Statistically Speaking | by Pat
• With one game left, the Irish offensive players have some milestone stats well within range. Brady Quinn is 299 passing yards away from 3,500 on the season. Samardzija is 1 receiving yard away from 1,000 while Maurice Stovall is a slightly more challenging 113. Stovall is also 77 yards away from 2,000 career yards and Samardzija is 124 yards away from the single season receiving record. Darius Walker is 80 yards away from 1,000 rushing yards and Marty Mooney is 984 yards away from 1,000 passing yards.
For some historical context, we all know that Quinn is now by himself at the top of the record book so obviously he would be the first to 3,500. Notre Dame has had two 1,000 yard receivers before (Snow, 1964; Gatewood, 1971) but neither were in the same year. Likewise, Notre Dame has never had a 1,000 yard receiver and 1,000 yard rusher in the same season. If Walker manages to get 80 yards, it will be the 14th time a ND runner has his the 1,000 yard mark. He will become the 9th runner to accomplish this feat. It should be noted that bowl game stats count in the official single season totals, so even these levels aren't reached against Stanford, they should be well within range for the bowl game.
• With all the records that Quinn has been setting, one record he won't break is single season inteception ratio. However, he could nab 2nd place. Matt LoVecchio's 0.8% (1 for 125) is untouchable at this point, but at 1.36% (5 of 367) Quinn is on pace to pass up Ron Powlus' runner-up mark of 1.72% (4 of 232). Quinn can still grab 1st place in the career category though as his career mark of 2.53% (35 of 1382) is currently better than first place LoVecchio's 2.57% (5 of 194) talley.
• Maurice Stovall's touchdown against Syracuse gives him 10 for the year and makes Stovall and Samardzija (with 13 TDs) the only wide receiver teammate combo with double digit touchdown receptions each. Both enter the Stanford game with a legitimate shot at ending up as the nation's leader in receiving touchdowns. There are currently three players tied for the national lead with 14.
• There is an interesting statistic regarding D.J. Fitzpatrick, extra points, and ND single season records, but I refuse to write about it for the same reason that every time an announcer mentions who accurate a field goal kicker is, he misses his next kick. If you want to know, it's noted on the game release.
• One more obscure record to keep an eye on during the Stanford game. Tom Zbikowski currently has 5 interceptions for 136 return yards. The interception yards record is 197 yards set in 1965 by Nick Rassas (on 6 interceptions). The number 2 slot belongs to Frank Carideo who had 151 yards on 5 returns in 1929.
Season Long Running Averages
First six games breakdown here.
| Category | BYU | UT | Navy | 'Cuse | 1st Six | 2005 | 2004 |
| Yards per rush | 1.9 | 1.4 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.32 |
| Avg yards per PA | 11.4 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 7.5 | 8.4 | 8.7 | 7.2 |
| Avg yards per PC | 14.6 | 14.8 | 12.9 | 13.0 | 13.3 | 13.5 | 13.4 |
| Pass completion % | 78% | 61% | 71% | 58% | 63% | 65% | 54% |
| 3rd downs conv. | 6/11 (55%) | 7/16 (44%) | 8/12 (75%) | 6/17 (35%) | 46/96 (48%) | 73/152 (48%) | 68/183 (37%) |
| Rushing yd avg | 44.0 | 48.0 | 221.0 | 134.0 | 170.8 | 147.20 (58th) | 127.4 (85th) |
| Passing yd avg | 467.0 | 295.0 | 284.0 | 286.0 | 318.8 | 324.50 (4th) | 218.1 (54th) |
| Passing Eff. (Quinn) | 222.0 | 164.46 | 184.05 | 138.48 | 150.9 | 161.5 (5th) | 125.87 (55th) |
| Total offense yd avg | 511.0 | 343.0 | 505.0 | 420.0 | 489.7 | 471.70 (10th) | 345.5 (81st) |
| Scoring Offense | 49.0 | 41.0 | 42.0 | 34.0 | 36.0 | 38.20 (7th) | 24.1 (72nd) |
| Time of Possession | 26:21 | 32:12 | 28:25 | 32:12 | 35:12 | 33:02 | 30:50 |
| Red Zone TDs | 3/4 (75%) | 1/3 (33%) | 5/5 (100%) | 1/5 (20%) | 21/27 (81%) | 31/ 44 (70%) | 25 / 36 (69%) |
Defense
| Category | BYU | UT | Navy | 'Cuse | 1st Six | 2005 | 2004 |
| Yards per rush given up | 2.2 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 2.7 |
| Avg yards per PA | 7.0 | 5.8 | 7.5 | 3.5 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 7.9 |
| Avg yards per PC | 12.2 | 14.4 | 18.8 | 8.7 | 14.8 | 14.1 | 13.6 |
| Pass completion percentage | 58% | 41% | 40% | 41% | 52% | 51% | 58% |
| Quarterback sacks | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 23 | 30 |
| Rushing yd avg. against | 75.0 | 109.0 | 239.0 | 143.0 | 126.3 | 132.40 (39th) | 88.2 (4th) |
| Passing yd avg. against | 317.0 | 187.0 | 75.0 | 78.0 | 304.8 | 248.60 (92nd) | 281.2 (116th) |
| Passing Eff. def. avg. | 122.73 | 90.39 | 116.00 | 76.6 | 122.24 | 116.14 (37th) | 138.34 (98th) |
| Total yd offense avg. against | 392.0 | 296.0 | 314.0 | 221.0 | 431.2 | 381.00 (67th) | 369.4 (54th) |
| Scoring Defense | 23.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 10.0 | 25.67 | 22.90 (37th) | 24.08 (46th) |
| Red Zone Defense | 3/4 (75%) | 4/4 (100%) | 3/3 (100%) | 2/2 (100%) | 16/23 (70%) | 28/36 (77.8%) | 33/38 (87%) |
| Red Zone TD Def. | 3/4 (75%) | 2/4 (50%) | 3/3 (100%) | 1/2 (50%) | 13/23 (57%) | 22/36 (61%) | 19/38 (50%) |
Turnovers
| Category | BYU | UT | Navy | 'Cuse | 1st Six | 2005 | 2004 |
| Interceptions by ND | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 9 |
| Fumbles Forced / Recovered | 0/0 | 2/1 | 2/1 | 1/0 | 13/7 | 18/ 9 | 27 / 12 |
| Turnovers gained | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 22 | 21 |
| Had Intercepted | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 10 |
| Fumbles / Lost | 3/2 | 2/1 | 0/0 | 1/0 | 9/3 | 15/ 6 | 15 / 6 |
| Turnovers lost | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 16 |
| Turnover Margin | +0 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +6 | +10 | +5 |
Special Teams
| Category | BYU | UT | Navy | 'Cuse | 1st Six | 2005 | 2004 |
| Kickoff return average | 17.2 | 23.3 | 13.5 | 19.5 | 19.8 | 18.8 | 18.7 |
| Kickoff return average allowed | 21.7 | 21.4 | 26.5 | 18.5 | 19.1 | 20.5 | 19.9 |
| Punt return average | 7.5 | 39.3 | 12.5 | 7.3 | 16.5 | 17.2 | 10.8 |
| Punt return average allowed | 11.8 | 4.7 | - | 5.0 | 5.2 | 6.2 | 8.2 |
Fun Stat O' the Day: Notre Dame is currently 4-4 against Stanford on the road. Renovation on Stanford Stadium will commence after the game is over, so ND has a chance to not only send out the old stadium with a loss, but also push the ND/Stanford away record to ND's favor.
