The struggling Notre Dame defense will look to get things turned around today against the high scoring Arkansas offense. If Notre Dame is going to rebound from its rough start, go on a long winning streak and become the team its capable of the defense has to make dramatic improvement, and it needs to start this weekend against the Razorbacks.
Here are the keys to victory for the Notre Dame defense:
1. Be Aggressive - There have been many issues with the Chris Ash defense, but at the heart of it is an inexcusable and inexplicable lack of aggressiveness. Ash's game plans have lacked any kind of aggressiveness. The pressures aren't aggressive, the play of the linebackers aren't aggressive, the defensive backs don't attack routes or the ball with any kind of aggressiveness. It is an unnecessarily complex defense with way too many calls and checks, and that also adds to the lack of aggressiveness. That lack of aggressiveness is why Notre Dame ranks 128th nationally in tackles for loss per game and 106th in sacks per game this season.
The good news is it can be corrected, and corrected relatively quickly. Ash needs to simplify the game plan, allow his defenders to play faster, design and call more run stunts and pass game pressures, and get the defensive backs to be more aggressive attacking routes and the football. Being aggressive is about a philosophy and mindset, and Ash can - and must - build his game plans and call games in a way that not only allows, but demands that his players attack.
This is also smart to implement against Arkansas, which is a big and physical team in the run game. Reading and reacting the way we saw the first three games might not be all that effective against the big Arkansas backs and quarterback Taylen Green. Notre Dame needs to use its athleticism and speed to its advantage in this matchup.
2. Control The Middle - Arkansas has a big interior offensive line that weighs 325, 305 and 329 pounds from left to right. Arkansas also has a 228-pound and 238-pound running back, and Green is listed at 6-6 and 235 pounds. The Razorbacks want to get downhill with their run game, and Notre Dame cannot allow that to happen. The Irish must control the middle of the line of scrimmage by using its defensive line and inside linebackers to crash the party.
This would be a game where it would be smart to use Drayk Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa together more, which gives the Irish a bit more size and power against the run. Bowen, Viliamu-Asa and the rest of the Notre Dame linebackers need to fly downhill and be ready to shut down the in-the-box run game.
If Arkansas can't get its run game going the offense will struggle to consistently move the ball and will be even more turnover prone.
3. Get In Green's Head - Green is a talented quarterback that has passed for over 300 yards in three of the four games this season and also leads the Razorbacks in rushing with 360 yards (8.2 YPC). He's a playmaker, but he's also a quarterback that will force the football when he shouldn't. The more Green gets a read on what the defense is doing the better he is, but when a defense is able to get him on his heels and mix up its looks enough to keep him guessing he will get frustrated and will force the football.
The first way to get in Green's head is to pressure him. Whether its sacks, hitting him when he throws or forcing him to speed things up with aggressive pressures, the Irish defense needs to go after Green and have success doing so. If this happens consistently he'll make mistakes. If Ash is able to mix up the secondary looks enough and allow his defensive backs to be more aggressive than we've seen the first three games this will also give the Irish a chance to force Green into more and more mistakes.
4. Play Great Situational Football - Arkansas has been an elite situational football team this season in all but one area. The Razorbacks rank 6th nationally in third-down offense, 2nd nationally in red zone touchdown offense and the fact Arkansas ranks 102nd in third-down opportunities tells you that they have been really, really good on first down. By playing on schedule all game the Razorbacks are able to continue moving the chains and extend drives, which also creates more opportunities for big plays.
Notre Dame has not been good on third-down or in the red zone, and its first down defense has been inconsistent. If the Irish can flip that against Arkansas it will get off the field far more consistently than we've seen in the first three games. It will also mean it can force the Razorbacks into more field goal attempts than touchdowns in the red zone.
Arkansas has been turnover prone, and that is an area that Notre Dame must force to continue.
5. Tackle Well - This is a game where Notre Dame absolutely must tackle well. Of course tackling is space against wideouts and backs is always important, but tackling Green is where the Irish really need to be on top of their game. Being disciplined as pass rushers is important, getting off blocks and getting to Green is important, but the linebackers and defensive backs have to bring him down on their first attempt when he does get in space.
Notre Dame also needs to tackle well against the big backs. What Notre Dame can't have is the backs constantly falling forward after contact, which turns short gains of 2-3 yards into 6-7 yard gains, which helps them stay ahead of the sticks. If Notre Dame can be physical enough to bring the backs down where they make initial contact it will help them get Arkansas into more third-and-long situations.
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