Notre Dame Football: Key Defensive Matchups vs Bowling Green

The Notre Dame defense should have a much more manageable task this week as they welcome the Bowling Green Falcons to South Bend.

The Notre Dame defense has been playing well this season. Through five weeks, they are ranked sixth (amongst all FBS teams) in defensive efficiency.

On top of that, Notre Dame has held opponents to 30 points or fewer in 18 straight football games. I expect that they will extend that streak to 19 on Saturday.

Here are some key matchups to look for when the Irish defense is on the field.

Darius Wade vs. Notre Dame Defensive Line

The Notre Dame defensive line went OFF against Virginia last weekend. They had eight total sacks in the game. Two of those sacks resulted in a forced fumble. Both of those fumbles were recovered by defensive lineman — including one that was returned for a touchdown.

It was not all good news last weekend, though. Daelin Hayes left the game with a torn labrum and will miss the remainder of the season. Fortunately for the Irish, they have quality depth at defensive end. The loss of Hayes should not hurt their production too much on Saturday.

This week they face a Bowling Green offense that has been quite bad recently. Quarterback Darius Wade threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns in the season opener. In the three games that followed, he has three interceptions and zero touchdowns.

The Falcons need Wade to play much better if they want to have any hope at becoming bowl eligible. Maybe the bye week last week will help Wade and the offense get back on track.

If the Notre Dame defensive line can keep Wade contained in the pocket on Saturday, they should have success. The Irish can create pressure without blitzing, and Wade has shown that he is turnover prone.

Davon Jones and Andrew Clair vs. Notre Dame Linebackers

Stopping the Bowling Green rushing attack is the top priority for the Notre Dame defense on Saturday. That may sound obvious — as it is football 101 — but it is something the Irish have not been particularly great at.

Through five weeks of the 2019 season, the Notre Dame defense ranks 63rd in yards per rush attempt. If the Irish want to win out, they have to improve in this area. They can start by stopping Davon Jones and Andrew Clair. That pair leads the Bowling Green backfield in carries and rushing yards.

Jones and Clair have complimentary attributes. At 235 pounds, Jones is the bigger back of the two. Clair, on the other hand, is a change-of-pace back. Between them they have 363 rushing yards,  94 receiving yards, and four total touchdowns.

I would like to see the Notre Dame linebackers play disciplined this weekend. If they can prevent big plays in the running game, make tackles, and keep their assignments, they have a chance to pitch a shutout.

Quintin Morris vs. Notre Dame Secondary

Morris is the clear number one receiver and probably the top weapon on this Bowling Green offense. At 6′ 4” and 228 pounds, he is a matchup nightmare for most defensive backs in college football.

Through four games, Morris has 16 catches for 218 yards and two touchdowns. He is quarterback Darius Wade’s favorite target by far. The receiver with the next best production on the team has half as many catches and 100 fewer yards.

It will take a team effort from the Notre Dame defensive backs to limit any big plays from him on Saturday. That will not exclusively be the responsibility of the cornerbacks.

Bowling Green will line Morris up in different spots to create favorable matchups. That means the safeties, linebackers, and nickelbacks will all face him at some point.

Morris is a vital piece of this offense. If Notre Dame can shut him down, the Falcons will have a very difficult time moving the ball on offense.