Defense
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With Tae Johnson Out, Jalen Stroman’s Moment Arrived — And He Deliverd
Notre Dame’s 70–7 demolition of Syracuse will be remembered for the historic scoring outburst, but lost in the mix is that it all started with a transfer player who had…
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Clarity and Violence: Notre Dame’s Defense Finding Its Edge Again
Marcus Freeman didn’t need a whiteboard to explain Notre Dame’s defensive resurgence. His halftime message against NC State said everything: “Stop beating Notre Dame.” Two weeks ago, that sounded like…
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Clarity, Velocity, Violence: Notre Dame’s Linebackers Fuel Defensive Resurgence
For weeks, Marcus Freeman has repeated the same three words to his defense: clarity, velocity, and violence. Against Boise State, his linebackers finally delivered all three. “We’ve been able to…
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Leonard Moore’s Return Brings Back the Confidence Notre Dame’s Defense Needed
When Leonard Moore jogged out of the Notre Dame tunnel, it wasn’t just a welcome sight — it was the missing piece returning to a defense searching for itself. By…
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Defense Delivered: Notre Dame Rediscovers Its Edge in Win Over Boise State
Just two weeks ago, Marcus Freeman called his defense’s performance “a low point.” On Saturday, that same group looked reborn. In front of the home crowd at Notre Dame Stadium,…
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Simplified, Not Smaller: How the Notre Dame Defense Found Their Groove
Marcus Freeman has spent the last two weeks hammering a single theme into his program: growth comes from being uncomfortable. After Notre Dame’s defense was torched for explosive plays in…
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Freeman Sees Notre Dame Secondary Answer the Call
For the first two weeks of the season, Notre Dame’s secondary was under siege. Big plays piled up, communication broke down, and criticism mounted as opponents picked apart a unit…
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Freeman Pushes Notre Dame Defensive Staff in “Uncomfortable” Meeting
Marcus Freeman didn’t mince words in his weekly press conference. Even after securing Notre Dame’s first win of the season, the head coach spent much of his time addressing the…
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Freeman Again Defends Notre Dame’s Defensive Struggles Despite Costly Lapses
Marcus Freeman has built his head coaching reputation on defense. At Cincinnati and then Notre Dame, he was the energetic recruiter and schematic mind who helped construct top-10 units. But…
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Freeman Points to Execution, But Chris Ash’s Defense is the Real Problem
Marcus Freeman wants you to believe Notre Dame’s defensive struggles are about execution. After back-to-back weeks of its once proud defense getting gashed, Freeman repeated the same refrain: “No, it’s…
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Missed Tackles, Slow Starts: Freeman Points to Fixes After Week One
Notre Dame’s season opener against Miami didn’t just end in disappointment — it exposed familiar flaws. Missed tackles, struggles in short-yardage situations, and sluggish starts to both halves haunted the…
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No Pressure: Notre Dame Defensive Line Struggles Doom Irish in Miami
Notre Dame went to Miami hoping its defensive line would anchor the team the way Marcus Freeman has always envisioned and the way it did in 2024 when the Irish…
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Six Deep at End: Notre Dame’s Defensive Line Rotation Looks Loaded
South Bend, Ind. – If there’s one position Marcus Freeman sounded most confident about entering 2025, it’s Notre Dame’s defensive line. With six capable edge rushers and a defensive tackle…
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Chris Ash Compares Notre Dame’s Defensive Talent to Ohio State’s 2014 Title Team
While Marcus Freeman’s post-scrimmage remarks on Sunday centered on the quarterback battle and Mike Denbrock’s answered even more questions about the signal callers, defensive coordinator Chris Ash made it clear his focus is on…
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The Rise of Jaylen Sneed: Irish Linebacker Ready for Spotlight
When Jaylen Sneed signed with Notre Dame in December 2021, he was billed as a game-changer — a consensus top-100 recruit and the No. 1 player in South Carolina. Sneed…
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Bowen Steps Up: Notre Dame’s New Defensive Tone-Setter
The long wait between seasons is always a grind. For fans, it’s filled with recruiting updates, future ticket purchases, and rearranging wedding dates to avoid a clash with fall Saturdays.…
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Hype Train Is Out of the Station for Notre Dame Safety Tae Johnson
Hype surrounding Notre Dame sophomore safety Tae Johnson began to build throughout the off-season after a strong spring. Less than a week into fall camp, the hype train has officially…
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Notre Dame’s Bryce Young Looks Poised to Break Out After Glimpses Freshman Year
Bryce Young didn’t take long to make an impression during his freshman season at Notre Dame. The son of Hall of Famer and Notre Dame legend Bryant Young, Bryce Young…
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Notre Dame Has Another Freshman Cornerback Trending Up This Spring
When it comes to Notre Dame football, the secondary has recently become a breeding ground for young stars who’ve made impacts before many projected they would. From Benjamin Morrison’s breakout…
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Notre Dame DE Bryce Young Caught Kirby Smart’s Attention
As Notre Dame prepares for its quarterfinal matchup with Georgia on New Year’s Day, the Irish pass rush will take center stage with the Bulldogs starting a backup quarterback. Notre…
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Consistency Matching Athleticism for Notre Dame’s Jaylen Sneed
Notre Dame junior linebacker Jaylen Sneed has always been one of the most athletically gifted players on the Notre Dame football roster since the day he arrived on campus. Consistency,…
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The Rise of Jack Kiser and the Next Generation Notre Dame Linebackers
Not only do seasons change within the sports world, but so do the faces on teams. For the upcoming 2024 season, Notre Dame will be replacing many players at various…
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Al Golden’s Defensive Revival: Notre Dame Football’s Quest for Excellence in 2024
Notre Dame finished the 2023 season with a 10-3 record, which landed them 14th in the final Associated Press poll. Some might argue that if it were not for the…
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Notre Dame Football Spring ’24 Position Breakdown: Cornerbacks
One of the least concerning areas for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish heading into the spring was the cornerback position. That’s because the projected starters in place for the upcoming…
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Notre Dame Football Spring ’24 Position Breakdown: Safeties
Among their different defensive units, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s secondary, including the safety positions, is cause for the least concern. That feeling stems from the fact that the minimal…
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