Josh Adams runs for a 98-yard touchdown – the longest in Notre Dame history – Saturday against Wake Forest. Evan J. Thomas/ The Pit
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]s it just me or does the NCAA football season seem to be over in a blink of an eye?
It is Saturday afternoon on a crisp mid November day at sun drenched Notre Dame Stadium. It is Senior Day and Irish team #127 led by head coach Brian Kelly dashed out of the tunnel for the final home game of the season.
The seniors took a moment in the corner of the far end zone to acknowledge the fans and took in a short prayer before rejoining their team to get hyped up for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Backed up at their own 2 yard line in the second quarter moments after a failed forth down attempt by the Demon Deacons, Irish Freshman running back Josh Adams made Irish history. He took a Kizer handoff and stiff armed a defender and dashed his way untouched down the sideline for a 98 yard TD run.
That TD run was the longest play from scrimmage in ND’s storied history. Adams finished the day with 141 yards on 17 carries.
“When I broke it, all I could see was Chris Brown running down faster than I was down the sidelines, so I was like, “I gotta catch up.’ He did a great job blocking downfield,” Adams stated.
Irish leading rusher CJ Prosise was held out of the game after suffering a concussion last week and Adams started in place of him.
“Obviously, the run was one for the highlight reel: Physical, explosive, sheds off a tackler,” Kelly stated. “Obviously a big play where we’re backed up, and just a terrific run.”
The 98 yard TD was the second TD run of at least 90 yards this season for the Irish. Prosise had a 91 yarded against Georgia Tech in that earlier season victory. In the previous 126 season, ND has managed only 2 such TDs in their history.
Notre Dame (9-1, 6-0 Home) Freshman quarterback DeShone Kizer led the offense but not in the usual putting up numbers that he has done the past few weeks. He managed the game more as the Demon Deacons limited all world Irish wide receiver Will Fuller to 37 yards on 3 grabs. Kizer was efficient completing 13 of his 19 pass attempts for 111 yards. Kizer also added 54 rushing yards and 2 TDs.
“The one thing that DeShone does is when the moment is big, he rises to it,” Kelly said.
The Irish were outgained 340 yards to 282. The Irish were held to less than 400 yards of total offense for the first time this season.
The Irish defense stepped up big throughout the game. Two Demon Deacon (3-7, 2-3 Away) red zone attempts were stone walled in the first half and another red zone opportunity ended with a missed field goal by Wake Forest just before the half. Irish defense end Andrew Trumbetti intercepted a John Wolford pass and returned it 28 yards for the second score of the game.
Irish Senior linebacker Joe Smith tallied 10 tackles in his final home game at Notre Dame Stadium. The “Freak” Jaylon Smith corralled 14 tackles for the game. Both players had some added motivation with former standout linebacker Manti Te’o hanging out on the ND sideline.
Notre Dame is now 9-1 and in prime position for a Playoff game as they are positioned at #4 currently. With Boston College coming up and then a showdown at Stanford the Irish need to win out for a chance to remain in the top 4.
Kizer said about the possibility moving toward the playoffs, “this is what we dream of, to be in this position at this time of the year. And this is just another steep in the road to try and accomplish a mission.”
