Skip to main content

Why Chris Ash isn't focusing on Carson Beck and Miami ahead of Week 1

Chris Ash bets preparation, not film study, will ground Hurricanes’ QB
ByOliver Vandervoort
Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Notre Dame football team kicks off its season in just over a month, and the prep for the Miami Hurricanes has been going on for quite a while now.

One of the ACC team's biggest weapons will be quarterback Carson Beck. And yet,  Irish defensive coordinator Chris Ash isn't allowing Miami to have a proven, veteran signal caller drive his preparation. He explained why during a recent chat with the media.

Chris Ash says Game 1 is about Notre Dame football’s execution, not obsessing over Miami’s new quarterback

College Football Bracket Challenge

GET READY TO COMPETE

Pick your champion (you can change it later). We’ll email you when brackets open.

No purchase necessary. 50 U.S./D.C. 18+. Entry opens 3PM ET Dec 6, 2026 and closes 8PM ET Dec 18, 2026. Void where prohibited.See for complete details. The College Football Playoff (CFP) is not a sponsor or administrator of this contest.

"In game one, it's about you more than it is about them," the Notre Dame football team's defensive coordinator explained. "It'll be a game of adjustments for us. That's what a game one always is. Our play style and the way we want to play has to show up and we'll adjust as we go through a game."

"We'll study Miami from last year. We'll study Carson's film from Georgia. But at the end of the day, for me, it's more important about how we show up, how we play, how we execute the fundamentals we use and how we bring those calls to life on defense."

This is the correct approach, considering that any film Notre Dame has of Carson Beck with Georgia doesn't really translate over. Indeed, some tendencies might be the same, but the Hurricanes run a different offense. He's working with other coaches.

Beck also won't do the same things Cam Ward did with the Hurricanes. So Ash isn't worried about who the quarterback is or who the first week's opponent is. Instead, he's going to make sure the Notre Dame football plays its game and comes away the victor.

Add us as a preferred source on Google