Fighting Irish football – Page 2

Questions Notre Dame needs to answer to defeat Pittsburgh

What questions do you have for the Irish against Pitt?

Let’s be real here, [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] is a much more talented team than [autotag]Pittsburgh[/autotag] and should emerge with a victory on Saturday afternoon.

That doesn’t mean that the Irish will roll through this Panthers team, even if it feels like they should on paper. Unfortunately, that isn’t how college football works and these type of games can come back to bite the favorites if they don’t bring their A game.

As with every week, there are questions that the Irish will have to answer to come out with a win. For me, these are the most important one’s for Notre Dame this afternoon.

Notre Dame-USC Fallout: The Fight Of The Irish

A bounce back of EPIC proportions for the Irish

Many different outcomes to this game seemed perfectly reasonable heading into it. However, I’m not sure anyone saw a Notre Dame blowout and beat down of the reigning Heisman winner coming, especially when considering what a hard journey the last month has been for the team.

Marcus Freeman needed this win. The players needed this win, and the fans needed this win. Quite frankly, Notre Dame needed this win. It felt as though whatever amount of energy jolt the team couldn’t dip into last week for whatever reason was carried over into this week tenfold. Never a dull moment with Notre Dame, that’s for sure.

There’s nothing that could be done in this game that could rewrite the final scores of the Louisville and Ohio State games. A Cardinals team that lost to Pitt by the way. The only thing the Irish could do to get back on track in every practical and perceptual way one could imagine was to win this game. And, boy, did they, in a very Clemson 2022-ish type fashion.

Let’s examine a few key areas from this mega bounce-back performance.

Notre Dame vs USC: Winning Is The Best Medicine

Winning is the only thing that will cure these Notre Dame blues…

Notre Dame nation is in an odd place this week. Questioning this team. The coach. Themselves. Trust was broken with this Louisville performance and it’s hard for fans to tell where exactly this team is at. And why it’s there? And how will it be moving forward? Simply put, there is doubt. Justifiable doubt. There’s only one way out of this mess in the short term. Beat USC.

Winning cures all. At least in the short term. If Notre Dame can somehow knock off the Trojans they’d be able to at least enter the bye with one elite-level win feather in their cap trending up into a week to regroup. If things go poorly against USC however, the bottom will have completely fallen out and the bye will be filled with nothing but negativity.

Let’s examine just how critical a win over the Trojans would be.

Notre Dame Football: Picking Up The Pieces

Notre Dame looks to pick up the pieces and make something of what’s left in 2023.

Notre Dame is in a tough spot right now, both big picture and small. Look at their current stretch of games. An emotion-draining last-second loss to Ohio State, followed up by a physical last-second escape against a rock-solid undefeated Duke team, then a trip to the hornet nest that was unblemished Louisville’s home turf. The Irish have dropped 2 of these games eliminating them from the playoff this year and have the reigning Heisman winner heading to town this week yet to come.

Given the Louisville result, it’s obvious that there are now big-picture concerns regarding this program overall and not just week-to-week ones of improved execution. Before any of these big-picture concerns can be addressed, Notre Dame has a handful of games left to play. They must find ways to improve now. There isn’t a minute to be wasted with your nemesis heading to town.

Let’s examine some quick fixes the Irish can implore to try and knock off Caleb Williams and the rest of his Hollywood Hotshot teammates.

Notre Dame Bullied By Louisville: Irish Are In Big Trouble

Just how big of trouble are the Irish in?

Everyone knew that the four-game stretch Notre Dame is in the midst of currently would be tough. It appeared that way before the season and even more so once both Duke and Louisville got off to hot starts this year. But that doesn’t excuse the product Notre Dame put on the field against Louisville Saturday night. It cannot be used as an excuse.

