Nervousness Not an Option for Owusu-Koramoah & Notre Dame

There is no hiding Saturday night will be a big game inside Notre Dame Stadium. The No. 1 ranked Clemson Tigers are coming to No. 4 Notre Dame.

It's a top-five matchup and the first time in conference history that the No. 1-ranked ACC team and another top-five ACC team will tango. 

Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramah is fully aware of the stakes and isn't going to act like it's not a significant game. 

"In terms of this game and where the program has been, you can't hide it," stated Owusu-Koramoah. "It is a big game. A lot of people want to say it's just another game. It is just another game, but you don't want to hide the elephant in the room. It's something that can increase our value, especially to where we want to go. A National Championship is always at the forefront of our minds. 

"Having that at the forefront of our minds, you also have the team that's in the way. Clemson is a great team. We're appreciative of the challenges we're going to face on Saturday and look forward to it."

The Virginia native didn't get to face Clemson in the College Football Playoff in 2018, but those emotions will be carried into Saturday's showdown. 

"Being on scout team and being out with a broken foot, it hurt because I actually suited up for that game," recalled Owusu-Koramoah. "I was on the sidelines and I might have been hurt more than some of the people playing in the game. I'm an extreme competitor and it's always for the brotherhood. 

"Watching that game, I think this is a journey. Back where I'm from, there is a saying, 'If they got a problem with you, they got a problem with me, or if you don't like them, I don't like them.'

"You think about those guys that don't get to play them again. You carry that on your back and you want to do it for them as well. This is a great opportunity for that."  

Notre Dame won't be facing Trevor Lawrence this weekend, but that doesn't mean the Irish can take it easy. True freshman quarterback DJ Uiagalelei threw for 342 yards and accounted for three scores in his starting debut last weekend against Boston College.

"We want their quarterback to think a lot," explained Owusu-Koramoah. "We want to disguise a lot. We want to give him things he hasn't seen before and do whatever it takes. 

"He's a great quarterback. I don't think he's much of a downstep from Trevor (Lawrence). He's a bigger quarterback. We really haven't had much film on him facing a crazy defense or anything. He's a great quarterback and we're looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the table." 

Owusu-Koramoah is aware the Irish will face adversity at some point on Saturday and there's great confidence Notre Dame's leadership will be able to shine in those moments. 

"You become a product of your environment," Owusu-Koramoah stated. "The more you're around guys that are confident and being around guys that love to compete, the easier it is. You feed off the ones that are around you and the leaders on the team. 

"Everybody is an anchor on our defense. Everybody is an anchor on our team. I believe that going into this game, it's a great opportunity to face the No. 1 team. You don't get that opportunity a lot."

"In this game, we're looking to lean on the energy of our teammates and what's deep inside of us." 

Owusu-Koramoah is one of those leaders and is making sure coaching up those who haven't played in a big game. 

"Our coach from my high school team always tells us nervousness isn't an option," said Owusu-Koramoah. "When you're talking to young guys or freshmen, you have to let them know nervousness isn't an option. You have to understand this is a game that can potentially change your life and change the program. We're talking about playing Clemson. You have nerves, slip up and have mistakes to a good team, they'll take advantage of those mistakes. We want to make sure they understand this a big game for them and their transition to becoming a good player. We want to take the nervousness out to be free and play.

"I think Coach (Clark) Lea has done a great job with that putting together a scheme that doesn't allow for young players or inexperience players to be thinking constantly on the field rather than opening their minds and be free to play."