Purdue's use of, and dedication to misdirection, various alignments, and the short passing game Saturday night was akin to suffering multiple paper cuts: bothersome, frustrating, but in no way deadly.
The Irish defense limited the Boilers to 5.8 yards per pass attempt, a paltry total that mitigates the 27 completed passes from the right arm of Danny Etling. (For the sake of reference, Michigan was 5.9 last week; the 2012 Notre Dame defense finished the season with a 6.0 against average, and that includes Alabama's inflation of it.)
FIRST HALF
- Good stick by strong safety Elijah Shumate, playing down-and-distance defense on 3rd-and-11, limiting a seam pass to seven yards. As usual, Shumate had something to say after the play.
- With the exception of a play-action touchdown pass over the head of cornerback Cody Riggs, Etling was unable to dent the Irish over the top -- the latter a recurring theme for Brian VanGorder's unit through three games, albeit against a trio of sub par passers.
- Sophomore cornerback Cole Luke suffered his first missed tackle of the season, trying to throw a shoulder into the ball carrier on a swing pass the gains 10 yards and a first down. Luke has been quiet to date, largely a result of sticky coverage. He's rarely been tested.
- First of many quality plays in terms of pocket push by junior nose tackle Jarron Jones. He's benefitting from one-on-one matchups as offenses focus on his interior mate, Sheldon Day.
- The Irish cornerbacks and safeties have defended bubble screens well this season (after failing in that regard last fall). Corners Riggs and Luke play the oft-used horizontal pass with aggression and sound technique. This time it's Luke blowing up the lead block, allowing Shumate to make a quick tackle to limit the gain.
SECOND HALF
A consistent double-digit lead and the ability to negate Purdue's feeble rushing attack opened the door for VanGorder and his troops to control the second half. Beginning at the six-minute mark of the third quarter, and immediately following a three-run, three-and-out possession, the Boilermakers ran just twice over a 26-snap span, and the Irish pass rush teed off as a result.
- A 1st-and-10 coverage sack by the Irish as Jarron Jones wins late in the play and closes quickly on Etling. Jones has shown impressive five- to six-yard speed in space. Sophomore Isaac Rochell gets a piece of the sack officially but this was all coverage and a strong pocket push by Jones who again faced one blocker while Day tussled with two.
- More heat on second-and-long as Rochell runs an X-stunt (loops inside from his end position) to apply pressure. 3rd-and-17 follows and freshman Kolin Hill brings it from the left side, recording an official QB hurry on Etling who's forced to throw away.
- Joe Schmidt just misses a diving pass breakup on a 9-yard gain to tight end Gabe Holmes. We saw a replica of this snap in an August practice with Schmidt vs. teammate Ben Koyack. Only a well-placed pass beats Schmidt (in both instances). Something you live with when a team attempts nearly 40 short passes.
- Two drives later, nice coverage by Butler on a completed slant route. Other than interference, there wasn't much he could have done to stop it. One play later, Butler undercuts a skinny post/bad slant and records the first interception of his Irish career -- aggressive press coverage made it possible, destroying the route's concept from the outset. Diving to secure the pick, the pigskin first pelted him in the face mask.
- Butler's not ready to start, but he's quite a security blanket as a fourth cornerback (Riggs, Luke, and the missing Keivarae Russell). He was later beaten on a final drive 28-yard fade route -- notable only in that Russell discussed with us Butler's tendency (along with that of freshman Nick Watkins as well) to open up and allow an outside lane to the receiver in press coverage. As Russell noted at the time: "If you're going to open up, just play off-man, not press."
- More pressure applied during Purdue's final long drive, with Smith (edge blitz) and Day (up the gut), plus a pair of passes defended at the line (Rochell and Day).
- The drive's penultimate snap features a shockingly fast blitz and subsequent sack by Smith off the left edge (both he and right OLB James Onwualu converted on Etling), and one snap later with a remarkable diving interception by Schmidt, who dropped more than 20 yards downfield to undercut a throw near the Irish goal line. Shumate applied a knockout hit -- cross body block, no helmet contact -- as well. And yes, he barked at the fallen receiver. (More on this topic in our final film review covering the rush defense.)
- Three snaps later, Hill and Okwara converge on Etling to end the game with a sack. Hill separates from blocks well. He covers a lot of ground, effortlessly, from the moment he disengages through the end of his pursuit.
IN CAST YOU MISSED IT
- Kicker Kyle Brindza's only kickoff that lands short of the goal (at the 1-yard line) resulted in a 33-yard return -- one that included a blatant block-in-the back by the Boilers on James Onwualu (not called) who was in position to make the stop just after the 20-yard line.
- Speaking of Schmidt, it was clear how much his defensive teammates like and respect him following the aforementioned diving interception. The camaraderie between Smith and Schmidt is readily apparent -- Smith seemed the happiest player on the field for Schmidt's first career pick.
