Shake Down the Numbers: Notre Dame Football Stats and Analytics

Previewing the Stanford game

With Cooper OOO this week, Eric and Kevin are back talking about expectations for Notre Dame coming out of the bye week and preview the Shamrock Series matchup with BYU in Vegas. Our Twitter account: @ND_FB_Analytics Our Substack account: shakedownthenumbers.substack.com

Cooper and Eric are back this week to try and make sense of what we saw in the Marshall game and where Notre Dame goes from here. (1:37) A conversation about Notre Dame's offense and choosing 1 yard and a cloud of dust instead of a not elite but solid passing attack despite the disadvantages at the QB and WR positions. Continues with a discussion on playcalling and running the ball on 2nd and long. (10:32) How the Irish can tease out more efficiency from the offense without asking for rapid improvement from their players. (16:05) Previewing Drew Pyne as Notre Dame's new starting quarterback, the positives, negatives, and what he needs to do to match Tyler Buchner's production. How can Tommy Rees and the offense make his life easier. (29:28) Why your opinion of Notre Dame should be lower than it was to start the season but not fully cratered at this point. (31:36) The defense is taking a lot of flack, why some criticism is deserved but most of it is pointed at the wrong target. (36:50) What should Notre Dame do over the next 10 games in order to keep this season from falling off the tracks.

Cooper is joined by Kevin Murray to review the OSU game, with Eric away this week. (1:45) Review of the OSU game start. Diving into the overall themes, including the lucky breaks the Irish got with Buckeye injuries and the impressive defensive performance. CJ Stroud started slow but showed Heisman caliber throws down the line. (9:03) Notre Dame's offensive gameplan review. The Irish never truly threatened to win the game because they did not have a plan in place that allowed them to score. The Irish sported a putrid rushing effort and an underutilized passing attack, hampered by an offensive line that played decent in pass pro and was overmatched in run game, especially on run plays that went lateral across the field. (16:10) Review of issues with coaching calls and some blunders in decision making by the Irish staff, as well as discussion of cowardly punts by the Buckeyes. The Irish seemed to be caught between wanting to burn clock and wanting to score in moments, and the predictable result was to not score enough to be truly competitive on the offensive side. (34:55) Marshall preview. ND has a distinct talent advantage, and the Herd should absolutely not be Thundering. In the battle of We are Marshall vs Rudy, Sean Astin should emerge with an easy win. If you enjoy the podcast, like and subscribe, and leave a 5* review! If you have questions for us, send them to our twitter or leave them in your reviews. Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ND_FB_Analytics Substack: https://shakedownthenumbers.substack.com/ 3rd and Gold: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZWbNPxza63gjjNFxwXsneJHjb-YyaGORBD63rlZjulUZx0g/viewform

It's game week! Cooper and Eric preview the showdown with the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe. (0:00) 3rd and Gold, our pledge drive partnered with Brady Quinn's 3rd and Goal Foundation, is back! Pledge your preferred amount for Irish players or team milestones, all proceeds from these pledges will be donated to the 3rd and Goal Foundation to help veterans with disabilities and to provide education to veterans. Link below! (2:10) Ohio State's offensive preview. The Buckeyes are an elite unit despite losing two first round WR (Wilson, Olave) and two veteran OL (Petite-Frere, Munford) to the NFL draft. Led by Heisman favorite CJ Stroud, likely Biletnikoff finalist Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Doak Walker watch list member TreVeyon Henderson, the Buckeyes have the talent to lead the P5 in scoring. Marvin Harrison Jr, Julian Fleming and Emeka Egbuka will present matchup problems for the Irish secondary and LB. (9:50) Notre Dame offense discussion. The Irish have a recent history of being boat-raced offensively by elite offenses, most notably future national champions 2018 Clemson and 2020 Alabama. With this OSU team looking to be at the level of those programs, how can Notre Dame maximize their roster talent to overcome the wider talent deficit? The guys also discuss what first-year starter Tyler Buchner brings to the table. (17:15) Notre Dame defense preview. The Irish boast a formidable front 7, with a defensive line that is among the top in the country and an experienced and talented LB corps. The Irish have a number of ballhawk safeties, but the corner room leaves a lot to be desired after Cam Hart. Tariq Bracy has had a fantastic summer, and the Irish need the presumptive Nickel to shine. Clarence Lewis has hit moments, but inconsistency plagued his 2021 season, most notably in the Fiesta Bowl. With the scoring ability of this OSU defense, the Irish will need to generate pressure and likely turnovers if they want to limit the Buckeye scoring machine enough to give the offense a shot to win. (20:55) Game predictions. Cooper and Eric give their score predictions and discuss the outlook for what different outcomes likely mean for the Irish this year. This also leads into a wider discussion of talent disparity in College Football and how Maruc Freeman is moving the envelope in that regard for the Fighting Irish. If you enjoy the podcast, like and subscribe, and leave a 5* review! If you have questions for us, send them to our twitter or leave them in your reviews. Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ND_FB_Analytics Substack: https://shakedownthenumbers.substack.com/ 3rd and Gold: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZWbNPxza63gjjNFxwXsneJHjb-YyaGORBD63rlZjulUZx0g/viewform

