Five questions Notre Dame needs to answer to defeat NC State

What do you need to see the Irish do to defeat the Wolfpack?

For the first time all year, the competition level for [autotag]Notre Dame football[/autotag] is closer for everyone to really get an idea of how good this team really is.

After trouncing Navy and Tennessee State, the Irish have to hit the road for the first time this year (I know the game against the Midshipmen wasn’t in South Bend, but it was still considered a home game) to face NC State.

The Wolfpack present different problems that Notre Dame will have to solve on Saturday morning. Here are five questions that the Irish will have to answer for them to come out with their third win to start the season.

Notre Dame statistical leaders through two games

Here’s who to watch against NC State.

Notre Dame dominated its first two opponents in Navy and Tennessee State. Some might be wondering if a challenge will show up anytime soon. We’ll see if one exists when the Irish travel to NC State for their first true road game of the season. Here are those most likely to push the Irish over the top, specifically those who lead the major statistical categories:

Notre Dame statistical leaders through one game

The first of many updates this season.

Notre Dame looked like a team that was ready for the season against Navy. Hardly any weaknesses were on display. Now, we get to see if the Irish can repeat that performance or at least mimic it in their home opener against Tennessee State. To get you started for the week, here are the team’s statistical leaders after the first game:

Social media reacts to Jayden Thomas’ late first-half touchdown

One more for the half.

Only those who had the utmost faith in Navy believed it had any kind of shot against Notre Dame. At this point, it would take a complete collapse by the Irish for their faith to be rewarded. That happens when the Irish have possession four times in the first half and score a touchdown each time. The last of those touchdowns came on [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag]’s 15-yard pass to [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag]:

Irish fans understandably are feeling good about the rest of the game. While 28-0 is not an insurmountable deficit, it’s hard to feel optimistic when Hartman already has exactly 200 passing yards and shows no sign of slowing down. The same can be said for the rest of the team. Barring a complete meltdown by the Irish, it’s no longer a matter of whether [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] will bring in his backups, but when.

Here are some of social media’s best reactions to Thomas’ touchdown:

Notre Dame statistical leaders using 2022 statistics

Get ready for the season with some familiar names.

The first buildup to a Notre Dame football game for 2023 finally has arrived. You all have been very patient in waiting for this week, but that patience has paid off. Waiting for this long deserves a pat on the back, so give yourself one as you’re reading this. And even if you have heard this preseason spiel before, give yourself a pat on the back anyway.

With that schmaltz out of the way, let’s talk about the players on the 2023 Irish roster who performed the best in 2022. We should see some of that on display in the season opener against Navy. Although the Midshipmen are not exactly the best opponent to use as a measuring stick, we at least can get an idea of what’s to come. After all, they don’t call it Week 0 for nothing.

Here are the 2023 Irish players who did the best in football’s top statistical categories:

Notre Dame football: Spring game instant reaction

What was your biggest takeaway from Saturday’s action?

There are some days that Notre Dame’s annual Blue-Gold game to cap spring practice takes place on a picture-perfect Saturday in South Bend.  That was not the case this time as rain, sleet, wind, and a lot of gray sky covered campus.

However, that doesn’t mean the spring game didn’t take place and that there weren’t plenty of things to take away from it.  The gold squad jumped out to an early lead on the backs of [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag] and never looked back.

What stood out in this edition of the Blue-Gold game?  Here are your instant takeaways.

Watch: Sam Hartman’s third touchdown of the Blue and Gold game

One, two and now three touchdowns for Hartman

[autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] quarterback [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] is lighting up his teammates on the Blue team.

The transfer quarterback led his Gold team to two touchdowns in its first three drives and wasn’t finished. On his fourth drive, Hartman guided his team to another score.

The first was a passing touchdown to [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag], and the second was a run from a few yards out. No. 3 was through the air again: Hartman found wide receiver [autotag]Matt Salerno[/autotag] on a beautiful throw into the back of the end zone as the Gold team took a commanding 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter.

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Twitter reacts to Sam Hartman’s first quarter during Blue-Gold Game

You like what the transfer is providing so far?

With no kickoffs during Notre Dame’s Blue-Gold Game, Irish fans immediately gained a look at transfer quarterback [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag].

The Wake Forest legend was incredibly productive during his time with the Demon Deacons, and he showed why right out of the gate. Representing the Gold team, Hartman hit [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag] for a touchdown on his first drive, then ran for one himself on his second. He completed all five pass attempts on those two drives.

Irish fans took notice of how good Hartman was and took to Twitter to express how they felt about it. Maybe it was because [autotag]Tyler Buchner[/autotag] was the quarterback for the Blue team. Maybe it has been too long since the fan base has claimed to truly be proud of a quarterback. Either way, the reception to Hartman was a warm one. In fact, it was warmer than the weather conditions at Notre Dame Stadium:

Watch: Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman runs in a score

Two drives, two touchdown for Hartman

So far, so good for [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] quarterback [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag]. On his first offensive series in the Blue and Gold game, the transfer quarterback found [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag] for a passing touchdown.

On Hartman’s second drive, he led his Gold team down the field once again, and found the end zone. The quarterback used his legs this time, running in just a few yards for the second score of the game.

Although quarterbacks are wearing non-contact red jerseys, Hartman went untouched into the end zone on a very good play call. Two drives, two touchdown for the Gold squad with the presumed starter at the helm.

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Watch: Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman find Jayden Thomas for touchdown

Hartman looks good!

It didn’t take long for new [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] quarterback [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] to find the end zone in Notre Dame Stadium.

During the first drive of the Blue and Gold game, Hartman drove his Gold squad down the field and found wide receiver [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag] for a short touchdown pass.

Hartman looked very good on the first drive, and for him to lead his team to points is extremely encouraging.

There is a quarterback “battle.” Neither Hartman nor [autotag]Tyler Buchner[/autotag] has been anointed by head coach [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] as the starter. After their first series, it’s easy to make an assumption the job might be Hartman’s to lose. Check out his touchdown pass below.

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