Written by Justin Turner ⏐ Contributor ⏐ Photo By On3.com How do you build a College Football Playoff contender? Is it having tons of 5 star players? That seems to be the best way in terms of proven results, but is not iron clad. Is it having a hall of fame coach? Without question that helps. Is it having the best availability to give out NIL deals? Money always talks. But I would say the most sure-fire way to become a College Football Playoff contender is consistency. As we sit at the quarter poll of the 2023 Notre Dame Football season, that is the word and theme that continues to show itself to me as I watch this team. Consistency in the messaging from the coaches. Consistency in the hate that we receive from the outsiders. And consistency in the effort and play from the players on the field. With that said, has there been any part of this team that has been more consistent than the quarterback? Steady, smart, arm talent, able to make something out of nothing and most importantly: not turning the ball over. When was the last time you were able to say all of that about a Notre Dame quarterback? Sam Hartman has been everything we as fans hoped he would be. How many times over the last 2 decades have we seen Notre Dame quarterbacks go on the road, start the game off as bad as the Fighting Irish offense looked before the heavens opened and simply never recover? Not only did Hartman recover - he was incredible. And there were two plays that perfectly illustrated that for me. At the end of the first half, 2nd & 10 and your own 21-yard line, Hartman rolls out as the play has totally broken down, keeps his eyes down field and hits a wide-open Chris Tyree for a 65-yard gain. And if that wasn’t good enough, the very next play is an absolute laser of a pass between 3 defenders, in a window that us normal human beings would not have been able to see, for a touchdown to Jaden Greathouse. Not to mention going 15/24 for 284 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INTs. Getting that type of consistent play at quarterback is the stuff that all playoff contenders must have. We don’t have to spend much time addressing the run game. What more can we really say? Audric Estime’s ability to be a power back when the time calls for it, but also be a home run hitter is something that has not been seen too often. And to get that kind of effort consistently is giving Derrick Henry, Najee Harris, Josh Jacobs, Eddie Lacey vibes. You can see where I’m going with that. Also, to have that depth at that position too is a plus. 5 RBs is a lot. Let’s not kid ourselves. However, they all bring something a little different to the table. But the one thing that they all have is that ability to take every hand off to the house in the blink of an eye. And that’s what separates the playoff teams from the others. Anyone we give this ball too can score. How often did you see Alabama skill players almost seem interchangeable and everything continues rolling? No pun intended. Same for Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State. When was the last time you have been able to say that about a stable of Notre Dame running backs? Or even TEs or wide receivers for that matter? Photo By Yahoo Sports The defense! My lord the defense. One thing that we can all admit while being Notre Dame fans is that there will absolutely be days and match ups where we do not have the best athletes on the field. I don’t think that is hard to say. But when was the last time you have watched 3 straight Notre Dame football games and you have not seen a single player get beaten by a better athlete? You haven’t seen major chunk plays given up? When was the last time you’ve seen this team go on the road, against a veteran QB and weapons and come away with 3 interceptions? That is the consistency that is needed. This unit looks fast, smart and they arrive violently at the ball. And most importantly, they take the ball away! Yes, the big bad wolves of college football offenses are still to come on the schedule, but again if this unit continues to consistently play this way, Notre Dame will have a shot against anyone. The teams that have dominated college football for the better part of the last 2 decades have all had the same formula. A consistent QB that will make great decisions with the ball and leads the team to wins. Offensive weapons that show up vs any team that they play, while striking fear in opposing defensive coordinators, and a defense that you can rely on. Holding teams in points and taking the ball away in big spots. Having those elements of your team that you know are going to be there game in and game out no matter who is on the other sideline is the way you become the gold standard. Being consistent will get this Notre Dame team to the destination that we all want them to be at. Being consistent will get this Notre Dame team into the conversations and narratives we all want them to be in. And being consistent will get this Notre Dame team into one of those final four spots. Being consistent is the key to hanging that next banner and restoring the glory.

Written by Liam Gaudet ⏐ Senior Editor ⏐ Twitter: @LiamGaudetIT Photo by USA Today Just three games into a brand new season, Notre Dame fans have very little to complain about for the first time in a long time. The Irish have cruised through their first few games in dominant fashion, running over Navy across the pond, as well as handling business in cleanly fashion against a severely undermatched Tennessee State program, and finally demolishing North Carolina State at home. In those first three games, the Irish have outscored their opponents a combined 143-30. Thus far, Sam Hartman has been everything we could have asked for and more, and the young talent has been put on display. The future of the Notre Dame football team has never looked brighter. Marcus Freeman has done an incredible job guiding this program in the right direction, from recruiting to on field play in year two. Internally, the Notre Dame program hasn't looked this strong in a long time. Externally, however, I have a lot of questions for the fans of the storied Blue and Gold. https://www.smackapparel.com/products/notre-dame-college-saf-short-sleeve Let me ask you a question. When was the last Notre Dame home game that you felt like the crowd was a factor? I can name a plethora of Notre Dame road games where I believe the opposing crowd came out in full force to intimidate the Irish, but for the life of me I can't recall when that has ever been the case for another team visiting South Bend. You cad see the just how intimidating those road games have been for the Irish, just go back and watch the highlights from the 2014 Florida State game at Doak Campbell, or the disaster that was 2017 at Hard Rock against the Hurricanes. Both of those stadiums were bumping, and even more so, the crowd rippled with the colors of their programs in bright and offensive fashion. The common denominator in both of these games, of course, was an Irish defeat. Are you starting to see where I'm going with this? Let's shift our attention to some of the more recent big games at Notre Dame Stadium. The two that come to mind for me are the 2019 Georgia game, and the 2021 Cincinnati game. If you attended either of these games, you probably know exactly where I'm going with this. I've seen this phenomenon referred to as "The Red Scare" - where an opposing team's fanbase completely takes over Notre Dame Stadium in their own colors. On both of these occasions, I was sick to my stomach as I witnessed the masses of red and black cover entire sections of Notre Dame stadium. Now, what I will say is that fans have done an exceptional job at promoting the non-sale of tickets to opposing fans on social media the past few seasons. Last season, there