Notre Dame’s offense is trying to keep the good times rolling.
After the Irish put together their most complete offensive outing of the season against North Carolina, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and several key players met with reporters after practice to talk through what went right, what still needs cleaning up, and what comes next: Stanford and the Legend’s Trophy inside Notre Dame Stadium.
The matchup gives No. 3 Notre Dame another rivalry game, and it comes with a familiar challenge for the offense - making sure the production doesn’t stop with the starters who have carried so much of the load. Denbrock said the staff has to stay intentional about building out the receiver rotation.
"It's something you have to be mindful of," Denbrock explained. "There's guys at the wide receiver position right now taking an awful lot of snaps, and it's a long season.
We've got to continue to gain confidence from what happens on the practice field for some of those other guys to get into the rotation. And they're given opportunities.
Quite frankly, it's important that they understand they've got to get it done on the practice field to earn the trust of not only the coaches but their teammates to get those opportunities to come their way in a game."
Jordan Faison, meanwhile, said he hasn’t felt like opponents are changing everything just to account for him.
"I wouldn't say I notice too much differently," Faison shared. "I mean, we get the same looks, you know, from different teams and whatnot.
They throw different defenses at us. I wouldn't say most attention is on myself.
I mean, we've got a bunch of playmakers on our offense, so, you know, it's spread around."
Running back Jonaz Walton also came off the North Carolina game with a clear boost in confidence after his 120-yard performance.
"It gives me a lot of confidence,": Walton said of his 120-yard performance against North Carolina last weekend "It helps me see that the coaches believe in me, but it also shows me things that I can work on in my game. I'm playing a lot. You can maybe make a mistake here and there, but you also see things that I can fix."
On the other side of the ball, defensive tackle Armel Mukam talked about what it means to line up with Boubacar Traore and Bryce Young, and how that kind of edge presence can change what offenses are willing to do.
"Yeah, I mean, obviously, Boubacar [ Traore ] and Bryce [ Young ], they're one of one," Mukam stated. "They're amongst the best defensive ends in the country.
And I know teams know that, too. The guards are going to be willing to help the tackles a little more to counter those guys which allows us to have a little more one-on-ones on the inside, which makes our jobs a lot easier."
Notre Dame now turns from a dominant offensive showing and a defensive stumble against North Carolina to a Stanford game that brings another trophy chase and another chance to prove the offense can keep building.
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Stanford offers that chance, and the matchup points directly at areas where Notre Dame should be able to reset the tone. The Cardinal have struggled to move the ball, especially on the ground, and their offensive line has had real trouble in pass protection, including at right tackle with Kahlil House. For the Irish, Boubacar Traores pressure production and a possible start for Jayden Sanders if Leonard Moore remains in concussion protocol give this one a clear defensive focus, with little margin for another letdown. [Read more 🡒]
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The matchup should still provide a useful measuring stick. Stanford has had trouble in pass coverage and has not held up well against the run, but the Irish will face some individual tests along the way, including Black against edge rusher Omar Staples and Gilbert against cornerback Leroy Bryant. There is also the question of how much resistance linebacker Matt Rose can offer if he is on the field, which could shape whether Notre Dames most dangerous offensive trend keeps rolling or gets dragged into a more ordinary afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Angeli Reunion With Notre Dame Suddenly Looks Far From Certain
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Brown still has not committed to keeping Odom in place, which leaves the door open for Angeli to work his way back into the job. If that happens, the quarterback reunion everyone assumed would wait until Syracuses 2026 meeting with Notre Dame could suddenly feel a lot less certain, and a lot more complicated for both sides. [Read more 🡒]