Notre Dame vs BYU: Confidences & Concerns
After a tumultuous and stressful first month of the Marcus Freeman Era, it feels like the bye week was a much needed and welcomed chance for everybody around the Notre Dame program. Players, coaches and fans alike were able to sit back, take a breath and just slow things down for a moment.
As we emerge from the break and focus on the Irish’s Shamrock Series game versus BYU in Las Vegas this weekend, a tremendous opportunity presents itself to Notre Dame. The chance to knock off the 16th ranked team in the country and show that early early September was a mirage and not who the Irish are.
n this regard, what happens in Vegas most definitely does not stay in Vegas. The Irish can take the proverbial “next step” in forming their early Freeman Era identity by notching a ranked win in primetime this Saturday. Let’s take a look at three confidences and three concerns I have pertaining to the Irish entering this affair.
Confidence: The Power Run Game
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Notre Dame has found something to lean on in the running game over the last couple tilts. Coming off a bye week with fresh legs and an extra week to work out some kinks, I expect Notre Dame to be able to continue to utilize all 3 versatile backs [autotag]Chris Tyree[/autotag], [autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag] and [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] in both the run and pass game this week.
Aside from the fact that Notre Dame seems to have found its stride regarding the running game, this is also an area BYU has struggled in. Teams such as Wyoming and Utah State who lack Notre Dame’s pure bulk and star power have piled up rushing yards to the tune of at or around 100 yards eclipsed in the first quarter and near 200 overall in said games. I expect this trend to continue and for the Irish to try to exert their will up front with success all night.
Confidence: Drew Pyne Settling In
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No, he isn’t C.J. Stroud, the next Trevor Lawrence or even the current young Drake Maye physically, but after a rough start through less than ideal circumstances beyond his control such as injury and poor Offensive Line play early, the game is starting to slow down for [autotag]Drew Pyne[/autotag] and he’s settling in nicely.
All Notre Dame can ask of him is to continue to play how he did against North Carolina. Protect the ball, distribute, make good decisions and deliver on a few key throws and scrambles. With an extra week of practice I think he will look even more comfortable running the show, in Las Vegas of all places. How appropriate. If he plays the best he can within himself again, Notre Dame is in stable hands this week.
Confidence: The Defensive Unit Overall
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It’s no secret that the Notre Dame defense has been and still is the undisputed backbone of the program over the last 5 years in which the Irish have notched 10 or more wins in each campaign. While they haven’t been full on lights out this year and the turnover and havoc rates aren’t what anyone hoped, this unit is on the rise and is much closer to elite than the offense is and certainly aren’t the primary cause of the Irish’s pair of September stumbles.
I expect this group to tighten things up out of the bye. Coverage became sloppy late in North Carolina and the linebacking core still lacks production at anywhere near the level most, including themselves expected. Unlike some of the offensive issues, much of the defensive improvements needed are mental items that can hopefully be quickly rectified and the extra week should have certainly aided in this effort.
Concern: Bye Week Risk
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While Notre Dame fans’ blood pressure levels benefited from the bye week and it was much appreciated, there is some risk on the back end. This is Marcus Freeman’s first bye experience at the helm, facing a top 20 team, in a unique venue, after 2 weeks off. This kind of dynamic can turn on you fast if the bye wasn’t managed properly.
Were the bye practice sessions too physical? Not physical enough? Are the players’ minds laser focused after a week off? We’ll soon find out. While I tend to think the Irish will come ready to play, it’s worth noting that bye prep is unique and sometimes teams emerge flat. Notre Dame must avoid this at all costs. This is definitely something to monitor, especially early in the ballgame.
Concern: The Passing Game
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While the Irish feel justifiably more confident and comfortable with their running game than they did after the first two games of the year, the passing game very much still remains a work in progress. The success Notre Dame enjoyed with the short passing game at North Carolina was a welcomed improvement. That being said, it needs to be a starting point, not an end point.
Not only do more players need to get in the mix and execute when given the chance, but the actual route trees need to expand into some creative mid to mid deep formations to keep defenses honest. The bye week should have presented the perfect opportunity to find more ways to stretch the field. Did it?
Concern: BYU's Passing Attack
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What BYU is best at is letting their talented quarterback Jaren Hall throw the ball all over the yard which he is very adept at doing . Hall is currently completing passes at a 70% clip, has already amassed almost 1500 yards through the air and is currently the nation’s 13th most accurate deep ball tosser. As previously mentioned, Notre Dame got a bit loose on the back end in their last ballgame. Just like Drake Maye, Hall has the ability to make the Irish pay for any mental coverage lapses.
This is an item that would be on every teams’ list of things to “clean up” on the bye, but given that this aspect of the game is what BYU is best at, the significance of this particular matchup is magnified. While I feel very good about the Notre Dame defense overall, this is one aspect that garners a careful eye throughout the night.
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