Keys To Victory For The Notre Dame Defense vs. Florida State

Breaking down the keys to victory for the Notre Dame defense in its matchup against Florida State

Notre Dame has been an outstanding defense the last three seasons, and first-year coordinator Marcus Freeman is looking to continue that strong play. The Irish will be tested by a Florida State team that returns an athletic backfield and potential on the outside.

If Notre Dame is going to go on the road and handle Florida State the defense will need to hit the ground running. Here are the keys to success for the Irish defense.

1. Play Disciplined Football

The biggest concern in openers, especially against inferior opponents, is that you make too many mistakes that result in short fields, big plays and cheap scores. For the Notre Dame defense that could show up in three areas.

First, in the run game the defense has to be gap sound and it must tackle well. Florida State has very talented running backs and a dynamic quarterback in Jordan Travis. Missed gaps will result in big plays from this group, and missing opportunities to bring them down in space will have the same results.

Simply put, Florida State isn’t good enough to consistently move the ball series after series against Notre Dame. It’s only hope is to get big plays and cheap scores. If Notre Dame plays disciplined football and limits those big plays the Seminoles will have a hard time keeping up in this matchup.

2. Have A Jordan Travis Plan

Florida State’s biggest weapon in this game a season ago was Travis, who ran the ball quite well in the game. Travis remains a major weapon in the run game and his throwing has reportedly improved since last season. Part of limiting big plays is containing Travis on the ground and threw the air.

Notre Dame limiting big plays means keeping Travis in check, and to do that the Irish staff will need a plan for containing him. Part of that plan is part one, playing disciplined football, which means staying in rush lanes and being gap sound. It means not over-running Travis on rushes, it means tackling him when those chances come and it means Freeman having a plan that doesn’t turn Travis loose once he gets past the first level.

3. Early Down Success

Even with Travis improving as a passer and even with McKenzie Milton playing, assuming he does, the Seminoles aren’t an elite passing team. Their wideouts are good but not elite, Travis isn’t a pure passer and the offensive line struggled protecting the quarterback last season.

If Notre Dame can get Florida State into pass-heavy situations that plays right into the defense’s favor. I don’t believe the Seminoles are good enough to beat Notre Dame playing one-dimensional if that one dimension is throwing the football.

4. Dominate The Trenches

Notre Dame is supposed to have an outstanding defense and the Florida State offensive line, while improved, still isn’t great by any means. If Notre Dame is as good as I think they are up front this is a game the unit should dominate.

Florida State is better up the middle than it is on the outside, so the Irish interior defenders - led by Jayson Ademilola and Kurt Hinish - need to be on top of their game. Dominating up the middle will severely limit the success of the talented FSU backs and also will make it harder for Travis to step into the pocket and make plays.

On the edge the Irish ends need to be able to put pressure on Travis and Milton when they do drop out. The key in both phases of the game is not allowing Florida State to get into any kind of rhythm, and that starts up front. Dominate up front and Notre Dame will win this game … convincingly.

Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge

Irish Breakdown Content

Notre Dame 2021 Roster
Notre Dame 2021 Schedule

Notre Dame 2022 Commits Big Board: Offense
Notre Dame 2022 Commits Big Board: Defense

Notre Dame 2022 Scholarship Offers

Notre Dame 2022 Class Big Board
Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board

———————

Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content, our premium message board and gets you a FREE subscription to Sports Illustrated! Click on the link below for more

BECOME A MEMBER

Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!

Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes
Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178
Follow me on Parler: @BryanDriskell
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook

Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter