Quick hits from Notre Dame's 6th practice, scrimmage notes
Quarterbacks Jack Coan and Drew Pyne split a considerable amount of reps behind Notre Dame's first-team offensive line Thursday in the Fighting Irish's sixth practice while Blake Fisher was present but not a participant in the squad's morning-to-afternoon session.
Brian Kelly said Fisher had a head injury, had passed the second step in concussion protocol today. Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa is dealing with the “sudden loss of his father, and he is on the island mourning,” Kelly said. “Our hearts go out to the entire family, and Myron.”
As for the quarterbacks, both Coan and Pyne had some brilliant flashes and both had some rough points. Tyler Buchner was a distant third in Thursday's work, with Buchner oft-times plagued by overthrows. Buchner rebounded with the reserves in the full 11-on-11 portion.
Once the team closed practice with the full, 11-on-11 scrimmage session, Pyne had a promising drive that ended with Marist Liufau's leaping interception on a blitz that arrived on fourth-and-goal – a pick that would easily have been a pick-six going the other direction for Liufau. That series followed a brutal opening series that included a Jason Ademilola tackle-for-loss
Notre Dame's offense faced at torrent of blitzes from its defensive counterparts and never consistently moved the ball on the ground. Logan Diggs, with the reserve units, had a series of impressive runs.
Audric Estime showed a willingness to lower his shoulder into contact, and Kyren Williams – who found little running room behind the first-team line, getting snuffed for a loss on the first scrimmage play – did show his all-around game with a couple of excellent blitz pickups. Williams also had earlier shined catching the ball out of the backfield.
With Fisher not working, Notre Dame's consistent first unit along the offensive front was (left to right): Josh Lugg, Cain Madden, Jarrett Patterson, Zeke Correll, Michael Carmody.
The top skill players included Lawrence Keys III, Williams – who had a dazzling, diving reception across the middle during competitive drills, Michael Mayer, Avery Davis, George Takacs and Kevin Austin Jr., who had a late drop on a wide-open play in 7-on-7 work but more than atoned for that miscue with a series of clutch catches during the full scrimmage portion. One of those snags was a big-time fourth-down catch.
Though Braden Lenzy and Lorenzo Styles Jr. had a couple early drops, both players rebounded with nice plays later in the practice – which was fully open to media.
Pyne did have a sensational throw-and-catch down the left sideline to Lawrence Keys III, who had multiple steps on Kyle Hamilton as he coasted into the end zone. It was one of several nice plays on the day for Lawrence Keys III.
In later 7-on-7 work, Coan connected down the left sideline with Lenzy – who made an acrobatic, leaping catch over defender Cam Hart and jetted into the end zone.
Coan hit multiple passes down the seam with authority in the drills, which ranged from 1-on-1s to combo-routes and 7-on-7s.
Coan in goal-line work had multiple touchdown tosses, one of which included just an absolute rocket in through the guts of the defense to Kevin Bauman in the end zone. Not the deepest throw of the day, it might have been the most authoritative and decisive moment.
Buchner had a solid scoring toss to Logan Diggs during red zone work with the third-team unit.
Freshman linebacker Prince Kollie flashed late in the scrimmage, when he ranged from right to the left sideline and snuffed out a Diggs running play.
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