15 days until Notre Dame football: Why defense will always give Irish a chance to win

BlueandGold.com will release a countdown article highlighting a significant Notre Dame football statistic every day until the 2024 season opener at Texas A&M at 7:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 31 in College Station, Texas. Today, there are 15 days until the Irish and Aggies kick off at Kyle Field.

If there was one constant throughout the 2023 Notre Dame football season, it was the defense.

The Irish allowed 15.9 points per game last year, ranking seventh among all FBS teams. Only Michigan (10.4), Ohio State (11.2), Penn State (13.4), Iowa (14.8), Georgia (15.7) and Ohio (15.9) were better at keeping opponents off the scoreboard, with Miami OH (15.9), Oregon (16.5) and Tory (17.1) rounding out the top 10.

Defensive coordinator Al Golden, then in his second year at Notre Dame, built a group off experience and star power. At all three levels, the Irish featured fourth- and fifth-year players like defensive tackles Rylie Mills and Howard Cross III, edge rushers Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Jordan Botelho, linebackers JD Bertrand, Marist Liufau and Jack Kiser and defensive backs Thomas Harper, DJ Brown, Cam Hart and Xavier Watts.

The only defensive starter who was not a senior or graduate student last season was Benjamin Morrison, then a sophomore. Morrison entered Year 2 on the heels of a 6-interception, freshman All-American season.

Because of its defensive prowess, Notre Dame had an opportunity to win every game it played last season.

The most points the Irish gave up in a single game was 33, scored by Louisville on Oct. 7. But even then, the defense had a scuffling Notre Dame offense within 4 points at the end of the third quarter. Golden’s group did allow a 21-yard rushing touchdown to start the frame, but in the next three possessions — all of which began with excellent field position as a desperate offense turned it over — ended in field goals.

Each and every week, even when they got down early, the Notre Dame defense gave the offense an opportunity. There was also Nov. 4 at Clemson, when the Irish stopped the Tigers on a whopping six-straight possessions with the score standing 31-23 in the home team’s favor.

This season, Notre Dame hopes the difference is that its offense can take advantage. But the defense should be just as stingy, with Cross, Mills, Botelho, Kiser, Morrison and Watts coming back. Even in games when they might not have an ideal matchup — like a Week 1 road test at Texas A&M — the defense should keep the offense one big play away from glory

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