Well, that was a frustrating first half. We started putting together a couple of solid drives and stalled out between the 50 and 35 every time. One was the Nykiem Johnson TD drop after Dungey was injured (where he was probably interfered on) and another was the Taj Harris drop that was picked off. Two huge momentum changers that both resulted in ND points on their ensuing drives. We've got to clean up the mistakes, we can't play that sloppy against a team of Notre Dame's caliber.
I'm sure it has been said but we could easily be down 35-0 so it being 20-0 isn't the worst thing. It is not going to be easily to makea20 point come back against a team with a quarterback as accurate and a running game as solid as ND. I'm holding out hope. Even though we are down, we need to run the ball because it's what has been working. They are getting pressure rushing 4 so the slow developing plays haven't really worked.
I wouldn't be shocked if Dungey comes back in but I dn't think he should. A back injury is such a difficult one to deal with and won't get any better by toughing it out. I think Devito should play the rest of the way and hopefully the half will give him some time to settle and prepare, which he didn't have in the first. The Clark Lea Notre Dame defense is legit so we have our work cut out for us.
Lastly, I loathe our third and long defensive calls. We sit back and let them throw the ball short in the middle and they scamper fora first every time. It happened last week and Notre Dame has exploited it three times. It looks like the defense is pressing more at the end of the half, which we need to do because Brook can dink it short all day over us. We have to take the risk of the deep ball to stop the slow drives where he picks us apart. The defense has held enough considering they have been left in some very bad positions.
Go ORANGE! Let's come out firing on all cylinders to start the half!