Top Individual Performances Of 2019 - No. 1-5
Notre Dame had a number of outstanding individual performances during the 2019 season, which played a significant role in the team’s 11-2 finish. Limiting it down to a Top 10 wasn’t easy, but the top five performances clearly stood out above the rest.
I broke down the performances 6-10 yesterday (10. Asmar Bilal vs. USC; 9. Chase Claypool vs. Iowa State; 8. Adetokunbo Ogundeji vs. Boston College; 7. Ian Book vs. Navy; 6. Cole Kmet vs. Georgia), and now it’s time to break down the top five individual performances of the 2019 season.
5. Khalid Kareem vs. Navy
Stats: 3 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles
Kareem was brilliant against Navy and was a significant factor in the Irish victory. After the Notre Dame offense took the opening drive of the game down the field for a touchdown, Navy responded with a long drive that got the ball all the way down to the Irish 24-yard line. It was a 6:05 drive, but it ended with zero points thanks to Kareem, who knifed through the backside of the line and stripped Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry of the football.
The Irish offense responded with a quick touchdown and the Midshipmen again went on the move, getting out near midfield before Kareem once again stripped Perry of the football, and fellow end Jamir Jones recovered the ball. Four plays later the Irish offense made it 21-0, ball game.
Kareem made a career of making clutch strips, and the Navy game was the pinnacle.
4. Chase Claypool vs. Navy
Stats: 7 catches, 117 yards, 16.7 YPC, 4 TD’s
The offensive player responsible for all those early touchdowns was Claypool, who reached the end zone on each of Notre Dame's first three drives to fuel the 52-20 victory. Claypool scored on a crossing route, a quick fade route and a seam for a 47-yard touchdown. It was part of a dominant first half, but the Irish wideout wasn’t done yet.
Claypool made this impressive grab to kick off the second half scoring, capping off a four-touchdown performance. The Irish wideout finished the game with seven catches for 117 yards to go with those four scores. Navy simply had no answer for Claypool, and this victory was part of his brilliant finish to the 2019 season.
3. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah vs. Iowa State
Stats: 9 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble
Owusu-Koramoah was one of several Notre Dame players who was outstanding in the second half of the 2019 season, but the Iowa State contest was without question his best performance. Iowa State came in with a potent offense that was led by quarterback Brock Purdy. On the opening drive, Purdy completed back-to-back throws to La’Michael Pettway to get the Cyclones into Irish territory, but on second down Owusu-Koramoah used his tremendous speed to close on Purdy in space, knocking the ball loose, and the Irish rover had the presence to recover the ball.
In the fourth quarter, Owusu-Koramoah again used his speed to make back-to-back big plays. He chased down an Iowa State back to the sideline, forcing him out of bounds for a loss. On the next play he exploded outside to again bring the back down, this time for a 6-yard loss. On top of his big plays, Owusu-Koramoah was all over the field for the Irish. He made plays in the box, he made plays on the perimeter and he made impact plays.
2. Tony Jones Jr. vs. USC
Stats: 25 carries, 176 yards, 7.0 YPC
Let’s be honest about this, the odds are quite good that Notre Dame does not beat USC without such a dominant performance from Jones. The Irish back racked up a career-high 176 yards in the win, averaging 7.0 yards on his 25 carries. Jones helped pick up an offense that got very little from the pass game. Jones was at his best in the game, showing off his combination of nifty feet and power.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jones racked up 115 yards after contact. The run above was part of a 97-yard drive that got the Irish on the board. Notre Dame’s line played well, but Jones made a lot of plays with great reads, which on several snaps overcame missed blocks, and when the blocking was good he gashed the Trojans. Jones wasn’t just impactful as a runner, his pass protection also stood out in the game.
1. Julian Okwara vs. Virginia
Stats: 3 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
No, his senior season did not pan out how Irish fans would have hoped, but there’s no question that Okwara had one of the best games by a Notre Dame end in a very long time. I don’t know if Notre Dame beats Virginia without Okwara taking the game over the way he did, and that’s the key to having the top game in an 11-2 season.
Okwara racked up three sacks in the game, and they weren’t gimme sacks, they were very important plays in the game. His first sack came when the game was tied 7-7, but the Cavaliers were driving, getting the ball all the way down to the Notre Dame 34-yard line before Okwara beat the left tackle around the edge, sacked quarterback Bryce Perkins and not only stripped the ball, but he also recovered it. The Irish offense went down the field and scored on the ensuing drive.
Virginia led 17-14 to start the third quarter, and the Cavaliers executed a perfect onside kick to start the half, taking over at midfield. After a 10-yard rush to start the drive, Okwara all but ended it with a 2nd-and-10 sack that put the Cavaliers way behind the sticks. But his best was yet to come.
After the Irish finally took a lead, Okwara ended any chance at a Virginia comeback with that strip sack that ended with fellow end Adetokunbo Ogundeji picking up the ball and running it into the end zone. This was a big game for Notre Dame, who was coming off a tough loss at Georgia, and Okwara’s play helped the Irish rally and get the season back on track.
Runners Up:
Jayson Ademilola vs. Duke (5 tackles)
Chase Claypool vs. Virginia Tech (8 catches, 118 yards)
Liam Eichenberg vs. Virginia Tech
Chris Finke vs. Duke (5 catches, 49 yards, 2 TD’s, 51 punt return yards)
Kyle Hamilton vs. Virginia Tech (4 tackles, 1 break up, 1 INT)
Daelin Hayes vs. Louisville (1 sack, 1 TFL)
Tony Jones Jr. vs. Iowa State (11 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD)
Tony Jones Jr. vs. Virginia (18 carries, 131 yards, 3 TD’s)
Khalid Kareem vs. Boston College (6 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF)
Donte Vaughn vs. Virginia Tech (6 tackles, 2 break ups)
