The week of games I always try to reach out to a blogger from the opponent to get their take on the game. However, you might’ve guessed that finding representatives from Ball State and Southern Illinois was a little harder. Also, the SB Nation USC site sits empty so I left that one alone as well. Lucky for us One Foot Down is still up and running with plenty of content for Notre Dame. They’ve got lots over there right now including some questions they sent my way. Definitely go check them out because
despite being Notre Dame bloggers they truly seem like good people.
Why does Notre Dame think that they have to hire such likeable coaches for football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball? Is it because all three of them have Purdue ties?
To be fair to Notre Dame, their previous basketball coaches (Muffet McGraw, Mike Brey) were EXCEEDINGLY likeable and had zero ties (that I’m aware of) to Purdue. So please give the Irish some credit for just attracting likeable people for those jobs regardless of any connection to West Lafayette. That’s a tough thing to do, especially for men’s basketball — a largely neglected program at a school where football dictates everything.
Obviously I can’t say the same for football when it comes to regularly attracting great people — Marcus Freeman is about a billion times more likeable than his previous boss, and since I obviously can’t thank Cincinnati for making him so great (because they’re also partially to blame for Brian Kelly), I do agree that Purdue must be the key contributing factor to how cool, handsome, and successful he has shown he can be. Well, either them or Kent State (shout-out to Darrell Hazell, only because I know your readers won’t love him getting a shout-out).
But with that said, there’s definitely something to be said for the Boilermakers’ ability to help shape the young, charismatic coaches heading up those three programs for ND right now. Of course, with how the basketball programs have looked of late, I don’t know whether you guys really want to boast that connection so loudly. Matt Painter’s disciple and Jaden Ivey’s mom both have some work to do over the couple years to find success similar to their predecessors.
Looking at the 0-2 start for Notre Dame, yet somehow still ranked, do you really think they should still be in the Top 25 as the first 0-2 in 37 years?
LOL, absolutely not.
Do I understand the logic, with ND having lost by a total of 4 points to the teams ranked #4 and #10 in the AP Poll, and of course being the big brand they are and wanting to protect ratings on future games this season with potential “ranked” matchups? Sure, if I squint hard enough and ignore unranked teams with winning records who deserve the recognition of a top-25 ranking instead, I can get why ND snuck into the top 25 again after last weekend’s loss.
But it’s pretty stupid and is the kind of thing I hate as a Notre Dame fan — we already get so much shit for how much “favoritism” and benefit of the doubt our team gets in preseason polls, playoff/bowl consideration, etc. (some of that totally true, but plenty of it pretty untrue…the Irish have earned a lot of what they’ve been given of late) — that it’s pretty annoying to now have another “NOTRE DAME NOT EARNING ITS SPOT AGAIN” discussion, because this time it’s true. I personally don’t think the Irish should sniff a ranking until they potentially get to something like 5-2 on the year after a bounce-back win streak with wins at Arkansas and against Purdue, Boise State, NC State, and USC. That plus their close losses to two solid teams (Miami is very good, but I think A&M will tumble a bit over the course of the season) should be good for something like a #16 ranking and a narrative that if they win out, they might sneak into the Playoff.*
*Let me be clear: I think the Irish will drop 1-2 more games because of that defense, and are destined to play in the Pop Tarts Bowl (which would be amazing, all things considered).
Notre Dame will be without safety Adon Shuler for the first half of the game against Purdue due to a targeting penalty. How impactful will his loss be for the Irish defense?
It will be pretty impactful. Shuler is far and away their best safety in a rotation of 4 guys on the back end (well, he plays basically every play — the others rotate next to him), and an important leader on the back-end considering he’s a captain this year as a junior. He was great in 2024 as a starter on that national runner-up team that had the #1 pass efficiency defense in America, and so his experience and athleticism will be missed greatly in the first half.
I will say, with the way defensive coordinator Chris Ash has run the defense here in 2025, Shuler has seemed way less like himself. He’s been less aggressive, making more mistakes, and just seemingly tentative as he adapts to life without Xavier Watts next to him and to life with Ash’s new version of this defense. So it’s not like they’re losing a guy who’s been KILLING IT this season. But, it’s still a big loss for half of this game, and I think the Boilers will have several opportunities to take advantage with some deep shots downfield in the first half.
Speaking of the Irish defense, they’ve struggled to get to the QB including 0 sacks against Texas A&M. What’s going on there?
It’s been mind-boggling, considering Al Golden’s defense in 2024 (and in 2022 and 2023) was entirely built on being aggressive, getting pressure on the QB, forcing turnovers, and having a great secondary who could cover on an island until the QB got pressured. This defense, despite bringing back a vast majority of starters/key contributors from 2024, is the exact opposite of all of that — precisely 1 turnover forced, 1 sack in two games, a pass defense trying and failing to use zone coverage more, and everyone seeming confused before the snap and tentative once the play begins.
It seems like whatever Ash has done with the scheme has utterly confused them all (i.e. pre-snap, they are all running around pointing…it’s been so crazy to watch), and now they’re all second-guessing and thinking so much that they’re a step slow and hesitant to assert themselves. Add in losing Watts — who was the quarterback of the defense and covered up a lot of teammates’ mistakes by always being in position — and also losing super senior DTs Rylie Mills and Howard Cross, and it’s resulted in a weak, passive defense who surrenders big plays and can’t cause any havoc in the backfield.
Marcus Freeman keeps talking about how they want to get pressure by just rushing 4 guys…which, sure, everyone does! But they absolutely are not accomplishing that:
Ash isn’t dialing much up that’s getting home to the QB, and the Irish sorely miss having defensive tackles in the middle who can collapse a pocket with any sort of consistency. DE Boubacar Traore is the only Irish player with a sack and the only one I currently trust to get some sort of pressure on the defensive line. If ND doesn’t figure some things out and start sending LBs like Jaylen Sneed and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa off the edge WAY more, teams will continue to feast on this step-slow secondary.
For those readers who haven’t read or watched much Notre Dame this year, what are the strengths and weakness of the offense and defense?
Offensive Strengths: the running backs (Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price — I’d pick them over any other RB duo in the country), the early performance and poise of QB CJ Carr during a tough 2-game intro for his tenure as starting QB, and some of the receivers making some nice plays when called upon (Malachi Fields, Eli Raridon, Jordan Faison).
Offensive Weaknesses: the consistency and effectiveness of the offense line, weird playcalling decisions by OC Mike Denbrock, lack of tight end depth, and the inability to get the ball to WR Jaden Greathouse after he broke out against Penn State and Ohio State in the Playoff run last year (13 catches for 233 yards and 3 TDs vs. those elite defenses…this year he has 2 catches for 41 yards, all coming against Texas A&M).
Defensive Strengths: NONE (lol jk)…but really for this one it’s Leonard Moore at corner (he’s the best cover corner in the country, but unfortunately he’s got little help and now is a bit hobbled after he got hurt during the A&M game), the linebackers are really good when utilized effectively, rotational safety Tae Johnson looks like he’s going to be really good one day, and Boubacar Traore is very solid as a pass rusher (usually).
Defensive Weaknesses: EVERYTHING (not really kidding that much)…pass rush, strength of defensive tackles in the middle, the secondary’s execution on zone coverage, the speed/technique of anyone not named Leonard Moore in the secondary, the absolute disappearance of everyone’s preseason breakout prediction (DE Bryce Young), and occasionally the tackling has been pretty sloppy*.
*If you told me before the season that I’d be noting all of these things as defensive weaknesses for the Irish after the first two games, I would have assumed the entire starting defense had entered the Transfer Portal right before kickoff of the Miami game. Just never considered the defense would fall off this much when they returned so many key guys. Woof.
Notre Dame is starting a freshman at QB in CJ Carr. How has he handled the pressure of starting for a program like Notre Dame in his very first season of college football?
Surprisingly well — it’s been a rough season to start a freshman as a first-time starter, considering they kicked things off on the road at Miami and then followed that up with playing another ranked team at home, but he’s really done quite well, especially considering some of the issues with the offensive line, playcalling, etc. Against the current #4 and #10 teams in the country, he’s thrown for 514 yards on 63% completion with 3 TDs. Of course, he’s made a few freshman mistakes, apparently is tipping ND’s plays with his feet pre-snap, has thrown a couple picks, has a bit of an intentional grounding problem, and almost managed to gift A&M 3 points by clapping out of frustration on Saturday…
But what he’s flashed in terms of arm strength, accuracy, and decision making for the most part have Irish fans VERY excited for 2026 (it’s really sad that we have to be excited for next year already, this early in the season). He’s the most promising QB talent they’ve had since Jimmy Clausen, and maybe even since before that spiky-haired punk was tossing the ball to Golden Tate and Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph.
If you wake up on Sunday and you see that Notre Dame is 0-3 what would be your guess as to how it happened?
I would guess that the defense continued to look unbelievably lost and confused out there, and that with a continued complete absence of a pass rush and with Shuler missing for a half, the Boilers were able to hit on some big plays through the air and jump to an early lead.
On the other side of the ball, I would assume the Irish offensive line refused to get a push to allow Love and Price to have anywhere to run, and so the entire offense got thrust onto Carr’s shoulders to carry as the Irish desperately tried to pass their way back from that early deficit. Carr would do some good things there, but ultimately he would also end up throwing a couple picks and/or getting sacked multiple times, leading the Boilers to a big upset over the worst #24 team in the AP Poll of all-time (at least from a record perspective).