was noticeably less orange in the crowd during the biggest game of the season against Clemson, but still something felt lacking. Photo by SB Nation The color. The punch. The hostility. It just wasn't there. Navy just doesn't stand out as much as some of the colors that flooded stadiums over the years, and thankfully, the Irish came up with a solution. The "Irish Wear Green" initiative has and will continue to bring the vibrancy to the stands of Notre Dame Stadium at the perfect time. The Irish will wear a sleek minty green against the Buckeyes in two weeks time, with the fans encouraged to wear green during this game as well - and there happens to be a shirt that stands out for this glorious occasion. Smack Apparel has introduced their "Bust A Nut!" T-shirt in time for the biggest game of the season. If there's ever been a shirt to capture the nature of the moment, this is the one: https://www.smackapparel.com/products/notre-dame-college-nut-short-sleeve Smack Apparel has been in business for 25 years, and has brought the passion, grit and excitement all college football fans feel during the season to their sleek and quality designs. Gone are the days of tired and overpriced collegiate apparel that lacks the punch of what college football represents. These designs fit the "Irish Wear Green" narrative to a tee at a far more reasonable price point. You want the oppositions attention? You've got it in these shirts. https://www.smackapparel.com/products/notre-dame-college-kcaosu-short-sleeve Smack Apparel prides themselves in giving the fans a voice - and that voice is talking smack! There's no better way to make Notre Dame Stadium hostile again than a screaming loud shirt emphasizing the importance and emotion of this game. Buckeye fans are going to stop in awe once they have a peak at these, because we're no longer going to take disrespect in the presence of the dome. There are 5 unique green designs not just suitable for the Ohio State game, but for every Irish occasion you find yourself in! The best part? These shirts are only $23.99 with free shipping on purchases over $40. Order yours by Tuesday of the Ohio State week and it'll be at your front door well before kickoff. It's time to make Notre Dame Stadium a place to be afraid of! Talk some SMACK! Order your Smack Apparel Gear Here! - https://www.smackapparel.com/products/notre-dame-college-nut-short-sleeve

Written By: Phil Kowalis ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter: @PhilKowalisIT Photo By Ethan Hyman/The Charlotte Observer Notre Dame faced its toughest test of the season on the road against North Carolina State. While the offense struggled for the first time this season, they managed to create enough big plays to put 45 points on the scoreboard. The Irish defense completely shut down the Wolfpack running game and the Irish secondary picked off Brennan Armstrong three times as the Irish used a big fourth quarter to cruise to an easy victory over the Wolfpack to go to 3-0 on the season. Offense: Offensive Line/Tight Ends - Grade C The Wolfpack defense provided the toughest test to date for the Irish offensive line, and for the first time this season the Irish offensive line struggled in both the running game and protecting the passer. The Irish finished the game with 170 yards on 37 carries for a 4.6-yard average, but 80 of those yards came on one carry, as Audric Estime galloped through the Wolfpack defense on the first play of the second quarter to put the Irish ahead 10-0. Take away that long run and the Irish finish the game with less than 100 yards rushing. The offensive line also struggle in pass protection as quarterback Sam Hartman was under pressure most of the afternoon and was sacked four times. The only reason this grade is not worse is because of the production of the Irish tight ends. Holden Staes caught four passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns and Davis Sherwood also found the endzone as the tight end group had its second straight strong performance. Quarterback/Running backs - Grade B Sam Hartman struggled at times but produced big plays when the Irish offense needed them and finished the game going 15-24 passing for 286 yards and four touchdowns on the afternoon. Hartman had three competitions of more than 40-yards as the Irish offense relied on the big play all afternoon. Audric Estime led the Irish on the ground with 134 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns, Estime also caught two passes for 22 yards. Jadarian Price added 31 yards on 7 carries and Jeremiyah Love had six carries for 24 yards as Notre Dame continues to rotate four running backs. Wide Receivers - Grade C For the second game in a row production from the wide receivers was almost nonexistent. Chris Tyree had two catches for 68 yards Tobias Merriweather had a 45-yard reception and Jaden Greathouse caught a 13-yard touchdown pass and ended the day with 3 catches for 15 yards. Dion Colzie went without a catch for the second week in a row and Jayden Thomas was also held without a catch but did have a key block on Estime's 80-yard touchdown run. Photo By Ethan Hyman/ The Charlotte Observer Defense: Defensive Line - Grade A The Notre Dame defensive line turned in their third straight strong performance, as they shut down the NC State running game limiting the Wolfpack to 84 yards on 30 carries holding the Wolfpack to only 2.8 yards per attempt. Howard Cross and Javontae Jean-Baptiste each recorded 5 tackles on the day and Junior Tuihalamaka added four tackles and Donovan Hinish had three tackles and recorded the only sack of the day for the Irish defense. Linebackers - Grade B The Irish Linebackers had another good performance as they teamed with the defensive line to keep Wolfpack quarterback Brennan Armstong from making any big plays with his legs as they held the Wolfpack signal caller to only 26 yards on 12 carries on the day. Jack Kiser led the linebacking corps with six tackles three of them being solo. Marist Liufau had five tackles one for loss and JD Bertrand also added five tackles before leaving the game early in the third quarter with what is being reported to be a head injury. Defensive Backs - Grade A- The Notre Dame secondary turned in a game changing effort against the Wolfpack intercepting Armstrong on back-to-back Wolfpack possessions early in the fourth quarter, to set the offense up in short field situations that were both cashed in for touchdowns as the Irish were able to turn a close one score game into a comfortable win. DJ Brown and Xavier Watts had the fourth quarter picks of Armstrong and Benjamin Morrison also had an interception early in the first quarter, Morrison should have had another interception but let what should have been an easy interception slip through his fingers. Thomas Harper had his best game of the season, leading the Irish in tackles with seven, three of them being solo tackles. Harper was also credited with two pass break ups on the day. Brown added 5 tackles four of them being of the solo variety as the Irish secondary had their best game of the season. Special Teams: Grade B Kicker Spencer Shrader was a perfect six for six on PAT attempts and went one for two on field goals making a 54 yarder and having a 56-yard attempt bang of the left upright. Punter Bryce McFerson had a good game punting averaging 50.7 yards on his six attempts, with a long of 59 yards. Jadarian Price averaged 22.5 yards on his two kickoff returns. Overall: The Irish did not play their best game but still made enough plays to escape Raliegh with a fairly easy 21-point victory to stay unbeaten on the season. Next week Notre Dame returns home to face the Central Michigan Chippewas. The Chippewas defeated New Hampshire 45-42 on a field goal as time expired to improve to 1-1 on the season.

