Tag: Josh Downs

Notre Dame vs. North Carolina: Second-Quarter Analysis

That was an action-packed first half.

Notre Dame had to know it was facing a North Carolina team that has been struggling. We don’t know how much that went into the preparation for this game. What we do know is that in spite of recent trends, we’re seeing signs of why the Tar Heels were hyped up as an ACC contender coming into the season. Still, the Irish hold a 17-13 lead at halftime.

The Tar Heels picked up where they left off in the first quarter as Ty Chandler scored a 3-yard touchdown to tie game on the first play of the second. The tie didn’t last as Jack Coan hit Avery Davis for gains of 10 and 20 yards, respectively, on the next drive to get to midfield. The Irish mostly focused on runs from there and were able to get to the 13-yard line. After Coan was forced to throw away a third-down pass, Jonathan Doerer kicked a 31-yard field goal to put the Irish back in front.

The Tar Heels moved the ball almost at will on their next drive, but they were helped by a couple missed tackles from the Irish. When Josh Downs received a 31-yard pass from Sam Howell, it was first-and-goal. On that series, the Tar Heels were hurt by a holding call. Then, Isaiah Foskey and Jayson Ademilola sacked Howell on third down, forcing Grayson Atkins to kick a 38-yard field goal to salvage the drive and knot things up again.

Coan and Michael Mayer put the Irish in position to score again when they connected on a 30-yard completion to get into Tar Heels territory. Faced with a fourth-and-2 at the 35, the Irish opted to go for it. The subsequent pass fell incomplete, but a face-mask penalty kept the drive going. Coan made the Tar Heels pay when he immediately found Kevin Austin in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown.

Ja’Qurious Conley set the Tar Heels up nicely when he returned the ensuing kick 40 yards. Three straight solid runs by D.J. Jones continued to make conditions favorable for a Tar Heels score. Another Howell-to-Downs connection placed the ball in the red zone. With only seven seconds left and the Tar Heels getting possession to start the second half, they opted to take the points on a 26-yard field goal from Atkins, which gives us our halftime score.

Notre Dame vs. North Carolina: First-Quarter Analysis

Like what you’re seeing so far?

On the eve of Halloween, Notre Dame and North Carolina are locked in a tight battle in South Bend. Initially, neither side did much of anything to separate itself from the other. Then, the Irish broke through, and they have a 7-0 lead after one quarter.

The Irish had the opening possession and picked up a couple of first downs on it. That progress was halted around midfield when Jack Coan was sacked Kaimon Rucker on third down. The Tar Heels’ first possession was almost identical. They also earned two first downs before stalling out near midfield, though their drive ended on an incomplete pass.

Kyren Williams returned Ben Kiernan’s first punt 47 yards to set the Irish up in Tar Heels territory. This time, the Irish focused on the run, and it paid off with gains from Williams, Tyler Buchner and, believe it or not, Coan. Much of Coan’s progress was wiped out on a false start, but Buchner still hit Avery Davis for a 7-yard touchdown on a screen pass.

Faced with an early deficit, the Tar Heels took the ball back with new life. With a balanced attack, they reached Irish territory for the first time. The quarter ended when Sam Howell hit Josh Downs for 40 yards to give the Tar Heels a first-and-goal, then ran himself to get his team closer:  The 3-yard line to be exact. That goose egg on the scoreboard doesn’t appear it will last much longer.