No. 8 Irish ride Coan's arm, defense to 34-6 win over Navy
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Jack Coan threw for 269 yards and a touchdown, Kyren Williams ran for two scores and No. 8 Notre Dame shut down Navy´s triple-option attack in a 34-6 victory Saturday.
Coan, a grad transfer from Wisconsin, completed 23 of 29 passes, with a 70-yard scoring pass to Kevin Austin late in the first half for the Irish (8-1, No. 10 CFP). Austin finished with six receptions and 139 yards.
"It's a difficult game to prepare for," coach Chip Kelly said after Notre Dame's fourth straight victory of the season after its 24-13 loss to No. 2 (CFP No. 6) Cincinnati, a team that Navy battled to a 27-20 home loss Oct. 23. "I'm extremely proud how the team prepared all week and the way they executed. We were detailed and focused."
Williams, who had a career-high 199 yards last week in a 44-34 shootout victory over North Carolina, scored on runs of 1 and 20 yards, but managed just 95 yards on 17 carries. The Irish offense totaled 430 yards.
Grad nose tackle Kurt Hinish had a career-high 10 tackles after making just 14 in six games coming in. Notre Dame dominated the Midshipmen (2-7) with its size and physical play. Navy controlled the clock, with 34:33 of possession - but completed just one pass for 18 yards and rushed for 166 yards - 73 on 22 carries by fullback Isaac Ruoss.
"We couldn't run the ball in the first half, and in the second half we had a hard time tackling," Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "We got worn down."
Notre Dame quarterback Jack Coan throws against Navy in the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
It was Notre Dame´s fourth straight victory in the series that began in 1927 but was interrupted last year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Notre Dame has an 80-13-1 lead in the series that will continue at least through 2032.
Navy led 3-0 after the first quarter on the first of two field goals by Bijan Nichols. But the Irish scored 17 points in the second quarter - Jonathan Doerer´s tying field goal, Williams' 1-yard TD run and the Coan-to-Austin's touchdown aerial - for a 17-3 halftime lead.
"Giving up that late touchdown (in the first half) was tough was tough because we deferred (after winning the opening coin toss)," Niumatalolo said.
Notre Dame got a safety when Navy backup quarterback Xavier Arline, replacing injured starter Tai Lavatai, recovered his own fumble in the end zone early in the fourth quarter. Williams then recovered his goal-line fumble in the end zone to finish off his 20-yard scoring scamper. Freshman Logan Diggs completed the scoring with an 8-yard run.
THE TAKEAWAY
Navy: The Midshipmen struggled against Notre Dame´s physical front four. Back-to-back quarterback sacks in the second quarter by the Irish forced Navy to settle for a 49-yard field goal by Nichols and then starting quarterback Lavatai suffered a neck injury late in the first half and didn´t return. Arline replaced him and completed one of two passes for 18 yards but managed just eight yards on eight carries.
"We ate up so much clock and came away with nothing," Niumatalolo said after the Midshipmen managed just two field goals with 34:33 in time of possession.
Notre Dame: After being held scoreless and trailing 3-0 after the first quarter, the Irish outgained the Midshipmen 225-12 yards in the second quarter, including 158-0 through the air while scoring 17 unanswered points behind quarterbacks Coan and freshman Tyler Buchner, who alternated over the last three quarters.
Coan had two big completions to Austin in the first half - a 38-yarder completion to set up Doerer´s tying 24-yard field goal and then their 70-yard completion that put the Irish up 17-3 with 50 seconds left.
"It helped," Kelly said of the touchdown which ended a five-play, 95-yard drive that took one minute to complete. "I thought we handled the back half of the second quarter pretty good."
POLLS IMPLICATIONS
Notre Dame probably will remain where it is in The Associated Press poll, but could move up in the College Football Playoff (No. 10) rankings with (CFP No. 9) Wake Forest´s 58-55 loss to North Carolina.
UP NEXT
Navy: Hosts East Carolina next Saturday.
Notre Dame: At Virginia next Saturday.
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Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams (23) runs against Navy in the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Navy quarterback Tai Lavatai (1) is led to the locker room by trainers after being injured against Notre Dame in the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Navy safety Rayuan Lane (18) upends Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams (23) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Navy safety Rayuan Lane (18) upends Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams (23) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo watches against Notre Dame in the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Notre Dame wide receiver Avery Davis (3) runs against Navy in the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner (12) tries to break the tackle of Navy cornerback Jamal Glenn (16) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
