Game balls: These five Notre Dame players stood out Saturday in Irish over Navy
An impressive first half followed by a sketchy second half in a 35-32 win today over Navy in Baltimore, provided plenty of game ball candidates to choose from for Notre Dame.
Here are the five Irish players who most stood out at M&T Bank Stadium.
Wide receiver Braden Lenzy
The graduate posted season-highs with 5 catches and 67 yards with 1 touchdown.
Lenzy’s performance was highlighted by a 38-yard reach-around touchdown catch with a Navy defender draped all over him that gave Notre Dame a 14-0 lead. The play should stand as the Irish offensive play of the year.
Lenzy provided a boost to a Notre Dame wide receiving crew that has struggled this season.
Quarterback Drew Pyne
After seeing a production slip the previous three games before Navy, Pyne played the best game of his career — or at least the best half — against Navy, finishing 17-of-21 passing for 269 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception.
Thriving in the first half with an offensive game plan that relied heavily on the passing game, Pyne completed his first 7 passes in the game and went 14-of-16 passing for 234 yards in the first half with all 4 of his passing touchdowns and another rushing score.
Cornerback Clarence Lewis
The Irish junior closed about 35 yards of field space, raced from the far hash to the opposite sideline, and intercepted a Midshipmen pass on a trick play that was sold as a rushing reverse.
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Lewis wasn’t fooled, diagnosed the play, impressively closed on the intended receiver, and pulled in his first interception this season.
Linebacker Jack Kiser
Wanting to be a part of the Notre Dame block party, the Irish senior blocked a Navy punt in the second quarter — the seventh Irish blocked punt this season — that set up a touchdown on Notre Dame’s ensuing offensive play that gave the Irish a commanding 35-13 halftime lead.
Kiser also tied for the team-high with 8 tackles.
Wide receiver Jayden Thomas
The lanky sophomore enjoyed a solid performance with 3 receptions for a career-high 80 yards with a 37-yard touchdown that gave Notre Dame its 22-point halftime lead.
Thomas also added a 38-yard reception to average 26.7 yards on his 3 catches.
