Notre Dame’s scoring percentage inside the 20-yard doesn’t look bad.
The No. 19 Irish (6-2), who play host to Navy (6-3) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, are tied with five other teams for 24th in red-zone efficiency at 88 percent.
Notre Dame has scored on 30 of 34 drives inside an opponent’s 20-yard line, but that number can be misleading.
If only touchdowns were counted as red-zone conversions as in the NFL, Notre Dame’s efficiency drops to 56 percent.
“I think that every time you get in the red zone, your goal is to score a touchdown,” Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said. “Sometimes the right thing to do is to kick a field goal. You should be thinking a high percentage of touchdowns when you get in the red zone.
“I think percentage-wise we are not bad, but the last couple games, our production has been down. I’m counting on that to change for the better very quickly.”
In Notre Dame’s last four games, the Irish have scored touchdowns in the red zone 44.4 percent of the time (8 of 18). And twice in those four games, Notre Dame came away with no points.
The Irish did score three touchdowns in four red-zone trips against USC on Oct. 17, but they lost 34-27 when Notre Dame couldn’t get into the end zone from the 4-yard line on three plays in the final nine seconds.
Notre Dame’s touchdowns in the red zone hit a season low in a 20-16 victory over Boston College, as the Irish scored one touchdown in four trips inside the Eagles’ 20 on Oct. 24.
Notre Dame rebounded a little in last Saturday’s 40-14 win over Washington State in San Antonio, scoring two touchdowns in four red-zone trips. But the Irish still settled for two field goals inside the 20 against the Cougars.
“It’s something we work on a weekly basis and have put a concerned effort into scoring more touchdowns in the red zone,” tight end Kyle Rudolph said. “We have to eliminate unforced errors, like penalties, that seem to have kind of been an Achilles’ heel for us.
“Whenever we do get stopped, we have to look back and see how we put ourselves in a bad situation here or got knocked off track here.
“It’s just little things we need to work on.”
Notre Dame’s goal of more touchdowns inside the 20 should be aided by the return of receiver Michael Floyd this weekend.
The sophomore receiver was expected to miss the rest of the regular season when he broke his collarbone in the third week against Michigan State.
Although Floyd is more of deep threat – of his five touchdowns, only one was in the red zone this season – his presence should give the offense more room to operate inside the 20 as defenses will have to account for him on the outside.
“I think having Michael back will help us out in that area,” receiver Golden Tate said. “They can’t just play a cover-two at the goal line. They are going to have guard one of us if not both of us.”
Note: Weis said running back Armando Allen (ankle) will likely not be available Saturday, but right guard Trevor Robinson (ankle) will be available if needed. Weis said senior Eric Maust will punt in place of freshman Ben Turk.