(2:25) Season outlook from hosts Cooper Klaus, Kevin Murray and Eric Thomas. With a new Head Coach in Marucs Freeman, a new Quarterback in Tyler Buchner, and significant staff turnover, the 2022 FIghting Irish have more uncertainty about the identity of the team than any Notre Dame team since 2017. (5:30) During the offseason, Cooper built a game predictions model to calculate the chance for teams to win each of their respective games based on ELO rankings, efficiency rankings on offense/defense, team composite talent and other factors. Cooper breaks down the details of how this model operates, and the guys discuss some of their takeaways pertaining to both the Irish and their Opponents from the generated data. The hosts dive into the opener in Columbus, and predict whether Cooper will be a sad man in the stands of the Shoe. (14:30) Tyler Buchner talk. (NOTE: Buchner was not formally announced as the starting Quarterback at time of recording.) As a Freshman, TB12 showed glimpses of explosive play capability but also demonstrated some rust and lack of comfort leading the offense. The hosts discuss what they liked from his freshman campaign, where the improvement should come and where they want to see the offense grow around him. The hosts dive into the Clemson game and talk through what to watch for in Buchner's development versus arguably the most talented and deep defensive line in the country. (26:00) BYU and USC talk. BYU is a veteran team with a talented Quarterback in Jaren Hall, an experienced OL and a mentality that should make them impervious to the temptations of Sin City; a perfect storm for a Shamrock Series matchup in Las Vegas. Sportsbooks at large and Cooper's model have this game being potentially much closer than any Irish fan would like to see, and the hosts dive into how the Cougars match up with the Irish. USC hired offensive innovator and brisket butcher Lincoln Riley away from the Sooners, and have seen a large contingent of talent roll into town this offseason, adding star Quarterback Caleb Williams from OU, 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison from Pitt, and the dynamic Runningback Travis Dye from Oregon. The hosts discuss the difficulty in predicting a team with this much turnover and what to expect from the challenge from USC, as well as how the Irish match up versus the new look Trojans. (32:00) Record predictions! The gang offers up their predictions for the first year of the Freeman era, balancing the known factors such as the strength ND has in the trenches or the limited depth at WR with the unknown of a first time head coach, a new staff and a young, inexperienced Quarterback. (35:40) 3rd and Gold! Working with ND legend Brady Quinn's 3rd and Goal Foundation, we have designed a system that turns prop bets into pledges to donate to the welfare of Veterans. Bet on your favorite players to perform and the NDFB Stats and Analytics team will follow up with links to donate based on your pledges. Pledges that hit will also give listeners the chance to win prizes in our giveaways this season. For the Blue & Gold game we gave away a custom ND Football Jersey, and during the season we will look to give away more unique items to further drive donations to the 3rd and Goal Foundation. To learn more about 3rd and Goal, visit https://www.3rdandgoalfoundation.org/.