Written by Mike Stacey ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter: @MikeStaceyIT IG: @mikestaceyit Photo Credit: The North State Journal Well ladies and gentlemen it's that time of the week again, game day predictions. Last week I was almost spot on with Audric Estime's stats and the final game score, but could not be farther off with Tobias Merriweather. Sue me. This week the Irish take on their first true road test and their first real test of the season, NC State. The Wolfpack come into this game 1-0 after a close win on the road over UConn. With that being said, NC State is certainly no pushover and a team that ND will need to make sure they are focused against this Saturday. NC State has been very consistent over recent years but has not yet been able to crack the ACC title game. Regardless, they always come with a hard hitting defense and a very competetive squad that has won at least 8 games 5 of the past 6 seasons. This year, they hope the offense will match the defense's pedigree, as they have acquired Robert Anae at Offensive Coordinator and Brennan Armstrong at QB. The two both accounted for an explosive Virginia Offense in 2021 that they hope to replicate this year, albeit with far less talent at Wide Receiver and some questions on the O-line. Will the Wolfpack be able to pull off the upset? Or will Notre Dame continue to roll through week 3. Let's make some predictions! Offense: Sam Hartman: This will be Hartman's toughest test so far this season and should give us a more telling idea of where him and this offense is at. This game will not be nearly as easy as the past 2, especially with NC State's secondary. That being said, I think Hartman still goes out and makes some big plays for the Irish. Prediction: 20-29/ 290 yards/ 3 TD Audric Estime: The Irish are going to continue to let the big dog eat, and for good reason. Estime has proven to be one of the best backs in the county, and certainly one of the toughest to tackle as he leads the country in Missed Tackles Forced with 16. I think Notre Dame will wear the defense down early with ground attacks which will open up the passing game later in the game. Prediction: 16 Carries/ 115 yards/ 1 TD Mitchell Evans: The Mayer era is over but don't overlook the Irish tight ends. Mitchell Evans has flown well under the radar this season and certainly has some huge shoes to fill, but Evans is far from a slouch himself. I think with the Wolfpacks corners being as good as they are, look for the young tight end to be a favorite target for Sam Hartman in this game. Prediction: 6 catches/ 70 yards Defense: Javontae Jean-Baptiste: It's nice to be rooting for and not against Javontae this season, as he has transferred to the Irish from Columbus. He brings a great pass rush skill set along with great athleticism. I think this game will be a bit of a breakout game for him as he puts it on Armstrong and gets a hold of him a of couple times. I also think he makes his presence known in the run game setting the edge and being disruptive. Prediction: 2 TFL, 2 Sacks Benjamin Morrison: It is hard to pick Benjamin simply because Quarterbacks try their best to avoid him, so the stats this season may be down from last year simply due to opportunities. However, I think Armstrong is going to take some chances in this game and Morrison is going to cash in and make a few big plays. Prediction: 2 Pass Break ups/ 2 Interceptions Game Prediction: This game has me a bit nervous, to be honest, but I am hopeful the Irish go into North Carolina and take care of business. It may be ugly at times, but I think the Irish pull this one out. ND-31 NC State-21

By: Connor D'Aquila ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter: @ConnorDaquilaIT Photo by Chad Weaver With the blowout win last weekend, we had our first chance to see the two young quarterbacks on Notre Dame’s roster in a real game environment. Granted the competition was not what they will be seeing moving forward, both Steve Angeli and Kenny Minchey gave reason for optimism this weekend. Angeli went 8/11 for 130 yards and two touchdowns on three drives. Minchey went 2/2 for 12 yards on one possession. Kenny’s time on the field was brief, but seeing both of them out there begs the question of what this room will look like after Sam Hartman and into the future. CJ Carr arrives next year, but he will be very young, and if an injury happens this year, Minchey and Angeli are the options. We’ll compare the two below. Out of High School Steve was the slightly lower-ranked player coming out of high school, but neither of these guys was a bad prospect by any means. According to the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Angeli was a four-star, the number 365 player in the country, the number 21 quarterback, and the fourth-best player in the state of New Jersey. Minchey, on the other hand, also came in as a four-star, ranked number 168 overall, the 14th-best quarterback, and the number three player in the state of Tennessee. He was a huge get for the Irish after key recruiting losses, including five-star Dante Moore. If you watch his high school film, the hype is very understandable. Kenny throws a beautiful ball and would sling it all over the field in high school. A shoulder injury derailed his senior season, but in his junior year, he finished with 3,280 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, and nine interceptions on a 61% completion percentage. He was also named to the Elite 11 after a stellar performance at the prestigious camp. Angeli’s high school performance is a little tougher to judge, as he played in a run-first offense and had his senior season shortened by COVID. He did, however, throw for 919 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions with a 59% completion rate in only six games in his final year. Watching his film shows a quarterback with a strong pocket presence and great accuracy. While the ball didn’t jump out of his hand as much as it did for Minchey, the arm is still there. He also was noted to have a strong regional performance at Elite 11, but was not invited to the final. Minchey definitely has the edge in terms of high school, but both were solid prospects. Photo via 247 Sports Practice Analysis Most people came out of fall camp relatively optimistic about the options behind starter Sam Hartman. Quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli also raved about the competition and performance between the two potential backups. The major theme seems to be that Angeli has gained a lot of confidence as his experience continues to grow with the offense and with the team. He was limited last season, and there was a question as to whether he could run the offense had he been called on. That is not the case this year. While access to practice is limited, most reports indicate that he was making a lot of throws and seemed to be gaining the trust of the receivers. The limited film that exists also shows a confident quarterback throwing well. It’s also hard to ignore his size when you see him in practice next to Minchey and even