Notre Dame football vs Marshall: Irish players to watch in Week 2
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team heads home to take on Marshall in Week 2, and here are some Irish players to keep an eye on in the matchup.
On Saturday, the Notre Dame football team heads home to South Bend to take on the Marshall Thundering Herd. Notre Dame football kicked off their 2022 slate on the road against Ohio State in Week 1, playing well in the first half before collapsing late in a 21-10 loss to the Buckeyes.
With the loss, the Irish dropped three spots in the latest AP Poll to No. 8, and are the only team in the top 13 to start the season off 0-1. They did not drop far due to the team they played, the No. 2 team in the country, and on Saturday, they get a much easier task in the form of the Marshall Thundering Herd.
Here, we look at some Irish players to keep an eye on in this matchup.
Notre Dame football vs Marshall: Irish players to watch in Week 2
Tyler Buchner
We start at the quarterback spot, as Tyler Buchner looked very good early on against Ohio State, completing his first eight passes. The dynamic true sophomore was able to get the offense going utilizing his arm, and his legs, something he should have no problem doing on Saturday in front of the home crowd.
After the game, head coach Marcus Freeman had nothing but praise for Buchner, so he will certainly be the one under center in the home opener. If he can attack the Thundering Herd the way he did Ohio State through the first half of the Week 1 loss, this could get out of hand early.
Isaiah Foskey
One player who struggled a bit against Ohio State was Isaiah Foskey, an edge rusher who many believe will be a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Buckeyes have elite talent on the offensive line, something the Thundering Herd do not, so I could see Foskey racking up more than one sack in this game.
Of course, this one could end up being a blowout, and Foskey will likely be on the bench if the Irish build up a big lead. However, before that happens, I believe he will make an impact, getting to the Marshall quarterback twice in the first half alone.
Cam Hart
The Irish are expecting a big season from cornerback Cam Hart, and there were times during the loss on Saturday where he looked lost. That cannot happen again in Week 2, as the Thundering Herd like to throw the ball, and he has to have more of an impact than he did against the Buckeyes.
The truth is, this game has the making of a blowout victory for the Irish, which is just what they need after losing to the Buckeyes last weekend. The schedule gets a bit soft here for the next couple of weeks, so the Irish need to focus on getting things in order before some big-time matchups against Clemson and USC later on in the season.