Shake Down The Numbers is back for episode 24, as Cooper and Kevin dive into Notre Dame's sleepy but respectful blowout of the Midshipmen. (1:40) Notre Dame had a productive but unusual game on offense, with Notre Dame executing well enough to win but overall showing an unwillingness to attack a leaky and undermanned Navy secondary with consistency. The OL had maybe their best day against the Navy DL, with not one pressure surrendered by an OL. (6:00) Kyren WIlliams has been driving the offense, but Notre Dame can maximize his efficiency by leaning on the run less in obvious situations when the defense is keyed in on him. It didn't hurt the Irish this week, but Cooper and Kevin break down how the Irish offense can create more offense to catch up to the elite scorers in the sport. (10:30) Avery Davis has been a dynamic option for the Irish this year, and has been lost for the year with a torn ACL. While it is exciting to see Freshman Lorenzo Styles will get first crack at taking over the slot, the Irish are down to 5 healthy scholarship receivers and there is some concern about the depth to make it through the season at that position. (13:00) Review of the ND defense vs Navy. Game ball winner Kurt Hinish dominated in his fourth game against Navy, and the Irish DL as a whole was the most dominant and imposing group on the field. (15:30) Virginia preview. The dynamic Cavalier offense has posted some gaudy box scores this season, but their offensive creator and team leader Brennan Armstrong is day to day with injured ribs / core. The Hoos like to push the ball down the field and do so efficiently, which could be a problem for a Notre Dame team that looks like it may be once again missing All-American Kyle Hamilton. The Virginia defense is not nearly as formidable, and Kevin Austin could look to have a big day against their corners. (27:00) Game predictions and Cooper continues to give away gambling advice.

In episode 23 of Shake Down the Numbers, hosts Cooper and Eric review the 44-34 win over the Tarheels. The offense looked like it was rounding a corner, while the defense looked like it had no idea Sam Howell could run. (1:40) The Notre Dame offense was efficient rushing and passing, putting together maybe their most complete performance this season. Coan was rushing for touchdowns, Tyler Buchner was throwing touchdowns, and Kyren Williams made the UNC defense look soft. The WR elevated the offense, with Avery Davis and Lorenzo Styles showing their dynamism making big plays on screens. (11:45) The Irish defense clearly missed All-American Kyle Hamilton, lacking the physicality at the second level to challenge UNC in the run game. Sam Howell was particularly efficient, gauging the Irish defense on designed runs and scrambles alike. The DB's struggled to contain Josh Downs, but did contain the other UNC receivers effectively overall. (24:15) Navy preview. The triple option is not fun to watch, and Navy is not very good this year. ND's linebackers are playing hurt amidst significant preseason injuries at the position, and the Midshipman offense will wage war on their knees Saturday. The Irish offense needs to set the tone early and be met with discipline and forced punts or 4th down stops from the Irish defense.

Cooper, Eric and Kevin recap last Saturday's win against the rival Trojans, led by Jack Coan and Kyren Williams. The Irish defense played well despite losing All-American Kyle Hamilton in the first quarter. The guys preview UNC and Cooper looks to continue his streak of Irish moneyline bets. (1:50) Review of the Irish offense. The use of tempo allowed Jack Coan to lean on his strengths, and Kyren Williams refused to go down on first contact. Notre Dame allowed young freshman skill players to shine and saw some improvement with the offensive line's play as a unit. (10:40) Drake London was as good as advertised and Keaontay Ingram ran hard but the Trojan offense could not get past communication mishaps and a lack of playmaking by their supporting cast. (22:00) UNC preview. Sam Howell hasn't quite dominated with his best offensive weapons from 2020 gone for the NFL, but he has added a dynamic rushing element to his game and has remained an explosive threat throwing down the field. (39:50) Predictions and betting the Irish

In this episode, Cooper takes on his first solo act to preview Notre Dame hosting rival USC. The Trojans fired their head coach, are 2-3 on the season and have lost 3 of the last 4 against the Irish. (1:10) With Jack Coan announced as the starter and Tyler Buchner recovering from injury, USC appears to be headed right for the Coan Zone. Cooper talks through the QB room and the decision making that led to this point, as well as the ideal offense for ND given the situation. (6:40) USC preview. The Trojans have been fully reliant on Drake London on offense, and their defense has had trouble stopping anyone. However, a young and budding pass rush and an 8-game road win streak have USC feeling like they have what it takes to pull the upset on the road. (13:00) If Notre Dame can stop Drake London, the USC offense will stall. Cooper reviews Freeman's options for slowing down the Trojan offensive attack, which starts and ends with #15 for USC. (21:50) Cooper reviews his article on Notre Dame kickers, which highlighted the remarkable skill of Justin Yoon to be automatic for short kicks and Jonathan Doerer's rare ability to hit deep kicks as a college kicker. Notre Dame's recent kickers have both been elite, with different high-level skill sets.

