FILM DON'T LIE: Scouting Notre Dame's Defense

[@fouledanchor6770]

From a ND fan I really appreciate when people actual watch film and take time to analyze a team. I think the only thing that I would add is. This is by far the fastest most Athletic team that I have seen. And I've been a fan since the 70s. Great job on the breakdown, though look forward to a great game. In order to be the best, you gotta beat the best

[@BrentRollinsPhD]

Thanks!

[@nickjensen7170]

ND fan here... This was by far one of the most fair analysis I've seen from SEC guys on ND in a while. Usually its just "ND IS SLOW and THEY SUCK" This ND team definitely has it weaknesses. Speed, athleticism and physicality are not among those. (Edge is definitely a problem our best two players were lost early in the season, and they struggle to generate a pass rush from that position at times vs good o lines.) I definitely think the overall talent edge goes to Georgia. I really worry about how we're going to match up vs Georgia on offense, we've not shown we can throw our way to success this season outside of the USC and Academies. Those teams are nowhere near as athletic as georgia is on defense. ND is going to have to hit some shots down the field in order to win vs a team like Georgia, unless your front 7 misses the bus to New Orleans. I also worry about how we match up vs your big O-line on defense. Some teams with size have pushed us around at times this year, I highly doubt you'll throw to high success, but I absolutely could see you guys running the ball to success, which worry's me(almost woulda preferred Beck for this reason) ... I wouldn't be surprised if this matchup was mostly field goals until late where one team makes a play and punches it in over the other forcing the other into a do or die drive for the tie and or win. Best of luck guys.... I think this is gonna be a great one for the ages no matter who wins !

[@tommcguire1315]

We are much faster as a team now than we were when we played in Athens a few years ago. I agree across the board with what you said. Go IRISH

[@dardenbunn1415]

Your post reminded me of how much fun I had rubbing shoulders with Irish fans back in the last week of 1980 and the first couple of days of 1981 in New Orleans. Oh, the irony. I tipped quite a few cocktails with Irish fans to say the least. Just wish I was there right now with y'all. Anyway, this year's version of the Dawgs is way better than 1980. The only thing we had was Hershel, and y'all held him in check pretty good, if I remember correctly. I still worry about this game a lot. I still wonder how we came out on top. ND is a savvy, well coached football team that by no means is a pushover for Georgia. The Dawgs have to play their best to win this one.

[@gbro8822]

Life long Irish fan here. Should be a great game and Love is beast at running back. Merry Christmas to all.

[@driebsch1]

Pretty fair take on the ND defense guys. Gonna be a good one. (Especially if you love defense.) ☘️🏈

[@KyleRollinsMammothSolutions]

in one scene of Rambo there is a christmas tree in the background of the military office... its a Christmas movie lol

[@ZB_Snickers]

FYI from an ND fan. Notre dame hasn't struggled vs good QB's but rather good WRs. the best pass play vs ND is to just throw a go route on like a 2/3 step drop.

[@tommcguire1315]

Same here, I'm a ND too and this breakdown of film is spot on. GA will do more exposing missed assignments or gaps than Indiana did. They have better dudes running the ball as well. Can our make shift d line make an impact in this game? Idk but excited to watch. Good clip here guys

[@BurgerKingsPersonalChef]

Great analysis on this one. Georgia needs to exploit the ND edges, as they lost their 1st and 2nd strings for the season in the first 5 games. The 3rd and 4th stringers have done a commendable job stepping up, but the pressure generated is typically through the middle of the line. It puts a lot of pressure on the LBs and any roaming secondary members who have to step up and help cover those edges.

[@timothyharley3652]

The deciding factor is definitely going to be the Lloyd Christmas haircut on Kirby Smart. Can't win with that, Here Come The Irish

[@jammieflowers9795]

I hear you guys talking about our linebackers being out of position or being aggressive but a lot of people don't realize how fast are linebackers are and not just our linebackers but this whole team is fast fast fast fast

[@tommcguire1315]

BK couldn't get team speed. Freeman has built a roster. we will need our backups on the defensive line to step up vs Georgia. GO IRISH

[@ZB_Snickers]

you can run on ND because we blitz so much and that puts our LBs out of position sometimes on runs

[@margiewinters6857]

True intellectuals! You make Georgia proud.

[@RaiderCBR6.5]

Good points, go Irish and Bad Santa is the best Christmas movie.

[@BrentRollinsPhD]

Definitely one of the funniest!

[@waynemiller7846]

Nd fan here, and one of my good friends is a UGA fan. Looking foward to a great game. I'd love to hear why UMass ran for 226 and Georgia Tech ran for 260, but everyone is expecting ND's run game to be shutdown.

