Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame Football: Special Teams Key to Irish Success in the National Championship

Notre Dame has truly bought into the third phase of the game, and it should pay off in the National Championship.
Mason Plummer|
Jan 2, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Jayden Harrison (2) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half against Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Jan 2, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Jayden Harrison (2) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half against Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

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Notre Dame Fighting IrishOhio State Buckeyes

When you're an underdog like Notre Dame is against Ohio State in the National Championship, you need to find any sort of advantage possible. In this case, a spot where Notre Dame has an edge is in special teams, where it is has made clutch plays all year long.

Irish head coach Marcus Freeman and special teams coordinator Marty Biagi have had tricks up their sleeves all season long and have brought them out in perfect moments this season. The kick return and fake punt of sorts that drew Georgia offside in the quarterfinal went a long way in winning that game for Notre Dame.

You can bet that Notre Dame has dozens of plays/routines on special teams waiting for the right moment to be used, and there is no reason to save anything now.

Notre Dame needs every single possession to be consequential against Ohio State if it plans on winning and it is unrealistic to expect the offense to score on every, or even most possessions.

If Freeman and Biagi see an opportunity to steal a possession against Ohio State, they have to take that chance. It may not work out and hindsight is 20/20, but you play to win the game and as 8-point underdogs against the Buckeyes, you have to shoot your shot.

Notre Dame will need a couple breaks to go their way in order to win this game and using special teams to catch a break or "get lucky" has worked for Notre Dame thus far. Without a couple big plays against Georgia, Notre Dame may not have won.

Nothing extra was needed against Penn State, but you can absolutely bet that the Fighting Irish have been working on some new wrinkles on kick/punt return and coverage for the National Championship game.

Are we going to see any funky plays?

Bet on it.

Published
Mason Plummer
MASON PLUMMER

Covered Notre Dame football recruiting since 2017 for Irish Breakdown, Blue & Gold Illustrated and Notre Dame On SI. Covering Notre Dame professionally got me my start in journalism, which led me to getting my degrees in Journalism and Communications from Ball State University in 2021. Featured on Bleacher Report, NBC Sports, Rivals, On3 and more. Have missed multiple weddings and graduation parties for Notre Dame games.

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