Notre Dame walked out of its opener against Wisconsin with 34 points, and now Mike Denbrock’s offense gets the kind of chance every coordinator wants early in the year: a home game where the Irish can clean up the rough edges and lean into a clear physical edge against Rice.
That starts with the passing game. Jordan Faison is already the known commodity, but Notre Dame can’t afford to live on one target when bigger tests arrive later on. Against Rice, the Irish need more from the rest of the receiver room, with Jaden Greathouse, Mylan Graham, Micah Gilbert and other options expected to get more chances while still keeping Faison in the mix.
The other obvious place Notre Dame should look to take control is up front. Last week’s offensive line performance had its ups and downs, especially in the first half against Wisconsin, but this matchup sets up very differently. Notre Dame has the size, the skill and the experience advantage at several spots, and this is the kind of game where the line should be able to dictate terms in both the run game and pass protection.
The tight ends also stand out as a major piece of the plan. Rice does not appear to have the bodies to handle both Cooper Flanagan and James Flanigan, who bring size that can create problems in the seams and near the goal line.
Flanagan and Flanigan also give Notre Dame a serious edge as blockers, and the Irish could use them to help another pass catcher emerge alongside Faison. That might come from a wide receiver, or it might come from the pair up tight.
There are a couple of individual matchups that could tell the story of how cleanly Notre Dame handles this one. On the edges, Guerby Lambert and Will Black will have to deal with Rice edge rusher Chibby Nwajuaku, who brings a different look than a traditional defensive end.
At times, he comes with a running start and almost looks like he’s blitzing from a linebacker spot. The Irish tackles will need to stay patient in pass protection and firm in the run game, especially if CJ Carr is going to keep his jersey clean.
Another spot to watch is at boundary receiver, where Micah Gilbert has been holding things down while Quincy Porter, the Ohio State transfer, continues working back from injury. Gilbert, the North Carolina native, drew strong offseason praise from coaches for the second straight year, and this feels like a chance for him to turn that into production. He’ll be tested by Rice cornerback Kyren Condoll, one of the taller defensive backs in the secondary.
If there’s one player who could really tilt the afternoon, it’s Cooper Flanagan. At 6-6 and 255 pounds, the California native has the kind of size mismatch that can make life miserable for a defense, especially as a pass catcher.
He has already shown what he can do in the run game, and Saturday gives Carr another opportunity to find a downfield weapon alongside Faison. It wouldn’t tell the whole story by itself, given the opponent, but it would be a meaningful step as Notre Dame keeps building that connection.
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Marcus Freeman said the unit made adjustments as the game went on, and those late improvements also put a spotlight on the right guard competition. Absher and Styles Prescod are still battling for that spot, and the way Notre Dame finished in the run game only adds another layer to a job that appears far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Carr Showed Notre Dame Something Bigger Than Opening Night Stats
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Gino Guidugli came away talking less about the numbers than the way Carr handled the moment. The quarterbacks coach pointed to Carrs poise, leadership and game management, especially the way he processed defenses, handled the clock and stayed composed when the pressure tightened. For Notre Dame, that sort of control may end up mattering just as much as the throws that showed up on the stat sheet. [Read more 🡒]