The weight of expectation for the Irish coming into the new season, especially as those around the nation now recognize them as national championship finalists, has been heavy. People expect Notre Dame to win, expect them to play well, expect them to dominate. Most importantly, they expect Notre Dame to make it to the College Football Playoff and contend for a championship as they did a year ago. Is that going to be feasible after starting the season 0-2?
Offense
Since the announcement of the new starting quarterback, freshman CJ Carr, many have been skeptical about what the offense would look like. It has performed well, but does not have the same identity as when it was anchored by former quarterback Riley Leonard. Between the opening game against Miami and his second outing against the Aggies, Carr has proved his place on the field. In week one, head coach Marcus Freeman and his staff put faith in the young quarterback. Despite the narrow loss, it paid off. Carr threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns. Two weeks later, propped up by an improved offensive line performance, he utilized his arm talent to lead a 40-point Irish performance. While many still ask questions about the offense, Carr has silenced his doubters.
Junior running back Jeremiyah Love heaped high praise on his new quarterback.
“I see a lot of greatness in CJ,” Love said. “CJ is one of the greatest quarterbacks in college football.”
Additionally, quarterback coach and pass game coordinator Gino Guidugli expressed his content with Carr’s performance in a post-practice press conference.
“He’s done a great job for us,” he said.
The biggest lesson for the young quarterback is to continue relying on the experienced players around him, especially Love, whose 23 carries for 94 yards helped unlock the passing attack last Saturday.
Defense
On the other side of the ball, there is no doubt that defense was one of the biggest parts of Notre Dame football in 2024. Only a year later, however, the group has fallen short from the first snap of week one onward. The Irish left holes that allowed Miami to put up 27 points in the season opener. Texas A&M’s offense had even more success, as quarterback Marcel Reed tallied 360 yards and two touchdown passes to help his Aggies score 41. Why did this happen? Consistently letting the opposing team’s receivers run free, failing to pressure the quarterback and, overall, failing to dictate the game against both the Miami and Texas A&M offenses. Many turn to the new defensive coordinator, Chris Ash, as the man to blame.
“His experience both in the NFL and as a head coach are valuable assets he can bring to our program,” Freeman said of Ash. “Chris has a great reputation of being a coach who builds strong relationships, while simultaneously developing his players, and that makes him a great fit for this role.”
This quote alone raises a lot of questions in regards to the new coach. How is he failing to do his job in spite of this experience? What relationships is he forming with his new players? What development are we seeing? These are all very valid questions for people to ask.
The defense will need to come up with answers to overcome Purdue this coming weekend. It starts with putting pressure on the quarterback. More havoc plays are a necessity, from fumbles and sacks to more interceptions. None are possible without pressure.
“We have to play better,” Freeman said.
He will no doubt aim to make that happen if the team wants not only to win on Saturday, but also make the College Football Playoff once again.
Many of these questions will hopefully be answered in the upcoming game against Purdue. While the Boilermakers come into this game 2-1, the talent disparity between the teams is stark. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 20.
