Ohio State vs. Notre Dame Defensive Players to Watch

After holding Ohio State to just one first-half touchdown last season, the Notre Dame defense will look to replicate their performance, this time over the span of four quarters.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be looking to replicate their formula from last season's matchup with Ohio State, which saw them hold the Buckeyes to just one first-half touchdown. But they will have to do it without their sack leader and former All-American edge rusher Isaiah Foskey from a season ago. 

The Irish would undoubtedly love to have Foskey, the now NFL edge rusher, for their Week 4 matchup with Ohio State, as he racked up 11 sacks last fall. But they do still have a lot of returning talent defensively.

The Irish return 72 percent of their defensive production from 2022, according to ESPN, and will face an Ohio State offense that brings back just 57 percent.

LB JD Bertrand 

Jan 1, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker JD Bertrand (27) against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The inside linebacker for Notre Dame led the team in tackles last season with 82 and is part of a position group that Phil Steele ranked as the seventh-best in college football.  

After totaling just three tackles against the Buckeyes last time out, Bertrand went on to have two double-digit tackling games. The senior out of Alpharetta, Georgia, will be a leader of the Irish defense from the second level. 

Edge Jordan Botelho 

Senior edge rusher Jordan Botelho (12) walks into spring practice Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Notre Dame in South Bend. Nd Fb Practice 03252023

As mentioned above, without Foskey, the Irish don't have their leading pass-rusher, which means senior Jordan Botelho is the returning sack leader from a season ago. 

Botelho, a Honolulu, Hawaii, native, recorded just 4.5 sacks for the Irish in 2022. Two of his 4.5 sacks came in the Taxslayer Gator Bowl win over South Carolina. If all goes to plan for the senior, Botelho will be making just his eighth career start against the Buckeyes after waiting behind an All-American to get his turn.

Botelho and the Irish defense will be facing a much younger Buckeyes offensive line than in 2022, as both starting offensive tackles Paris Johnson Jr. and DaWand Jones departed for the NFL. Thus making the battle in the trenches all the more interesting. 

CB Benjamin Morrison 

Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison (20) goes through drills Wednesday, April 12, 2023, during spring football practice on the Notre Dame campus. Nd Fb Spring Practice

Facing one of, if not the best receiver in college football, Marvin Harrison Jr., an elite performance from the Irish's No. 1 cornerback is essential. Luckily for Notre Dame, they return the No. 4 cornerback in college football, according to Lindy's Sports college football 2023 preview magazine. 

As a true freshman, Benjamin Morrison led the Irish in interceptions with six, of which one was returned 97 yards for a touchdown. Morrison will likely face his toughest test of the season defending Harrison and Emeka Egbuka, both potential first-round NFL Draft picks.

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