Playing Ohio State Is Measuring Stick Opportunity For Notre Dame

Squaring off against Ohio State gives Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish a chance to see where the football program is as he starts his tenure

Notre Dame taking on Ohio State to kick off the 2022 season is a meaningful game for the Fighting Irish for a number of reasons. There are short term opportunities, or negatives, depending on the outcome. There are big picture goals and objectives that will be achieved, or negatively impacted, depending on how the game plays out.

There is absolutely no doubt that taking on Ohio State is an immediate measuring stick for Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman as he kicks off the official beginning of his tenure with the Irish.

Beating Ohio State is obviously the goal, but whatever the outcome Freeman and Notre Dame will learn a lot about where the program is right now. We just don't know if we will like what we learn.

A victory lets everyone know that Notre Dame is in fact much closer than people think, assuming the Irish build on the victory. This is exactly the kind of victory the former head coach simply never got, a road win against a legitimate title contender. Notre Dame not only failed to win these games, they were rarely even competitive.

Freeman is expected to change the culture that often led to the team being woefully unprepared emotionally, mentally and physically for those games. But how quickly can that change be made? Can it simply be as simple as one offseason? Will Notre Dame need one offseason and part of the 2022 season to get there? Is this more of a long-term project?

Some of that we won't find out until the season is over, but the Ohio State game is without question an immediate measuring stick of where Notre Dame is moving forward. 

The ultimate standard for Notre Dame is to win games like this. You can't win them all, but it needs to become a more regular occurrence. The "Golden Standard" for Notre Dame is to no longer embrace moral victories, that's where Freeman needs to get the program.

But I can't say that's the only standard for the first game of Freeman's tenure with a coaching staff he chose. Notre Dame winning sends a shock wave through the college football and recruiting world, but in game one there is still sort of a "moral victory" opportunity. 

Notre Dame battling the Buckeyes for 60 minutes, even if it means a late game loss, lets Freeman and the program know they are without a doubt getting closer, but they are not there yet. Playing Ohio State will let you know the areas you are where you need to be, and also expose the aspects of your program that need work. Losing is never something I want or something I embrace, but when it happens there are obviously opportunities to learn from, and if you handle the response appropriately you can get stronger.

Of course, if Notre Dame loses in a game where it is clearly the inferior team it will come across as more of the same for the Irish. There also isn't an opponent on the schedule until November 5th when Clemson comes to town that allows Notre Dame to get that stink off. It won't kill Notre Dame's recruiting momentum, but it certainly could stall it.

That is the opportunity that Notre Dame has in front of it tonight when it takes on Ohio State. There are a wide range of possible outcomes, and each will impact Notre Dame one way or the other. 

If Notre Dame can pull off this massive upset there will be plenty of rejoicing within the Irish fan base. It will also signal that a major shift has happened, and Notre Dame has someone in charge of the program who can finally restore Notre Dame to its former glory.

I believe Freeman has what it takes to make that happen, but will it happen on September 3rd, or will he need more time? We'll find out in several hours.

Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge

Irish Breakdown Content

Notre Dame 2022 Roster
Notre Dame 2022 Schedule

Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board
Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board - Offense
Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board - Defense

Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Offers
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense

———————

Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more.

BECOME A MEMBER

Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!

Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes
Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178
Follow me on Gettr: @IrishBreakdown
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook

Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter