SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Ian E-book ran for 3 first-half touchdowns and No. 7 Notre Dame received its 20th straight house sport 52-Zero towards South Florida on Saturday.

Coach Brian Kelly’s Combating Irish (2-0) led 35-Zero at halftime and for the second 12 months in a row posted a 52-point shutout for defensive coordinator Clark Lea.

”We talked all week about the usual we had set for our soccer crew, and it is actually only a mindset for our offense,” Kelly stated. ”It was some extent of emphasis and we bought off to that quick begin and clearly that set the tone for the day.”

E-book, who began with three straight completions, capped the opening drive with a 4-yard landing run. He’s the primary quarterback in Notre Dame’s trendy period to run for 3 touchdowns in a single half. He added 143 yards on 12-of-19 passing earlier than exiting with 2:21 left within the third quarter as freshman Drew Pyne took over.

”Ian was higher at this time – he managed the issues we wished him to do,” Kelly stated. ”He led the crew to the quick begin we wished. He was tuned in and had an ideal week of apply. I appreciated his calmness within the pocket.”

Freshman Chris Tyree scored from a yard out about 5 minutes after E-book’s first TD. It by no means bought higher for the first-year coach Jeff Scott’s Bulls (1-1), who had been a late add to Notre Dame’s schedule after the Irish joined the Atlantic Coast Convention for this off season in a pandemic.

”They have a playoff-caliber crew they usually actually dominated the sport from the start to the top,” stated Scott, a former co-offensive coordinator for Dabo Swinney at Clemson. ”I felt like I used to be taking part in Clemson there for almost all of the day.”

Reserve C’Bo Flemister ran for a career-best 127 yards for Notre Dame because the Irish unfold the touches round between starter Kyren Williams (62 yards on 10 carries) and Tyree (65 on eight). The Irish completed with 281 speeding yards and 429 complete yards.

Jafar Armstrong added a 5-yard TD run to shut out the scoring for the Irish.

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In the meantime, the Irish protection restricted USF to 65 yards within the first half and 231 complete whereas breaking in three new starters. A complete of 9 gamers missed the sport with security Kyle Hamilton’s ankle harm and large receiver Ben Skowronek (hamstring) out with accidents. Notre Dame didn’t disclose the explanations the opposite eight didn’t play.

The Irish particular groups bought into the act within the third quarter with the assistance of a excessive snap over the top of USF punter Trent Schneider. When the Australian picked it up 36 yards behind the road of scrimmage, Osita Ekwonu blocked Schneider’s kick and freshman Jordan Botelho recovered the ball because it was going into the top zone for a 45-Zero lead with 3:23 left within the third quarter.

The Irish beat Bowling Inexperienced 52-Zero final season.

THE TAKEAWAY

South Florida: The Bulls could not muster something on offense in offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.’s homecoming of kinds. The son of the previous Notre Dame coach, who was changed by Brian Kelly, used two quarterbacks within the first half. USF began Jordan McCloud and changed him with Noah Johnson however Weis bought little from both. Even large receiver Jah’Quez Evans lined as much as take a snap on a fourth-down pretend punt that misplaced 9 yards when Irish defensive finish Isaiah Foskey sniffed the play out.

”From our facet, clearly it was a really disappointing from the primary drive all through the sport,” Scott stated. ”We’re not going to make any excuses.”

Notre Dame: The Irish had touchdowns on 5 of their six possessions within the first half, whereas outgaining USF 279-65 within the first half. With E-book sitting out the second half and with the opposite gamers lacking for numerous causes, Kelly appreciated what he noticed.

”We stay on this world proper now and also you by no means are ready for it however conscious of it and know it could actually occur,” Kelly stated. ”Our gamers responded properly and so did our coaches.”

AMONG THE MISSING

Cornerback TaRiq Bracy and linebackers Marist Liufau and Shayne Simon, who shared the Buck place, had been additionally out for Notre Dame.

Jack Kiser, a former highschool quarterback and linebacker at close by Pioneer Excessive Faculty in Royal Heart, Indiana, bought the beginning and freshman Clarence Lewis began in Bracy’s place. Kiser had 9 solo tackles and was given the sport ball.

Additionally lacking with no rationalization had been No. 2 quarterback Brendon Clark, large receiver-punt returner Lawrence Keys III, working again Jahmir Smith and defensive lineman Ovie Oghoufo.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

The Irish, who rose to seventh in final week’s Related Press High 25, ought to be about the identical this week.

UP NEXT

South Florida visits Florida Atlantic on Saturday to play former coach Willie Taggert (2013-16) and the Owls, who’ve but to play a sport due to a COVID-19-related postponement.

Notre Dame returns to ACC motion Saturday at Wake Forest.

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