Over/under: Will the Notre Dame wide receivers get involved at Louisville?

The Notre Dame wide receiver room looked so promising in Week 0 against Navy in Dublin, Ireland. Freshman Jaden Greathouse led the way with 3 catches for 68 yards, and the group combined for 15 receptions for 223 yards.

Since then, injuries have hit and inexperience has shown in wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey‘s group. But they have a chance to right the ship in Week 6 at Louisville.

Will they? BlueandGold.com writers Jack Soble and Tyler Horka debate, along with two other over/under prompts.

Note: These over/unders are crafted by the BlueandGold.com staff, not a sports book.

9.5 receptions for Notre Dame receivers

Tyler Horka: Under. The Mitchell Evans show is too hot right now. Plus, I expect Holden Staes and the Notre Dame running backs to get more involved in the passing game this week too. 

I could definitely see the Notre Dame wide receivers doubling their reception total from the Duke game from four to eight, especially with Greathouse and Jayden Thomas returning, but getting all the way up to 10 seems like a stretch to me when it’s so safe and incredibly productive to throw the ball to Evans of late. 

Jack Soble: Over. Louisville will do everything it can to stop Evans after last week’s performance. They won’t completely hold him down, but it’s the time in a breakout player’s season where the opponent will catch on and devote all their attention to stopping him. Evans now has to adjust, and he’ll get his fair share, but he won’t catch 6 passes for 134 yards again.

The Cardinals will be the worst Power Five secondary Notre Dame has faced so far. I like the wideouts to bounce back.

1.5 forced turnovers for Notre Dame

Tyler Horka: Over. If Murray State can do it, so can Notre Dame. Louisville is also coming off a game in which it turned the ball over three times vs. NC State. Notre Dame will finally intercept quarterback Jack Plummer, which the Irish have not done in either of their two previous meetings with him when he was at Purdue and Cal, and find a way to fall on a loose ball. There have been plenty of those for the Notre Dame defense, but the ball always seems to be too elusive to capture. Not Saturday. 

Jack Soble: Over. Did you see Plummer’s interception in the fourth quarter of Louisville’s win over NC State? Oy vey. 

Not ideal, even with his efficiency numbers way up with the Cardinals, and he should have to take some chances late in the game. The Irish should be able to force more than one turnover.

80 yards for Louisville wide receiver Jamari Thrash: Under

Tyler Horka: Under. Jamari Thrash is due for a big game. After notching 159 yards vs. Indiana, he only had 71 vs. Boston College and 44 vs. NC State. He’s not as much of a volume receiver as he is a home run threat. Notre Dame knows that, and the Irish are going to put the clamps down with cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison and Cam Hart. 

Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka was able to go for 7 catches and 97 yards for Notre Dame because he’s a volume slot guy. Thrash plays more on the outside. He’s fixing to find out how difficult it is to take the top of a defense led by corners like those of Notre Dame. 

Jack Soble: Over. It is true that the Irish shut down Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. as well as anyone can, but Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord had another star to throw to in Egbuka. Plummer does not have that luxury at Louisville, with Thrash more than doubling the next-best Cardinals receiver in yards.

Tyler is right that Thrash plays more on the outside, but according to Pro Football Focus, he played 10 snaps in the slot last week against North Carolina State. Look for Louisville to try to get Thrash matched up against nickelback Thomas Harper. That might sound like an implication that Harper is weak in coverage, but he’s good. He’s just not as strong as Morrison and Hart, and when that’s the case, teams will try to find him.

Regardless, Louisville should find ways to get Thrash the ball and get him over 80 yards.

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