Hartman. As for Kenny, he’s a true freshman and that transition is always going to be difficult. Two major themes seem to dominate all talk about him, though. One is that he throws a beautiful ball, much like he did in high school. Watching practice clips, it continues to jump out of his hand despite the injury troubles he had last year. He also seems to have a great relationship with the other freshmen, which has allowed for a lot of early success. Here, the edge clearly goes to Angeli. There’s a reason he has been named QB2, and he certainly earned it. Photo by Chad Weaver Game Time This will focus mainly on Steve, as we just got a chance to watch him for a little over a quarter of football. The stat line listed above is certainly impressive for it being his first true experience under center at the college level. I will say, however, that the film shows some areas for continued improvement. Much of the offense during his time was heavily reliant on the screen game and that talented running back room tore off some huge gains that helped his stats. Over time, he did begin to settle in, show some more confidence, and start looking downfield a bit more. There were also some major miscues from the offensive line that forced him to rush at times. One throw had the potential to be a long play to Rico Flores, but a huge quarterback hit after Spindler and Correll completely missed a block forced the ball short. The biggest surprise was his escapability. The most notable play was a touchdown to Jadarian Price that easily could have been a sack, but Steve spun out of pressure and made an accurate short throw on the run. With the questionable offensive line play, he did this a few times, which was very impressive. In Kenny’s one drive, the nerves were evident, but it was great to see the crowd and Hartman try to instill some confidence in him. They didn’t give him much of an opportunity to prove himself, but at the very least, he was able to make the short throws he needed to and there were no major miscues while he was in. Once again, the edge here will go to Angeli, but that’s more due to a lack of opportunity for Minchey than anything else. Steve is definitely the QB2 right now and for the foreseeable future, but I would not write off Minchey to either make a run at it this year or compete for a starting job next year. The talent he has is very impressive, and if he can adapt to the college game, Notre Dame could have a special player on their hands. Hopefully, he gets more game time moving forward, but this battle will be interesting to watch in the future.

By Liam Farrell｜Senior Staff Writer｜Twitter @LiamFarrell_IT Via Matt Cashore, USA TODAY Sports In his first two games for the Fighting Irish, Sam Hartman has been other-worldly. Hartman has led the Irish to two blowout victories, and has capitalized on 11/12 drives in touchdowns, with the only other possession being a missed field goal. While watching these games, the whole vibe has completely changed around the quarterback play for Notre Dame. Last year, I felt myself on the edge of my seat, hoping Drew Pyne wouldn't get sacked, or be able to throw a pass without it getting deflected at the line of scrimmage. I've had no worries with Hartman, at all. Even on 3rd and long, just watching Hartman have a little grimace and laughing just instills how cool, calm, and collected he really is; and if he has me reassured, 2,150 miles away, I can't help but think everyone in that huddle is as relaxed as their captain is. With it only being two games, it is hard for fans not to overreact, but let's take a quick dip through recent Notre Dame quarterbacks, and how Hartman is similar, yet differs from them all. 2022 Season: Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner Via NBC Sports In a similar manner to the 2016 season, many fans wish to forget some moments from the 2022 season. Don't get me wrong, I really liked Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner, but they were nowhere near championship caliber quarterbacks. Before Buchner's injury, he showed his ability to spread the offense with his legs, which were the best facet of his game. However, Buchner simply didn't have the arm strength. The pick-six against Marshall was the perfect example of this. The same thing goes for Pyne who was just not physically built enough. It seemed every game that Pyne would have a ball deflected at the line of scrimmage, and every time he reared back to throw, I just assumed it was going to Michael Mayer. I was in attendance for the USC season finale last year, and just seeing the difference in quarterback play had me in awe. 2021 Season: Jack Coan Via ESPN Oddly enough, I believe Jack Coan's game translates the most to Sam Hartman's. Coan was a stone-cold statue pocket passer, but the dude had a cannon and was extremely accurate. Coan threw for 3,150 yards in his sole year with the Irish and led them to a 1 loss regular season campaign. Coan was a warrior who willed the Irish to a lot of victories, most notably against Toledo and Virginia Tech. The only knock on Coan was his lack of athleticism in the pocket. I remember watching games and just yelling at my TV for the guy to move in the pocket. It also didn't make sense as we saw Coan get sacked 32 times, but every single game the announcers mentioned Coan was originally a lacrosse commit for Notre Dame, which one would think would make him quite nimble. 2018-2020 Seasons: Ian Book Via ESPN The golden child. Ian Book is a very polarizing figure in the eyes of Notre Dame fans. Some people love him. Some people hate him. I always thought Ian Book was simply a winner. The dude got it done when he had to, but wasn't skilled enough to elevate his team to win the big games (besides the regular season Clemson 2020 game). Ian was a dual threat quarterback, who relied on his one read and if it wasn't there, he would tuck it and run. Book knew the offense inside and out, thanks to his extremely close relationship with then offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. Hartman is much like Book in the fact that he is a winner; however, he differs from Ian because he makes everyone around him better. Book would melt in big moments, like when he had a two-minute drill to beat Georgia in 2019, or when we were mounting a comeback against Alabama in 2020, which halted with an under-thrown Book interception. While we haven't seen Hartman in a big game yet for the Irish, I believe he possesses much more confidence than Book had on the field, which proves the most vital in those big game atmospheres. Wrap-Up It's only been two games, but it is evident that Notre Dame has had their first championship caliber quarterback in recent memory. Hartman is so poised in the pocket, and can extend plays when he has to. He elevates the Irish's playoff chances more than any other player in past years. Notre Dame finally has their difference maker at quarterback and man is it exciting to watch. Let's hope Hartman can continue his dominance against a familiar foe in NC State, and see how special this season can truly be.