On the 20th edition of Shake Down the Numbers, Cooper and Eric break down Notre Dame's comeback victory against the Hokies. The guys discuss Quarterback controversy, including how to best prepare the QB room for this season and beyond. 4th down decision-making captured the spotlight in the fourth quarter, and Cooper's brain just about breaks trying to understand Fuente's choice to punt on 4th and 1 late in a tied ballgame. (1:10) Start of the game recap, diving in with the Jekyll and Hyde performance from Buchner after he relieved the (initially) ineffective Jack Coan. Tyler Buchner is coming, and the hosts go over how to best open the offense for him this year to gain experience he can build on for the 2022 season. (8:30) Tommy Rees talk. The OC is captaining the offense through a philosophical change, required by the lack of dominant physicality the OL offers in the run game. Strategies to increase success rate and create opportunities to create more efficient early down opportunities are laid out. (16:05) Talking through the thought process for the coaches with the QB decision. The staff's hesitancy to roll with a scattershot Pyne, Jack Coan's inconsistency and Tyler's Buchner's inexperience each create unique problems and there aren't enough reps to solve all these issues. (18:05) Marcus Freeman's Unit continues to impress, particularly the DL. The Irish have been able to lean on their depth and maximize the skillsets of players who have held bit-roles to date. (29:50) With 1:56 left in the 4th quarter, the score tied 29-29, the Irish called a timeout to gather themselves before a 4th and 1 play. Instead of putting the ball in the hands of the offense and taking command of the game, VT elected to punt and play for OT with two timeouts remaining. This decision lowered VT's win percentage by 10.9%, and caused Irish fans everywhere to cheer. Cooper and Eric run through the failure of this decision making in a high leverage moment.

Shake Down The Numbers is back for the 2021 season, breaking down the Cincinnati loss and where the Irish go from here. Cooper is back and hosting the show, and he is joined by former president of the Notre Dame Sports Analytics club Kevin Murray and former Notre Dame Football Recruiting Analyst Eric Thomas. (2:05) The group discusses the playcalling and offensive structure, notably early down offense and the inefficiency Notre Dame has shown getting ahead of the chains. (10:10) The group goes through the biggest question surrounding Notre Dame Football: The Quarterback position. Coan and Pyne were both inconsistent vs Cincinnati, with the Buchner package failing altogether to generate positive plays. The Irish seem poised to move onto Drew Pyne as the starter, and the guys talk through what that transition may look like. (18:00) Tyler Buchner talk! Buchner is a dynamic player who dominated in a small sample size in high school, missing two of the past three seasons. His ability to impact the offense positively has become limited with him not operating as a passing threat, and the guys talk options for a more impactful freshman season from Buchner. Also discussed is the importance of play action and motion for creating efficient offense. (24:10) The group wraps up, evaluating the Notre Dame defense and how they have progressed since the FSU game. There have been notable improvements for Freeman's squad since the opener, from the dominance of the defensive line unit to the improved play of DB's Cam Hart and DJ Brown. At (27:45) Eric accidently says Cam Hart when referencing Clarence Lewis. (29:23) The guys go over projections for ND's final record and what to watch for as the Irish go through the final seven games.

