Notre Dame Riding High on Blitzes and Team Chemistry

but it’s no match for team chemistry and an aggressive defense. That’s what has gotten Notre Dame into the quarterfinals of the playoffs Friday against East Ridge.
   Notre Dame coach Charles Fant felt a lack of  team chemistry was keeping the Irish from reaching their true potential. So Fant took his guys to see the football spiritual film Woodlawn. 

Fant-"I think that connection really help bring that closeness. The closeness that we were missing. That Woodlawn movie really helped us with that."

Added running back Ricky Ballard-"The movie is just mainly about playing for each other. Playing for God and stuff like that. After that, we really started clicking, and we were just a team then."

    Ironically, as the Irish came together, they started tearing their opponents apart. If it were a movie, they’d call it, Dawn of the Blitz. Notre Dame’s blitzkrieg defense has allowed only six points in two playoff games.

Said Ballard-"Whenever I see coach do the signal for me to blitz, I’m just like hyped inside. Like let’s go. I’m ready to get in there."

Said linebacker Tyler Enos-"From this year to last year. Last year in the regular season I had like 13 tackles for a loss. This year, I have 33 or 34. So yeah, I love it (blitzing)."

Fant-"That’s sort of what we have been hanging our hat on. We’re causing turnovers. The defense has scored every game I think in our last three or four games.

    Fant wouldn’t mind seeing that trend continue Friday against East Ridge. The Pioneers beat the Irish earlier ths year, 14-9.

Enos-"Usually you don’t get to play a team twice, especially if you lose to them. That’s definitely exciting. A little more motivation."

Ballard-"You don’t get a lot of second chances in life. Playing East Ridge again, it’s kind of like a blessing.

  Notre Dame and East Ridge will kick at 7pm Friday at Finley Stadium.