Written By Phil Kowalis｜Writer｜Twitter: @PhilKowalisIT Photo by ON3 Notre Dame struggled early as Irish fans had to wonder what had happened to the team that had dominated Navy the previous week. Any concerns were put to rest as the Irish scored 28 unanswered points in the second quarter and held a 35-3 lead at the half. Notre Dame had a chance to rest their starters for most of the second half as Tennessee State never posed a serious threat after the break as the Irish posted their second straight impressive performance cruising to 56-3 win over the Tigers to improve to 2-0 on the season. Let's take a look at how the offense and defense preformed in the victory Offense: Offensive Line/Tight Ends - Grade B The Offensive line produced another solid outing against Tennessee State, but they did struggle against the Tiger's run blitz package allowing Tennessee State to rack up six tackles for loss on the afternoon. The Irish's offensive line still managed to clear the way for 221 yards on 33 carries and three rushing touchdowns and did not allow a sack for the second consecutive game. After not being targeted last week against Navy, Notre Dame's tight ends recorded their first catches of the season against Tennessee State. Mitchell Evans racked up four catches for 61 yards and Holden Staes pulled in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Sam Hartman that put The Irish up 35-3 at the half. Quarterbacks/Running backs - Grade A+ The Irish backfield produced another strong performance against Tennessee State. Sam Hartman was nearly perfect again completing 14 of 17 passes for 194 yards and two scores and added a 5-yard rushing touchdown in his one half of action. Steve Angeli saw the first extended playing time of his Notre Dame career as he replaced Hartman to start the second half and went completed eight of his 11 passing attempts good for 130 yards and he also threw a pair of touchdowns. Audric Estime led the Irish in rushing for the second week in a row with 116 yards on only 13 carries and added a touchdown. Jeremiyah Love continued to impress as he added 46 yards on 5 carries and scored the game's first touchdown on a 36-yard scamper through the Tiger's defense. The Irish running backs were also active in the passing game as Jadarian Price and Gi'Bran Payne both caught touchdown passes from Angeli. Wide Receivers - Grade B- While not as impactful as last week the Irish wide receives had another good showing. Jayden Thomas again led the group in both catches and yards with 4 catches for 62 yards on the afternoon. Rico Flores Jr. and Jaden Greathouse each added two catches and Chris Tyree caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Hartman in the second quarter. Irish fans are still waiting on the breakout game from Tobias Merriweather. Merriweather did have his first two catches of the season, but they were good for only five yards. Photo by 247 Sports Defense: Defensive Line - Grade A The Notre Dame Defensive line played another strong game holding Tennessee State to 91 yards rushing on 35 carries allowing only a 2.6 yard per carry average for the game. Howard Cross again led the defensive line in tackles as he recorded six total tackles two of which were solo. Jason Onye added five tackles two of the solo variety, and Jordan Botelho had a sack for the second week in a row. Joshua Burnham had another impressive game with three tackles one for a loss. Linebackers - Grade B The Irish had another strong showing against Tennessee State helping the Irish defense hold Tennessee State to 158 yards of total offense and only 12 first downs for the game. JD Bertrand led the Irish linebackers in tackles with five three solo and a tackle for loss. Jaiden Ausberry and Marist Liufau each had three tackles in the game and Jack Kiser and Jaylen Sneed added two each. Defensive backs - Grade A After barely being challenged by Navy last week the Notre Dame secondary turned in a great performance against the Tigers. The Tiger quarterback tandem of Deveon Bryant and Draylen Ellis combined for to complete only eight of 22 passes on the day for 67 yards, and Bryant was intercepted twice. Notre Dame safety Ramon Henderson made a diving interception of a Bryant pass in the second quarter and cornerback Clarence Lewis picked off a Bryant pass late in the third quarter and returned it 33-yards for a pick-six to put Notre Dame ahead, 49-3. Thomas Harper led the Irish secondary in tackles with three before being ejected late in the second quarter on a very controversial targeting call. Special Teams - Grade C It was an up and down performance for the Irish special teams unit as kick returner Devyn Ford fumbled, setting Tennessee State up at the Irish 12-yardline. Three plays and no yards later the Tigers were kept off the scoreboard when Jason Onye blocked the field goal attempt of Tigers kicker James Lowery. After not punting in last week's win over Navy, Irish punter Bryce McFerson punted twice for a 43-yard average but was unable to pin the Tigers inside their own 20-yard line with either of his punts. Matt Salerno averaged 10.5 yards per return on two punt returns. Overview: Notre Dame did exactly what they were supposed to do by completely dominating an overmatched FCS opponent to improve to 2-0 on the season. Next week the Irish will face their first true test of the season as they go road to face the North Carolina State Wolfpack. The Wolfpack are 1-0 on the season after defeating UConn 24-14 to open the season.

