Notre Dame Football X-Factors against the Alabama Crimson Tide
By Brad Weiss
Notre Dame football defensive X-factors: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Kurt Hinish
It could be a long day for this Notre Dame defense, as the three-headed monster for Alabama in Mac Jones, DeVonta Smith, and Najee Harris has made life miserable for every team they have played this season. Notre Dame was absolutely shredded by the Clemson Tigers the last time out, and if they play the way they did in the ACC title game, this one could get ugly quick.
Two big factors for the Irish on the defensive side of the ball will be linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and nose tackle Kurt Hinish. Owusu-Koramoah was a first-team All-American this season and is likely ticketed for the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, so Alabama has to key on him all game long.
Hinish is a guy to really keep an eye on in this one, as Alabama will be without All-American center Landon Dickerson. That means Hinish should bull-rush Dickerson’s replacement all game long, hopefully making life a bit harder for Jones when he drops back to pass, and Harris in the run game.
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Of course, it is going to take a lot for the Irish to beat Alabama, but it is not like they are this inexperienced team who has not won big games already this season. They will need to be solid on both sides of the ball, and control the clock, and as we have seen throughout this college football season, surprises can happen everything teams hit the field.