Notre Dame Football: Irish defense could be special in 2021
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team lost a lot of talent to the 2021 NFL Draft, but the defense returns a bunch of veterans who could make the unit special in 2021.
The Notre Dame Football team dominated on the defensive side of the ball last season, which was key to them going undefeated during the regular season slate. Led by linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, the defense was downright terrorizing at times, which was evident when they held the running back tandem of Javonte Williams and Michael Carter in check against North Carolina.
As we turn the page to the 2021 campaign, there are a lot of new faces that will need to step up on both sides of the ball, especially at linebacker. The Irish are losing their leader in JOK, who was a second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, but there is more than enough veteran talent to pick up the slack on all three levels of the defense.
Notre Dame Football to rely on veterans on defense
Starting up front along the defensive line, the Irish have two vets in the interior in Kurt Hinish and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, who will be expected to captain that unit. On the edges, I expect a monster season from Isaiah Foskey, who has all the physical gifts, and motor to be a real menace in the backfield this upcoming season.
Despite losing JOK at linebacker, Drew White returns in the middle, and he is a force to be reckoned with. Remember, defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman is an absolute genius when it comes to the linebacker position, and players like Marist Liufau and Jack Kiser will certainly benefit from having him at the helm of the defense.
The defensive backfield is loaded with talent as well, with Kyle Hamilton being one of the best defensive backs in all of college football. Clarence Lewis was outstanding as a true freshman last season, Houston Griffith returns, and there is a ton of true freshman talent coming in as well.
Overall, this group has a chance to be special, as they have all played in some big-time games in their careers. The offense could have a hard time getting it right early on, especially with Ian Book gone to the NFL, but the defense should be able to keep them in games long enough for that unit to get rolling.