Dame Offensive Line Commits First Penalty Of The Season
Over the course of 13 games in 2019, the seven different Notre Dame offensive line starters produced 34 penalties (2.62 per game), led by left tackle Liam Eichenberg with 10.
Add in penalties from reserves Dillan Gibbons (2), Logan Plantz (2) and Colin Grunhard (1), and the unit was responsible for 39 flags last year.
Four games into the season and the offensive line has completely flipped the script in 2020. Against Louisville, Eichenberg was flagged for a false start, which was the first penalty on an offensive lineman this season.
The fix? According to Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, having an experienced group of starters has made a world of difference. He also complimented the offensive linemen for their collective self-discipline both on and off the field.
In this end, this made a big difference against the Cardinals, who were flagged several times down the stretch.
“You saw late in the game, penalties played a huge part in what happened in that game against Louisville," Kelly said. "There were a lot of penalties late, and it put Louisville off track offensively. We've been able to stay away from key penalties early or late, and it's benefited us, obviously.”
