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What we learned: Notre Dame, Week 6
October, 10, 2010 Oct 1010:00AM ETEmail Print Comments By Brian BennettWhat we learned from Notre Dame in the Irish's 23-17 home victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday:
1. Not 60-minute men: Notre Dame still isn't in a position where it can play a complete game and step on an opponent's throat. Saturday presented a great opportunity to do just that, but after taking a 20-3 lead early in the third quarter, the Irish let Pitt right back into the game. Head coach Brian Kelly says that's just what this team is right now until it develops a killer instinct and eliminates costly mistakes. Luckily for the Irish ...
2. It's time to make hay: After a three-game losing streak left Notre Dame at 1-3, the team rallied for two straight wins. And now, with Western Michigan, Navy and Tulsa coming up, the Irish have their best chance to get on a roll and pile up victories. If they take care of business in those games and beat Navy, they just have to split against Utah and USC in order to win eight games this year. Which would be a solid showing in Kelly's first year.
3. David Ruffer can't miss: The Irish kicker is now 16-for-16 on career field goals, a school record. He even nailed a 50-yarder with plenty of room to spare after the holder bobbled the snap. Ruffer deserves Lou Groza Award consideration, and he's quite a weapon for a team that so often finds itself in close games.
4. It might be time to rest Kyle Rudolph: A preseason hamstring injury is still slowing the Irish's All-American candidate at tight end, so much so that Rudolph couldn't play at the end of the game when Notre Dame just needed a first down or two to wrap things up. His absence was felt when Mike Ragone dropped a wide open pass. Kelly says Rudolph is maybe 75 percent, which still makes him better than most tight ends in the country. But his type of injury only heals with rest, and the Irish should be able to beat Western Michigan without him.
October, 10, 2010 Oct 1010:00AM ETEmail Print Comments By Brian BennettWhat we learned from Notre Dame in the Irish's 23-17 home victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday:
1. Not 60-minute men: Notre Dame still isn't in a position where it can play a complete game and step on an opponent's throat. Saturday presented a great opportunity to do just that, but after taking a 20-3 lead early in the third quarter, the Irish let Pitt right back into the game. Head coach Brian Kelly says that's just what this team is right now until it develops a killer instinct and eliminates costly mistakes. Luckily for the Irish ...
2. It's time to make hay: After a three-game losing streak left Notre Dame at 1-3, the team rallied for two straight wins. And now, with Western Michigan, Navy and Tulsa coming up, the Irish have their best chance to get on a roll and pile up victories. If they take care of business in those games and beat Navy, they just have to split against Utah and USC in order to win eight games this year. Which would be a solid showing in Kelly's first year.
3. David Ruffer can't miss: The Irish kicker is now 16-for-16 on career field goals, a school record. He even nailed a 50-yarder with plenty of room to spare after the holder bobbled the snap. Ruffer deserves Lou Groza Award consideration, and he's quite a weapon for a team that so often finds itself in close games.
4. It might be time to rest Kyle Rudolph: A preseason hamstring injury is still slowing the Irish's All-American candidate at tight end, so much so that Rudolph couldn't play at the end of the game when Notre Dame just needed a first down or two to wrap things up. His absence was felt when Mike Ragone dropped a wide open pass. Kelly says Rudolph is maybe 75 percent, which still makes him better than most tight ends in the country. But his type of injury only heals with rest, and the Irish should be able to beat Western Michigan without him.
