No. 5 Notre Dame (6-1) vs. Navy (2-5)
Gillette Stadium | 12:00 PM ET | ABC | Line: Notre Dame -30.5| Total: 56.5
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Players To Watch
Notre Dame QB CJ Carr
Carr didn’t play his best at BYU, but did show up when it mattered. The junior signal-caller will look to bounce back in a game where offensive efficiency is crucial. It’s also important for Carr to find a rhythm heading into next weekend.
Navy QB Jackson Gutierrez
The 6-foot, 207-pounder makes the Navy offense go and the Irish defense will need to keep an eye on the Texas native. Gutierrez has passed for 692 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception this season, but as with any Navy quarterback, stopping the run is the task. Gutierrez has tallied 869 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, including two 200-yard games.
Notre Dame LB Jaylen Sneed
Sneed has made plays against Navy in the past and it’s a game where Notre Dame’s staff has found a role that works for him. The South Carolina native has played with great discipline this year, which makes him even more a weapon this week.
Navy LB Marcanthony Parker
Parker isn’t Navy’s leading tackler, but he does lead the Midshipmen with four sacks. A year ago, Parker tallied 97 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss, which earned him third-team All-AAC.
Notre Dame WR Room
The coaching staff says they will rotate early and given the competition, you can expect a game similar to Stanford. Notre Dame tapped into the receiver rotation in the first quarter, so it will provide an opportunity for the reserves to prove they are ready for a bigger role.
Quotes of the Week
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman:
“We gotta be better on both sides of the ball in the red zone. I think defensively it's third down. Both sides of the ball really is third down. We have to be better third down in the red zone. QB runs are hurting us a little bit. Defensively, they're getting to the point where it's a manageable third down. We gotta be better in our technique versus some of those third-down passes.
Notre Dame WR coach Mike Brown:
“I think it's something you kind of come in and you have to have a plan and not that we didn't have a plan in that game. And sometimes you get into those situations and certain situations alter your plans. What does that mean? It means you got to go back and reevaluate what your plan was. It's always been a challenge for us. We talked a lot about it, talked a lot about it throughout the bye weekend.
“Getting those guys involved in the game just earlier on in the game is going to be the mindset going in, obviously, as we continue to move forward. But to your point, man, we got to get those guys involved more. Those guys are extremely talented. Their lack of snaps at times, it's not really an indictment on them.
“It's more about the way that those front three guys have been playing and you start to get into some of those games, you're in a top 10 matchup on the road and you got these two guys who have made play after play after play in big games and then they get hot and then it's like, man, it's hard to take them out. But at the same time, to your point, man, you don't want guys that are just worn down and tired, especially as you get later in the season. So got to be smart about it at the same time.”
Notre Dame LB Jaylen Sneed:
“My favorite thing to do is run and hit. So I can't complain. That's all you do.”
Notre Dame S Luke Talich:
“It's downhill football. You're getting a lot of run and play action pass off of it. You kind of know what you're going to get in a physical game. Those guys are tough dudes and they're going to come out and hit you in the mouth. It's just who's going to who's going to do it more. I love this game. It's kind of how I was made playing football just coming downhill, hitting guys. I love this matchup and I'm excited for it.”
For Your Nerves
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