[@kimbrown1352]

I dont think run game will be shut down..maybe more contained. I think scheme has lot to do with it. And uga doesn't always bring the energy they should . Ga tech has complicated schemes.

[@christianhonap3837]

Sec fans don’t understand facts, sadly.

[@Law_Dogg]

​@@kimbrown1352fair enough. Thing with ND is one lost contain is a long TD run. ND has the most of those in CFB outside of Jeanty. Should be a good game - hope ND is healthy, we lost a starting O lineman and our best DL to injuries, if they don't play will be tough sledding.

[@l.bryant6936]

3 letters. Not SEC. RPO. Only one team left in the playoffs has similar schemes.

[@kool4209]

GAs biggest problem is being overwhelmed. Having a mobile QB, that doesn’t have to get 10 yards, just 5-6 every down. Have a RB that’s decent and a WR that can catch and you’ll overwhelm GA. However, if you lack one of these they can handle you.

[@UIWswimmer]

Pretty good take on the game. I would say I expect ND to be able to run on this Georgia team though. I think with Riley out my concern is that you get some success up the middle and not just off the edges.

[@Will-fk2dk]

If the Notre Dame LBs are out of place because they are blitzing, they can be caught for big gains by RBs on traps and counters, or in the screen game. However, the QB has to get the ball out quick because ND also likes to bring a Safery up or roll a Cornerback into the box (usually from the near side) and they have all been very good tacklers this season. What scares the heck out of me is if Georgia's Offensive Line absolutely dominates the Irish Front 4. Then we will be in a lot of trouble. Because if Georgia us determined to run the ball, AND the O-line is dominant, then it won't matter if the Irish get caught in a blitz... It will just be the Defensive Line getting pushed backwards, and the Linebackers will have to make all of the Tackles 5 and 6 yards from the line of scrimmage. No way Notre Dame can stop Georgia if that happens.

[@tommcguire1315]

Hate to agree with all that but well said

[@ZB_Snickers]

ND has had to play vs caleb williams the past 2 years and that really forced freeman/golden to figure out how to stop the mobile qb. This year we really didnt play vs a mobile qb (not counting army/navy)

[@DreDawg007]

Huge opportunity for Delp , lucky, yurosek to eat

[@fightingirish8631]

Good stuff fellas- gonna be a very good game. Probably the best until the Natty. We wish Georgia the best of luck… next year! GOIRISH!!!!

[@JamesBond-zd5jx]

Indiana appeared as if their coaching staff were kidnapped at the end of the season and replaced by North Korean urban planners. Coach of the year? Ridiculous. Brent is right. This was coaching malfeasance.

[@BrentRollinsPhD]

Completely unexplainable from Cig.

[@tcl1725]

Play action with how down hill the backers play seems to be a good plan of action, given you're able to run the ball effectively.

[@DarrellNemeth]

I’ll compare ND performance with Georgia tech to Georgia’s performance against Georgia Tech. They both played them and Georgia had to play them 8 OT’s

[@Surge308]

To be fair we didn’t play the starting QB but we did play on the road.

[@JamesBond-zd5jx]

Tech played their third string QB vs ND. What you should compare is how ND plays vs Georgia because that will be the only thing that matters.

[@kimbrown1352]

​@@JamesBond-zd5jxha..funny how ND fans leave that detail out

[@tomtillman4650]

@@JamesBond-zd5jx third string true freshman in his first game to boot

[@WaldoHaraldoFaldo]

Riley Mills loss is huge for UGA chances.. probably why they swung back to being a 1.5 favorite

[@sststr]

Well, looks like Rylie Mills is out? We lose our starting QB, they lost their star defensive lineman. Not sure how well that evens things out, but both teams appear to be down a key player.

[@mikehill117]

If uga played Notre Dame schedule, that would be the main talking point this week, they literally played no one this year, we shall see

[@de2345]

We played G tech. I think Georgia did too.

[@Surge308]

Everyone picks opponents to upset ND, then they say we play no one when we win. And that the team wasn’t that good. Notre dame derangement syndrome

[@christianhonap3837]

SEC hypotheticals 😂

[@Law_Dogg]

A&M, Louisville, USC, Indiana, all no one. Oh and you're familiar with GT. Not dissing Georgia's very legit schedule, but take off the SEC blinders.

[@G0DCOUNTRY1842]

AL GOLDEN IS GOING TO HAVE GUNNER STOCKTON IN A BLENDER, GO IRISH☘️💚

[@sbeavers30721]

The way UGA had Texas in a blender, I bet our Blender is bigger. A big win against Indiana isn't quite the same

[@justinwatkins2004]

Brent took Indiana over Notre Dame in the first round……….

