Notre Dame football: Veteran secondary will be tested against Ohio State
By Brad Weiss
CJ Stroud is one of the best quarterbacks in the country, so in Week 1 against Ohio State, the Notre Dame football team will be tested in the secondary.
For the Notre Dame football team, the party gets started early in 2022, as there is no cupcake game to kick off the schedule. The Irish will have their toughest test right out of the gate, as the Ohio State Buckeyes will welcome the team to Ohio Stadium in Week 1.
The Buckeyes have a chance to be one of the more explosive offenses in the country this upcoming season, thanks to the return of quarterback CJ Stroud. Expected to be a top-5 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Stroud is a Heisman Trophy candidate and will be a big test for this veteran Notre Dame football secondary.
Cornerback Cam Hart returns and could end up being a first-round talent himself, and he leads a talented group at the position that includes TaRiq Bracy and Clarence Lewis as starters. We saw some of the younger players step up in a big way this offseason as well, so cornerback should be a strength for the Irish in 2022.
Many feel that Brandon Joseph could be one of the best safeties in the country this upcoming season, as he was an All-American at Northwestern, and a potential 2023 first-round draft pick. His leadership will be crucial with Kyle Hamilton gone.
Notre Dame football is talented enough to stop Ohio State
Notre Dame football should have an excellent pass rush this season, led by Isaiah Foskey, another player who could hear his name called in the first round in 2023. If they can get pressure on Stroud early, the secondary could have some opportunities to make plays, and we all know how turnovers can turn a game on its head, no matter the matchup.
Overall, the first game of the season usually is a good indicator of how the season will go, and this matchup is going to be one of the best we will see all season long. Notre Dame football has the talent to go toe-to-toe with Stroud and the Buckeyes in this one, but when all is said and done, the secondary may have the final say in whether the Irish win or lose.