10 ways Notre Dame Football can make it back to the College Football Playoff

10 ways Notre Dame Football can make it back to the College Football Playoff

4. Develop and Maintain an Elite Pass Rush

Notre Dame Football has had a great pass rush in recent seasons, and that has been part of their success, making two College Football Playoffs in three years. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Julian Okwara, Jerry Tillery, and the like have been strong players for the Irish and have been a huge part of the great defenses under Clark Lea.

It’s important that Notre Dame Football can reload and possibly improve on the pass rush for them to make the Playoff. This is the most important aspect of any defense in the modern game, the pass rush. It’s a passing game, and quarterbacks are quickly improving.

Receivers, meanwhile, are becoming much more protected, as there’s less hand checking and they can use rub routes to their heart’s content.

So, against athletic, improving quarterbacks and receivers you can hardly touch to cover, how do you stop a passing attack? You hit a quarterback or make them step off their spot and feel uncomfortable, and you can get them to throw before their receivers are open or simply be inaccurate.

The pass rusher is the most important defensive player in the modern game, and if you want to make the CFP, it’s vital to have an elite unit.