Tag: 2020 acc football

Tale of the Tape: Leading Rushers – Kyren Williams vs. Sean Tucker

Kyren Williams enters Notre Dame’s meeting with Syracuse looking a little more like himself.

Kyren Williams enters Notre Dame’s meeting with Syracuse looking a little more like himself. After an impressive outing against North Carolina, his rushing average is back at the century mark. With a weaker opponent on the docket, he should reach 1,000 rushing yards for the season on his home field. Also, he’ll have plenty of chances to showcase why he can be just as dangerous as a receiver as he is a running back.

Sean Tucker probably would have more success this season if he wasn’t stuck in a weak Orange offense. The yards he’s averaging on both carries and catches indicate that he can be of value to any team in the country. Alas, he has not been given ample opportunity to show how much of a difference he can make in a college football game. If the Orange don’t pull off the upset in South Bend, he won’t be the reason why.

Tale of the Tape: Starting Quarterbacks – Ian Book vs. Rex Culpepper

When Notre Dame plays Syracuse in what has become its final regular-season game in 2020, we’ll see a major difference in the two offenses.

When Notre Dame plays Syracuse in what has become its final regular-season game in 2020, we’ll see a major difference in the two offenses. The Irish have Ian Book, who has long proven himself as a quarterback who can both run and pass. Having one of the best offensive lines around, even with a recent string of injuries to that unit, has allowed him to create and adjust on the fly. With the competition level going up after this game, this could be the final opportunity to see Book when he’s able to perform freely at the collegiate level.

The Orange have Rex Culpepper, who has not performed well in almost any area. He plays behind an offensive line that has allowed 37 sacks this season, second-most in the country behind Kansas (42), so forget about him doing anything on the ground. He’s also still getting over the embarrassment of how his last game ended. If he doesn’t pull off a surprise at Notre Dame Stadium and have a huge game, people still will be watching videos about what happened, including this one:

Watch: Syracuse QB Spikes on Fourth Down at End of Game

Notre Dame’s Senior Day game will be played in one week against Syracuse.

Notre Dame’s Senior Day game will be played in one week against Syracuse. If the game is close and the Orange still has a chance, quarterback Rex Culpepper have to be a little smarter than he was Saturday against NC State. It was a strange ending to a 36-29 loss. Culpepper took a sack from Payton Wilson and then did this:

No, it’s not up there with J.R. Smith as far as lack of awareness, but the Orange need all of the luck they can get in the type of season they’re having. That means giving yourself a chance to win when you can. This ain’t it.

Notre Dame at North Carolina: Fourth-Quarter Analysis

As impossible as it seemed, Notre Dame’s defense neutralized the powerhouse that is North Carolina’s offense.

As impossible as it seemed, Notre Dame’s defense neutralized the powerhouse that is North Carolina’s offense. There’s no other way to describe it when the Tar Heels only scored a field goal over the final three quarters. Now, the Irish have every serious challenge en route to the ACC championship game in the rear-view mirror. But for now, they’ll celebrate their 31-17 win.

Once again, we got a quarter featuring a punting battle between Jay Bramblett and Ben Kiernan. It took a while for the Irish (9-0, 8-0) to get any offense going, but they eventually did when Kyren Williams ran for 47 yards on the first play of their final possession. Ian Book kept giving it to Williams, and that persistence paid off when Williams took it into the end zone from 1 yard out. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels (6-3, 6-3) never got beyond the Irish’s 41-yard line the entire fourth quarter.

Give all of the credit in the world to Clark Lea for preparing his defense for a seemingly insurmountable task. After the first quarter, that unit made the Tar Heels look like a team still figuring things out. If fans didn’t know about that offense’s reputation going in, they never would have known what it’s done this season. That’s how good the 2020 Irish are.

Notre Dame at North Carolina: Third-Quarter Analysis

Notre Dame still has North Carolina breathing down its neck. However, it’s been able to put a little distance between the teams.

Notre Dame still has North Carolina breathing down its neck. However, it’s been able to put a little distance between the teams. It might have taken a little time, but that it happened at all is an accomplishment. The question is whether the Irish’s 24-17 after three quarters will mean anything.

The Irish’s defense kept the high-powered Tar Heels offense in check on the first drive of the second half, but Ben Kiernan punted the ball 62 yards all the way down to the Notre Dame 3-yard line. Ian Book used his passing abilities and also got a little luck with North Carolina defensive penalties, including an offsides call on fourth-and-1 to lead his offense on a time-consuming possession. Eventually, the Irish got into the red zone and then took the lead on a 13-yard touchdown run from Ben Skowronek. Yes, that’s a 97-yard scoring drive we’re talking about.

As crazy as it sounds, Notre Dame shut down North Carolina’s offense again. On the first play of the Tar Heels’ second drive, Justin Ademilola sacked Sam Howell. Though Javonte Williams got some yards back on a 7-yard run, Howell’s subsequent pass to him was incomplete. Can the defense keep this going for 15 more minutes?

The defense will need to keep making plays if the offense can’t support it. Book found Javon McKinley for a 53-yard reception to get into the red zone.  The drive stalled, and Doerer shanked a field-goal attempt from 32 yards, the same distance he hit from to end the first half. Luckily, the defense responded by not allowing the Tar Heels past their own 42.

Notre Dame at North Carolina: Second-Quarter Analysis

Perhaps Notre Dame and North Carolina needed some time to take it easy.

Perhaps Notre Dame and North Carolina needed some time to take it easy. Unlike in the first quarter, offense was hard to come by in the second. This time, we saw the defenses shine. Consequently, this game is tied at 17 at halftime.

