Grades: Notre Dame Defensive Line vs. Bowling Green

Notre Dame’s defensive line played well against Bowling Green, but it wasn’t as disruptive or as dominant as it was against Virginia.

Bowling Green allowed just four sacks in its first four games, and the Irish were only able to muster two sacks on over 30 drop backs. The defensive line played well against the run, getting a good push and keeping run lanes tight, but the unit combined for just 4.5 tackles for loss.

The front came up big in key situations, including a 4th-and-inches stop in the second quarter and applying pressure in other situations when the Bowling Green offense had actually threatened Irish territory.

Overall it was a quality performance, but the lack of a fast pass rush and to make plays in the backfield were areas where the line was graded down. There were also contain issues that came up on quarterback scrambles and read zone concepts.

This play it was end Jamir Jones who lost contain, but he wasn’t alone. Notre Dame’s front wasn’t able to arrive at the quarterback as frequently as I expected it would. The line got just three hits on the quarterback, which tied for the lowest among FBS teams against Bowling Green this season.

The interior of the line didn't produce a consistent pass rush in the game, which on base downs was problem with the defensive tackles, but the same thing was true on third-down when the Irish went to their nickel package.

DEFENSIVE END

#42 Julian Okwara (38 snaps) - 3 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack

Okwara was the most disruptive of the veteran ends, finishing with two tackles for loss and a sack. The senior was effective against the run, setting the edge with force and showing good pursuit. There was a snap where Okwara seemed to jump outside instead of playing the quarterback run, but other than that he was in good position.

Okwara had the most good pass rushes in the game, which is why he graded out highest among the ends. He only had one sack and missed a chance for at least one more hit on the quarterback, but his pressures came in important moments.

This was Bowling Green’s first threatening series, but Okwara ended it with this pressure, which resulted in an intentional grounding that knocked the offense out of field goal range. Okwara ended another drive with a blocked field goal that helped seal the team’s first shutout in five seasons. Okwara Grade: B

#53 Khalid Kareem (39 snaps) - 2 tackles

Kareem’s performance can only be described as solid. He didn’t make many plays, but he was physical against the run and didn’t have any glaring mistakes outside of one pass where he lost contain in the flats. You’d want a player of his talent to be more impactful, but Kareem was at least able to do his job on his 39 snaps. He graded out the highest when it came to setting the edge with force in the run game. Kareem Grade: B-

#91 Ade Ogundeji (22 snaps) - 2 tackles

The senior end was not at his best against Bowling Green. His strength helped set the edge effectively, but Ogundeji had contain issues on a number of snaps and he didn’t get off blocks with enough consistency. When he drove off the ball he was able to get a good push, but his contain issues, lack of a pass rush and inconsistency drags his grade down. Ogundeji Grade: C

#44 Jamir Jones (32 snaps) - 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack

Jones had a few contain issues himself, but he made up for it by playing with a good motor and making plays in the backfield. He was able to get an early pressure against an eight-man protection because the Falcons turned him loose and tried to block him with a back, which didn’t work. Jones showed a good burst off the edge but when he got in space he had issues. He had an impressive coverage drop where he jumped under a quick route, forcing a throwaway. Jones Grade: B

#29 Ovie Oghoufo (8 snaps)

Oghoufo showed decent range but his rushes were a bit too wide in this game, which made them largely ineffective. I like his quickness but he’s clearly still learning the nuances of rushing the passer.

#94 Isaiah Foskey (6 snaps) - 1 tackle

Foskey was much better in this game than he was the first time he saw the field against New Mexico. He played with more confidence and put his top-level potential on display. Foskey has a tremendous frame, and his edge speed is impressive when he actually turns it loose. His length and power are top-notch, which allowed him to keep blockers off his body. When he figures it out from a technique standpoint and learns to really turn it loose he has a chance to be a special player.

#19 Justin Ademilola (5 snaps) - 2 tackles

Ademilola showed good power at the point of attack and his block destruction is quite good. His hustle and instincts allowed him to make two plays on the ball in just five snaps.

