Notre Dame football special teams czar Marty Biagi and his 'pretty sick' bag of tricks

Notre Dame football special teams czar Marty Biagi and his ‘pretty sick’ bag of tricks

Posted by Admin January 14, 2025 Football

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SOUTH BEND — Creativity on special teams has given Notre Dame football more than its share of jolts on its march to the Jan. 20 championship game of the first 12-team College Football Playoff.

While Pro Football Focus ranks the Irish ninth in overall special-teams efficiency, three spots behind fellow CFP finalist Ohio State, that doesn’t take into account the sheer shock value coordinator Marty Biagi’s group has provided along the way.

Here’s a look at some of the more notable special-teams surprises Notre Dame has pulled through 15 games this season:

Dec. 20: Swinging gate vs. Indiana

Leading 17-3 late in the third quarter, the Irish field-goal unit shifted into the Swinging Gate formation, leaving only snapper Rino Monteforte at the line of scrimmage.

Facing fourth-and-8 from the Hoosiers’ 10-yard-line, Monteforte flung the ball out to tight end Mitchell Evans, who barreled toward the goal line. Indiana was granted a timeout just before the snap, which was fortunate for Evans, who came up short of the first-down marker.

“I was thinking it was live the whole time,” Evans said. “I didn’t hear a whistle, so we ran it, and I looked up and I was half a yard short. Thank God they called a timeout.”

Notre Dame settled for a field goal in an eventual 27-17 first-round playoff win.

“Those are always exciting, having a little trick up your sleeve,” Evans said. “Especially when you’re a part of it. You’re like, ‘OK, this is pretty sick.’ “

Notre Dame football assistant Gino Guidugli on backup QB Steve Angeli

Notre Dame football QB coach/pass game coordinator Gino Guidugli on the patience, preparedness of third-year quarterback Steve Angeli

Oct. 19: Double dose vs. Georgia Tech in Atlanta

From the moment Tyler Buchner was assigned No. 26 after returning to the football roster last summer, the potential was there for a switcheroo at holder. Sure enough, that was Buchner out there in place of usual holder Chris Salerno, the other Irish No. 26, with Notre Dame leading 28-7 in the final four minutes.

On fourth-and-4 from the Tech 26, Buchner took the snap, emerged from his crouch and scooted down the right sideline for the necessary yardage.

Earlier in the fourth quarter, leading 21-7, Notre Dame ran a fake punt on fourth-and-8 from its 46. Jeremiyah Love gained 27 yards on a reverse after a pop-pass from upback Davis Sherwood to Jayden Harrison.

The Yellow Jackets swapped out their special teams coach the following week.

Nov. 16: Illegal formation vs. Virginia

Leading Virginia 14-0 late in the first half on Senior Day, Notre Dame saw Jordan Faison’s 73-yard touchdown scamper on a fake punt wiped out by a controversial penalty for an illegal formation.

Essentially, upback Jack Kiser was deemed to have taken Joseph Vinci’s snap too directly before handing off to Faison, which changed the jersey numbering requirements for the Irish front line.

Irish coach Marcus Freeman and Biagi were irate, having previewed the oddball alignment for the ACC officiating crew in the offseason. Notre Dame converted some of that anger into 21 points over the next eight minutes of game action.

Nov. 30: Early spark at USC

Tied at 7 early in the second quarter, Buchner launched his first pass in a game in more than 14 months, dating to his only start for Alabama. This one came off a fourth-and-9 fake punt from the Irish 26.

Buchner circled back from his gunner position, took a pitch from Sherwood, the upback, then stopped and lofted a rainbow throwback to Evans for an 18-yard gain.

The drive ended with a 27-yard missed field goal, but the message had been sent to the eventual losers of a 49-35 shootout: The Irish weren’t about to play scared in the Coliseum.

Notre Dame special teams coach Marty Biagi on Mitch Jeter’s 3 field goals

Notre Dame football special teams coordinator Marty Biagi lauds the work of field-goal specialists Mitch Jeter, Chris Salerno and Rino Monteforte

Jan. 2: Speed swap vs. Georgia

Up 23-10 midway through the fourth quarter of the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal, Notre Dame brought its punt team out on fourth-and-1 from the Irish 18. With the 40-second play clock ticking down, the offense rushed back out, hockey line-change style, forcing the Bulldogs to scramble with their personnel.

While Georgia didn’t panic, it did jump offsides during Riley Leonard’s hand-clap maneuvers. Given a fresh set of downs, Notre Dame proceeded to drain most of the remaining clock.

“If we’re doing something that controversial or big, we practice it so many times,” running back Jadarian Price said. “J-Love was the one who went in most of the time when we practiced it, but he got chipped up, so it was my turn. I had a couple of reps practicing it as well; I had to know every detail.”

Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.