The Notre Dame defensive line competed against USC, but the Trojan game plan gave the Irish problems, and it was obvious the D-Line had hit a wall. We didn't see the same burst off the line and the same finish from the group that we were used to seeing. They made plays late, but overall it wasn't one of the best performances of the line.
Let's take a look the stats breakdown for the Irish line.
Getting just three total run stops from the D-Line was a season low for Notre Dame. Its previous low was 6, which it had against Michigan and Pittsburgh. This is an example of just how hard it was for the DL to finish in this game. Part of it also had to do with opportunity. USC ran the ball 22 times while Michigan ran it 47 times and Pittsburgh ran it 37 times (does not include sacks).
Notre Dame's nine total pressures from the D-Line was its second lowest of the season. The lowest was just six against Vanderbilt. I don't count Navy in this because the Middies threw just eight passes.
DT JERRY TILLERY
It was obvious from the beginning that like the rest of the line Tillery was a bit tired. What I loved about his performance and why he's going to grade out so well is that he made up for his lack of burst with tremendous hustle and effort. Tillery played like a guy who did not want to lose and was going to do what he had to do to win.
Here's one of Tillery's hurries, and it's an example of just how much effort he played with against the Trojans.
This is all about want to. Tillery was stopped initially but just kept at it and eventually got into the face of the QB and forced an errant throw. All of Tillery's three hurries were just like this, it was about effort and hustle.
We saw him play like this in the run game as well. Tillery wasn't as productive against the run as he has been in the past, but he still graded out as the best run defender along the Irish line. He was disruptive at times, but he just wasn't as disruptive as he was in past games. Tillery just couldn't finish in the run game like we've become accustomed to.
Tillery did most of his pass rushing damage in the second half. Two of his three hurries came in the second half, and he had a hurry and a sack in the fourth quarter. His only sack of the game ended a USC drive deep in Notre Dame territory, and the Irish offense responded with a touchdown drive on its next possession, which put the game away.
This is a really strong individual play by Tillery. He shows a good burst off the line, his hand play was good and he finished off the play with a big sack to end the drive. Notre Dame needed someone to step up and make a play with the game still in doubt and Tillery (along with Okwara on that series) did just that.
Tillery Grade: B+
DE JULIAN OKWARA
No defender on the defense showed more wear and tear in this game than Okwara. He just didn't have the same burst that we've come to expect. Okwara got knocked off the ball a bit more than usual, and his speed off the edge wasn't as good. He couldn't get to the edge all that well against USC, although he did bring in a sack late in the game in a crucial situation. Like Tillery, he stepped up when the defense needed someone to make a play.
Okwara had just one total pressure in the game, which was his second lowest total of the season. He had no pressures by my count against Vanderbilt back on Sept. 15.
Okwara competed and his issues weren't from a lack of effort, he just didn't have any juice left in the game.
The junior also struggled in the pass game. He had trouble finding receivers when he dropped into the zone, which I had him down for doing seven times in the game. I had him down for giving up two receptions for 22 yards when he was directly in coverage, but even in other snaps where he wasn't directly responsible Okwara had trouble looking up routes in the game.
Okwara Grade: C+
DE KHALID KAREEM
Kareem had an average game against USC, but he did finish the game relatively well. His two pressures came in the fourth quarter and he showed a good push late in the game. Kareem gave good effort and was in position to make a lot more plays, but he just couldn't finish plays and didn't tackle well.
Here's an example of what I'm talking about:
Kareem comes off the line well and is in position to make a stop short of the first down marker but he just doesn't finish. Instead of a stop at the line he gives up the first down. There were multiple snaps like this from Kareem in the game.
Kareem is a power rusher not a speed rusher, so USC getting rid of the ball so quickly really neutralized his pass rush game for the first three quarters. Late in the game when USC did more drop backs and play-actions he got a bit more of a push in the pass game.
