How Notre Dame is approaching Ohio State game: 'We kind of know what we are'
Ahead of the team’s meeting with Ohio State Saturday night, Al Golden sees a “good challenge” for his defense.
Whether it’s preparing for Ohio State wide receivers the Notre Dame defensive coordinator calls “as good of any group we’ve seen,” an offensive line with strength on the inside and length on the outside or a running backs group filled with “talented guys,” Golden said this is what Ohio State has been known for under coach Ryan Day.
“(Day) does a great job,” Golden said Tuesday. “So much respect for Ryan and the coach that he is. Just multiple looks, multiple groupings, tempos. He really has it all, and the ability to control it from the sideline, and then the experience to go with it. It’s what makes it formidable, and it’s a challenge for us.”
But with four games under his defense’s belt, Golden said this next matchup against the Buckeyes feels different than their meeting to open the 2022 season.
“I still think there are some unknowns with both teams because it is the first quarter of the season,” Golden said. “But we kind of know what we are as a defense and what we need to improve on, what we need to fix and, obviously, how we need to attack them based on what they have done and who they might be on Saturday night.”
Last season in a 21-10 loss to Ohio State, the Fighting Irish defense allowed C.J. Stroud touchdown passes to Emeka Egbuka and Xavier Johnson and a 2-yard score by Miyan Williams, while giving up 395 total yards and 22 first downs.
Through four wins against Navy, Tennessee State, North Carolina State and Central Michigan, Notre Dame has allowed an average of 234.3 yards per game and 3.8 yards per play.
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Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart said he understands what Ohio State does well schematically, but that this game feels different solely based on placement in the schedule.
“We had all summer to get prepared for them and so much focus (was) on them all summer,” Hart said of the 2022 game. “Now that it’s in the middle of the season, we understand the type of team we are working with right now in ourselves and the things that we do well, the things we don’t do well. We understand now that there is so much more football after this game. Obviously a lot of people are putting a lot of emphasis on this game, as expected. But there is so much more football to be played.”
Notre Dame offense on facing Ohio State: 'We don't do anything different'
The same mentality applies for Gerad Parker and Notre Dame’s offense.
After working as the Fighting Irish’s tight ends coach for the season opener in 2022, Parker, now the team’s offensive coordinator, said there is more stress heading into this year’s game, but he is not changing any preparation for his players.
“This is the beauty of high expectations at a place like this: We don’t do anything different,” Parker said. “If we have to do something different next week or the week after or week after, that means we didn’t do our jobs properly.”
Through four games, quarterback Sam Hartman and Notre Dame have averaged 508.8 yards per game and 8.3 yards per play. The Fighting Irish have not scored less than 40 points in a game this season.
Against Ohio State in 2022, Notre Dame recorded 12 first downs and 253 yards of offense. Running back Audric Estime recorded the team’s only touchdown with a 1-yard score.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How Notre Dame is approaching Ohio State game in 2023 season
