Notre Dame vs USC: Trojan Playmakers that Could Spell Trouble for the Irish
- Noah Wehby
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
Notre Dame is set to face off against their bitter rival, the USC Trojans, this week. In a game that could be the season-defining win or loss for the Irish, who are the players Notre Dame needs to look out for on both sides of the ball? We take a look at a few of the Trojan's biggest threats.
Photo by USC Athletics
Makai Lemon - Wide Receiver
To put it simply, Makai Lemon is one of the best receivers in all of college football. So far this season, there has not been a defense that has been able to contain Lemon for very long. To this point, he has already racked up 44 receptions for 682 yards and six touchdowns. To put that into perspective, that puts him atop the Big Ten, a conference with Jeremiah Smith, in both yards and receptions. Production wise, there really has not been anyone better than Lemon. This will probably be the toughest test for the Notre Dame defense all season long, save for Mario Craver and Malachi Toney. The Irish secondary has shown that it is susceptible to giving up large chunks of yards through the air, something that Lemon will take advantage of in a big way if Notre Dame's defensive scheme fails them in this game. Last year's installment of this game saw Lemon haul in nine passes for 133 yards, so he is already a proven threat to a defense that has a lost a ton of talent. Marcus Freeman has thrown around the idea of moving superstar cornerback Leonard Moore around the field, allowing him to be where he can make the largest impact. Against a player of Lemon's caliber, this could be the perfect time to enact that strategy. Although Moore is not a slot corner, it is unclear if anyone else in the Irish secondary is capable of slowing down Lemon. Lemon presents a matchup problem for any defense, but Notre Dame may have the answer with Moore. Either way, Lemon will have to be accounted for on every snap, or Notre Dame will have a very long night trying to slow down this explosive USC offense.
King Miller - Running Back
Although he may not be the most talented player on USC's offense, he did show an impressive ability to impact the game during the Trojan's matchup against Michigan. In that game, USC lost their top two leading rushers due to injury before calling on redshirt freshman walk-on King Miller to finish the game. Surprisingly, Miller took over the game, leading a dominant USC rushing attack. In total, Miller rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown on 18 touches, good for nearly nine yards per carry. Miller was able to hit on a few explosive plays against Michigan, which was enough to give USC the lead they needed to secure the win. Notre Dame's rushing defense has been strong to start the year, but they will be tested against this Trojan rushing attack. Although the title of walk-on is next to Miller's name, he has shown more than enough to prove that he can become a game-changer if Notre Dame is not careful.
Bishop Fitzgerald - Safety
On the defensive side of the ball, Fitzgerald has been one of the most impressive defensive backs in the country this season. At the safety position, Fitzgerald is an instinctive, athletic player with great ball skills, as he always seems to be around the ball. With that skillset, Fitzgerald has emerged as one of the best ball hawks in college football. With five picks on the year, he has proven that it might not be wise to look towards his side of the field when looking to push the ball down field. CJ Carr and this Notre Dame offense like to do just that, so Carr will have to be careful and accurate when testing Fitzgerald in coverage. A player of Fitzgerald's caliber can easily sway this game in USC's favor if Carr is not careful with the ball. Think back to how Xavier Watts did this for Notre Dame in 2023 against Caleb Williams. That's the takeaway ability that Fitzgerald brings to USC. In the Trojan's game against Michigan, the Wolverines didn't respect the abilities of this talented athlete in the secondary, and Fitzgerald took advantage, finishing with two picks on the day.
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:
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!