Notre Dame offseason acquisition turns in a dud performance during the Fighting Irish season opening loss to the Miami Hurricanes
A Notre Dame offseason addition gets off to a less than optimal start
Under former defensive coordinator Al Golden, Notre Dame football morphed into one of the elite defenses in college football during the last two seasons. For Fighting Irish fans who remember, things weren’t always sunshine and rainbows with Golden. After a bit of an up and down first season in 2022, there was a big portion of the fan base that wouldn’t have been upset if Golden was a one-and-done with the blue and gold.
Luckily for those fans, head coach Marcus Freeman didn’t overreact to some early struggles. Just two years later, Golden cemented himself as one of the best coordinator hires that we have seen by Notre Dame. When he left for the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason, it left a massive void on the defensive side of the football.
Just like the Golden hire, Freeman opted for an unconventional route, hiring former Rutgers head coach and Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash. Once considered a top defensive coordinator in college football, Ash has had an odd journey back to the college level. There were parts of his resume that gave Irish fans optimism, but there were also some major question marks. Nobody has a good gauge for what to fully expect.
It is only one game, but the Ash era of defensive football is not off to a great start. During Notre Dame’s 27-24 loss to the Miami Hurricanes on Sunday night, Irish fans were left scratching their heads and wondering where this defense is heading. It was a different unit from the one we have all become accustomed to, and that included some unsettling issues. There was a general lack of cohesiveness.
When you look at the box score, you will see 27 points surrendered and 324 total yards allowed. In a vacuum, those numbers, especially the yardage, aren’t terrible. Unfortunately, the box score does not tell the full story. There were major flaws with this defensive attack, both in the run and pass game.
Miami rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries, an average of 3.1 yards per carry. Those numbers aren’t bad on paper, but the Miami offensive line pushed the defense around way too often on Sunday night. The running backs all ran hard, and the Irish allowed way too many yards after contact. The Hurricanes got the tough yards they needed in the biggest moments.
The biggest issue with Ash’s defense, however, came in the passing game. Notre Dame barely got any pressure on Miami quarterback Carson Beck, failing to put him into enough compromising positions. Beck was comfortable behind center, and the Irish defense didn’t force him into severe mistakes. In a lot of ways, that was the key to this football game and how the Hurricanes came out on top.
For having such a talented secondary, it didn’t feel like Ash trusted them. Notre Dame played a lot of soft coverage, allowing Miami way too many easy completions. Heading into the game, it felt like the Irish secondary had the easy advantage in the matchup, but they certainly didn’t play like it. Ash’s approach was passive, and it ultimately didn’t pay off.
It is only the first game of the season, but Ash inherited a Notre Dame defense with a ton of talent. Most expected him to steer the ship of difference makers early on and continue the success we have seen. Clearly, that didn’t happen, and now the questions surrounding Ash will continue.
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