Armel Maukam (88) and Jaden Ausberry (4), celebrate Kyngston Villiamu-Asa’s (27) 2nd quarter interception. (Photo: Chad Ryan)
After Texas A&M, the narrative was: “Wow, what a team! All phases of the game, this is the year, 12-0 here we come.” Then Northern Illinois happened, and the narrative abruptly shifted to: “This is a disaster, Freeman needs to go, and Riley Leonard was a waste of NIL.”
So, after Saturday’s 66-7 decimation of Purdue, where does the narrative stand now? As I walked down the tunnel to the post-game press conference on Saturday, I remarked to a colleague, “I think the new narrative is this: ‘We know nothing.’” After all, as much as Purdue had the look of a team on the rise (Vegas certainly seemed to agree, as the line on the game had plummeted to 7 points by game time), and as poorly as the Irish had played against NIU, ND’s total domination on Saturday was perhaps, the least likely of all possible outcomes for the Purdue match-up.
In fairness, or maybe just to make Fighting Irish Preview look a little smarter, we did predict the possibility of a Fighting Irish romp, “if the Irish can get their passing game in order.” Well, that is kind of what happened, but nobody among the assembled media brain trust on Saturday saw this kind of carnage coming.
As a favorite ND assistant coach and long-time radio analyst Tom Pagna once mused after an unexpectedly bad performance by the Irish years ago, “Sometimes the locusts come, and they eat everything.”
Cue Saturday in West Lafayette for a locust fest.
The domination was stunning and total. Harry’s Chocolate Shop, everyone’s favorite West Lafayette hangout, was packed by halftime as the Purdue student section cleared out in the 2nd quarter.
The 59-point loss is the most in Purdue history. Purdue has been playing football since 1892.
ND’s 42-point margin at halftime is the largest of any FBS road team this year. In all of last season, the superlative was matched only once, by Oregon against Arizona State.
Riley Leonard became the first player to run for over 100 yards, pass for over 100 yards, and run for 3 TDs in a first half since 2016. The last player to do it? Lamar Jackson. He’s good.
ND rushed for 362 yards; Purdue, 38. ND put up 578 yards of total offense; Purdue, 124. ND notched 27 first downs; Purdue, 6. ND averaged 8.3 yards per play; Purdue, 3.3. No wonder the happiness of an understandably ecstatic ND coaching staff (located upstairs near the media) rang out constantly.
ND was afforded the rare feat of playing four quarterbacks: Leonard, Angeli, Minchey, and Carr. Because they wanted to! I don’t believe there is any truth to the rumor that Tyler Buchner was warming up in case there had been one last series.
Jeremiyah Love averaged 10.9 yards on his 10 carries, Jadarian Price 10.8 on his eight, and Riley Leonard was the “slacker,” averaging just 9.1 yards on his eight totes. But in Leonard’s defense, last week’s narrative of course had focused on him being injured and unable to run the ball.
Rarely will you witness such domination ever in a Power Four match-up.
Post-game, Marcus Freeman pointed to ND’s second half effort, particularly after notching a huge halftime lead, as evidence that the Irish can overcome the kind of letdown they suffered after the Texas A&M triumph: “After being up 42-nothing, to be able to come out, and no matter who’s in the game, to be able to perform. The players performed really well.”
Concern’s, the new narrative has a few. Three starters, including offensive linemen Billy Schrauth and Ashton Craig, and disruptive defensive end Jordan Bothello, left the field Saturday, injured. Bothello was on the back of a cart. And don’t forget, Riley Leonard, for all of his heroics via the ground game, has yet to throw a TD pass. Part and parcel to Leonard’s downfield passing issues, ND has gotten little production out of their wide receivers. I continue to be underwhelmed by James Rendell’s punting. where are those 60 yarders I saw in August?
The bottom line on Saturday though is this: Tommy Pagna’s locusts descended on Ross-Ade Stadium and feasted for four quarters on the Boilermakers.
Despite the weekly deluge of Notre Dame football podcasts, press conferences, analysis, analytics, and watercooler talk, maybe this week’s suggested “narrative” should be the default.
Because in reality, until the games are played… we know nothing.
But what a wild and fascinating ride it is.