Kareem Grade: C
DT KURT HINISH
Sophomore NT Kurt Hinish had a quality performance against the Trojans. When he kept his pads low and got off the ball with good timing he was able to be a bit disruptive.
Here's an example:
Tillery gets the initial push but Hinish does a good job keeping the center off his body, he keeps working his feet and he does a really good job disengaging and getting off to the running back for the run stuff.
At times Hinish had trouble staying put at the line of scrimmage. He got pushed side to side a few too many times and he got driven back on multiple snaps in the game, and at times he wasn't gap sound, which was an issue with the DT's as a whole. On a 4th-and-1 early in the game Hinish was knocked back 3-4 yards off the ball and failed to anchor.
Hinish Grade: C
DE DAELIN HAYES
Hayes had a very up-and-down game. At times he showed a good burst off the edge, he was stout against the run and he got good depth in coverage. At other times he got driven off the ball and struggled to get off blocks. On USC's first touchdown Hayes was backside, and the tight end drove him 3-4 yards off the ball, which kept Hayes from squeezing down and making a play from the backside.
He had a run stop and two hurries in the game, which were examples of him when he was on, but he didn't play consistently well enough.
Hayes Grade: C+
DE ADE OGUNDEJI
Ogundeji actually graded out well in the game. He didn't rack up much in terms of numbers, but he was strong at the point of attack, he was one of their better run defenders in the game and he got good movement in the pass game.
Ogundeji Grade: B-
DT JONATHAN BONNER
Bonner has had a really quality season but he wasn't good against USC. The fifth-year senior didn't hold up well at the point of attack at times, but he did compete in the game. The issue Bonner had was that he just couldn't get off blocks well and he wasn't always gap sound.
You can see here that Bonner is keeping his place at the line but he just can't get off the block and get to the ball carrier. This happened a bit too much in the game.
Bonner Grade: C-
DT JAYSON ADEMILOLA
Freshman DT Jayson Ademilola actually had one of his better games. He will always have issues holding up against base blocks, something that will eventually get worked out after he gets time in the weight room. But he competed hard against USC, he was disruptive when he got into gaps and he actually got off blocks better than we've seen at times this season.
Let's take a look the stats breakdown for the Irish line.
Getting just three total run stops from the D-Line was a season low for Notre Dame. Its previous low was 6, which it had against Michigan and Pittsburgh. This is an example of just how hard it was for the DL to finish in this game. Part of it also had to do with opportunity. USC ran the ball 22 times while Michigan ran it 47 times and Pittsburgh ran it 37 times (does not include sacks).
Notre Dame's nine total pressures from the D-Line was its second lowest of the season. The lowest was just six against Vanderbilt. I don't count Navy in this because the Middies threw just eight passes.
DT JERRY TILLERY
It was obvious from the beginning that like the rest of the line Tillery was a bit tired. What I loved about his performance and why he's going to grade out so well is that he made up for his lack of burst with tremendous hustle and effort. Tillery played like a guy who did not want to lose and was going to do what he had to do to win.
Here's one of Tillery's hurries, and it's an example of just how much effort he played with against the Trojans.
This is all about want to. Tillery was stopped initially but just kept at it and eventually got into the face of the QB and forced an errant throw. All of Tillery's three hurries were just like this, it was about effort and hustle.
We saw him play like this in the run game as well. Tillery wasn't as productive against the run as he has been in the past, but he still graded out as the best run defender along the Irish line. He was disruptive at times, but he just wasn't as disruptive as he was in past games. Tillery just couldn't finish in the run game like we've become accustomed to.
Tillery did most of his pass rushing damage in the second half. Two of his three hurries came in the second half, and he had a hurry and a sack in the fourth quarter. His only sack of the game ended a USC drive deep in Notre Dame territory, and the Irish offense responded with a touchdown drive on its next possession, which put the game away.
This is a really strong individual play by Tillery. He shows a good burst off the line, his hand play was good and he finished off the play with a big sack to end the drive. Notre Dame needed someone to step up and make a play with the game still in doubt and Tillery (along with Okwara on that series) did just that.
