3 Reasons Notre Dame Fans Should Be Worried After Purdue Game
When Notre Dame wakes up on Sunday morning, Brian Kelly's team will likely be ranked in the Top 10. They'll also have an inside track to a spot in the College Football Playoff that still looked rather unattainable even after the Irish's shocking 31-0 victory over Michigan.
For as happy as Irish fans should feel after Brian Kelly's second 3-0 start—giving him one more than Charlie Weis, Ty Willingham and Bob Davie combined—the Irish's harder-fought-than-you'd-expect 30-14 victory over Purdue also gave us a few looks at some problem areas that need to be addressed over Notre Dame's much-needed off week.
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So while we could talk all night about another dominant game from quarterback Everett Golson and another big night on defense for Jaylon Smith, let's turn the focus to some of the issues that should have Irish fans worried as Notre Dame heads into the meat of their schedule.
The Offensive Line is a Mess
This spring, Notre Dame gave redshirt freshman Mike McGlinchey all the reps at right tackle, looking ready to gamble on the talented, 6'7" monster on the edge. But during fall camp Kelly and offensive line coach Harry Hiestand decided to move sophomore Steve Elmer to right tackle after he contributed at guard last season.
That move might be one the Irish staff is second guessing, as Elmer hasn't looked all that comfortable taking on pass-rushers, something obvious Saturday night as Purdue hassled Golson to the tune of four sacks and countless hurries. With last year's right tackle, Ronnie Stanley, starting on the left side in Zack Martin's place, neither young tackle is playing all that well.
The interior of the offensive line isn't faring much better. Christian Lombard sat out Saturday night with an ankle sprain and senior Matt Hegarty got his first start at guard. He and fellow guard Conor Hanratty are upperclassmen, but they haven't played a lot of football.
The Irish ground game was nonexistent against Michigan, something Kelly attributed to Wolverines defensive coordinator Greg Mattison stuffing the box with defenders. Well Purdue shut down Notre Dame's running game as well, limiting the Irish to just 3.7 yards a carry. Kelly talked candidly after the game about the little mistakes that are making all the difference up front.
"Maybe it’s just the continuity took us a little bit longer," Kelly said, when talking about the changes during fall camp. "It’s nothing big, but it’s everything. We’re going to get better. We’re not where we need to be."
With a trio of running backs as talented as Greg Bryant, Tarean Folston and Cam McDaniel, Notre Dame can't average less than four yards a carry. But the Irish backs are only as good as the guys blocking for them.
Injuries at Key Positions Are Quickly Turning Strengths into Liabilities
Entering the season, the secondary and the receiver corps looked like two areas where the Irish were deeper than at any other time in the Brian Kelly era. But after Saturday night, both position groups look like they're on shaky ground.
As hearings regarding Notre Dame's academic standing continue to drag on, the Irish are shy four key contributors that would've been major factors on Saturday night. The Irish are short their top leading receiver in DaVaris Daniels and their No. 1 cornerback in KeiVarae Russell. Add to that starter Ishaq Williams at defensive end—he was needed Saturday night with Andrew Trumbetti held out of action—and safety Eilar Hardy, the absence of those players was critical, especially on a night when injuries were piling up.
But turning the focus to the receiver corps and a position that at one point looked to be seven deep is being tested almost every snap. Corey Robinson is playing with a cast on his hand, a fractured thumb robbing him of some ability. A groin injury has kept redshirt freshman Torii Hunter Jr. off the field, though Kelly hopes he'll return after the bye week.
But a knee injury suffered by Amir Carlisle robs Notre Dame of its first weapon at slot receiver since Kelly took over as head coach. Diagnosed as an MCL injury, Carlisle's status is unknown; it's still early to speculate a return date. In any case, the Irish can hardly afford to be without Daniels, Carlisle, Hunter and a short-handed Robinson for much longer.
The secondary looked even scarier on Saturday night, especially after starter Max Redfield was ejected after a targeting penalty on a hit he leveled against Purdue quarterback Danny Etling. With captain Austin Collinsworth out with an MCL sprain, the Irish were forced to put seldom-used junior Nicky Baratti on the field. But that lasted only one play, with Baratti's surgically repaired shoulder giving out, forcing true freshman Drue Tranquill onto the field.
A one-time Purdue commit, Tranquill has seen minutes in specific sub-packages, but he was learning on the fly.
"He did great. He doesn't know what he's doing, but he was awesome," Kelly said with a laugh. "I say that kiddingly because he does know what he's doing. But we're trying to really keep it simple for him out there."
Simplicity is hardly what you think of when you see Brian VanGorder's defense. And thinking they can keep offenses confused when Irish defenders are still digesting the scheme doesn't bode well for Notre Dame.
Purdue's First-Half Success Could Be a Blueprint for Opponents
Credit the Irish for shutting down Purdue in the second half, giving up just 121 yards and intercepting two passes against the Boilermakers. But in the first half, Purdue at times carved up the Irish defense, pounding the ball with running backs Raheem Mostert and Akeem Hunt, while also picking apart the Irish's underneath man-coverage to stay out of 3rd-and-long situations.
For the first time this season, the Irish looked undersized at the point of attack, yielding nine- and eight-play drives. Purdue managed to score two touchdowns before halftime, but the damage could've been much worse, with a fumble and failed fourth-down conversion keeping the Boilermakers off the scoreboard.
But Purdue's success could be the first signs that Brian VanGorder's defense is becoming predictable. And with a power offense like Stanford coming to town in early October—and several other explosive offenses following—VanGorder's front seven needs to demonstrate that it can own the line of scrimmage.
That's difficult to do without big games from Sheldon Day and Jarron Jones—and especially difficult if the Irish are down Trumbetti and Williams for a significant amount of time, leaving Romeo Okwara and Isaac Rochell as the team's starting ends.
While the Irish got it together with a fantastic second half, they looked susceptible to downhill running, losing at the point of attack to a Purdue team that had an awful offensive line last season.
That's not necessarily the best sign of things to come.
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