Book throws for three TDs as Notre Dame routs Pitt.
PITTSBURGH – Brian Kelly understands human nature. And the longtime Notre Dame coach is fine if his players are looking forward to a showdown with top-ranked Clemson in two weeks, provided they play like a team capable of hanging with the Tigers in the interim.
“We have to elevate our play if we have any chance to get to our goal, which is to win a championship,” Kelly said. Consider the message received.
Ian Book passed for 312 yards and three touchdowns — two of them long catchand-runs to graduate transfer Ben Skowronek— and the Fighting Irish rolled past Pittsburgh 45-3 on Saturday.
A week after scuffling its way past Louisville, No. 3 Notre Dame (5-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) had no such issues while handling the Panthers (3-4, 2-4) their fourth consecutive loss. Book hit Skowronek for a 34-yard score on Fighting Irish’s first possession and Pitt — playing without injured senior quarterback Kenny Pickett for a second straightweek— simply could not keep up.
Skowronek, a transfer from Northwestern, has developed a close relationship with Book since arriving on campus. He could see Book was frustrated after the sluggish performance against the Cardinals. Book responded by moving past Jimmy Clausen and current offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and into second place on the school’s career touchdown pass list (63) behind Brady Quinn (95).
“It paid off for him,” Skowronek said of Book. “He had a hell of a game he’s a hell of a football player and he’s a winner.”
He had plenty of help.
Notre Dame’s massive offensive line held its own against one of the nation’s best pass-rushing teams and when Book had time, he had no trouble finding teammates open downfield. Book averaged 19.5 yards per completion and often had to do little more than flip the ball up and let his playmakers do the rest. He connected with Skowronek for a 73-yard score in the second quarter, with the 6-foot-3 Skowronek doing most of the work as he outjumped5-9Pitt defensive backMarquis Williams for the ball then sprinted to the end zone to make it 14-3.
The Fighting Irish effectively ended any hope Pitt — which has developed a reputation in recent years of being the occasional giant killer — might have had late in the second quarter. Linebacker Bo Bauer’s first career interception set up a Kyren Williams 2-yard touchdown run that pushed it to 21-3 with 1 minute, 29 seconds left in the first half. Three Pitt plays went nowhere, and Irish sophomore defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey raced in untouched to block Kirk Christodoulou’s punt. Foskey chased the ball into the end zone and picked it up to put things out of reach at 28-3.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi called Notre Dame “as good a team we saw on the football field in six years.”
“I thought we’d stack up better,” Narduzzi said.
Not so much.
Freshman quarterback Joey Yellen struggled in his second start in place of Pickett. Yellen, who playedwell in a loss to Miami last week, completed just 10 of 21 passes for 107 yards and three interceptions before being pulled in the third quarter in favor ofDavisBeville. Beville last just one series beforeNick Patti came on in the fourth.
Book used his legs when necessary— he ran for 40 yards before being taken out late in the third quarter with the game well in hand — and avoided mistakes. If he can do it again on the road at Georgia Tech next week, a potential Game of the Year with Clemson looms.