At the beginning of the year, there were a few Notre Dame coaches who were disliked as much as Chris Ash. The Irish defense struggled mightily in the team's first few games, and people thought long and hard about how nice it would have been to have Al Golden back. What a difference a few months make.
Ash's defense, while still having struggles here and there, has completely righted the ship. The unit is once again one of the best in the country. Better, in fact, than most people realize. And it's especially effective in crunch time when it matters most.
There is one stat that shows just how much the Notre Dame defense has improved since the beginning of the year. After allowing 27, 41, and 30 points in the first three games, the Irish defense has allowed as many as 24 points just once. Even better than that, they've been near a brick wall in the second half.
In fact, Ash's turnaround even started during one of those early games where his defense looked rough. After allowing 23 points in the first half against Purdue, the team has allowed just 21 points in the second half, all season long.
Boise State, Arkansas, and North Carolina State all failed to score at all in the second half. USC is the high scorer, with 11 after halftime. Boston College got 3 points, and Navy was also completely shut down in the second half.
It's the kind of turnaround that hints at some very effective defensive adjustments to whatever Notre Dame's opponents are working with in the first half. The Irish will attempt to keep it going in their final three weeks of the season.