Notre Dame Against the Modern Triple Option
How’d We Do Last Week?
As a refresher, I feature the most interesting, most wildly inaccurate, and most accurate takes for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from the previous week. Let’s get started!
Most Interesting
Sometimes you need to step away before returning to things that have hurt you. Welcome back, Goldrush, very much respect the decision.
Most Wildly Inaccurate
Mitchell finished with 1 catch for 14 yards on a single target. Hand up, that’s on me. Gotta get it right this week…..
Most Accurate
Dead on outside of 1 drive in the first quarter. The young defenders looked elite and GT scored a very garbage time score, nearly killing their backup QB in the process.
And now onto the take for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen
Cold Take
Navy Scores on their opening possession
Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sometimes I cannot figure Al Golden out. He commands one of the best defenses in the country, yet gives up opening drive scores more often than not. He adjusts incredibly well, but for the life of him starts slowly every game. This is not a game you can start slowly, but will take ND at least a drive to adjust. Blake Horvath is a dog and will fight to the end in this one. I hope I am wrong on this one, but it feels like a, “here we go again” first drive against the midshipmen.
Hot Take
Mitchell Evans Breakout Game
Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Navy is going to LOAD the box this week and force ND to beat them through the air to start. It is a smart strategy and I would do the exact same thing. However, loaded boxes present opportunities, especially with a sleeping giant at TE. Last week, I saw glimpses of the old Mitchell Evans….. He showed more burst than he has all year and with the Navy defensive scheme, he can reemerge from hibernation. Evans will match 60% of his year to date production, totaling 8 catches for around 80 yards and a TD. He will find the soft spot in zones behind stacked boxes and win 1-1 matchups easily. Our friend Greg broke down his screen, which he showed more burst than I have seen all year.
Nice wrinkles on this screen play to Mitchell Evans. Reverse orbit motion from Harrison, then a wheel influence from Williams that draws two defenders. Knapp misses which negates a few more yards, but good play. pic.twitter.com/uuFFN4lKYh
— Greg Flammang (@greg2126) October 20, 2024
Your Takes: Please leave your takes below (hot, cold medium-any temp). I will feature the Top Takes next week. GO IRISH!