Irish try to put past behind them
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Harrison Smith was involved in the final play of last year's loss at Michigan State and it is something the Notre Dame captain doesn't care to revisit.
Smith and linebacker Carlos Calabrese were knocked to the ground when the Spartans faked a field goal and holder Aaron Bates threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Charlie Gantt in overtime.
Smith, a fifth-year senior safety, wasn't reflecting on the stunning loss of a year ago or how difficult times were in 2007 when the Irish lost their first five games. Lose on Saturday and Notre Dame will be 0-3 for the first time since that season four years ago.
Smith says the time has come to turn the season around with better play on the field.
"I'm not worried what happened a couple of years ago, a week ago, yesterday," Smith said. "We're not thinking in the past. ... We have moved on."
If that 34-31 loss was crushing a year ago in East Lansing, so was the 35-31 defeat at Michigan last Saturday when the Wolverines scored 28 fourth-quarter points, including a game-winning TD with 2 seconds to go.
"Similar to last week, I mean, it was hard to take it," receiver Michael Floyd said, comparing the two losses.
He called the experience at East Lansing "shocking." ''You never want to end a game like that. ... We want to get revenge."
First of all, the Irish want to stop making the mistakes that have plagued them in two games and put their season on the brink already. There have been 10 turnovers and 17 penalties.
Coach Brian Kelly made it a point Wednesday during a rainy practice that it's time for the Irish to wake up. He even had his team tackle during the practice, saying it was the first time Notre Dame had done that in regular season drills since he arrived. It was high energy and physical.
"I think everybody is a little bit — I don't want to say annoyed. Nobody is happy. And I'm OK with that. Nobody should be in a great mood," Kelly said. "We got work to do."
They will be facing a physical Spartans defense featuring linebackers Max Bullough, Denicos Allen and Chris Norman, one that allowed only one first down, 22 yards rushing and 48 yards total against Florida Atlantic last week. In two games, the 2-0 Spartans have given up six total points, although they've done it against Youngstown State and Florida Atlantic.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins doesn't run as often as B.J. Daniels of South Florida or Denard Robinson of Michigan, but he has a strong arm and is 18-9 in 27 career starts. Running backs Edwin Baker and Le'Veon Bell and receivers B.J. Cunningham and Keshawn Martin will give the Irish defense a different kind of test.
Cornerback Gary Gray had a tough day against the Wolverines. He was burned several times, including that game winning TD toss. Whether Michigan State goes at him Saturday could be an interesting sidelight.
"He's a veteran. He is one of the best players we have on our defense. We love Gary and have a massive amount of respect for him," defensive coordinator Bob Diaco said.
Diaco took the blame for the fourth-quarter meltdown that included Michigan completing a 64-yard pass to set up the winning score after the Wolverines started from the 20 with only a half-minute to go.
"No one in this organization is interested in placing blame on any of the players. That's for sure," Diaco said.
For Smith, conversing with his teammates about where the Irish are or how they've lost their first two games and how they're going to turn it around, won't do any good. It's time to lead by example.
"Talking doesn't mean anything. So for me and to the rest of the team, it's about what we do from this point on," he said. "We are going to go harder in practice than we ever have, things like that. And just, you know, get the message across to the players through action instead of just talking about it."