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Last updated: November 7, 2009 4:19 p.m.

Navy leads, Notre Dame seeing red

Tony Krausz
The Journal Gazette

The second quarter didn't start any better than the first quarter for Notre Dame against Navy.

Midshipmen fullback Vince Murray went up the middle on the first play of the quarter for a 25-yard touchdown and 14-0 lead four seconds into the second.

Navy had a chance to add to its lead with 3 seconds to play in the first half, but kicker Joe Buckley missed a 30-yard field goal attempt.

Notre Dame moved the ball to Navy's 3, but failed to score on its first drive of the second quarter. The Irish ran six plays in the Midshipmen's red zone on the drive and couldn't score on any of them.

The Irish didn't just lose the ball on fourth-and-goal from the 3, they also lost running Robert Hughes.

Hughes, who started in place of Armando Allen, walked off the field with 8:11 to play in the first half.

Notre Dame did have one good thing happen as the defense forced Navy to go three-and-out after giving the Midshipmen the ball on the 3.

But the Irish did little with their good field position after a John Goodman 13-yard punt return to the Midshipmen's 45.

Notre Dame got to the 8-yard line before a penalty moved it back to the 13, and the Irish failed to score when kicker Nick Tausch missed a field goal.

The freshman has missed two field goals today.

Analysis

Notre Dame is missing tackling assignments on defense, and the offense can't get it together in the red zone.

If you want a recipe to lose to Navy this is it.

The Irish have to get points on every possession because they will get so few against the Midshipmen.

When Hughes went to the locker room with just more than 8 minutes to play in the first half, Notre Dame was essentially left with freshman Theo Riddick to carry the ball.

Riddick did well gaining 35 yards in the second quarter.

Notre Dame needs more defensive stands like it had on Navy's second to last possession of the first half. The Irish locked down what the Midshipmen were trying to get a three-and-out.

But the offense has to get points after the defense makes a stop.

The Journal Gazette's Assistant Sports Editor Tony Krausz covers The University of Notre Dame. Krausz, a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and a native of St. Louis, has been assistant sports editor since October 2005. Prior to joining the JG, he worked at two papers in Mississippi covering high school and college athletics.