Notre Dame got outcoached, out-schemed, out-efforted, out-executed, out-adjusted, and got sent to the outhouse when it was all said and done. The Irish were not prepared for this moment physically or emotionally. Quite frankly, this is completely unacceptable. For me, the worst part of this game result isn’t even the result itself, it’s the pandora’s box of negativity and questions, legitimate ones, big picture and small that will now loom over the rest of the season. Not ideal circumstances as undefeated USC rolls into South Bend next week.

Let’s examine the biggest areas of alarm.

Notre Dame vs Duke: Confidences & Concerns

How confident or concerned are you about how things will go Saturday night?

This is going to be a tough week for anyone who feels favorably about Notre Dame Football. The coaches, the players, and most certainly the fans. Let’s be very clear and direct. The Ohio State loss was not just any run-of-the-mill loss. It’s going to hurt, it’s going to sting, and because of the way it happened, it’s going to linger.

In many ways one could argue Notre Dame’s staff must have their best week of coaching yet before heading to Duke.

At Night.

With them undefeated.

Gameday present.

Their side flying high while those in the Irish’s corner feel like they’ve been run over by a truck physically and emotionally. Everyone is drained. This is a tricky spot for Notre Dame for many reasons. How will they respond after last week’s heartbreak?

Let’s take a look at some confidences and concerns Notre Dame fans may have entering this game with their emotional tanks on empty.

Notre Dame vs Ohio State: Irish win would alter program

Marcus Freeman’s coming out party at Notre Dame?

You saw the title I came up with. What was your first reaction to it? John is being dramatic yet again? Or perhaps the notion of it being “just one game”? Or did you really take a moment to think about what this title represents for Notre Dame?

All of America will be watching Notre Dame vs. Ohio State. Will this be the “same old big game Notre Lame”, or will the Irish take the practical and perceptual “next step” towards elite status in year two of Marcus Freeman? In some ways, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Let’s examine a few reasons a victory this weekend against the Buckeyes would change Notre Dame’s path into the modern playoff era.

Notre Dame vs Central Michigan: Irish Face Unique Mental Test

It might not be a marquee matchup but it does pose a unique test for the Irish…

After a wet, wild, and adventurous journey to the Carolinas, the Irish return home this Saturday to take on Central Michigan. This will be Notre Dame’s last chance to “tune up” before the Buckeyes visit the following week. If there are specific points of emphasis the staff wishes to push, this is the time for it.

One question I have is one I ask half facetiously, and half completely serious. How much of the tailgate talk leading up to this game will actually be about this game and not the one coming next? Notre Dame has much work to be done in this game. Nothing should be taken for granted.

Let’s examine some areas of confidence and concern regarding the Irish this week.

Notre Dame vs NC State: Confidences & Concerns

What are you keeping an eye on besides the obvious this Saturday?

After what proved to be an exceedingly wild weekend of college football when all was said and done, the page turns and Notre Dame prepares for its first real physical test of the season in their trip to NC State. This game has been labeled a “trap” so often I don’t think it can be considered one anymore.

Irish fans were thrilled to have relaxing second halves in the first couple of games, but they are also looking forward to seeing what the Irish look like for the first time against a more physically capable opponent. NC State did not overly impress in their opener against Uconn, but they emerged victorious and will surely be fully prepared emotionally to greet Notre Dame.

Let’s take a look at this week’s confidences & concerns.

Notre Dame vs. Navy: Confidences and concerns for Irish

Game week is upon us – how you feeling for Saturday’s opener?

The last version of “Confidences and Concerns” was more than eight months ago, and I must say it feels good to revive this column at Fighting Irish Wire.

Game week is upon us. With that in mind, diehard Irish fans are tossing and turning at night pondering what the 2023 Irish team will look like this fall.

This time of year is special. Every team is undefeated and therefore can afford to let some hope enter their hearts and dream big. The beginning of every Notre Dame season is magical, but this year carries extra juice. There’s just so much “newness” to behold within the program from the quarterback to the strength and conditioning staff.

Let’s examine what I think Notre Dame fans should feel confident in and should be concerned about entering Game 1.