Notre Dame Football: 3 biggest questions on defense for Irish in 2021

Does Kyle Hamilton take it to the next level?

Asking Kyle Hamilton to take it to the next level is akin to telling Elon Musk that Tesla needs to make a cooler car. Like Tesla, Hamilton is already next level.

However, there are different ways for Hamilton to push the “ludicrous mode” button in 2021. First, he will need to generate more turnovers for the defense. During his freshman campaign, Hamilton intercepted 4=four passes, and last year, the star safety from Atlanta, Georgia only mustered a single pick.

Quarterbacks (and their astute coaches) threw in his direction a lot less, and despite fewer opportunities, Hamilton still broke up six passes.

Hamilton did improve in the tackles for loss category between 2019 and 2020. He generated only a single TFL in 2019 while making 4.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2020. This definitely a respectable number.

However, an elite level is about 12 tackles for loss. In 2020, Oklahoma State safety Tre Sterling accumulated that total – the highest total by a safety.

The issue for Hamilton is making plays with the limited opportunities due to teams trying to avoid him. Marcus Freeman needs to find schemes that help force the ball in No. 14’s direction. When those opportunities arise, Hamilton needs to hit the accelerator and wreak havoc on opposing offenses.