Notre Dame looking ahead to Bowling Green after win against Virginia

 

NOTRE DAME, Ind.—Notre Dame Football Head Coach Brian Kelly is looking ahead to the Irish’s upcoming game against Bowling Green following a win at home against Virginia.

The ninth ranked Irish will look to defend its 13-game home win streak when they take on Bowling Green Falcons on October 5 at Notre Dame Stadium.

The Irish are coming off of the a huge statement win over 18th-ranked Virginia on September 28, with defense having had eight sacks, five turnovers and only allowed four yards rushing.

"This is a week for our football team to really look themselves and say, 'You know, do I want to be great, or is this as good as it gets?' You know, that rhetorical question of our mission here is to graduate champions. This is a week where you can focus on being a champion. All the details that are so important to being one, you get the opportunity to sharpen that this week,” Coach Kelly said.

Coach Kelly also remarked on the special teams that included a missed field goal and Chris Finke’s dropped punt.

“Hiccup is good with me. That was a bad day. You know, Chris Finke is a very reliable player for us. We trust him. Chris would stand here and take full responsibility and accountability; he has to catch that football. He'll be back out there catching punts. He's the best player we have at that position. We trust him. We have got to be aware of, you know, in all situations an on-side kick, especially when a team chooses to kick into the wind when they have the choice in the third quarter. And we just weren't as good, and that is flat out want and desire. That will be addressed today,” Coach Kelly said.

Kelly also mentioned quarterback Ian Book being a “game manager,” the first time he’s used that terminology for Book.

The match-up against Bowling Green is not only a reunion for the Irish with former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Brian Vangorder, but also for Falcons Head Coach Scot Loeffler and Irish defensive line coach Mike Elston.

Loeffler and Elston were roommates in college at the University of Michigan and they were groomsmen in each other’s weddings.