Tillery Grade: B+
DE JULIAN OKWARA
No defender on the defense showed more wear and tear in this game than Okwara. He just didn't have the same burst that we've come to expect. Okwara got knocked off the ball a bit more than usual, and his speed off the edge wasn't as good. He couldn't get to the edge all that well against USC, although he did bring in a sack late in the game in a crucial situation. Like Tillery, he stepped up when the defense needed someone to make a play.
Okwara had just one total pressure in the game, which was his second lowest total of the season. He had no pressures by my count against Vanderbilt back on Sept. 15.
Okwara competed and his issues weren't from a lack of effort, he just didn't have any juice left in the game.
The junior also struggled in the pass game. He had trouble finding receivers when he dropped into the zone, which I had him down for doing seven times in the game. I had him down for giving up two receptions for 22 yards when he was directly in coverage, but even in other snaps where he wasn't directly responsible Okwara had trouble looking up routes in the game.
Okwara Grade: C+
DE KHALID KAREEM
Kareem had an average game against USC, but he did finish the game relatively well. His two pressures came in the fourth quarter and he showed a good push late in the game. Kareem gave good effort and was in position to make a lot more plays, but he just couldn't finish plays and didn't tackle well.
Here's an example of what I'm talking about:
Kareem comes off the line well and is in position to make a stop short of the first down marker but he just doesn't finish. Instead of a stop at the line he gives up the first down. There were multiple snaps like this from Kareem in the game.
Kareem is a power rusher not a speed rusher, so USC getting rid of the ball so quickly really neutralized his pass rush game for the first three quarters. Late in the game when USC did more drop backs and play-actions he got a bit more of a push in the pass game.
Kareem Grade: C
DT KURT HINISH
Sophomore NT Kurt Hinish had a quality performance against the Trojans. When he kept his pads low and got off the ball with good timing he was able to be a bit disruptive.
Here's an example:
Tillery gets the initial push but Hinish does a good job keeping the center off his body, he keeps working his feet and he does a really good job disengaging and getting off to the running back for the run stuff.
At times Hinish had trouble staying put at the line of scrimmage. He got pushed side to side a few too many times and he got driven back on multiple snaps in the game, and at times he wasn't gap sound, which was an issue with the DT's as a whole. On a 4th-and-1 early in the game Hinish was knocked back 3-4 yards off the ball and failed to anchor.
Hinish Grade: C
DE DAELIN HAYES
Hayes had a very up-and-down game. At times he showed a good burst off the edge, he was stout against the run and he got good depth in coverage. At other times he got driven off the ball and struggled to get off blocks. On USC's first touchdown Hayes was backside, and the tight end drove him 3-4 yards off the ball, which kept Hayes from squeezing down and making a play from the backside.
He had a run stop and two hurries in the game, which were examples of him when he was on, but he didn't play consistently well enough.
Hayes Grade: C+
DE ADE OGUNDEJI
Ogundeji actually graded out well in the game. He didn't rack up much in terms of numbers, but he was strong at the point of attack, he was one of their better run defenders in the game and he got good movement in the pass game.
Ogundeji Grade: B-
DT JONATHAN BONNER
Bonner has had a really quality season but he wasn't good against USC. The fifth-year senior didn't hold up well at the point of attack at times, but he did compete in the game. The issue Bonner had was that he just couldn't get off blocks well and he wasn't always gap sound.
You can see here that Bonner is keeping his place at the line but he just can't get off the block and get to the ball carrier. This happened a bit too much in the game.
Bonner Grade: C-
DT JAYSON ADEMILOLA
Freshman DT Jayson Ademilola actually had one of his better games. He will always have issues holding up against base blocks, something that will eventually get worked out after he gets time in the weight room. But he competed hard against USC, he was disruptive when he got into gaps and he actually got off blocks better than we've seen at times this season.
