Notre Dame Football: What we learned about the Irish in Week One

Notre Dame football kicked off its 2019 campaign with a puzzling performance against Louisville. But what can be deduced from Monday’s win?

Expectations were high for this Notre Dame football team ahead of Monday’s season-opening win over the Louisville Cardinals. Fresh off a trip to the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame hoped to show that they belonged among the nation’s elite teams on a national stage. One might argue that the Irish failed in that attempt.

One probably couldn’t look at Notre Dame’s performance last night and say “that team is primed to win a national championship.”

National championship teams dominate the line of scrimmage. While the Irish had their way at the point of attack on offense, there were inconsistencies. Most of those inconsistencies can be attributed to an obvious lack of balance due to an inconsistent passing game.

When the Irish had the threat of the pass on their side, they were able to run with ease. When Louisville stacked the box, Notre Dame failed to take advantage.

The passing game got better as the game progressed, but still, the inconsistency was a puzzling development for Notre Dame fans.

But perhaps what Irish fans learned that was the most troubling was the inability to stop the run early in the game. In the game’s early minutes, the Irish looked confused and completely off balance.

Of course, the Irish were able to turn the tables as the game progressed. The Cardinals gained just over 150 of their 383 total yards in the second half.

And that’s the frustrating part of what the Irish displayed Monday night: It’s hard to get a read on Notre Dame’s identity.

Are the Irish a team that will run the ball effectively and use the passing game in one-on-one situations? Are they a team that will air it out and use the run when the safeties play deep? Do the Irish have the wherewithal to stop the run? It’s hard to tell after week one.