By Liam Farrell｜Senior Staff Writer｜Twitter @LiamFarrell_IT Via Notre Dame Football Notre Dame had a little bit of a rocky start in the first quarter, but came into shape as the Irish rolled the Tennessee State Tigers. The offense was once again perfect in the first half, as Sam Hartman builds his resume of being the best Irish QB of the 21st century. The defense gave fans some worries early on, but they held strong when needed. Special Teams was a small cause for concern, but even on a rough day, they still had their first FG block since 2021. The game was a good opportunity to get every player quality reps, and some utilized this chance more than others. Offense Via Notre Dame Football Sam Hartman . Another efficient day for Sam Hartman overall. The gunslinger scored every time he had the ball on 14/17 throwing with 2 TDs. In back-to-back weeks, Hartman has driven the ball downfield in a two minute drill, to have the Irish score right before half. This week, Hartman took the offense 80 yards in 38 seconds on 6/6 throwing. Getting the Tight Ends Involved. Speaking of the two minute drill, Hartman utilized his tight ends on that entire drive. Mitch Evans and Holden Staes displayed the ability to get open and make great hands catches in traffic. Staes also held his own in the run blocking game, and showed that he can be quite physical as a blocker. Running Back By Committee . Jeremiyah Love got the scoring started on his first rush of the game: a 36-yard touchdown while performing an impressive jump cut in the process. Audric Estime also broke a big run open and showed off some of the speed he gained during this offseason. My roommate, who is new to Notre Dame football, couldn't help but draw comparisons to Frank Gore while watching Estime gash the Tiger defense. Jadarian Price also unveiled his ability to make guys miss in space on a Steve Angeli assisted 40-yard touchdown. Gi'Bran Payne also capitalized on an Angeli check down with a 42-yard touchdown catch of his own. Offensive Line. The Offensive Line looked a bit shaky on the first drive of the game, but settled in as the game progressed. The false start by Pat Coogan hurt and led to Notre Dame's first punt of the season but, for the most part, Hartman had plenty of time in the pocket. Thomas and Tyree. Jayden Thomas and Chris Tyree did most of the heavy lifting for the Irish wide receiving room during this game. Thomas totaled 62 yards and Tyree had a 24-yard touchdown catch. Tobias Merriweather, who was anticipated by many fans to get a ton of touches this week, recorded a couple catches but no big explosive plays. Week Zero star Deion Colzie also didn't make an impact in this matchup. Defense Via Notre Dame Football Two Big Takeaways. In the first half, Ramon Henderson showed his range with a diving interception. Henderson has had tremendous growth over the past two years while getting affiliated with the safety position. Clarence Lewis also had a pick six house call, in the second half. The Notre Dame secondary has displayed that they are primed and ready for all tasks that come their way. Botelho the Beast. Jordan Botelho was the player that stood out to me the most today. Botelho was the most dominant force on the Notre Dame defensive line, having multiple tackles for loss and a sack for the Irish. Howard Cross was also a disruption up front, recording 6 total tackles. Constant Pressure . This entire game, Al Golden was dialing up pressure from all angles. During the first drive of the game, many linebackers were flooding wrong holes and were mispositioned pre-snap. These errors quickly vanished, as Golden dialed up many blitzes that disrupted the Tennessee State quarterback tandem. Ol' Reliable. After a Notre Dame turnover on special teams, that should've been called targeting, the Fighting Irish defense was tasked with holding the Tigers on ND's own 12-yard line. The defense was stout and blocked the FG attempt, which halted all of the Tennessee State momentum. Special Teams Kick-Offs. Notre Dame had some major lapses with the kick-off department today. First off, I don't blame Devyn Ford for the fumble on the kick-off because the kid got rocked, but the blocking was nowhere to be found on the line drive kick. Then, the Tigers capitalized on the Irish kick-off losing outside containment on one of the kicks. This simply can't happen against good teams. The Kicking Game. Spencer Shrader looked good on the extra points, skying them into the high into the crowd and going a perfect 7/7 on all kicks. Punt. Bryce Mcpherson had a touchback on his first punt of the year, with it being a 54-yard kick with a net of 34 yards. His second punt was only a 32-yarder as well.

Written by Mike Stacey｜Writer｜Twitter (X): @MikeStaceyIT IG: @mikestaceyit Photo via Sports Illustrated This Saturday the Irish will look to keep their momentum going as they play their home opener against Tennessee State. This will be a historic game as it is the first time the Irish are playing against an FCS and historically African American college in school history. The Tigers are coming off of a 4-7 season last year and are lead by former running back and both college and NFL hall of famer, Eddie George. George will be in his second season with the Tigers and is looking to improve after a rough year in his first go. The Tigers offense only averaged 18 points per game last year so they will look to vastly improve that number this season. They hope they can do this with the return of Senior Quarterback Draylin Ellis. Ellis is a dual threat quarterback with 5,705 career passing yards and 41 touchdowns. His performance last year has earned him a spot on the Big South-OVC Watch List. On defense, the Tigers welcome several talented transfers whom they hope will improve an already successful defense from last season, who only allowed 363 yards per game and fewer than 200 yards passing. The Tigers may have some talent, but it simply does not compare to what Notre Dame has on the other sideline. The Irish, on paper, should win this game handedly. The biggest concern Irish fans should have is if the Irish play like they expect to win easily. The last thing you want to do is give a team like this hope early on in the game. Hopefully, the Irish have the same attitude they had last week, and put this one away early. A game like this will tell us how mature, well coached, and well focused this team is. Marcus Freeman recently said they had a terrific practice on Wednesday, so hopefully they will maintain that focus throughout the week and into Saturday. Okay, to the fun part where I will inevitably be completely off and get bashed on Social Media for it on Sunday....PREDICTIONS! Offensive MVPs : Sam Hartman: I predict Sam will have another big game, but will see far fewer snaps due to an early pull. (I hope) I predict he will go 17-23 for 275 yards and 3 TD's, and will be benched near the end of the 3rd quarter. Audric Estime : I think Estime will continue to show off his dominance and will have a little chip on his shoulder after his fumble last week. Much like Hartman, I expect him to do his damage early before being sat down in the 3rd quarter. Final tally, 14 rushes for 110 yards and a TD. Tobias Merriweather: :Says a quick prayer: Okay, I may be willing this more so than believing it will happen. The only downside to last week's performance was the "Where's Waldo" act regarding Tobias. He had a drop and a pass defended (It was pass interference, but he could have played it better) and no catches. I firmly believed the Irish will need him to have a big year to be at an elite level this season. At the end of the day, it is one game, no reason to sound the alarms. That being said, until we see him put up a big performance, we are simply relying on potential to give us hope. I think he shows everyone what he is capable of Saturday . (I Hope) 5 Catches for 90 Yards and a TD. Defensive MVP's: Jordan Bothelo: All we have read about all spring is how much Jordan Bothelo has matured and become a leader on this team. We always knew the talent was there, but now the mindset seems to have followed suit. Jordan played very well against Navy, but their style of offense limited what he is capable of and expected to do best, sack the quarterback. I think Jordan comes out like a rabid dog on Saturday and makes Draylin's day very miserable. 3 Sacks and 3 TFL. Cam Hart: Cam seems to fly a bit under the radar with all the attention that Benjamin Morrison gets, but make no mistake, Cam is a stud. I think in an effort to avoid Morrison, Cam will see more targets and will take advantage of the opportunity. 3 Passes Break Ups, 1 interception, and a little more national respect. GAME PREDICTION: I think Notre Dame continues this week the way they started it last week, with focus, energy, and stellar execution. I expect Notre Dame to get more reserves in at the 2nd half of this one, and Irish fans can hopefully have a stress free Saturday and great start to the long weekend! ND: 52 TSU: 10 GO IRISH!

