Notre Dame’s defense has made a statement through three games as the Fighting Irish enter the weekend ranked in the Top 10 in several major defensive categories.
Total yards per game isn’t typically a statistic that tells the full story of a defense, but it can provide a glimpse into a team’s depth. Notre Dame is allowing just 193.0 yards per game, which ranks No. 2 in the country.
It’s easy for reserves to give up yards late in games, which is why the statistic can highlight a team’s depth.
The Fighting Irish are also No. 5 nationally in yards per play, with opponents averaging just 3.6 yards every time they snap the ball.
Notre Dame’s success starts with a message Marcus Freeman preaches daily: Don’t beat Notre Dame.
“It's execution,” explained Freeman. “Every week when I say, ‘Don't beat Notre Dame.’ I kind of go over with the team, did we win the battlefield position right, did we win the turnover margin? Pre-snap, post-snap penalties are a reflection of beating Notre Dame.
”We all as a program take MAs (missed assignments) personally. It's one thing if a guy beats you; that happens in the game of football, but if we don't do exactly what we're supposed to do on that play, then that's an example of Notre Dame beating Notre Dame.”
Another underrated piece of Notre Dame’s defensive success is the ability to come up with exotic pressures and looks that excite the defense while keeping players engaged.
Last weekend, Luke Talich ended the game with a sack on a pressure defensive coordinator Chris Ash added to the game plan specifically for Michigan State.
“You invest in some of those third down pressures,” Freeman stated. “Each week, the third down package is tailored towards attacking the opponent's protection. I know the last sack that Luke (Talich) had, we knew when we caught it, we said, this one might hit. I heard Ash say it and it hit and everybody got pumped, like the players, the coaches.
“When you think you have something, you have a tell, and you think this thing will time up perfectly when you do execute it. It's the reward for a lot of time invested in preparing for an opportunity.”
Defensive end Boubacar Traore echoed his head coach’s comments, saying the creative schemes give the defense juice when it comes to learning them and then executing them on Saturdays.
“We have a lot of guys who are able to do a lot of things on the football field,” Traore said. “Coach Ash does a really great job of just putting guys in the right spot to go make plays.”
New defensive line coach Charlie Partridge has also shared a wealth of knowledge with his room, but none may be more important than pre-snap reads and tells.
Notre Dame’s defensive line has embraced the mental aspect of the game, and it’s allowing the group to make more plays.
“Whenever we game plan, we talk about what formation they're going to be in before plays come,” explained Traore. “So that helps a lot. I feel like going through that every week helps all the guys get in the right places. They see the play before it actually happens.”
But there’s also a gamesmanship element, as what a defense sees on film or studies during the week might not be what the opposition runs on Saturday.
That’s where Notre Dame’s experience along the defensive line comes into play and it requires patience.
“I feel like at the start of the game, I’m getting a feel for who I’m going against,” Traore stated. “Obviously, studying them through the week, but also, you could get something different from them on game day. You just got to be able to react. As the game progresses, I like to set up my moves, especially the move I really want to do and try to execute.”
This weekend, Notre Dame will travel to Purdue, a place Traore started to flash two years ago.
Traore recorded a sack and had a pick-six during Notre Dame’s 66-7 win in 2024.
The 6-foot-5, 253-pounder is more excited about facing a Purdue offense that will throw the ball around, giving Notre Dame’s defensive front an opportunity to showcase its pass-rushing ability more than it has in the previous three games.
“Definitely excited to get after the passer,” Traore said. “Especially the other guys that are with me. They’re excited also. Our last opponents really weren’t passing the ball as much. It’s good to know that we’re going to see a lot of run and a lot of pass.”
And one of the players Traore is excited to see on Saturday is freshman edge rusher Rodney Dunham, who has flashed over the last two games.
Freeman said the staff is working to get Dunham more snaps and his pass-rushing skills could fit well into this weekend’s game plan.
“He’s not your typical freshman,” said Traore. “You see on the field what he’s capable of doing. He’s going to be a phenomenal player. Seeing him in practice, being able to talk to him, and giving him pointers on what he should add to his game. It’s really cool to see him progress through the spring, the summer, and through the season.”
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