#18 NaNa Osafo-Mensah (3 snaps)

I liked what I saw from Osafo-Mensah in his first two snaps. He came off the ball with good leverage and showed the ability to bench the blocker, which means to hit and then get extension, which keeps the blocker off his body and allows him to easily discard his opponent.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

#95 Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa (30 snaps) - 3 tackles

The junior was one of three standouts inside, and he was the only interior player to provide a pass rush. Tagovailoa-Amosa held up well against double teams and used his quickness to get into gaps, throwing off the timing of the Bowling Green ground attack. Tagovailoa-Amosa used his hands effectively to get off blocks and get to the football.

This was his most impressive snap in the pass game. He comes off the line quickly, gets excellent extension (which keeps the blocker off his body) and then executes a flawless inside spin move, which allows Tagovailoa-Amosa to get to the quarterback and force the throwaway. Tagovailoa-Amosa Grade: A-

#41 Kurt Hinish (29 snaps) - 2 tackles

Hinish didn’t produce much from a numbers standpoint, but he was impactful up the middle of the defense with his ability to eat up blocks and throw off the timing of the ground game. The junior nose tackle played with impressive pad level, fired off the ball quickly and his push allowed him to spend most of the game on the Bowling Green side of the line. His ability to play with power when needed and shoot gaps when called to do so allowed Hinish to be a major force against the run. Hinish Grade: B+

#57 Jayson Ademilola (31 snaps) - 2 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss

Ademilola continued his strong start to the season. After being an impactful run defender in limited snaps as a freshman, a question coming into the season was could Ademilola remain that disruptive with more reps. The Bowling Green game was yet another example that proves Ademilola can in fact be disruptive even when he plays a lot of snaps.

This clip is one of his more impressive plays from the game, and shows why Ademilola has been so good this season. Despite being listed at just 279 pounds, Ademilola is able to anchor against the double team by using good pad level and having a good base. You can see his strength when he locks the blocker off his body and then sheds the block as he gets off to the ball carrier for the stop behind the line.

Ademilola is really, really impressive on this rep (so is Hinish, whose push off the line forces the back to Ademilola). He also did a great job getting a push and a hit on the quarterback on Notre Dame's fourth-and-inches stop in the second quarter. His pass rush wasn’t overly effective, which is what keeps him from being as dominant as Tagovailoa-Amosa. Ademilola Grade: B+

#54 Jacob Lacey (14 snaps)

Lacey was physical in this game, but his get off wasn’t quite as good as it was against Virginia and he had a tendency to stop his feet when he made contact with a blocker. When that happened he got knocked off the ball, which you saw on his first snap and again in the third quarter. Other than that he held up well physically, but Lacey wasn’t good enough getting off blocks in this game. Lacey Grade: C

#55 Ja’Mion Franklin (8 snaps)

Franklin isn’t a guy that is going to make a lot of plays at his point, but what he showed in this game is that he can play with good leverage, he can fire off the ball with power and that he can hold up against double teams. Once he learns to do a better job of finding the ball and getting off blocks he’ll be a factor in this defense.

You can see it in this clip; Franklin fires off the ball, blows up the left guard and drives him into the backfield on the third-and-2 snap. But Franklin doesn’t see the back running to his outside so he doesn’t make a play on the runner. That’s his next step as a player, but what he did before that point was really impressive. Keep in mind this was against the starting Bowling Green line.

#56 Howard Cross III (8 snaps) - 1 tackle

When Cross gets squared up by a blocker he has some trouble because he’s still undersized and just a freshman, but when he can win off the snap and be the low man he’s highly effective. Cross shows a good burst off the line and his punch for his age and size is impressive. His block destruction technique is advanced for his age, which helps him get off blocks.

#90 Hunter Spears (3 snaps)

Spears only played three snaps, and you saw why he has so much upside and why he is still a developmental player. On one snap Spears came off the ball fast and with power, driving the Bowling Green blocker into the backfield. On the next snap he stood up instead of firing off, lost the leverage battle and got knocked to the ground.

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