Notre Dame football vs Marshall: Things we learned in Week 2
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team took on Marshall in Week 2, and here are some things we learned from the 26-21 loss.
Going into their matchup with the Marshall Thundering Herd, the expectation was that the Notre Dame football team would roll. Playing in front of the home fans, and in Marcus Freeman’s home opener as head coach, the expectation was that this would be the kind of game to get their season back on track.
In Week 1, the Irish lost to a very good Ohio State team, and while Marshall won in Week 1 against an FCS school, nobody really expected this one to be close. However, it was clear from the start that something was amiss, and towards the end of the game, it was more of a survival thing.
In the end, Notre Dame football suffered one of its most miserable losses in recent memory, and here, we dive into what we learned from the loss.
Notre Dame football vs Marshall: Things we learned in Week 2
The offensive line may not be as great as we thought
Going into the 2022 season, many felt that the Notre Dame football team would have one of the best offensive lines in the country. With all five starters returning from last year, including a potential first-round pick in Jarrett Patterson, the expectation that the Irish would be solid up front on both sides of the ball.
Well, through two games, the offensive line has struggled in a big way, which has been bad news for first-year quarterback Tyler Buchner. If they are going to right the ship in 2022, they have to figure things out upfront.
There is a serious lack of playmakers on both sides of the ball
With injuries at both the running back and wide receiver positions this summer, we knew the Irish were going to be thin at both position groups. Through two games, that has reared its ugly head, as the Irish are getting nothing from the running back room, and the passing game has been pretty much all tight end Michael Mayer.
Guys are going to have to step up and make plays if this offense is going to do anything this season, and we are still waiting to see who those players will be.
No CFP this year
With losses in both Week 1 and Week 2, especially to a team like Marshall, the Irish chances of making it to the College Football Playoff are officially zero. This is a team that suddenly looks like they are rebuilding, and guys who were supposed to take the next step in 2022 have struggled mightily.
There is a lot of season left, but going into Week 3, wins could be hard to come by for the 2022 Irish.