Irish Breakdown

Benjamin Morrison's Impact On Notre Dame Cannot Be Measured By Stats

Beyond his impressive stats, Benjamin Morrison's influence on Notre Dame’s defense runs deeper, making his absence a significant blow for the Irish.

John Kennedy

Notre Dame defensive backs Benjamin Morrison (20) and Jaden Mickey (7) run through a drill together during a practice Thursday, March 7, 2024, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.
Notre Dame defensive backs Benjamin Morrison (20) and Jaden Mickey (7) run through a drill together during a practice Thursday, March 7, 2024, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend. / MANDATORY CREDIT: Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Benjamin Morrison is a truly elite football player

Notre Dame received another massive blow to the roster earlier this week with the announcement that star corner Benjamin Morrison will miss the remainder of the season due to a hip injury. In all likelihood, his Irish career is over and he will rehab and prepare for life in the NFL.

Morrison was the rare type of athlete who became a star as a true freshman in a position that isn't easy to play or ease into. In battles with future top-10 pick NFL QBs Drake Maye, CJ Stroud, and Caleb Williams, Morrison allowed only 4 completions for a total of just 21 yards. This is elite and electric play at the highest level against the best competition.

Morrison's impact goes beyond the recorded stat sheet

The interesting thing about being a cornerback is that you can impact games without registering stats. Benjamin Morrison has been shutting down the opposition's best receiver and about half of the football field for the last 2.5 years. This has forced offensive coaches to scheme away from him.

The value Morrison has provided by forcing opposing coaches and QBs to not throw to his side of the field, or to the player he's defending in man coverage, is unmeasurable but has been felt as Notre Dame's defense has risen to be a consistent top-10 unit.

How many games has he helped win simply by forcing a team to avoid him or an entire side of the field for a full game? Lots.

Morrison has set the bar for Notre Dame corner play under position coach Mike Mickens at Notre Dame. It'll be up to players like Christian Gray, Leonard Moore, and Karson Hobbs to uphold this standard.

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John Kennedy
JOHN KENNEDY

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