Written By: Phil Kowalis Writer Twitter: @PhilKowalisIT Photo by 247 Sports Heading into Notre Dame's season opener, Audric Estime was the featured back, and sophomores Gi'Bryan Payne and Jadarian Price along with freshman Jeremiyah Love and Penn State transfer Devyn Ford would battle it out to earn the backup role and pick up the carries available in relief of Estime. After the first series of the game, a 13 play 81-yard drive that saw Estime carry six times for 29 yards and a touchdown, everything seemed to be going as planned. Things changed following the first play of Notre Dame's next possession, however, as a 13-yard run by Estime which saw the ball punched free by a Navy defender at the end of the run occurred early into the possession. The ball would end up being knocked out of bounds, and the Irish retained possession, but Estime would head to the sidelines after being replaced by Payne. Jadarian Price would cap that drive with a 19-yard touchdown run putting the Irish up 14-0. Estime would not return for the rest of the half, as Payne, Price, Love and Ford would all see action during his absence. Estime did return to start the third quarter and finished the game with a team high 95 yards on 16 carries and the first quarter touchdown, but the question remained, what was the cause of Estime's prolonged absence in the first half. Was Estime's absence a result of an injury, was it a result of discipline or was it game plan related? An answer would come during the post-game press conference when Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said that Estime's absence was indeed game plan related, as Freeman stated that he and running backs coach Deland McCullough had informed the running back room that they all would see action against Navy and noted that Estime would just have to exhibit patience and spoke highly of the way Estime handled the situation and the effort given once he returned to game action. So, Mystery solved right? Well not so fast my friend. This week when Freeman met with the media, he mentioned that Estime was actually benched because of his fumble, and that by putting the ball on the ground, Estime had not met the standards established within the running back room and the program, but that Estime would remain the starter. Freeman also spoke on the overall talent in the running back room, and that everyone had deserved the opportunity to see playing time moving forward. How will the events of the opening week of the season and Freeman's remarks to the press effect the running back room going forward? Let me provide a roadmap for how I see the rest of the season unfolding. Photo by The Baltimore Sun For the home opener this week against Tennessee State, I expect to see a heavy dose of the running back rotation again as all five should see action in what should be a blowout against a severely overmatched opponent. Moving into weeks three and four, as the Irish take on North Carolina State on the road and return home to face Central Michigan, expect to see a rotation continuing as the ultimate goal should be to keep Estime healthy entering the meat of the schedule beginning with Ohio State in week five. Once we reach week five and the showdown with Ohio State and through the remainder of the season, I expect Freeman and McCullough to return to the three headed monster type-system seen a year ago, with Estime getting the bulk of the carries and Payne and Price filling the backup role. There is no doubt that Estime should remain the starter throughout the season barring injury or the fumble bug becoming a major issue, as Freeman has said that he will remain the man to lead the Irish running game. Price and Payne should be engaged in a season long duel for the backup spot and in my opinion, Ford will be the odd man out and find himself number four on the depth chart. While Love is definitely talented enough to see playing time this season, I really expect his playing time to be limited to four games or less to keep his red shirt year intact. That's my thoughts on the running back situation going forward, now all we can do is sit back and see how the season will play out!

By Liam Farrell｜Senior Staff Writer｜Twitter @LiamFarrell_IT Via 247 Sports The consistent narrative coming into Notre Dame's opening game against Navy was that the Irish had certain question marks preventing them from being a national championship caliber team. The biggest position group that most college football analysts were calling out were the Irish's wide receiving core. As if hearing all the noise and doubts the media has been pressing on them all offseason long, they simply did not disappoint. Jaden Greathouse had a signature breakout campaign, along with an extremely impressive opener for Deion Colzie. Jayden Thomas also cemented himself as WR1 in my opinion, as Tobias Merriweather stalled in his opening campaign. All this and more as we break down the performance of the Notre Dame wide receivers in week 1. Double Trouble Via Notre Dame Football It runs in the name. Kind of. Jayden Thomas and Jaden Greathouse both had memorable openers in the week one thrashing against Navy. Thomas led Notre Dame's receivers in receptions (4) while bringing in 63 yards and a touchdown to close out the first half. Thomas built a great rapport with Hartman, which was seen during the Spring game as well. However, the person who stole the show this past Saturday was none other than freshman wide out Jaden Greathouse. Greathouse led the Irish in receiving yards (68) while bringing in two touchdowns in the process. Greathouse looked mature beyond his years and could be Sam Hartman's new favorite target. Strength by Committee Via Notre Dame Football While looking at the stat sheet for Notre Dame, you can't help but be impressed by the amount of viable options Sam Hartman has in throwing to. Deion Colzie took a big step forward this past game and proved he can win 50/50 jump balls with ease. Speaking of ease, Chris Tyree is silky smooth and most would have no idea he was a converted running back. Tyree ran some great routes, and displayed that he can be elusive in space. While freshman Rico Flores Jr. only caught one pass, it was his tenacious blocking that raised eyebrows amongst the Notre Dame coaching staff. The Notre Dame running back room also displayed that they can catch the ball out of the backfield and be a viable option for Sam Hartman on the check downs. Lost in the Shuffle Via Sports Illustrated One wide receiver who didn't have a stellar game was Tobias Merriweather. While the pre-season hype might have made his performance even less underwhelming, Merriweather has to step up and be a difference maker for this Notre Dame team. After an early drop on Notre Dame's first possession, and a late Sam Hartman deep post that could've been a touchdown, Merriweather was somehow hidden the rest of the game. I wouldn't be surprised if Offensive Coordinator, Gerad Parker, tried to integrate Merriweather early and often next week against Tennessee State. I wouldn't worry about Merriweather's performance as a whole, but need to see him take the next step at being one of the main contributors to this Notre Dame football team. Wrap-Up Week 0 brought nothing but excitement for most Notre Dame football fans. After a dominant display on all sides of the ball, I wonder how consistent Notre Dame will be the rest of the year. I wonder what the identity of this team will be as well. Only time will tell, and hopefully the result will be much like last week. As always, Go Irish! Beat Tigers!

