Notre Dame football vs. Navy Midshipmen: 3 bold predictions in Week 10

Notre Dame football vs. Navy Midshipmen: 3 bold predictions in Week 10

Notre Dame Will Hold Navy Under 200 Yards Rushing

Navy doesn’t want to throw the ball, because they want to run the ball, and they want to run it a lot. That is the way of the triple option. By running this offense, they can control the clock and keep their defense off the field. It’s a strategy that screams complimentary football. It’s also one that can fall apart if they struggle to run the football.

Notre Dame is uniquely situated in a position to stop their running game. The defensive line and linebackers at Notre Dame are all high-end athletes. Many of them are going to the NFL and they’re disciplined enough to play their assignments and not get out of position. Along with that, new defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman has seen the triple option before. So, strategically, he knows what to expect. Freeman, specifically, has coached against Army and Navy multiple times while he was at Cincinnati.

Navy has the 14th best rushing offense in the country, going for 222.5 yards per game on the ground. Notre Dame’s rushing defense is 47th in the country, giving up 136.8 yards per game on the ground. In that respect, something has to give. It’s a good bet that the Irish defense shows up to play and dominates the way that they know-how.