Notre Dame vs Texas A&M: Where the Irish Have the Advantage

What should Irish fans be confident in heading to College Station to deal with the Aggies?

Notre Dame offensive linemen Ashton Craig, right, and Joe Otting participate in a drill during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Notre Dame defense is strong, trending towards truly elite status

Notre Dame had a solid defense in 2023, Al Golden's second year running this unit. 2024's group looks to be far bette and should be among the elite.

The Irsh have the personnel to be special.

And in a game in which the Irish offense has some uncertainties, the defense may very well be called upon to win the night.

What stands out most about this defense is the depth and blend. This unit features proven veterans on all three levels accentuated by younger, athletic players waiting for their time to make a splash. This will allow the Notre Dame defense to feature healthy and comfortable rotations that will ease the stress of the College Station heat from all sides.

Notre Dame has an ELITE defense☘️ pic.twitter.com/HfEG0MDmEi

— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 16, 2024

The Notre Dame offense will look and feel much different in 2024

Notre Dame fans will enter this game with some anxiety due to the musical chairs being played at offensive line going up against a stout A&M defensive front. These types of moments are why Mike Denbrock was brought to South Bend.

He's good enough to make the Irish offense work regardless of the circumstances.

He will be able to adjust Notre Dame's approach to be able to have a functional process even through some admittedly challenging Game1 circumstances.

A key piece of Denbrock's offensive arsenal is new Irish QB Riley Leonard.

Leonard's big body and mobility will be a huge factor in this football game. If he can run just enough to keep the Aggies honest up front, it bodes well for Notre Dame's chances. Leonard will not need to risk his body and take big hits in each game this year, but it will be needed in Week 1. His dual-threat presence will be a key factor in this ballgame and will open up everything else Notre Dame wants to do offensively.

“This is how I view Jayden and I view Riley the same way”

Mike Denbrock was asked about how he perceives the ceiling of Riley Leonard and coach that into his offensive scheme. Denbrock compared the process to his two years with last year’s Heisman winner Jayden Daniels. pic.twitter.com/CCzpEN2QnQ

— LeVon Whittaker TV (@levonwhitt_tv) August 24, 2024

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