Monday, October 07, 2002
Irish defense sets tone for surprising season
By TOM COYNE
AP Sports Writer
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Five games into the season, the defense is still Notre Dame's most dangerous scoring threat.
The Fighting Irish have scored four touchdowns on defense, and two more on special teams, by players from the defensive unit. The offense has scored eight touchdowns, but three were set up by turnovers the defense caused.
The effort has helped the Irish improve to 5-0 and a No. 8 ranking — their highest in the AP poll since midway through Lou Holtz's final season in 1996, when they were also eighth. Notre Dame began that season ranked sixth, however. This year, they started unranked.
“We don't want to just create turnovers, we want to score on defense,” said Irish cornerback Vontez Duff.
Notre Dame's defense did it again Saturday, turning an early struggle into a 31-7 rout of Stanford. The Irish led 10-7 before returning two interceptions for touchdowns in the last 4 minutes of the third quarter.
Shane Walton returned his fifth interception of the season 18 yards for a score. On Stanford's next possession, linebacker Courtney Watson ripped the ball from Alex Smith and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown.
“It was just a swarm,” Stanford running back Kerry Carter.
Other Notre Dame opponents know the feeling. Maryland was shut out in the season opener. Against Purdue, the Irish scored two touchdowns 11 seconds apart on turnovers and Vontez Duff added a 33-yard interception return.
Against Michigan, the Irish defense forced a safety, then forced a fumble on Michigan's next offensive play to set up an Irish touchdown. Against Michigan State, Gerome Sapp had an interception that led to a score, although the Spartans are the only team to keep the Irish defense from actually scoring.
“When you have a defense that dominates like ours does, things like that happen,” defensive coordinator Kent Baer said. “That's how our defense wants to play, no matter what the offense is doing.”
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Irish defense sets tone for surprising season