I’ll be attending my first ever game at Notre Dame for this one, any recommendations of things I need to do or food I need to get at the stadium or around South Bend? I’m open to suggestions.
South Bend is what it is — like any mid-sized Midwestern city it has some charms and some decent food/beverage options, but I would say you’ll probably want to spend most of your time on ND’s campus and/or at places just off campus, within walking distance.
On campus, definitely make sure you just walk around and see all the sights (or even take a campus tour if you can swing it). Go see The Grotto — a 1/7 replica of the Our Lady of Lourdes grotto in France — and even light a candle and say a little prayer if you’re so inclined. Walk through the gorgeous Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and then of course check out the Main Building with the famous golden dome and some really cool architecture inside it. Oh, and make sure you go take the obligatory “I’m a tourist on the Notre Dame campus” photo with your arms up in front of the “Word of Life” mural on the Hesburgh Library (AKA Touchdown Jesus).
The campus is absolutely beautiful and really shows off in the fall, so I highly recommend you walk around while you sip on a beer as a pregame to your tailgate, taking in the energy on the quad and maybe grabbing a burger or hotdog or something from one of the student-run concession stands around campus.
In terms of restaurants/bars in South Bend, some quick personal recs:
- Bars
- The Linebacker (shitty, wonderful dive bar with a fantastic playlist – it doesn’t look like much, but it’s my favorite bar on earth…make sure not to wear nice shoes here, though — the Backer sludge spares no pair of clean sneakers)
- Corby’s (nice little bar about a mile from campus)
- Finny’s (downtown, solid music/dancing/drinking-in-a-big-room kind of place if you’re college-aged or just out of college)
- Cheers (another shitty dive right off 933 near the toll road, sometimes has live music)
- Restaurants/Breweries
- Expensive Places I’ve Never Personally Been To But Have Heard Are Good: LaSalle Grille, Corndance Tavern, Cafe Navarre
- Good Breweries with Good Food: Evil Czech, Crooked Ewe
- Irish Pubs: Fiddler’s Hearth (usually has live music), O’Rourke’s (less unique/cool than Fiddler’s, but right across from campus in Eddy Street Commons so it’s convenient)
- Pizza: Bruno’s/Rocco’s/Barnaby’s (all solid local pizza places)
- Burgers: BRU Burger Bar(in Eddy Street Commons), CJ’s, The View Tavern
- Breakfast: Jeannie’s House Diner (tiny and casual, delicious), Yellow Cat Cafe
- Late Night/Diner: Nick’s Patio (beware: I’ve never been here sober)
- Basic Chain Sports Bar: Brother’s (again, not that great but it’s super close as part of the Eddy Street Commons complex)
- Chinese: JW Chen’s (the owner typically comes around to the tables and suggests things to order)
- Thai: Cambodian Thai (I honestly don’t know if it’s still open, but it was pretty darn good Thai food back in the day)
- Very Basic Mexican Restaurants: Hacienda (typical but solid Mexican restaurant), Salsa’s (where students go for cheap margs/food)
- NOTE — Eddy Street Commons, as mentioned above, has a bunch of quick/casual options right next to campus. Along with BRU Burger, O’Rourke’s, and Brother’s, there’s also: Chipotle, Five Guys, Jimmy John’s, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Noodles & Co., Blaze Pizza, Jinya Ramen Bar, and Barrio (tacos + tequila + whiskey)
- At the Stadium
- I don’t think I’ve gotten anything besides maybe popcorn or a jumbo pretzel at the Stadium, but I’m using this bullet to inform you that NOTRE DAME, AS OF 2025, NOW SERVES BEER AT GAMES!!!!!
Finally, give me a prediction for Saturday but of course, show your work.
I have precisely 0 faith in the Irish winning this one easily/comfortably. Not after how the defense has looked and not after seeing Purdue show some spunk against USC last weekend. However, this game is at home and I don’t think Purdue is ready to pull off a road upset like this just yet in the early goings of the Barry Odom era.
So, I think the ND offensive line generally does a decent job, leading Love and Price to run for some nice chunk gains. That will help open up Carr for some space to throw, and ND’s offense will mostly hum against this Boilers defense. On the flipside, although I do think Purdue has a few big plays in the first half with Shuler out, I also think Ryan Browne will see some more blitzing from the Irish defense than Carson Beck or Marcel Reed saw, and that pressure finally being generated will lead to some turnovers that ultimately swing momentum to ND and help the Irish coast to a somewhat comfortable victory. But not THAT comfortable — I think Purdue covers.
Give me Notre Dame 35, Purdue 20