[@DarrellNemeth]

Should be a good game, ND has a very young Defense, most of their killer defense personnel are out for the year with injuries. That being said, do not under estimate their youth, they are ballers. ND will be prepared for Georgia .

[@Law_Dogg]

ND has young LBs (and 1 young CB) but I would not call them a young D overall, they've got 5 and 6 year seniors at S, MLB and 3 spots on DL.

[@frankcarson8330]

Just in case yall didn't know, Notre Dame lost both of their best edge rushers earlier in the season.

[@coreyflynn4381]

Also, the best cornerback in the country Benjamin Morrison, is out for us halfway through the year and we still have elite secondary play without him

[@jonathanrolon7457]

They were talking about the healthy edge rushers. None of the injured ones were mentioned. Also, Ben Morrison himself stated his backup was better than him.

[@Surge308]

@@jonathanrolon7457as a freshmen at least. We could realllllly use Benmo and the edge guys this game

[@ThereWentTheIrish]

Kirby Smart has a bowl cut

[@deewill2131]

GA needs to go after Jalen Catalon or Tawfiq Byard at safety!!! In the portal

[@jammieflowers9795]

Are depth chart is just as deep as Georgia's you guys are doing some pretty good analysts but you're being a little biased for your team you guys didn't do too well against Georgia tech at all and we blew out Georgia tech in the third quarter and put it in our reserves good luck cuz when you guys realize how fast we are and strong and physical this team is you're going to start sweating and feel the butterflies in your stomach because it's going to go Notre Dame's way double-digits

[@margiewinters6857]

Why has zgeorgia lost so much if they are so great,?

[@anthonysuches153]

If Beck would have played, ND wins because they would pick off Beck several times. But with Stockton and his elite running ability, I think UGA wins easily. I think UGA can just keep it conservative and win by 10points without a problem. I am an Irish fan too.

[@brandonmarshall3655]

You are not an Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan…🤫🍀🍀

[@JamesPetrycia-zj7yq]

Georgia needed ref help to beat GT. teams that won the running won the games. Watts will have one Int. that game.

[@kimbrown1352]

Lol lazy take. U didn't see the game then. Refs suck in every game, helped both sides. Losers blame refs. Uga out coached and out lasted tech. That's all

[@kimbrown1352]

Didnt ND beat them with...hmm..third stringer? Sit down cheif

[@702cadi]

Notre Dame has the best back field in the country. I see you guys didn’t talk about that. Maybe it’s because you’re bbq sause lol

[@phillipseay2647]

It's a defensive breakdown. They will talk about ND's running backs when they do the offensive breakdown (separate video).

[@Necile2]

@@phillipseay2647 The backfield refers to the secondary.

[@timothyjacegilbert5916]

AHHH yall almost lost to GT and ND destroyed GT in ATLANTA get ready for a surprise!!!

[@sallysmith1975]

If Tech’s starting QB would have played it would have been a Tech blowout. But you played a Tech team with a 3rd string true freshman QB in his first game. A different team.

[@Necile2]

@@sallysmith1975 Another SEC hypothetical.

[@stevenrobert6992]

ND sucks, georgia getting cupcake schedule right thru the playoffs smh yall sucked during the season

[@christianhonap3837]

Great analysis 😂

[@Necile2]

@@christianhonap3837 It's what you'd expect from an SEC "education."

[@coreyflynn4381]

The last 2 games against you guys were very close, with Irish losses, but this time we getcha 🥊 ☘️. We have the better run game, QB, and defense. Trenches and receivers is a wash…. Great analysis though.

[@MikeM.1971.GenX.]

Oh , how sad, you're still chasing the pot of national champions at the end of the rainbow.

[@alwaysadawg6488]

As long as we can play as well as Northern Illinois can, we'll be okay. Seriously though, Texas is almost certainly a better team than Notre Dame and we beat them twice this year. Notre Dame had a VERY weak schedule this year while UGA played the toughest schedule in the country. Notre Dame is a very good team, but its success with its run game and defense was certainly helped by the fact that most of its 2024 opponents suck.

[@ChrisScheiber]

@@alwaysadawg6488 Good plan. ND is the same team that lost to NIU. Exactly the same.

[@champ2319]

Better defense? We're about to see. I think inferior competition all year makes them look better. We'll find out on 1/1.

[@kgjohnson0240]

@@alwaysadawg6488the team that you had to take to 8 OTs was thrashed by the Irish. Slow down a bit maybe.