Notre Dame Football: Jay Bramblett was Unsung Hero vs. Georgia

Notre Dame punter Jay Bramblett was key to keeping the Irish in the game against Georgia.

The much anticipated wait for this game has come and gone. The outcome wasn’t what any Irish fan wanted, with Georgia winning 23-17, but it also was a possible wake up call for some Notre Dame haters.

The Irish had a chance to win the game with the ball in their hands at the end but just couldn’t get it done. I don’t think anyone expected that to be a possibility. No one even expected the Irish to be in this game. But here we are, knowing that if Notre Dame didn’t have the mistakes they created themselves and penalties that happened, the Irish could have and should have won that game on the road.

One thing that was mentioned a ton during the Spring and Fall was about special teams catching up to the Irish in a few games this season, especially on the road, because of the youth and inexperience. That’s one thing that has not disappointed through three game so far.

A big reason Notre Dame went toe-to-toe with Georgia is because of field position and a lack of monumental mistakes. Punting seemed to be a big concern going into the season. Instead, it has been one of the strengths of this team to date.

On that note, the unsung hero against Georgia was punter Jay Bramblett.

Going into one of the most hostile environments in college football, the true freshman was as poised as you can be and did exactly what some didn’t expect him to do — punt the ball with confidence and authority.

Throughout the game, he never put Notre Dame in bad situations and field position was extremely big for the Irish in this game. Bramblett had four punts and averaged 47.5 yards per punt. He also had a long of 58 yards.

Bramblett has yet to show any signs of shakiness and his confidence is full steam ahead, which I don’t expect to change moving forward. He’s the real deal and it’s a huge relief for the special teams unit and fans. Normally, punters only get noticed for doing something bad like shanking a punt, but Bramblett absolutely deserves the positive recognition. He has been more than we all had hoped for and he’s only going to improve as the season moves on.

In the end, it doesn’t change the fact that Notre Dame is now 2-1 and will have another big challenge on Saturday against No. 18 Virginia. Special teams will most likely be another major part of that game, and I expect Bramblett to come out and do his job Saturday afternoon — continuing his season on the right foot.