Matchups The Notre Dame Defense Must Win

A look at the matchups that are most important for the Irish defense against Iowa State

If Notre Dame is going to win its Camping World Bowl matchup against Iowa State, the Fighting Irish defense will need to be on top of its game. Execution will be key, but winning crucial matchups will also be a key to victory.

DE #53 Khalid Kareem and #91 Ade Ogundeji vs. LT #51 Julian Good-Jones

Getting pressure on quarterback Brock Purdy will be absolutely vital to success for the Notre Dame defense. If Purdy is able to sit comfortably in the pocket and go through his progressions he’ll likely pick the Irish defense apart. Iowa State ranks seventh nationally in fewest sacks allowed, giving up just 14 on the season, but there have been issues at times giving Purdy a clean pocket, especially in the losses.

Notre Dame will need a group effort when it comes to rushing the quarterback, and the inside pass rush will be important, but a big game is especially needed from the Notre Dame strong side ends. This is especially true when matched up against Julian Good-Jones, the Cyclone left tackle. A first-team All-Big 12 selection, Good-Jones is a quality technician that does a solid job handling speed, but he had issues at times handling power rushers.

This is ideal for Irish ends Khalid Kareem and Ade Ogundeji, the two best power rushers on the defense. In fact, according to Pro Football Focus they are the two best players on the Irish defense. Kareem has been especially good in November, and Ogundeji was brilliant in the team’s final two games, registering 3.5 sacks in wins over Boston College and Stanford.

The talented duo will also have a big role in slowing down Iowa State’s perimeter runs.

LB #22 Asmar Bilal and #6 Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah vs. TE #88 Charlie Kolar and RB #28 Breece Hall

Iowa State had three wide receivers with at least 600 receiving yards this season, but when the Cyclone pass game is really rolling it gets tight end Charlie Kolar and running back Breece Hall involved. Both will do damage as route runners and both are key check down weapons for Purdy.

Kolar is the best tight end Notre Dame will face this season, at least from a production standpoint. He ranks in the top eight nationally among all tight ends in catches, yards and touchdowns. Kolar isn’t a great athlete, but he’s incredibly long, a strong route runner and his ball skills are top notch. Hall caught 19 passes for 207 yards in the final seven games of the season, and he’s made some big plays in the pass game.

The way Iowa State uses both will put them in numerous matchups against the Irish linebackers, which includes not just Asmar Bilal and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, but also Drew White. But when working up the seams and on the perimeter it will be Bilal and Owusu-Koramoah that are most threatened. If the Irish backers aren’t on top of their game you can expect Kolar and Hall to make a lot of plays, especially when it comes to moving the chains.

On the flip side, if the Irish backers thrive in coverage it will put Iowa State in more third-and-long situations, which is an area where the Cyclones struggled this season.

S #21 Jalen Elliott vs. WR #8 Deshaunte Jones

Senior wideout Deshaunte Jones does a lot of damage over the middle of the field and up the seams, and since he lines up to the strong side (field) of the Iowa State formations it should put Jones in a lot of matchups against Irish safety Jalen Elliott.

Elliott has been a bit up-and-down in coverage this season, but he was much better in the final five games, giving up just 49 receiving yards in those five contests. When Elliott plays under control and trusts his technique he’s a good coverage player, and he’ll need to do just that in order to keep Jones from having a big game.

Jones has gone over 100 yards four times this season, and his seven catches for 144 yards were key to the Iowa State victory over Texas. Elliott and the other Irish safeties will be tested by Jones, and they’ll need to be ready.

CB #28 TaRiq Bracy and #20 Shaun Crawford vs. WR #7 La’Michael Pettway

Pettway finished second on the Iowa State offense in catches, hauling in 51 receptions this season. At 6-2 and 223 pounds, Pettway is a difficult matchup for the Irish field cornerbacks, who are undersized.

The senior finished the season well, catching 19 passes for 264 yards in the month of November. Pettway is a productive chain mover, working the sidelines on out cuts and comebacks, and he’s a capable one-on-one playmaker down the field. If Notre Dame plays a lot of single-high coverage against the Cyclones you can expect Purdy to attack this matchup. He'll also work crossing routes in situations like this as well, using his size to get open.

Both TaRiq Bracy and Shaun Crawford have had quality seasons, albeit a bit up-and-down, especially for Bracy. When Bracy is on top of his game he can blanket wideouts and create small windows for the quarterback, and he showed against Georgia and USC that he’s capable of going toe-to-toe against bigger receivers and holding his own.

Crawford has a significant size disadvantage against Pettway, should he find himself in this matchup. Crawford has the ability to make plays on the perimeter against bigger players, but Pettway is a tough matchup.

Of course, one thing Notre Dame could do is use more of Donte Vaughn in this game, much like it did against Virginia Tech’s talented wideouts.

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