Cooper and Jack welcome on former Notre Dame wide receiver and current Baltimore Raven Miles Boykin! After a quick intro at (1:30)... (2:30) Boykin discussed the most recent NFL season including adjusting to the league's COVID protocol and the Ravens' Thanksgiving game being postponed. (5:41) He then broke down how Notre Dame's offensive style impacts the wide receivers, and how Notre Dame wide receivers often have to wait their turn to get on the field. (9:14) The crew then switch gears to discussing the Ravens' embrace of analytics, and how it helps them prepare for specific late game situations and fourth downs. (16:02) Boykin gives an inside look at the NFL Combine (an event he dominated with a 4.42 40 yard dash and 98th percentile vertical jump with a 99th percentile broad jump) and goes into specifics with a behind the scenes look at the greatest scouting event in sports that's not as much fun as you might think. (24:51) They finish up looking ahead to the next Ravens and Notre Dame seasons, and what the two teams can do to break through to win titles. (30:17) Cooper and Jack finish up with a quick discussion of the interview, and discuss some future projects they're looking forward to unveiling on the twitter account @ND_FB_Analytics.

After a hiatus Shake Down The Numbers is back on the air to breakdown the excellent hiring of Marcus Freeman. (1:00) They begin by praising the hire, and discuss how landing Freeman over other quality suitors is a sign of how far the program has come under Brian Kelly. (4:32) Cooper then breaks down his new opponent strength adjusted EPA numbers (statistics nerd warning 4:32-5:50). (5:50) After unveiling the new model, they use the opponent adjusted stats to compare Freeman's run at Cincinnati directly to Lea's at Notre Dame. (15:40) They finish up with a quick discussion of Freeman's impact on Notre Dame recruiting, and tease a special episode of Shake Down The Numbers dropping next week with an exciting Irish guest.

The Irish season is over after a somewhat disappointing performance in Arlington against a truly special Alabama squad. The team will now need to figure out what went wrong and learn for future seasons, which is what Cooper and Jack attempt on this show. (0:47) The pair began with Alabama's offense, describing how Alabama moved with such ease and trying to determine whether a talent mismatch or schematic shortcomings caused most of the Irish problems. (8:54) They then moved into the Irish offense, discussing their conservative game plan and why they weren't able to hang with Alabama's high flying offense. (21:17) They finish up with a brief discussion of where Notre Dame goes from here (though this will get its own full episode at a later date) and sign off from a great first season of Shake Down The Numbers. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: (11:29) Jack did not like the Irish decision to punt on 4th and 5 down 7-0 in the first quarter

Cooper and Jack are back and its win or go home for the Irish in Arlington at the Rose Bowl. (1:28) The pair discuss Notre Dame's offense, and why the Irish will need to throw frequently to have a chance to keep up. (10:22) They move into Alabama's offense and how Notre Dame's defense even mustering a few stops is all you can ask for in a game like this. (16:43) They finish up with some predictions that most Irish fans would likely prefer to not see come true (thankfully for you, these are the same guys that called Javon McKinley a blocking receiver). EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: (15:07) In another of a long stream of analogies Colin Cowherd would be proud of, Cooper compares Kyren Williams and Ian Book to Dwight Howard and LeBron James.

The Irish have taken their first loss in the Shake Down The Numbers Era (which is what history will call this time period someday) in ugly fashion against Clemson. While it appeared the Irish did not have the talent to keep up with the Tigers, Jack and Cooper believe Notre Dame could have at least put up a far tougher fight with a better game plan. (1:21) The pair discuss Clemson putting the ball in Trevor Lawrence's hands and using play action to pull Irish defenders off the line of scrimmage. (9:33) They then contrast this with Notre Dame's ball control strategy that left Ian Book without a fair chance. (18:27) They finish up by breaking down the lessons the coaching staff need to learn before the Alabama game. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: (9:42) Cooper has a message for those who have accused him of advocating for a "Madden Offense" that would not work in real life.

The Irish will be back in action on Saturday after some time off, taking on Trevor Lawrence and the Clemson Tigers in the ACC Championship Game to remain undefeated and clinch a CFP berth. (0:49) Cooper and Jack begin by breaking down the injuries to Clemson's defense. (3:30) They discuss the Irish play calling they hope to see in this game, and how to potentially improve the run game from the first matchup. (10:24) They move on to Clemson's offense who bring a surprisingly average run game but a transcendentally good quarterback to the table. (15:45) They finish up by predicting the outcome, leading to the pair's first split decision of the season.

