In 80 days the 2023 Notre Dame football season will kickoff. What the Irish end up being remains to be seen but with Sam Hartman at quarterback and plenty over changes on the coaching staff, eyes will be all over the Irish when they kickoff against Navy in late August.
80 days.
80 is also the amount of yards we saw Notre Dame go on their last possession of 2022. You know, the one right after Tommy Rees made perhaps the single worst play-call of his career?
Notre Dame led the Gator Bowl 38-31 with 7:42 to play and was driving. Actually, was bullying South Carolina up-front. So Rees called a pass, only to have it returned for a touchdown by South Carolina. It was Tyler Buchner’s second pick-six of the contest and all-time coaching blunder.
To Rees and Buchner’s credit they both bounced back and delivered a big-time drive when it was most necessary. They did so by not over-complicating things.
Of the 80 yards Notre Dame went that final drive, 47 of the first 52 were on the ground. Facing a third-and-seven at the South Carolina 16, Rees came back with one of his better play calls, having Buchner roll right then throw back to the left, finding tight end Mitchell Evans for an easy pass-and-catch and the game-winning score.
Little did we know that’d be the last play (besides taking one knee) Tommy Rees would call and Tyler Buchner would make at Notre Dame. Logan Diggs, who was huge that entire game will be gone as well.
All the losses yet there is more excitement for this Notre Dame offense in 2023 than there has been in quite some time.
Check out video from ground level of that game-winning touchdown pass below as well as some of the best photos from that rather crazy Gator Bowl win.
My favorite part is Blake Fisher coming in towards the end to silence the South Carolina fans.
80 days!