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Notre Dame 2015 Data Summary: Special Teams

Kicker Justin Yoon (left) earned Freshman All-America notice after converting 15 of 17 on field goals in 2015.
Kicker Justin Yoon (left) earned Freshman All-America notice after converting 15 of 17 on field goals in 2015.


In 2015, Notre Dame finished No. 1 in the nation in two different special teams categories. Well, okay, it was tied for No. 1 in two specifics.

The Fighting Irish were one of 27 teams among 129 not to have a kick blocked. It also was one of 60 to not have one of its punts blocked (national champ Alabama had two blocked). Those might be taken-for-granted stats, but if just one punt or kick by the Irish were to get blocked, you’d hear an outcry about special teams continuing to be a weakness at Notre Dame under head coach Brian Kelly. Here were some prime facts and figures from 2015:

Field Goal Percentage: Sixth — 88.2 Percent

Justin Yoon earned some Freshman All-America honors by converting 15 of 17 field goals, notably each of his last 12 (highlighted by one from 52 yards versus Navy). Other than the November 2014 stretch with the usually reliable and clutch Kyle Brindza, placekicking has been one of the most consistent strengths for the Fighting Irish since head coach Charlie Weis’ final season in 2009. Over the final nine games, Yoon missed neither a field goal nor an extra point (50 of 52 overall).

Punting: 15th— 44.5 Yards Per Attempt

Notre Dame and Idaho were the only two schools in the country to have their kicker and punter rank among the top 15 in field goal percentage and best punting average. Sophomore Tyler Newsome displayed a prodigious but inconsistent leg last spring and August camp, but he was relatively steady for a first-year starter. Twenty of his 49 punts were downed inside the 20 (as opposed to only seven touchbacks), and 18 traveled at least 50 yards. The three previous seasons the numbers were only seven, nine and 12 for 50-yard punts. The worst shank was a 15-yarder at Clemson that set up a 40-yard touchdown drive by the Tigers.

Net punting is the more significant number because it factors in return yardage. There, Notre Dame was a so-so 48th at 38.12. Three of the four College Football Playoff teams, plus Stanford, were lower, including Michigan State at No. 113 (35.2). Quarterback DeShone Kizer also had two pooch punts against USC that pinned it inside the 20 in the Irish 41-31 win. That might hurt the net punting stat, but its value is huge.

Kickoff Returns: 48th — 21.71 Yards Per Attempt

The highlight was freshman CJ Sanders provided some oomph and burst, with his 93-yard touchdown at Stanford the first such score by the Irish since midway through the 2011 campaign by George Atkinson III. The nadir was an abysmal blocking performance in the Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State. The Buckeyes had Sanders walled in by the Irish 15-yard line on all five returns, with the possessions starting at the 17-, 13-, 13-, 12- and 10-yard lines. The other low moment was the fumbled kickoff to begin the second half at Clemson, setting up a 29-yard TD drive and a 21-3 lead by the Tigers in their 24-22 conquest.

Kickoff Return Defense: 80th — 22.12 Yards Per Attempt

The Irish did not allow a touchdown (the longest return was 67 yards by Boston College), but this area has continued to be mediocre. Most of the top five teams were not ranked appreciably higher than Notre Dame, though, and No. 2 Clemson finished 115th in this category while yielding three touchdowns, including one to Alabama in the national title game that put the Crimson Tide ahead 38-27 in their 45-40 triumph.

Punt Returns: 70th — 7.96 Yards Per Attempt

Against Massachusetts, Sanders scored on a punt return for the first time at Notre Dame since Golden Tate did the honors in a loss at Pitt in November 2009. Freshman Equanimeous St. Brown also blocked a USC punt that Amir Carlisle returned for an 18-yard score, another first since defeating Utah during Kelly’s first season in 2010.

Among the top teams, Ohio State ranked 18th (13.07) — and had 12-, 29- and 19-yard returns against the Irish to set up two touchdowns and a field goal. Alabama scored five touchdowns this year off punt returns or blocked punts, and ranked 20th overall with a 12.70 average.

Punt Return Defense: 75th — 8.82 Yards Per Attempt

It was okay, until the aforementioned Ohio State loss in which the Buckeyes averaged 18.25 yards on four punt returns (plus 29.3 yards on three kickoffs).

SUMMARY

Collectively, this was Notre Dame’s best performance on special teams in Kelly’s six years, although the bar the previous five seasons was pretty low. There was more overall emphasis placed on special teams, including a fake field goal that resulted in a touchdown in the 34-27 win at Virginia, plus the blocked punt for a touchdown versus USC. Both of those scores were huge in hard-fought victories. Conversely, special teams let down the Irish in the 24-22 loss at Clemson and in the Fiesta Bowl.

In Yoon, Newsome and Sanders, the Irish should have one of the nation’s best trio of specialists at their respective positions over the next three seasons. To remain a College Football Playoff contender, the Irish also will need to build on the success it achieved with the unit versus Virginia and USC. Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes put on a special teams clinic versus the Irish, and Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide turned the tide against Clemson with a surprise onside kick recovery when the game was tied in the fourth quarter, plus the kickoff return for a score a few minutes later. It is those game-changers in special teams that regularly spell the difference in all levels of football.

Notre Dame made some positive strides on special teams this year, but still needs to take it to a higher overall level.

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