Notre Dame By The Numbers In 2016: 25-21
25 Turnovers forced by the Notre Dame defense during head coach Brian Kelly’s first season in 2010 — the most in his six years with the Fighting Irish. Oddly, in even-numbered years it also generated 23 apiece in 2012 and 2014 — and in odd-numbered years it forced a paltry 14 (2011), 17 (2013, with 13 in the regular season prior to the Pinstripe Bowl win over Rutgers) and 14 last year.
To be in the Playoff hunt, Notre Dame could use getting back to the two-dozen level, and in timely spots.
24 Games played in Notre Dame Stadium the past four seasons (six per year). Last year’s graduating Irish senior class finished 21-3 on its home turf, highlighted by 6-0 marks in 2012 and 2015. This is notable because in the 22 years from 1990-2011, Notre Dame finished unbeaten at home only once (1998). The 21 wins tied the school record for most over four seasons with the Class of 1991 (21-2) and Class of 1992 (21-3). Holding serve at home is one of the primary steps toward a potential top 10 finish.
23 Recruits that arrived on scholarship at Notre Dame in the summer each of the last four years from 2013-16. That seems to be the magic number — while eventually losing an average of three per class during their time to be mainly in the 81 to the maximum 85 scholarship area. The Irish currently are at 13 verbal commitment for the 2017 haul, meaning that about 10 more will reach the typical figure.
22 Years since Notre Dame has had back-to-back seasons in which it recorded at least 10 victories. That occurred three straight years in 1991 (10-3), 1992 (10-1-1) and 1993 (11-1). Since then, the Irish have had only four campaigns with at least 10 wins: 10-3 in 2002, 2006 and 2015, and 12-1 in 2012. Thus, at least 10 wins this year would snap the drought.
Perhaps not coincidentally, 22 seasons (1994-2015) also have passed since Notre Dame won a major bowl game. In the 25 years prior from 1969 (when it returned to the bowl scene) through 1993, the Irish won 10 to lead the nation during that span.
21 In his debut last season, Irish junior Tyler Newsome had 21 punts of 50 or more yards, 21 that were downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, plus 21 touchbacks on his kickoffs. The 21 punts beyond 50 easily eclipsed the totals of 12, nine and seven the previous three seasons, respectively, and the 21 downed inside the 20 were the second-most at Notre Dame since 2005. Until the Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State, special teams improved appreciably in 2015, and Kelly says it could be better in 2016.
“We’ve added some things that I think are going to be very helpful,” Kelly said this June of the special teams. “There are going to be a couple of things unique to special teams that have afforded us the opportunity to maybe show some strengths that we haven’t shown in our punt game with our punter.”
Tomorrow: 20 to 16.