Notre Dame Offense Set for Another Big Day: An Arkansas Defensive Breakdown
- Brenden Duffy
- 2 hours ago
- 7 min read
Photo via Arkansas Athletics
The bright side of the Notre Dame season thus far, especially last week, is how the offense has looked under new starting QB CJ Carr. The young gunslinger has improved each week, and the offense as a whole has benefited. Carr and the Irish could be in store for another big day against an Arkansas defense that has had lapses through four games.Â
Arkansas Results (2-2):
52-7 vs Alabama A&M (W)
56-14 vs Arkansas State (W)
35-41 at Ole Miss (L)
31-32 at Memphis (L)
Arkansas Defensive Stats (national rank):
23.5 points per game allowed (tied-73rd)
371 total yards per game allowed (83rd)
213.5 pass yards per game allowed (74th)
157.5 rush yards per game allowed (tied-87th)
45.45% third-down conversion rate allowed (tied-116th)
The Razorbacks have found most of their defensive success in the pass rush. Edge rusher Quincy Rhodes Jr. leads a defense averaging 2.5 sacks per game (10 total), the 26th-most in the country. Arkansas’ defensive backs have flashed with some big plays, including two interceptions from Julian Neal and two forced fumbles from Shakur Smalls. Overall, former Auburn LB and current Razorbacks Defensive Coordinator, Travis Williams’ group has left a lot to be desired, as told by the numbers, especially on the road.
Interior Linemen:
Cameron Ball - The smaller of the two interior starters is the 6-5, 323-pound redshirt senior. Ball has six tackles this season, including one for a loss. He recorded a season-high of three tackles at Ole Miss. Against the run, Ball has been solid with four stops, but his two missed tackles have occurred here as well. The well-rounded tackle has added nine QB pressures across 130 pass rushes.
Ian Geffrard - Another all-around solid tackle, Geffrard stands at 6-5 and 387 pounds. The redshirt sophomore has seven tackles, including 2.5 for a loss. He has tallied two tackles in each of the past three games. Geffrard has four stops against the run, with one missed tackle. He has added four pressures on 68 pass rush attempts.
Others to watch: Danny Saili, David Oke
Edge Rushers:
Phillip Lee - The Troy transfer may not put up the numbers like his counterpart, Quincy Rhodes Jr., but Lee is not to be taken lightly. The 6-4, 240-pounder, typically in an outside linebacking role, has 15 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, and 1.5 sacks through four contests. Lee’s best performance thus far occurred against Arkansas State when he racked up five tackles and his 1.5 sacks. The redshirt senior is a good pass rusher, with 15 pressures on 91 tries. He has been solid against the run with a team-high seven stops. In the rare instances where Lee drops into coverage, he has allowed two catches for -1 yards (not a typo) across four targets.
Quincy Rhodes Jr. - After playing behind third-round draft selection Landon Jackson, the junior has broken out in every sense of the phrase. Rhodes has 15 tackles and leads the Razorbacks in tackles for loss with seven and sacks with five. The 6-6, 275-pound edge rusher’s 1.75 tackles for loss and 1.25 sacks per game both rank within the top six nationally. Rhodes popped against Arkansas State and Memphis when he finished both games with six tackles and two sacks apiece. In terms of pure pass rush, the junior is the best on the team by far and is on pace to be one of the top in the SEC. He has recorded 18 QB pressures across 96 pass rush attempts. Against the run, Rhodes has been solid with four stops and one missed tackle. Notre Dame’s Aamil Wagner and Anthonie Knapp will have their hands full all afternoon trying to contain what is sneakily one of the better edge duos in the SEC.
Others to watch: Justus Boone, Charlie Collins
Linebackers:
Xavian Sorey Jr. - The Razorbacks’ leading tackler is the redshirt senior interior backer. Sorey has racked up 29 tackles, two for a loss, an interception, and a forced fumble so far this year. The 6-3 defender exploded against Arkansas State when he tallied 15 tackles and two takeaways. Over the last two games, Sorey has combined for 13 tackles in the losses at Ole Miss and Memphis. Overall, the redshirt senior’s performances have diminished with a team-leading eight missed tackles. He has at least one in each game and wound up with four misses last weekend. Sorey has struggled against the run with five missed tackles and just two stops. He has been okay in coverage, allowing six catches for 65 yards on nine targets with the interception. His pass rush has been positive with nine pressures on just 37 attempts. Sorey could be in for another long day trying to tackle the combination of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price.