Jack and Cooper begin the ramp up to Clemson II with a regular season analytics recap. (1:07) They begin with the passing game by praising Ian Book for his growth as a passer and his improvement as the season has gone on. They talk about Javon McKinley and Michael Mayer's emergences and what that means for the future of the program. (12:42) They then discuss why the team's running game has not been as good as some Irish fans believe, and what the team could do to make it more effective. (19:12) They briefly discuss Kyren Williams' pass blocking ability before turning to the defense's elite season (21:33) and finish up by discussing defensive coordinator Clark Lea's likely future as a head coach (27:22). EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: (10:46) Continuing his legendary run of player comparisons, Cooper compares Avery Davis (stylistically) to Michael Thomas.

The Irish have finished their second perfect regular season in three years with a 45-21 win over Syracuse. (1:01) Jack and Cooper start by examining the Irish offense and explain their in-game twitter position on the team's run game. (8:23) They move on to the passing game and shower praise upon Javon McKinley while wondering what role Avery Davis will play in the ACC Championship Game. (14:22) They finish up by talking through Syracuse's offense and why there is no need to worry about the Irish run defense despite Syracuse posting gaudy rushing yard totals.

With the Wake Forest game cancelled Notre Dame is just a win over Syracuse away from a perfect regular season. Cooper and Jack think that the Irish are almost a lock in this one, and they start (1:10) with breaking down Syracuse's defense and what they hope to see from Notre Dame's play callers. (7:15) Before jumping into Syracuse's offense, Cooper gives more context to Pro Football Focus' grading scale and why he uses it on this show. (8:06) They then break down Syracuse's abysmal offense, and why Syracuse's offense against Notre Dame's defense is one of the biggest mismatches one could design across college football. (13:35) They wrap up a short episode with predictions and update listeners on the upcoming podcast schedule in advance of the ACC Title Game.

The Irish are a win over hapless Syracuse away from an undefeated season after an impressive win against No. 17 North Carolina. (1:00) Cooper and Jack start by discussing Clark Lea's shutdown of the UNC rushing game, and how that put Sam Howell in a more difficult position. (3:15) They then get into UNC's passing game, and how the Irish front four made Howell's job impossible after the first two drives. (9:10) The pair move onto Ian Book and the Irish offense, giving credit to Javon McKinley and asking if there is even a role for Tommy Tremble in the passing game anymore. (15:38) They then talk about Kyren Williams and how running him into loaded boxes creates games like this one where Williams runs effectively but run plays remain inefficient. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: (4:25) Cooper wonders if it's fair to call Sam Howell a future first overall pick as Jack reminds him that label was once applied to Irish legend DeShone Kizer.

After a Guitar Hero microphone gone awry forced Jack and Cooper to scrap their already recorded UNC preview and start over, the duo did their first night recording to get Irish fans the stats they need for this weekend's matchup with UNC. (1:30) The pair began by discussing Sam Howell and why he is the best quarterback the Irish will face this regular season, as well as some keys to slowing the UNC passing offense down. (6:07) They then discuss UNC running back Jevonte Williams and breakdown perhaps the best rushing offense in the country. (9:51) They then move over to Notre Dame's offense, and why UNC's abysmal run defense does not mean the Irish should take the game out of Ian Book's hands. (19:34) They finish up by making predictions for what could be a nerve wracking game for Irish fans nationwide. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: (7:21) To really put an exclamation point on the high number of fumbled words and stuttering caused by the late night recording, Jack drops his microphone off his desk and decides to keep going with his take

After a brief bye week hiatus Cooper and Jack return to break down last weekend's matchup with Boston College. (1:18) The pair discuss another Heisman worthy performance from Ian Book, and why his EPA stats should have been even higher if not for costly fumbles by his teammates. (4:43) They then talk Irish pass catchers and heap more praise on Javon McKinley, Ben Skowronek, and Avery Davis for separating themselves from the pack in the wide receiver room. (9:24) They then ponder why Notre Dame is not running the football as well it did the first two weeks of the season and whether there is reason to be alarmed over Kyren Williams' new fumbling habit. (13:09) They finish up by breaking down Phil Jurkovec's performance and a good showing from Notre Dame's deep passing defense even in a game where they gave up thirty-one points. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: (7:25) Jack asks Cooper to clarify his comparison of Notre Dame to the Dallas Cowboys by asking if Avery Davis is more of a Michael Gallup or a CeeDee Lamb

