If losing to Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl will stick with Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman as long as he expects — “It’s always going to be there.” — then the stakes of facing his alma mater in the first game of his first season as the Irish head coach may be higher than anyone has realized.
When informed No. 5 Notre Dame is a 17.5-point underdog heading to No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday (7:30 ET; ABC), Freeman jokingly made note of it. That line obviously suggests the Irish have their work cut out for them in what should be genuinely considered Freeman’s debut, simply acknowledging the abbreviated and unexpected nature of taking over a program before a bowl game.
Freeman said that work will start with stopping the Buckeyes’ run game, even though Ohio State boasts a Heisman frontrunner at quarterback in C.J. Stroud and arguably the best receiver in the country in Jaxson Smith-Njigba.
“If you don’t stop the run, they’re running all day,” he said Monday. “The ability to stop the run is most important.
“We know they’re very talented throwing the ball, but it’s the mindset. If you can’t stop the run, they can throw it, they can run it, they can do whatever they want to do. You have to be able to stop the run.”
It will be CRUCIAL for #NotreDame's defense to be at its tackling best when it comes to #OhioState RB TreyVeyon Henderson.
788 of his 1,248 rushing yards last season came after contact.
Irish can't afford to be missing tackles throughout Saturday's game.
— Justin Frommer (@JustinbFrommer) August 28, 2022
The same logic will apply to the Irish offense, not just against the national championship contender Buckeyes, but also all season.
“We have to have a mindset that we want to be able to establish the run game offensively with the thought that having a run game offensively opens up so many different options in terms of the pass game, in terms of other things offensively,” Freeman said. “We have to have the ability to establish the run game.”
Establishing Notre Dame’s run game this week may or may not yet include fifth-year left guard Jarrett Patterson. Freeman said Patterson is “still questionable” after suffering a sprained foot less than two weeks ago.
“Expect him to come out this week in practice and we’ll see as we get closer to game time where he’ll be,” Freeman said.
On the released depth chart — hardly a gospel — Irish sophomore Rocco Spindler was listed as Patterson’s backup.
The only other injury addressed by Freeman on Monday was senior linebacker Marist Liufau’s recovery from a dislocated ankle 53 weeks ago. Notre Dame intentionally held back Liufau at points this preseason, mostly to make sure his conditioning was keeping up with his return. Freeman no longer expects any limitations on the weakside linebacker.
𝗔𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀
𝗝𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻
𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿
𝗕𝗼 𝗕𝗮𝘂𝗲𝗿
𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗮𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝗸𝗲𝘆
𝗝𝗗 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱2022 Captains pic.twitter.com/ZxeHEubM4R
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 26, 2022
CAPTAINSHIP A CERTAINTY, SEVENTH-YEAR SUSPECT
Sixth-year receiver Avery Davis is out for the season due to his second torn ACL within nine months, but he was still named a captain this weekend along with Patterson, fifth-year linebacker Bo Bauer, senior linebacker JD Bertrand, senior defensive end Isaiah Foskey and junior tight end Michael Mayer.
The day they learned of Davis’ injury, Freeman had no doubt he would still be a two-time captain this fall.
“When I sat in his house the day he tore his ACL, I knew [being a captain] is what he wanted,” Freeman said. “He’s a leader, and he wants to have the ability to help this team whichever way he can. Him being a captain, him being a voice is a way he can help his team.”
Freeman did not close the door on the thought of Davis pursuing a seventh season of eligibility in 2023, but a statement from Davis two weeks ago suggests he is not looking for that.
“My last moments in game and in practice as a notre dame (sic) football player ended in acl tears,” he wrote on Twitter. “As bad as that is, the hardest part about all of this is the lack of closure granted from it. …
“Although this is not how I wanted it to end by any means, I am extremely grateful for this journey and the years spent here at notre dame.”
RECEIVE OR DEFER?
Freeman said he is typically more likely to defer if Notre Dame wins the coin toss, opting to have a possible extra position in the second half, but that choice will be discussed among his coaching staff each week.
𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮
Notre Dame Victory March#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/3hvrsdGpEG
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 28, 2022
AN OHIO STATE INFLUENCE IN SOUTH BEND
Freeman has made it a point this preseason to educate his roster about certain Notre Dame traditions. For example, why are the end zones in the Stadium painted with nine angled stripes each? (They are at 42-degree angles pointed toward the Golden Dome, with nine plus nine equaling 18. As in, 1842, the year the University was founded.)
Jim Tressel emphasized similar items when Freeman played at Ohio State.
“We definitely spent time understanding the history, the tradition of the place we’re playing at, of many different things that go along with being at Ohio State,” Freeman said. “To me, it’s an appreciation for what you have and an appreciation for where you get to do it at.
“Does it correlate with winning? I think deep down, maybe it does. When you love what you’re doing and where you’re doing it at, I think you own it. I say all the time, we have to own it, we have to own this as our program, own this as our university. I think you sacrifice a little bit more for it when things get really hard.”
Been asked three times this morning, "Tell me not to take ND +17.5." One of which meant in a public fashion.
Assume Ohio State scores at least 42 against anyone not 'Bama, Ga. or Clemson.
How is #NotreDame breaking 24 with a first-time starting QB and barely any receivers?— Douglas Farmer (@D_Farmer) August 29, 2022
