Key Matchups For The Notre Dame Offense vs. The Florida State Defense

Breaking down the most important matchups for the Notre Dame offense against the Florida State defense

The Notre Dame offense is ready to show off a lot of new weapons and hopefully a more aggressive unit as well. If Notre Dame is going to be improved this season it will have to shine against a Florida State defense that will be improved from the poor group it was a season ago. There are a number of important personnel matchups that Notre Dame must win to play to its potential and lead the Irish to a victory.

#54 LT Blake Fisher vs. #11 DE Jermaine Johnson

A true freshman hasn’t started at the blindside left tackle position for Notre Dame in almost two decades, but that all changes on Sunday night when Fisher runs out with the first team. At 6-6 and 335 pounds, Fisher has the size, strength and ability to be great, which is impressive considering guys like Ronnie Stanley, Mike McGlinchey, Zack Martin and Quenton Nelson didn’t even start as freshman. Thus, it’s clear all eyes will be on the former five-star recruit from Avon, Indiana come Sunday.

It won’t be an easy first test for the freshman by any means under the lights inside Doak Campbell Stadium, especially since he’ll be matched up against redshirt senior Jermaine Johnson II. Johnson, a newly acquired transfer from Georgia, could potentially be the most talented player on the Seminoles roster coming off of a 2020 season in which he racked up 16 tackles, 5 sacks and 11 quarterback pressures in just seven games played. Over the past two seasons, Johnson has posted 36 tackles, 8 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks despite making just four starts. This could be the number one matchup to watch for the game as the true freshman Fisher goes toe-to-toe with a proven veteran in his first collegiate game. If Fisher is up for the challenge, Notre Dame’s quarterbacks will be in good hands for years to come on the left side. 

#4 WR Kevin Austin vs. #18 CB Travis Jay / #3 CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr.

Since his arrival on campus as a freshman in 2018, Austin has been touted by teammates and coaches alike as a game-changer and next-level playmaker. The problem is, Austin hasn’t been able to stay on the field up until this point. As we head into the 2021 season, Austin is fully healthy after missing nearly all of last season due to a foot injury, and he's expected to be Notre Dame’s No. 1 wide receiver. In spite of just six career catches and 108 career receiving yards, the expectation is for Austin to dominate this season and provide Notre Dame’s passing attack with the explosive deep threat they were lacking a season ago.

The combination of Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and Travis Jay will be tasked with guarding Austin for Florida State, two redshirt freshman who saw lots of game action in 2020. Brownlee Jr was named co-Devaughn Darling Defense Freshman of the Year for the Seminoles after posting 26 tackles, a sack and an interception in just eight games played and four starts last season. Similarly, Jay made two starts and played in six games en route to accumulating 26 total tackles, an interception and a forced fumble and has great size at 6-2. 

Though Austin is known for his freakish athleticism, Jay is quite the athlete himself as one of Florida State’s return men as well. Jay’s 22.9 yards per kickoff return was good enough for third in ACC play last season. At full health, this is Austin’s season to show everyone what they’ve been missing these past several years, and dominating this matchup is a key to Notre Dame coming out victorious. 

#17 QB Jack Coan vs. Everyone On Defense

There’s probably no player Irish fans are more eager to see play than new quarterback Jack Coan. Not only is Coan replacing Notre Dame’s program record-holder for career wins in Ian Book, but he’s also doing so after missing the entire 2020 season due to injury. 

With that being said, the graduate transfer from Wisconsin is a proven winner and had a phenomenal 2019 season in which he led the Badgers to both the Big Ten Championship game and Rose Bowl in his most recent season as a starter. That year, Coan completed a school-record 236 passes for 2,727 yards while sporting am outstanding 69.6% completion percentage. Coan should be an upgrade over Book in terms of arm strength and pushing the ball down the field, though the results remain to be seen.

Florida State allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete over 66-percent of their throws a season ago, which should make an accurate thrower like Coan salivate. Furthermore, the Seminoles gave up 257 yards per game and 8.1 yards per attempt through the air a season ago, and lost two of their best defensive backs to the NFL in cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. and safety Hamsah Nasirildeen. Though the Florida State defense added quality pickups via the transfer portal with guys like safety Jammie Robinson, and defensive ends Jermaine Johnson II and Keir Thomas, the Seminoles really struggled defensively last season and the unit still has a ways to go before it can be labeled a solid group. 

The stage couldn’t be bigger for Coan’s Notre Dame debut and first game in two seasons, which is what makes the Irish signal caller must see television on Sunday night. Florida State defensive coordinator Adam Fuller is going to throw everything at Coan, and if he can handle it the Irish could roll.

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