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SOUTH BEND, Ind. ? Notre Dame figured it had a plan that could create a sliver of space in Michigan State's kickoff return coverage. It also figured it needed a player fast enough to expose said sliver. ...

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7:51 a.m. CDT, September 18, 2011SOUTH BEND, Ind. ? Notre Dame figured it had a plan that could create a sliver of space in Michigan State's kickoff return coverage. It also figured it needed a player fast enough to expose said sliver. So it inserted freshman George Atkinson III on the return team.

The Irish figured right. Atkinson III broke loose for an 89-yard kickoff return for a score in the first quarter of a 31-13 defeat of Michigan State on Saturday, the first Notre Dame freshman to post a kickoff return touchdown since Raghib "Rocket" Ismail returned two against Rice in 1988.

"I saw a crease, and all of a sudden?the blocks were well placed ? I hit it as fast as I could," Atkinson III said. "I saw the kicker in front of me, and I couldn't let him get me, so I just started running faster."

XAneurysm Notre Dame executed what Spartans coach Mark Dantonio labeled an "ambush" block on the play, a player coming from the far sideline to set a block, and that player "pinballed" the Michigan State coverage guy into the Michigan State contain guy.

Atkinson III averaged a more pedestrian 17.7 yards on his other three kickoff returns. But the Irish only needed the one big play to build an early 11-point lead and some momentum.

"We felt like we had an opportunity to create a very small seam," Irish coach Brian Kelly said. "It was going to open and close, (we were) going to have one shot at it. And you gotta beat it with speed.

"That's what prompted us to go with George, because we felt if we could get him a sliver he was going to be able to make a big play. And certainly that's what occurred."

Family matters: The Irish defense acquitted itself well Saturday down a starter, as sophomore Prince Shembo missed the game while attending to a family emergency. In a statement, Notre Dame said it was unclear when the linebacker would return to the team. Irish Illustrated reported that Shembo's father suffered a brain aneurysm Friday.

Kelly didn't elaborate on the subject after the game. With Shembo's backup, Danny Spond, already sidelined with a hamstring injury, the Irish turned to freshman Troy Niklas to start and veteran Steve Filer to back him up.

"Did a very good job," Kelly said of Niklas, who finished with three tackles but fell while in pass coverage to lead to Michigan State's lone touchdown. "He's a very confident kid. And we needed Steve, and Steve came through for us as well."

Totally fresh: A week after Aaron Lynch spent the entire Michigan game languishing on the bench, the freshman defensive end showed why he maybe shouldn?t have spent the entire Michigan game languishing on the bench.

At minimum, Lynch reaffirmed his uncommon ability to rush the passer, finishing with five tackles against Michigan State that included a sack of Kirk Cousins in the first quarter that forced a key fumble ? right after the Irish had fumbled it away on the previous series.

"I saw what I expected to see," Irish defensive end Ethan Johnson said. "He's a very athletic player, he pays hard when he gets in there. He had some success and it was great to see."

Said Kelly: "We were able to pin our ears back and Aaron is, you know, an outstanding pass rusher. He showed that today. If he didn't get to the quarterback, he got held."

Spread wealth: Michael Floyd had 25 catches in Notre Dame's first two games. He had six on Saturday, including his 200th career grab, with Kelly saying Michigan State endeavored to make it difficult to get Floyd the ball.

So Tommy Rees moved that ball around, with the Irish quarterback hitting tailback Cierre Wood for six passes, receiver TJ Jones for three (and a touchdown) and tight end Tyler Eifert for two key grabs on the drive to a second-half touchdown that created a gaping 18-point hole for Michigan State.

"We've always had chemistry," said Rees, who threw for a modest 161 yards with one touchdown and one interception. "I was telling everyone in there, even the running backs, they did awesome, getting themselves open and making good options for us."

Mistake-prone: Rees did make another two mistakes on Saturday, though the Irish were able to overcome them. He was walloped on his blindside by Michigan State's Kevin Pickelman and fumbled on the Irish's second possession and then completely missed a defender in coverage and tossed an interception on the third series.

"He knew he made a mistake," Kelly said. "They had an alert player that drops down off their fire zone. He knew right when he did it.

Tribune, I know things are kind of strange over there, but when the editors let you put in "Lynch shine" somebody is dropping the ball. I guess it's no surprise the trib is going to be extinct soon.

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