The undefeated Irish are headed to Chestnut Hill to take on the Boston College Eagles and former Irish quarterback Phil Jurkovec. (0:58) Jack and Cooper start with Jurkovec and why the Eagles are one of the most pass happy squads in college football. (6:37) The pair then discuss Boston College's running game and why the Irish defense is going to have no problem stopping the Eagles from getting their ground game going, as well as identifying a sleeper Boston College receiver to watch for a breakout game. (8:54) They then move onto the Irish offense, and why Louisville's defensive success against the Irish has changed defensive strategy against the Irish offense, creating opportunities for the pass game while hampering the run game. (15:49) They finish by making predictions that are more favorable for the Irish than their much maligned Clemson picks from a week ago. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: (11:18) Jack forgets there were games other than Clemson this season.

After arguably Notre Dame's biggest win since 1993, Jack and Cooper have the stats behind this momentous achievement in Notre Dame football history. (1:17) The pair breaks down Ian Book's incredible play and discuss which pass catchers stepped up to help Book play such a great game. (8:10) They then move on to the Irish rushing game and why the Irish offense could have been even more effective if Tom Rees had let Book cook just bit more. (11:34) They breakdown how the Clemson rushing game actually fared even worse than Notre Dame's, and dissect a spectacular showing from DJ Uiagalelei. (16:16) They finish up by discussing what the game means for Notre Dame's program, adjustments that need to be made going forward, and praise the Irish squad for their resilience in the face of small odds late in the game.

After months of anticipation, it is finally Clemson week in South Bend. (0:48) Your favorite duo starts by breaking down what kind of play calling they want to see and which offensive weapons will needs to have big games to be victorious. (7:40) The pair then breakdown Chris Tyree's usage in the offense, and why he is getting so much work compared to previous 5 star freshman skill players that Brian Kelly has mostly ignored. (10:04) They then focus on how the Irish defense stacks up against new quarterback DJ Uiagalelei and why Irish fans shouldn't be sure this will slow down Clemson's offense. (19:20) The crew finishes up by offering some predictions for the game and briefly discuss why this could be a win that changes perceptions of Notre Dame's program nationwide. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: (10:38) Jack makes an abysmal effort at pronouncing Uiagalelei and will henceforth be calling him DJ for everyone's benefit.

Cooper and Jack recap the final matchup for the Irish before the much awaited Clemson game. (1:19) The pair dissect Ian Book's performance and discuss whether the offense is explosive enough to hang with elite teams. (6:45) They then turn their attention to the Irish run game and discussed which wide receivers proved the most to them. (11:50) They finish up discussing Notre Dame's defensive performance and how worried Irish fans should be about the team's performance against deep passing. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT: (9:00) Cooper celebrates a perfect prediction that Avery Davis would be used to fill the void left by Braden Lenzy's injury.

It's Georgia Tech week, but before discussing the Yellow Jackets (1:26) Cooper and Jack breakdown the stats they use for these episodes and give important context for you to get the most out of the show. (7:48) They then pivot to what you need to know with the Notre Dame offense going against the Georgia Tech defense, as well as implications of Michael Mayer's emergence as an offensive focal point. They then break down Georgia Tech's offense (14:18) discussing the dangerous but turnover prone Jeff Sims who runs the show for the Yellow Jackets. EPISODE HIGHLIGHT (10:47): Cooper exposes himself as not a true analytics guy by accidentally advocating that the Irish pound the ball up the middle.

On the debut episode of Shake Down the Numbers, Cooper and Jack talk about Ian Book's breakout performance (1:50). Why you shouldn't be concerned about the rushing attack after a mediocre day (5:50). The elite defensive performance and one concern that has been showing up in recent weeks (8:50). And a discussion about some conservative coaching decisions Brian Kelly made (11:25).

Announcing a new podcast called Shake Down the Numbers! Hosts Cooper Klaus and Jack Concannon will be breaking down all things Notre Dame Football from a stats and analytics perspective. Twice a week and twenty minutes long, listen in to get all the information you need to know to be the smartest fan at the tailgate!