Notre Dame’s defense has a problem, and it isn’t hard to spot. The Irish can hold up against the run, but the last two games have exposed how much pressure matters when the pass rush goes quiet.
North Carolina’s Billy Edwards and BYU’s Bear Bachmeier had far too much time, and Notre Dame paid for it. The defense allowed 26 points against UNC and 28 against BYU, more than it had given up in the final nine games of 2025 and the first six games of 2026. There were other issues in those two outings, but the inability to disrupt the quarterbacks clearly helped open the door.
Boubacar Traore has been the most productive edge threat so far. He leads the Irish with 22 total pressures and 10 hits plus sacks through seven games, even though he played only five snaps against BYU, 21 against Stanford and 19 against Rice. Bryce Young is next with 15 pressures, but he has not logged one since the North Carolina game.
After that, the numbers fall off quickly. Francis Brewu ranks third on the team with nine total pressures, though he has only had one in the last two games against BYU and Stanford.
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa has eight pressures on the season according to PFF in limited action, but he had none against BYU and still does not have a sack. Keon Keeley and Loghan Thomas have combined for 12 pressures, while freshman Rodney Dunham has four.
The bigger issue, though, is how Notre Dame is trying to generate heat. Over the past three games, the defense has become too cautious and too willing to sit back. There has been too much reading and not enough attacking, especially when the front isn’t winning cleanly on its own.
That approach has frustrated the people watching because it keeps coming back to the same limited plan: simulated pressure, a vanilla blitz package, and too many snaps with a best pass-rushing defensive end dropping into coverage. If the front four can’t get home, the answer has to be a real blitz package that forces the quarterback to hurry.
Young, Traore, Brewu and defensive tackle Armel Mukam need to get moving again, but they also need help. Notre Dame has enough athleticism and experience at linebacker to create pressure in different ways, and the staff has options if it wants to use them. The question is whether the coaches are willing to search for those answers.
This is not a new issue. It echoed after Purdue last season and, to some extent, during the Arkansas game.
BYU took advantage of the soft pressure looks and came away with a 28-24 win. If Miami quarterback Darien Mensah has time to operate, the Irish cannot expect the result to stay at 28 points or below.
The good news is that this is fixable. The front seven has too much talent for the pressure numbers to stay this low.
Traore and Young still have the makings of one of the country’s better pass-rushing duos, but that potential only matters if Notre Dame gets them into position to affect the quarterback. Mukam, Brewu and Jason Onye, now back healthy, can help inside as well.
Secondary issues are part of the story too, and they need work during the bye week. But the simplest way to protect the back end is to make sure the quarterback never gets comfortable enough to throw. That’s the task now, and with November 7 coming fast, it cannot wait much longer.
In Other News...
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Cole Kmets afternoon against the Patriots turned into a sobering scene for Bears fans and anyone who followed his career at Notre Dame. After an 8-yard reception, the tight end went down with a non-contact knee injury and had to be carted off the field, an especially alarming development for a player whose durability has long been part of his value in Chicago.
The Bears ruled Kmet out for the rest of the game, and head coach Ben Johnsons early read on the situation was not encouraging. Quarterback Caleb Williams also showed immediate concern for his teammate, underscoring how quickly the tone around the injury shifted from routine to potentially serious. For Notre Dame supporters keeping tabs on one of the programs most prominent alumni, it was the kind of update nobody wanted to see. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame's Biggest Offensive Debate Is Back After The BYU Loss
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Mike Denbrock has options to work with, but the current approach has not made enough use of the tight ends or the back of the end zone, two areas that should help an offense built to create matchup problems. With conference play and bigger moments ahead, the pressure now is on Notre Dame to show schematic answers instead of more of the same. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Faces A Playoff Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The playoff picture is already starting to sort itself out, and Notre Dame is right in the middle of the discussion whether the Irish like it or not. With conference champions, at-large contenders and a string of pivotal games still to come, every result around the sport carries extra weight this time of year, especially for a team whose margin for error can disappear quickly when the selection committee starts comparing rsums.
Notre Dames path is tied to more than just its own record, because the broader race includes teams such as Miami and Georgia, plus injuries and head-to-head outcomes that can reshape the board in a hurry. The Irish can control only so much of the equation, and the real pressure now is making sure the games ahead do not leave them relying on help from somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]