Jack Coan's heroics overshadow McKenzie Milton return
Jack Coan’s first start at quarterback for Notre Dame was a record-setter Sunday night. He threw for 366 yards — the most in an initial start in school history — as the ninth-ranked Fighting Irish held on for a 41-38 overtime victory over Florida State.
The Irish’s win overshadowed the return to the field of Florida State quarterback McKenzie Milton, a transfer from UCF. He reintroduced himself to the nation in storybook fashion, guiding FSU to 18 points in the final 8:56 to send the game to overtime. FSU missed a field goal on the first possession of overtime — it was wide left — while the Irish’s Jonathan Doerer nailed a 41-yard game-winner.
Milton finished in the top 10 of the Heisman voting twice while playing at UCF, but he hadn’t played in a game since a devastating knee injury suffered against USF on November 23, 2018; the injury left doctors wondering first if they could save his leg and second whether he would walk again. Milton hadn’t played in 1,017 days when he came on Sunday night. He entered after starting quarterback Jordan Travis’ helmet came off. Milton came on and never came off.
Coan, a transfer from Wisconsin, was 26-of-35 and threw a career-high four touchdown passes and an interception. The Irish was expected to rely heavily on their rushing attack this season, but FSU — which was horrendous against the run last season, allowing 199.2 rushing yards per game — stifled Notre Dame on the ground. The Irish ran 35 times but for just 65 yards.
FSU crowded the box to stop the run and that aspect worked. What didn’t work was basically daring Coan to pass, which given his sporadic consistency as a passer at Wisconsin, seemed like the way to go. Instead, Coan hit screens, crossing patterns and deep balls. Tight end Michael Mayer, who dropped two key passes, scored on a 41-yard run-and-catch in the first quarter. Running back Kyren Williams scored on a 6-yard screen midway through the third period. And Coan hit wide receivers Joe Wilkins and Kevin Austin — both Florida natives playing in their home state — on passes of 23 and 37 yards for scores.
FSU, on the other hand, ran all over the Irish, finishing with 264 yards and three touchdowns on 48 carries. The Seminoles used three tailbacks, and Jashaun Corbin (144 yards, including an 89-yard TD run), Treshaun Ward (76) and Lawrance Toafili (34) combined for 32 carries for 254 yards. The Irish’s shaky defensive performance came in the first game for new coordinator Marcus Freeman, hired away from Cincinnati after Clark Lea became Vanderbilt’s coach.
FSU’s much-maligned offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, especially in the second half, but once again had trouble in pass protection. Notre Dame had five sacks, meaning FSU has surrendered 82 sacks in its past 23 games.
One positive for FSU: It had four sacks of its own, including 1.5 by Georgia transfer Jermaine Johnson. The Seminoles had just 10 sacks in nine games last season.