Sept. 3, 2006
Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery
NOTRE DAME TEAM NOTES
Notre Dame’s captains for the 2006 season are senior QB Brady Quinn (offense), senior DB Tom Zbikowski and senior LB Travis Thomas (special teams). All three men were selected for the season-long honor by their teammates, with Quinn serving as the offensive captain for the second consecutive season. Zbikowski and Thomas are first-year captains, although Thomas was selected as special teams captain for last season’s opener at Pittsburgh (the special teams post was chosen by the Irish coaching staff on a week-to-week basis in 2005 before returning to a preseason vote this year).
Notre Dame won the toss and elected to receive.
Notre Dame was ranked second in the Associated Press poll at kickoff, marking the highest AP poll position for the Irish heading into its season opener since Sept. 15, 1990. That night, the top-ranked Irish edged fourth-ranked Michigan, 28-24 at Notre Dame Stadium.
Tonight’s game marked the 33rd meeting between Notre Dame and Georgia Tech, with the Irish now leading the all-time series by a 27-5-1 (.833) count. Notre Dame also moves to 12-2-1 (.833) all-time at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field, picking up its first victory at the facility since Nov. 18, 1978 (the 10th-ranked Irish earned a 38-21 win over No. 20 Georgia Tech).
Notre Dame improves to 73-27-2 (.725) all-time in against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference, including a 29-18-1 (.615) mark vs. ACC opponents on the road. Georgia Tech was the first of two ACC opponents for the Irish this season (North Carolina will come to Notre Dame Stadium on Nov. 4).
With tonight’s win, Notre Dame also improves to…
… 100-14-5 in season openers, including wins in 18 of the past 21 seasons. … 31-7-2 in season openers on the road, including victories each of the past two seasons. … 6-2 in its last eight season openers following a bowl game loss in the previous season. … 6-0 on opponent’s home fields in the Charlie Weis era. … 4-0 in night games (kickoff after 5 p.m. local) during the Weis era.
Notre Dame was held scoreless in the first quarter for just the second time in Weis’ tenure. The Irish also failed to score in the first quarter of a 34-10 victory over Syracuse on Nov. 19, 2005 at Notre Dame Stadium.
Notre Dame’s offense struggled early, gaining a net total of 53 yards through its first 12:16 of possession time. However, the Irish bounced back well with a 14-play, 80-yard scoring drive to close out the first half, followed by a 14-play, 64-yard TD march on their opening drive of the second half (combined total of 28 plays, 144 yards, two TD in the two drives).
After converting only one of its first four third-down attempts in the first quarter, Notre Dame successfully cashed in on 6-of-8 third-down opportunities in the second and third quarters (five in a row starting late in the second period). Included in those third-down conversions was a 14-yard reception by senior TE John Carlson, a 16-yard scramble on 3rd-and-10 by senior QB Brady Quinn (both extended ND’s first scoring drive late in the second quarter) and a 10-yard reception by senior WR Rhema McKnight (kept alive third-quarter march that led to 13-yard TD run by junior RB Darius Walker). For the game, Notre Dame was successful on 7-of-16 third-down chances, including half (6-of-12) after the first quarter.
The 10-point comeback was the largest of the 13-game Charlie Weis era at Notre Dame. The old mark was a seven-point rally in Weis’ debut as Irish head coach last year at Pittsburgh, when the Panthers struck for an early touchdown before Notre Dame scored 42 of the next 48 points to pull clear for the victory. The last time the Irish won after trailing by more than 10 points was Sept. 6, 2003, when Notre Dame fell behind 19-0 vs. Washington State before coming back to win 29-26 in overtime at Notre Dame Stadium.
Notre Dame’s defense was especially stout in the second half, limiting Georgia Tech to 71 yards of total offense. The Irish secondary also came alive, limiting Yellow Jackets WR Calvin Johnson to two catches for 16 yards after the break (he had five receptions for 95 yards and a TD in the first half).
NOTRE DAME PLAYER NOTES
Senior WR Rhema McKnight made a big splash in his return to action after nearly a year off due to a knee injury. McKnight had eight catches for 108 yards, posting his fourth career 100-yard receiving day and first since Oct. 2, 2004 vs. Purdue at Notre Dame Stadium (seven catches, 113 yards).
Junior RB and Lawrenceville, Ga., native Darius Walker finished with 99 yards rushing on 22 carries, narrowly missing what would have been his 10th career 100-yard rushing day (and eighth in the past 13 games). Last season, Notre Dame was 6-1 in games where Walker ran for at least 100 yards.
Freshman Sam Young got the starting nod at right tackle for the Irish this evening, marking the first time a Notre Dame rookie offensive lineman has started a season opener since freshmen became eligible in 1972. Young also is just the fourth freshman to start on the Irish offensive line at any point, joining an elite club that includes teammate Ryan Harris (final eight games of 2003), Brad Williams (vs. Navy and Boston College in 1996) and Mike Rosenthal (vs. Ohio State, USC and Air Force in 1995).
Freshman KR George West make a big impact the first time he touched the ball as a collegian, running back the opening kickoff 33 yards to give Notre Dame good early field position at its own 45-yard line.
Senior P Geoff Price boomed a career-long 61-yard punt in the first quarter, topping his previous best of 51 yards set in the 2004 Insight Bowl vs. Oregon State. Price also had a 59-yard punt earlier in the period and finished with a 50.4-yard average on five punts. The school record for punt average in a game is 51.6 by Joe Restic vs. Air Force in 1975. Price’s performance was particularly notable considering he had only two punts (44.5-yard average) in his entire career leading up to tonight’s contest.
Senior TE Marcus Freeman came up with a 10-yard reception in the second quarter, his first catch since Oct. 2, 2004, when he had two catches for 22 yards against Purdue at Notre Dame Stadium.
A total of nine freshmen made their college debuts this evening for Notre Dame: Sergio Brown, Jashaad Gaines, Richard Jackson, Raeshon McNeil, Munir Prince, Morrice Richardson, Darrin Walls, George West and Sam Young. Sophomore DB Kyle McCarthy also saw his first college action tonight as a member of the Irish kick return unit.