SOUTH BEND, Ind. — No. 24 Notre Dame is once again in a tight spot, starting the season with two early losses and little room for further mistakes.
Unlike past seasons, the trouble this time lies with the defense — an area that’s typically been a strength for the Fighting Irish. They’ll look to turn things around this weekend when they face rival Purdue (2-1). Historically, this matchup has served as a turning point for Notre Dame, like last year when a dominant 66-7 win over the Boilermakers sparked a 14-game winning streak and a run to the national title game.
But that success was largely built on a tough defense led by former coordinator Al Golden, who, along with six defensive stars, is now in the NFL. New coordinator Chris Ash has taken over, but the transition hasn’t gone smoothly. The Irish have allowed 68 points in their two losses to Miami and Texas A\&M — a sharp contrast to the 70 points they gave up in their first six games last year. They also have just one sack and one interception through two games.
Texas A\&M’s quarterback, Marcel Reed, threw for a career-best 360 yards in a 41-40 comeback win, marking the most points Notre Dame has allowed since a 2019 blowout loss to Michigan.
Head coach Marcus Freeman, who has a defensive background, said he might get more hands-on with the defense this week. He stressed the need for better execution, not just better play-calling.
“If we’re asking players to do something they can’t consistently execute, then we need to reevaluate what we’re asking of them,” Freeman said.
Statistically, the defense has taken a steep dive: Notre Dame ranks 118th in points allowed (34.0 per game), 113th in pass rush, and 129th in pass coverage.
Freeman isn’t blaming the new system or inexperienced players. Instead, he wants the team to stop giving up big plays — like the six that accounted for over 200 yards against Texas A\&M.
Safety Adon Shuler agrees that personnel isn’t the issue. He believes that improving practice intensity will translate to better game performance.
The next opportunity to prove themselves comes against a much-improved Purdue team, now coached by Barry Odom. Though the Boilermakers are coming off a 33-17 loss to USC, they’re averaging nearly 400 yards and 27 points per game — a big jump from last season.
If the Irish can’t tighten up defensively, they could fall to 0-3 for the first time since 2008 — a situation that would likely knock them out of playoff contention. Still, Shuler is optimistic, recalling how last year’s team rebounded from adversity.
“Coach Freeman reminded us that being close doesn’t count — we’re 0-2, and that has to motivate us to fight back,” Shuler said.