Honor Roll: Grading Notre Dame's Blowout Win Against Rice
Michael Caterina-Imagn Images
Notre Dame advanced to a 2-0 record after they dominated Rice 52-0 in the Irish's home opener. Freeman and his team appeared significantly more solid than just six days prior, when they decimated Wisconsin in the home opener. However, some areas of play still stood out as lackluster.
CJ Carr - A
CJ Carr, the preseason Heisman favorite, displayed his true colors on Saturday after he connected with his receivers for four passing touchdowns. Furthermore, Carr also threw 16/20 on pass attempts, amounting to 253 yards. Carr's pass protection appeared much more solid in the second game, which allowed the superstar sophomore to remain balanced and focused on downfield. Carr finished the game with a 95.7 QBR.
Adon Shuler - A-
Adon Shuler's hit on the second play of the game will forever remain in the hearts of all college football fans. The forced fumble was returned for a touchdown, which ended any meager amount of hope of an upset for Owl fans. Shuler is playing for something larger than himself, as he just lost his father in the past few weeks. To any offenses facing off against the Irish in the coming weeks...watch out!
Mike Denbrock - B+
Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock was the center of many questions following his frequent screen pass calls in the season opener. However, Denbrock certainly opened up his vast playbook, as the Irish had twelve players involved in the passing game. However, despite a promising air attack, the Irish seemed lackluster on the run after amounting to only 118 ground yards. I expect that Denbrock will expand the playbook against Michigan State next week, which will hopefully expand the run game.
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa - A-
Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa returned for the Irish in the 2026 season after being sidelined on account of an ACL injury, and he made his presence felt from the get-go. Viliamu-Asa played with physicality that made many Irish fans draw comparisons to the legendary former Notre Dame linebacker, Manti Te'o. Despite only seeing 17 snaps, Viliamu-Asa collected five total tackles while being disruptive and disturbing to the Owl Offense. It'll be exciting to see him featured on more and more snaps as the season progresses.
Defensive Line - A
The Notre Dame defensive line appeared much more urgent and powerful in the battle of the front lines. The defensive front filled in holes perfectly, allowing LBs and DBs to attack ball carriers with gusto. Bryce Young looked even better than he did last week, especially since Elijah Hughes was now reunited with Young on the line. If the Irish defensive line continues to improve, opposing quarterbacks are going to have to get used to check-downs and RPOs; otherwise, blue and gold will likely bleed throughout the enemy backfield.
Run Game - B
Aneyas Williams's performance was somewhat disappointing, as he failed to break out a run longer than seven yards. Part of the problem resides within the offensive line, who often buffed blocks or failed to pick up the next level promptly. However, the same weight is placed on the running backs, who often rushed into attacking holes before the proper blocks formed. Although Nolan James Jr. rushed in two touchdowns, he wasn't even the lead rusher after Freshman Jonaz Walton finished with 48 yards on eight carries. Needless to say, the Rice matchup didn't prompt the best version of the Irish ground game, which isn't a huge deal when Carr is tossing four passing touchdowns a game. However, at some point it will make a substantial impact if change doesn't occur.
The Rice victory was a night-and-day difference compared to Wisconsin. Although the Irish cruised to an easy 52-0 shutout victory, flaws remain under the golden dome. However, I strongly emphasize that those flaws are expected and will hopefully be cleaned up as the Irish face off against Michigan State on Saturday, September 19th at 6:30 pm at Notre Dame Stadium. The hype is real. This Notre Dame squad is very good and well put together. Expectations are higher than ever in South Bend, and so far the Irish are facing the pressure very well.
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