Stephen Dix Jr. - The more versatile of these two starting backers is the 6-1, 246-pound redshirt senior. Dix has notched 26 tackles, including one for a loss, with three misses. The LB combined for 19 tackles in two weeks against Arkansas State and Ole Miss. Dix has really struggled in coverage this season, having allowed 11 receptions for 137 yards on 13 targets. He has been both solid against the run with four stops and just one miss, and as a pass rusher with three pressures recorded across 20 rush attempts.
Others to watch: Bradley Shaw
Defensive Backs:
Kani Walker - Two weeks ago at Ole Miss, the Razorbacks’ starting CB suffered a scary concussion early in the fourth quarter that required Walker to be stretchered off the field. After missing last week’s contest at Memphis, the redshirt senior is listed as questionable for Saturday as he continues to clear concussion protocols. The 6-2 Oklahoma transfer has 13 tackles, including one for a loss, and four pass breakups through three games played. Before exiting at Ole Miss, Walker had a season-high of six tackles. Walker played well against Arkansas State when he tallied five tackles and three passes defended. The wide CB’s coverage has been a rollercoaster experience for Razorbacks fans so far this year, eerily similar to one Notre Dame starting DB. Walker has allowed 10 catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns across 16 targets, but he has added his previously mentioned four pass breakups. He has not had much of an impact against the run.
Jaheim Singletary - Walker’s replacement last week, and potentially this week, is the 6-2 redshirt senior. Singletary has seven tackles and one pass breakup on the year. In his start last week at Memphis, the CB recorded a season-high three tackles with one miss. He spent the majority of his time out wide on the left side of the ball. Against Alabama A&M, Singletary recorded two tackles and a pass breakup. He has been solid in coverage, having allowed just three receptions for 38 yards on seven targets. Like Walker, this redshirt senior has a limited impact against the run.
Julian Neal - The Razorbacks’ starting right-side CB is a redshirt senior transfer from Fresno State. Neal has 22 tackles, 1.5 for a loss, four pass breakups, and a team-leading two interceptions. He impressed against Arkansas State when he racked up 11 tackles, two pass breakups, and an interception. The 6-2 CB followed up that performance with a six-tackle and two-pass breakup outing at Ole Miss. Last week, Neal added a clutch fourth-quarter interception in an effort that was not enough to give the Razorbacks a victory. Overall, the redshirt senior has been pretty good in coverage, having allowed 12 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown on 20 targets. He has been solid against the run with two stops and one missed tackle. Neal has also impressed with three pressures on just five pass rush attempts in that department.
Larry Worth III - One of the Razorbacks’ starting safeties is the 6-4 senior with 19 tackles and one pass breakup this season. Worth finished with a season-high nine tackles last week at Memphis. In week one against Alabama A&M, the senior notched two tackles and a pass breakup. The safety has been okay in coverage with four catches for 24 yards allowed, including a touchdown, on five targets. Worth is solid against the run with four stops, but he does have two missed tackles in this spot.
Caleb Wooden - Another starting DB to highlight is the safety from Auburn. Wooden has 16 tackles this year, including 1.5 for a loss. The senior transfer recorded a season-high six tackles at Ole Miss. The 6-1 DB has three missed tackles this season, all of which occurred against Arkansas State. The versatile defender spends the majority of his time in a safety role but will shift to slot corner occasionally. Wooden has been alright in coverage with three receptions allowed for 74 yards on just four targets. He has been solid against the run with four stops, although this is where two of his missed tackles took place.
Jordan Young - The Razorbacks’ starting nickelback is the six-foot Cincinnati transfer. Young has six tackles, a missed tackle, and one pass breakup this season. He recorded a season-high three tackles at Ole Miss and notched his first pass breakup of the year last week at Memphis. The slot corner has been mostly solid in coverage, having allowed just four receptions for 67 yards across 13 targets. I am unsure why Notre Dame’s offense refuses to involve Jaden Greathouse, but this Saturday would be a great opportunity for him to break out this year, nearly a quarter of the way through the season. Young has had a limited impact against the run.
Others to watch: Miguel Mitchell, Shakur Smalls
Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism.
Follow The Irish Tribune on social media:
Follow @Brenden_Duffy on X
Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox.
Check out our Irish partners:
TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20"Â to get $20Â off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here!