In this Sept. 16 file photo, Notre Dame’s Josh Adams (33) breaks away from Boston College defenders during the first half of a game in Boston. The Irish are ranked No. 7 in the country in rushing at 293.5 yards per game and third nationally with 6.83 yards per carry. The offensive line has paved the way ever since a Sept. 9 loss to Georgia. Notre Dame hosts Miami of Ohio on Saturday. AP NEWSWIRE
Good thing. Otherwise Miami (Ohio) coach Chuck Martin might just follow Brian Kelly, his former boss at Grand Valley State and Notre Dame, back into the Irish locker room by mistake.
“I’m almost 50 and I’ve never not rooted for Notre Dame in my life,” said Martin, whose RedHawks (2-2) visit No. 22 Notre Dame (3-1) this weekend. “But Saturday at 5 o’clock I’ll be rooting against Notre Dame. That will be a bit awkward for me.”
Kelly handed Martin the keys at Grand Valley State after the 2003 season to begin the two-stop (Central Michigan and Cincinnati) journey that eventually brought him to South Bend in 2010. There he was reunited with Martin, who went 74-7 with two NCAA Division II titles at Grand Valley.
Martin spent four years on both sides of the ball with the Irish before leaving to rebuild the RedHawks, whose “Cradle of Coaches” tradition includes the late Ara Parseghian, who coached at both schools.
“Chuck and I are not going to be playing the game,” Kelly said. “I know how he is going to prepare his football team. He knows how I’ll prepare my football team.”
The RedHawks, who started Martin’s third season 0-6 before winning their final six to become bowl eligible in 2016, might very well be 4-0 if not for heartbreaking defeats at Marshall (31-26) and against Cincinnati (21-17). Notre Dame’s lone setback was a 20-19 home loss in Week Two to now No. 7 Georgia.
Junior quarterback Gus Ragland, who started Miami’s final six regular-season games and threw for over 1,500 yards, 17 touchdowns with just one interception, has thrown for 881 yards and eight TDs already with just two interceptions.
“He’s a smart kid, can run the ball, is athletic and I think he makes a lot of good decisions,” Notre Dame linebacker Greer Martini said of Ragland.
Martini could easily have said the same about his quarterback, Brandon Wimbush, who already has rushed for 366 yards and seven TDs and thrown for 663 yards and 3 scores.
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