Two truths and a lie for Notre Dame football after its Georgia Tech dominance
It’s hard to believe that the Notre Dame football team was once thought to have had their entire season derailed by Northern Illinois. Since that loss, one big team has been suffering an upset loss after another. And suddenly, the Fighting Irish are back in contention for a high seed in the playoffs.
Marcus Freeman and company went to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech. After a slow start, not only did the Blue and Gold win another game, but they dominated the Yellowjackets. So where does the team stand now? Where does the season stand?
Truth: Notre Dame football doesn’t need a starting RB
Before the season, the belief was that Notre Dame football needed to figure out who was going to be the starting running back. Would it be Jadarian Price or Jeremiyah Love as the main guy. It’s turned out they didn’t need to figure out a starter.
The Irish have managed to put together a punishing rushing game together with Price, Love and Leonard. Love leads the team with attempts and yards (77 for 462) while also finding the endzone 7 times. But Price isn’t far behind with 49 carries for 329 yards with 3 TDs.
Both backs are averaging at least 6 yards per carry. The Irish running game is something opponents fear and can’t stop.
Truth: Xavier Watts is among the best defenders in football
After the kind of 2023 he had, Xavier Watts is showing that it wasn’t a fluke. On Sunday, he recorded his third interception of the season and he really could have a very similar season to last year.
The safety has shown that he’s one of the best defenders in the game. The Notre Dame football star defender could be the best safety in the sport. It’s hard to think of one better.
Lie: The concerns over Riley Leonard are gone
It’s undeniable that the Fighting Irish quarterback has had a better season as it’s gone on. But there are still some worries that he’s not the passer they’re going to need against the best teams in the country.
On the one hand, Leonard showed once again that he’s a dual-threat. On the other he threw his first interception since the Northern Illinois game. And he’s still only got 6 touchdown passes this season.
Riley Leonard is getting better. But there are still times when he looks off kilter. Here’s hoping he can take the next steps for the Notre Dame football team. Because next week, they play an undefeated Navy team that is on a heck of a roll.