Before each Ohio State game, Eleven Warriors catches up with a media member who covers the opposing team to get their perspective on the Buckeyes' upcoming opponent.
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#5 NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH |
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7:30 P.M. – SATURDAY, SEPT. 3 OHIO STADIUM COLUMBUS, OHIO |
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As Notre Dame prepares to make the trip to Columbus for the highly anticipated season-opening matchup between the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, we invited Tyler Horka, who covers Notre Dame for Blue & Gold Illustrated, to answer some questions about the fifth-ranked squad from South Bend.
Horka says there’s lots of excitement among Notre Dame fans about the start of the Marcus Freeman era and that Fighting Irish faithful enjoyed his comments that Ohio State fans didn‘t like. But Horka thinks it will be difficult for the Fighting Irish to finish the season ranked as high as they are now, and he doesn’t think they‘re likely to beat the Buckeyes this weekend.
Marcus Freeman is entering his first season as Notre Dame’s head coach. What differences have you seen from the program under his leadership compared to Brian Kelly?
Horka: There is definitely more energy and cohesion now than there was this time a year ago. You can call it a honeymoon phase, but honeymoons usually don’t span months on end. Notre Dame blew a 21-point lead in the Fiesta Bowl and people are still pumped and optimistic that this is the head coach that leads the Fighting Irish to its first national title in 34 years.
How close that is to being accurate will manifest over the course of a 12-game season. But for now, the players have bought into the sense of newness and revitalization. You can tell that even they feel like any emotions of complacency have been eradicated. Notre Dame is “cool” again in a way it hasn’t been since the near-perfect season in 2012.
Ohio State fans didn’t like when Freeman said he made “the wrong decision” by going to Ohio State over Notre Dame, nor did Buckeye fans like it when he insinuated Ohio State’s academics aren’t as rigorous as Notre Dame’s. What did Fighting Irish fans think of those comments?
Horka: They couldn’t get enough of the first comment. Some said he finally figured out what he was missing back then. Others held it against him that he didn’t make the “right” choice in his recruitment. But both sides could come to an agreement that he ultimately saw the light. His comment served as validation of Notre Dame being the best brand in the nation.
As for the comment about academics, Notre Dame fans mostly had a, “Well, yeah, tell us something we didn’t know” type of attitude toward it. It had a 24-hour news cycle life to it at best. It wasn’t being talked about two days later. Something tells me Ohio State fans still haven’t forgotten, though.
Notre Dame begins the season in the top five of both major polls. Do you think the Fighting Irish finish there? What needs to happen for this Notre Dame team to make the CFP?
Horka: No, I don’t. I’m predicting a 9-3 finish for the Irish.
Two things have to happen for Marcus Freeman to make the College Football Playoff. Freeman has to outcoach at least two of the three top-10 coaches in college football (Ryan Day, Dabo Swinney and Lincoln Riley) who Notre Dame has on the schedule. Notre Dame isn’t making the playoff by losing to two of the teams those coaches are in charge of. And quarterback Tyler Buchner has to be a sophomore sensation. Freeman can’t beat those coaches’ teams alone. He needs elite quarterback play from someone who at the time of the typing of these words has not started a game in his career.
Tyler Buchner will make his first career start against Ohio State on Saturday. What did he do this offseason to earn the starting job, and how do you expect him to perform against the Buckeyes?
Horka: Buchner was himself. He’s incredibly athletic and a proven playmaker with his feet. He had to show that he could pass with accuracy and prolific ability, and he did that. I expect him to have some first-start jitters against the Buckeyes. He’s not going to be flawless. He’s going to make mistakes. But he’s also going to make plays and give the Notre Dame coaching staff confidence they have someone who’s capable of starting at Notre Dame for several years.
Tyler Buchner ran for 336 yards on just 46 carries last season, and that running ability helped him win Notre Dame’s starting job this year. (Photo: Matt Cashore – USA TODAY Sports)
Ohio State is widely expected to have the top offense in the country this year. How capable do you think Notre Dame’s defense is of slowing the Buckeyes down?
Horka: Is anyone truly capable of slowing these guys down? Notre Dame might make a few big plays. Defensive end Isaiah Foskey could get through for a big sack and safety Brandon Joseph could even pick CJ Stroud off. But It’s going to be tough to pile up several stops in a row. I caution Notre Dame fans not to judge this Irish defense led by first-year coordinator Al Golden on this one game. The Notre Dame defense could be very good in 2022. The Ohio State offense is likely going to be better.
Who are the Notre Dame players Ohio State needs to circle on the scouting report?
Horka: Foskey and Joseph are two on defense. Look for linebacker Marist Liufau returning from a compound leg fracture that ended his 2021 season before it began too. On offense, Lorenzo Styles, the brother of Ohio State freshman defensive back Sonny Styles, is a wide receiver who’s projected to be Notre Dame’s top wideout. The Irish’s best pass-catcher is unquestionably tight end Michael Mayer, though, who could be a first-round draft pick in April. The three-headed monster running back trio of Chris Tyree (speed), Audric Estime (power) and Logan Diggs (do-it-all) is going to be at the forefront of a run-heavy attack.
How do you see Saturday night’s game playing out?
Horka: Ohio State is going to be too much. The offense is too much. The atmosphere is too much. The emotions, especially for Freeman, are too much. The Buckeyes win by three scores, 41-24, in a game that validates them as national title contenders.
