The Notre Dame defense has had a really poor transition so far under new defensive coordinator Chris Ash through two games against the Miami Hurricanes and Texas A&M Aggies. That unit is allowing 34 points per game, 413.5 total yards per game, and 282.5 yards through the air. This is especially troubling with the elite group we saw the last two seasons under Al Golden. 

During head coach Marcus Freeman’s press conference on Monday, he spoke about the defensive problems. According to Freeman, this isn’t a schematic issue, but an execution one. I tend to believe that when veteran players are starting to regress and you’re claiming that the defensive scheme is the same, then there is a coaching question, but I digress. 

He spoke in depth about needing to reevaluate what the Irish staff was asking certain players to do, and either make some changes or address those issues more thoroughly in practice. That includes some younger players who may have to find different roles that better fit their skill sets. 

Translation: There are some changes coming for the Notre Dame defense on the horizon. I expect the secondary to be the first place that some changes are going to be made, whether those decisions are right or wrong. We will see whether the decisions pay off or not in the end. 

When projecting changes, this is not an Intel piece from me. I do expect changes to happen based on conversations I’ve had, but what those changes are is mostly speculation. Here is what I would keep a close eye on. 

Potential changes to watch 

One of the first potential secondary changes I wouldn’t be shocked about is to reevaluate the safety position opposite of Adon Shuler. With Shuler being out for the first half against Purdue due to a targeting call from this past game, I wouldn’t expect to see immediate changes, but more for the long term. 

It is no secret that former Virginia Tech transfer Jalen Stroman had a ton of struggles during the game against Texas A&M. On the flip side, redshirt freshman Tae Johnson had some flash plays both on defense and special teams. I expect Johnson to out-snap Stroman in the somewhat near future, and wouldn’t be surprised if Luke Talich got more burn than him as well. 

At nickel, one change I would keep an eye on is true freshman Dallas Golden getting some opportunities inside. Former Alabama transfer DeVonta Smith will be the starter in the slot, and he is expected to be back for the Irish this weekend due to injury. It will be interesting to see if they do make this move, how quickly Golden gets up to speed. 

If that change does happen, don’t be surprised if sophomore Karson Hobbs moves outside to create some depth there. I do believe that Hobbs fits better on the outside, and he would create some much-needed insurance behind Leonard Moore and Christian Gray. If either gets injured, you are throwing a true freshman out there, and that’s not a position you want to be in. 

Perhaps the staff takes some accountability and tailors the scheme to fit the talent better, but I don’t expect that to happen, at least not now. If whatever changes happen on the horizon, an even bigger target will be on Ash’s back. This will be a make-or-break stretch for him over the next few weeks.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish News

Notre Dame football has an easy decision to help fix their abysmal defense that is blatantly obvious even with early struggles

The Notre Dame defense needs to get a lot better under defensive coordinator Chris Ash. There is one clear answer that the Irish need to utilize.

Ryan Roberts