The frame became a battle of whether Jay Bramblett or Ben Kiernan could punt the ball further. It really doesn’t matter who won that because it didn’t make a difference on the scoreboard. That this even was the story for most of the quarter shows how great the defenses were. We’ll find out in the second half if rumors of an offensive shootout were greatly exaggerated.

Sam Howell barely avoided giving up a safety when Isaiah Foskey sacked him at the North Carolina 1-yard line. That drive ended in a punt. Later, it was Marist Liufau’s turn to wrap up Howell deep in Tar Heels territory. This time, Howell recovered and picked up the first down on the drive, which was followed by a series of passes to set up a 42-yard field goal for Grayson Atkins.

The biggest play of that sequence is a third and 20 that Notre Dame bailed out North Carolina on when Kyle Hamilton’s targeting penalty both extended the Tar Heels drive and got the pre-season All-American ejected for the rest of the afternoon.

Related:  Watch the play that got Kyle Hamilton ejected against North Carolina

With over a minute left in the quarter, Ian Book completed three consecutive passes to get into North Carolina territory and also got some help from a pass interference call. He took one unsuccessful shot at the end zone, and the clock dictated there only was enough time for Jonathan Doerer to tie the game with a field goal. He did just that from 32 yards out.

Notre Dame at North Carolina: First-Quarter Analysis

North Carolina’s offense poses a legitimate threat to the fate of Notre Dame’s season.

North Carolina’s offense poses a legitimate threat to the fate of Notre Dame’s season. As we learned early in the first quarter, you need to make the Tar Heels drive further than midfield if you’re going to win. But even doing that might not be enough. At least the Irish find themselves in a 14-all tie.

Notre Dame got the ball first and went three and out. After Ian Book was sacked by Chazz Surratt on third down, Jay Bramblett was forced to punt in the Irish’s end zone and only could get the ball to the 50-yard line. Led by Sam Howell, the Tar Heels advanced in Irish territory with relative ease. The drive ended when Emery Simmons caught a 50-50 ball for the game’s first touchdown.

Fortunately, the Irish have a strong ground game, and they decided to unleash it on their second drive. Most of the time, Kyren Williams’ number was called, and there also were some nice runs from Book and Chris Tyree. Still, it only made sense for Williams to tie the game on a 2-yard run.

None of that mattered to the Tar Heels because they went right back to work. Even when a holding call in shallow Irish territory appeared to set them back, Howell immediately overcame that with a 51-yard pass to Dyami Brown that got the ball to the 1-yard line. Howell then took the ball in for a 1-yard touchdown run.

Book had something to say about that, though. He found Javon McKinley for a 43-yard reception and then ran the ball himself for 33 yards. He handed the ball off to Williams, then passed to him. The result was a 4-yard touchdown reception that put the score where it is.

 

Tale of the Tape: Team Stats – Notre Dame vs. North Carolina

The outcome between Notre Dame and North Carolina will come down to whether a dominant offense or a dominant defense can hold out.

The outcome between Notre Dame and North Carolina will come down to whether a dominant offense or a dominant defense can hold out. The Irish have the defense, and it’s particularly effective on the ground and in stopping third-down conversions. Even if it’s not having the best day, it can count on a solid rushing offense and the overall offense’s abilities to pick up first downs and hold onto the ball. Victory could depend on all of those things.

The Tar Heels have the dominant offense, and it’s scary for opponents. It ranks near the the top of all major categories and is even better when it comes to first downs. Defensive coordinators around the ACC have been put in the unenviable position of figuring out how to stop this machine. Clark Lea will have to earn his paycheck more than he has the entire season, including against Clemson, because no team in 2020 can just walk into Chapel Hill and expect to have an easy time making stops.

Tale of the Tape: Leading Recivers – Javon McKinley vs. Dyami Brown

When Notre Dame plays North Carolina, Javon McKinley will have to figure out a way to step it up.

When Notre Dame plays North Carolina, Javon McKinley will have to figure out a way to step it up. As much of a leader as he’s been for the Irish’s receiving corps, his primary purpose has been to get the Irish downfield so that others can score. Why else would he not have found the end zone by now? However, this particular game really might require him to take his game to a level not seen this season.

The reason McKinley needs to be so excellent is he’s facing a formidable counterpart in the Tar Heels’ Dyami Brown. Though McKinley merely would be watching Brown on the sidelines regardless of ability and production, he would be watching a player who is living proof that the offense in Chapel Hill is as good as anyone’s in the country. What other reason would you need to explain a receiver literally averaging a touchdown a game and just over twice the receiving yards of McKinley? There is none, and the Irish’s defense, especially the secondary, better figure something out to contain him.

Tale of the Tape: Top Rushers – Kyren Williams vs. Javonte Williams

Kyren Williams has slowed up a bit heading into Notre Dame’s game at North Carolina.

Kyren Williams has slowed up a bit heading into Notre Dame’s game at North Carolina. He no longer is at the century mark for his rushing average, but one should suppose he wasn’t going to run like he was in a video game all season. Still, he’s as reliable as a running back can get in the ACC, and opposing defenses must continue to plan for him. Plus, if he catches a pass from Ian Book, look out.

Either Javonte Williams or Michael Carter could be on this chart for the Tar Heels as they’re equally impressive, but for this post’s purposes, Williams gets the nod. It’s just as well since he leads North Carolina in rushing yards and has nearly four times the number of touchdowns on the ground as Carter. He will present a real challenge to the Irish’s incredible rush defense. In fact, it could be as difficult as it’s been for that part of their game all season, so we’re talking power against power here.