Notre Dame Midweek Musings: Alabama Edition - Defense
Thoughts on the Notre Dame offense, its matchup against Alabama and its recruiting efforts.
MUST SEE MATCHUP - DEFENSE
Notre Dame Defensive Tackles vs. Alabama Guards/Center — The biggest key for Notre Dame in this matchup is the Irish defensive line out-playing the Alabama offensive line. That will be a challenge, as Alabama's line is among the nation's best, but the Irish front four has been the backbone of what has been one of the nation's top units.
Alabama's interior linemen are huge, averaging 329.7 pounds. Notre Dame's interior rotation players average just 280.7 pounds, and it has only two players (Kurt Hinish, Jacob Lacey) that weigh over 285 pounds.
The question in this matchup is which team's strength wins the day, Alabama's size or Notre Dame's quickness and athleticism? If Notre Dame is going to have any chance to win the interior linemen will need to be at their best and disrupt the Alabama offense from beginning to end.
BIGGEST CONCERN - DEFENSE
My biggest concern involves the must see matchup. Notre Dame cannot cover Alabama long enough of well enough if it cannot get pressure on quarterback Mac Jones.
This will be a huge part of the game, can the front four get consistent pressure on Jones and actually bring him down behind the line when they get the chance. Getting a couple of first or second down sacks, and forcing him to rush throws are third down would give the defense the chance to make enough stops to pull off the upset.
STATS THAT MATTER - DEFENSE
Notre Dame must keep the Alabama run game in check and it must limit big plays. It also needs to be disruptive and make plays behind the line, which will play into success against the run and limiting big plays.
Keep Alabama below 150 yards is ideal, but keeping them below 125 yards would be even better. Alabama was held below 4.5 yards per rush in four games, and the offense averaged 41.3 points in those games. In its other seven games the offense averaged 49.6 points per game.
Notre Dame is also the best defense Alabama has faced this season, and if the Irish can hold the Tide down the way they held Clemson down in the CFP back in 2018 and in the regular season that kind of success in the run game could be enough to keep the Tide in the 30s.
Keeping Alabama below 8.5 yards per pass attempt and below 50% on third-down are also numbers that would reflect the Irish defense playing at a high level.
STEP UP TIME - DEFENSE
Notre Dame's inside linebackers faltered the last time the Irish lost to the Crimson Tide, and they didn't play very well against Clemson in the ACC Championship game either. Notre Dame needs that to change against Alabama, and the Irish can't keep the run game in check if Drew White, Bo Bauer, Shayne Simon, Marist Liufau and Jack Kiser all need to be ready to play at their very best if the Irish are going to keep the Tide in check.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Notre Dame's offense has been getting most of the postseason All-American awards, but the Football Writers Association of America rightly gave the Irish defense its two, placing two players on its first-team All-American list.
FILM TO WATCH
Notre Dame recently made the Top 4 for standout 2022 defensive end Tyson Ford. The Irish are behind Oklahoma for Ford, but at least they are in the mix. Here is Ford's junior film.
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