IRISH INSIDER THE
observer
Monday, October September 4, 19, 2010 2005
Michigan Notre Dame State 31,44Boston , NotreCollege Dame 13 41
Righting the ship Fast start, stout run defense provide keys to Notre Dameās 31-13 win By ERIC PRISTER Associate Sports Editor
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. ā The Irish got off to a much-needed fast start against the Eagles, scoring three times in their first four possessions. Notre Dame simply needed an early 21-point lead and a shut-down defensive performance to hold on for a convincing 31-13 victory Saturday night. āWell, we got off to a fast start,ā Irish coach Brian Kelly said. āI thought that was key, obviously, on the road. We had three touchdowns on the first four possessions, and that gives us a lot of confidence early on. Weāre just happy to get a victory at this point.ā Behind the arm and legs of junior quarterback Dayne Crist, the Irish moved the ball up and down the field in the first quarter. They capped off their first scoring drive with a seven-yard touchdown run by Crist, something Irish coach Brian Kelly has been looking for in his signal-caller. āHeās got to be a spread quarterback or he canāt be the quarterback here,ā Kelly said. āWeāre running a spread offense, and thereās got to be a spread quarterback. Heās all in. Heās 100 percent in. He had a great week of practice, and weāre really just working on that process of developing him as a spread quarterback. Heās not there yet, but heās developing. Heās showing signs, and I think weāre going to get better each and every week with him, but under those conditions.ā The Irish struck again two drives later, capping off a 59-yard yard scoring drive with a twoyard touchdown pass from Crist to junior tight end Kyle Rudolph, his only reception of the game. āI think it was a step in the right direction,ā Crist said. āWe had to come out ready to play. The guys knew this was going to be a tough [Boston College] defense. We have a lot of respect for them and we knew we had to come out with a great intensity and we knew that they would match that. It was one of those situations where guys came ready to go, and Iām really proud of the offense.ā After the Notre Dame defense forced the Eagles into a third consecutive three-and-out, Crist and the Irish offense once again marched down the field, scoring on a touchdown pass to sophomore Theo Riddick from 20 yards out. Riddick finished the day as the leading Notre Dame receiver, catching nine passes for 69 yards and the score. āWe got back to some of our principles in the spread,ā Kelly
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Sophomore receiver Theo Riddick celebrates his 20-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter to put the Irish up 20-0 during their 31-13 victory over Boston College Saturday night. Riddick ended the day with nine catches for 69 yards. said. āWe had our quarterback run for a touchdown, we were able to spread the field a little bit better, and you know, weāve got to handle situations a little better. Weāre just hot and cold right now. Theo Riddick caught the ball well. [Junior receiver] Michael Floyd continues to perform. Again, I thought we got off to a good start. They were confident in their ability. We just havenāt shown it on a consistent basis.ā Boston College showed signs of life near the end of the first quarter, as freshman quarterback Chase Rettig connected on a deep pass to freshman receiver Bobby Swigert, who took the catch-andrun into the end zone for a 58yard score. The Eagles then converted two of their next three drives into field goals, a 49-yarder and a 25yarder off the foot of freshman kicker Nate Freese, to bring them within eight. The Irish were able to score once more in the first half, on a 37-yard field goal by senior David Ruffer, which puts him at a perfect 13-for-13 in his career. The Irish defense came out
even stronger in the second half, keeping the Eagles scoreless for the final 30 minutes. Boston College managed only five total rushing yards in the game, while tallying 11 punts and converting four of 19 third down opportunities. āOur defense played great against the run,ā Kelly said. āWe really focused on taking the run away, knowing that the quarterbacks would be coming in and out of the game, we really focused on the run and we ended up only giving up five yards of rushing. So, any time you go on the road, play good rush defense, get off to a good start ā weāve got a lot of work to do ā but again, those things are the things youāre looking for when you go on the road.ā Sophomore linebackers Manti Teāo and Carlo Calabrese each recorded 10 tackles, leading the effort which limited Eagles running back Montel Harris to 28 yards on 15 carries. Junior Robert Blanton and senior Harrison Smith each added an interception for the Irish. ā[Calabrese] is playing very well,ā Kelly said. āHeās been a
compliment to our linebacking corps which is getting better and better each week.ā Crist finished the game 24-for44 with 203 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Senior Armando Allen led the Irish rushing attack, carrying the ball 19 times for 90 yards and Notre Dameās final score of the game. Coming off of three straight losses, including two heartbreaking defeats at the hands of rivals Michigan and Michigan State, Kelly said the decisive victory resonated in the Irish locker room. āHappy,ā he said. āHappy, happy, happy. Everybodyās happy in Notre Dame land. Our boys wanted to win badly. They worked hard at it, and Iām happy that they got a win ... Weāre not there yet, but weāre going to keep working every day and continue to work on those things to get better.ā Crist said that happiness mainly stemmed from Notre Dame feeling it was closer to victory than the three losses indicated. āIt was huge,ā the junior quarterback said. āGuys knew how
close we were. Weāve told you this before, but guys werenāt down after those losses, because we know how this team can play. We know the potential this team has and where we can go. Weāre just trying to be masters of our own destiny, take it one game at a time and do everything we can to get wins. It feels great; there is not a better feeling that winning.ā Kelly said that he was not completely satisfied, and that the area that Notre Dame needs to improve on most is their mentality during games. ā[Itās] toughness,ā he said. āMental and physical toughness. We have to do it. Thatās our weakness right now. Weāre going to continue to work on it, as it comes. Our ability to stay focused, locked in, for 76 plays, is really what weāre getting at. And that has to be created on a day-to-day basis. It canāt be left to āIāll get to it later.ā Itās got to be tended to immediately, and our guys are understanding that, and weāll continue to build it.ā
Contact Eric Prister at eprister@nd.edu
player of the game
stat of the game
play of the game
quote of the game
Dayne Crist Irish quarterback
5 yards rushing
Cristās 20-yard touchdown pass to Theo Riddick to give ND a 21-point lead
āHappy. Happy, happy, happy. Everybodyās happy in Notre Dame land.ā
Crist ran for one touchdown and threw for two more, all in the first quarter.
The Eagles only managed five yards rushing against Notre Dame, on 23 attempts for a 0.2 yards per carry average.
Notre Dameās third score in the first quarter put BC behind 21-0, and gave the Irish a comfortable cushion.
Brian Kelly Irish coach