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Notre Dame football: 3 Keys to victory against Purdue in Week 3

By Brad Weiss

Sep 5, 2021; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish players storm the field after beating the Florida State Seminoles in overtime at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 5, 2021; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish players storm the field after beating the Florida State Seminoles in overtime at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports /
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Notre Dame football Jarrett Patterson
SOUTH BEND, IN – NOVEMBER 23: Jarrett Patterson #55 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish snaps the ball during a game against the Boston College Eagles at Notre Dame Stadium on November 23, 2019, in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Boston College 40-7. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football: 3 Keys to victory against Purdue in Week 3

Winning the battle up front along the offensive line

The Notre Dame football team went into this season with a ton of question marks along the offensive line, as four starters from last year’s elite unit went to the NFL this offseason. The only remaining starter, Jarrett Patterson is the team’s center, but bringing in an All-American guard in Cain Madden was supposed to soften the blow.

Instead, the storyline around this offensive line has been the injuries, as the left tackle spot has been blown up with the injury to Blake Fisher. Against Toledo, the Irish were going with a third-string left tackle at times, and against this Purdue pass rush, they will have to figure out a way to keep their quarterbacks upright.

Purdue has an outstanding pass rusher in George Karlaftis, one who was a preseason All-American and has still not gotten off to a fast start this season. He has to be licking his chops seeing how this Notre Dame offensive line has played so far this season, and if the Irish do not win the battle up front on Saturday, it could make for a long day for Jack Coan and Tyler Buchner under center.

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