Written by Phil Kowalis ｜Writer ｜Twitter: @PhilKowalisIT Photo by ON3 Notre Dame opened the season in style with a dominate win over Navy in Dublin, Ireland. The Irish jumped out to a 14-0 lead after one quarter of play and were never really challenged by the Midshipmen. Notre Dame turned in a nearly flawless performance in posting the 42-3 victory. Let's look at how each position group performed in the season opening win over Navy. Offense: Offensive Line/ Tight Ends - Grade B+ The Notre Dame offensive line dominated this game from the opening snap as the Irish front had one of their best season opening performances in recent memory. Any concerns about the performance of Junior guards Pat Coogan and Rocco Spindler were quickly put to rest as Coogan and Spindler along with center Zeke Correll opened gaping holes for the Notre Dame running backs as the Irish used the interior running game to perfection on an opening drive capped by a 1-yard Audric Estime touchdown plunge. The Irish line paved the way for 194 rushing yards on 32 carries averaging six yards per carry for the contest and did not allow a single sack of quarterback Sam Hartman. The only negative for the group was the lack of production of the tight ends in the passing game, and tight end Mitchell Evans being called for holding on the opening series of the game. Quarterback/Running backs - Grade A+ Sam Hartman was nearly perfect in his Irish debut completing 19 of 23 passes for 254 yards and four touchdowns in the game. Hartman also displayed a calmness in the pocket that was lacking from the position last season. The Irish ground attack was led by Audric Estime's 95 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, good for a 5.9 yard per carry average. Jadarian Price also found paydirt for the Irish offense on a 19-yard scamper that increased the Irish lead to 14-0 in the opening quarter. Freshman Jeremiyah Love made his debut rushing for 40 yards on four carries, as all five Irish running backs managed to see the field in the blowout win. Wide Receivers - Grade B While no individual produced eye-catching numbers, the group as a whole had a very solid season opener. Freshman Jaden Greathouse had a strong debut for the Irish making three catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Jayden Thomas led the team in catches with four for 63 yards, and he also added a touchdown catch. Deion Colzie added three catches and a touchdown, and new slot addition Chris Tyree had three catches in his first start as a slot receiver. Photo by the Baltimore Sun Defense: Defensive line - Grade A- It took a couple of possessions for the Notre Dame defensive front to get a handle on Navy's triple option, but once the Irish front settled into the game, they turned in a solid performance. Howard Cross and Rylie Mills clogged the middle most of the day, limiting Navy fullback Daba Fofana to just 32 yards on 16 carries after Fofana torched the Irish defense in last season's matchup. Cross and strong side defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste led the Irish front line with four tackles each, and Mills and Josh Burnham added sacks of Navy quarterback Tai Lavatai. Linebackers - Grade A The Notre Dame linebackers turned in a fantastic performance playing fast and roaming sideline to sideline to shut down the Navy running game as the unit helped the Irish defense hold the Midshipmen to only 126 yards rushing on 48 carries for the game, a 2.6-yard per carry average. Jack Kiser led the linebacking corps with eight total tackles six of them solo, and Marist Liufau added seven total tackles four of them being solo. Defensive Backs - Grade B- The Notre Dame secondary did not face much of a challenge from the Navy offense as the Midshipmen only attempted a total of seven passes for the game completing only three for a total of 43 yards. The opportunity was there for the Navy offense to hit on a couple of big plays through the air, as twice Navy receivers were running wide open through the Irish secondary only to have the pass be off the mark. The Notre Dame defensive backs did play well against the run reacting aggressively to stop Navy ball carriers from being able to turn the corner and pick up big yardage. Special Teams - Grade C The Irish special teams unit did not play a big role in this one as punter Bryce McFerson never took the field to attempt a punt, and six of kicker Spencer Shrader's kickoffs resulted in touchbacks. Shrader was perfect on all six point after touchdown attempts, but did miss his only field goal attempt a 42-yarder late in the third quarter. The Irish kick return team was just average on the day, as Gi'Bran Payne returned two kickoffs for 41 yards averaging 20.5 yards a return and Tyree returned one punt for 11 yards. Overall It was a fun day to be a fan of Notre Dame football as the Irish took an early lead and unlike past games against Navy never let the Midshipman get back into the contest as they cruised to an easy opening victory. Most importantly the Irish came out of the game without suffering any major injuries (Gabe Rubio is expected to return for Ohio State). Notre Dame fans should be in for a similar performance next week as the Irish host Tennessee State in their home opener. It will be the first time in school history that Notre Dame will face an FCS opponent.