The Notre Dame defense has been on quite a run in recent years having gone 3 straight season allowing fewer than 20 points per game. They head into 2021 with many key pieces returning but also a handful of important positions to figure out after personnel losses. There’s also a new sheriff in town, hopefully that’s not the first time you’re reading that but if so welcome back to the world.

Let’s preview the Irish defense ahead of fall camp.

Coordinator: Marcus Freeman, 1st Season

Freeman enters his 11th season as a coach at the collegiate level, 5th year as a defensive coordinator, while he’s set to make his debut as the DC for Notre Dame on the field next month. He’s been a hit off the field so far as a recruiter and motivator and now begins the hardest work of all–commanding an elite defense at the Power 5 level.

You can read our post from when Freeman was hired HERE for more information on this past.

Scheme: 3-3-5/4-3 Multiple with Cover-1 and Cover-3

Back on January 13th I wrote a primer on Marcus Freeman’s defense at Cincinnati (READ HERE) and we also have the spring game review (READ HERE) as the only brief evidence of how he’s operating at Notre Dame thus far. A few takeaways to use as a focus during camp:

*Expect heavier use of 4-man fronts but the center being covered more than last year.

*Linebackers will be very active near the line of scrimmage.

*Corners should be more aggressive.

The role of the Rover, the use of a nickel corner and extra defensive backs, and the general aggressiveness of blitzing will be things to watch as the defense evolves under Freeman.

Returning Starters: 6

Kurt Hinish (NG), Myron Tagavailoa-Amosa (DE), Drew White (LB), Shayne Simon (LB), Clarence Lewis (CB), and Kyle Hamilton (S) are the starters coming back from a year ago. The Irish are set to replace Daelin Hayes (DE), Ade Ogundeji (DE), Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (LB), Nick McCloud (CB), and Shaun Crawford (S) with MTA shifting outside from defensive tackle for his senior season.

Camp Questions

How many growing pains with a new scheme?

I wouldn’t say this is as good as it’ll get with Freeman because what if we begins his career with 4 straight shutouts? Still, this is a time when it feels like it’s all gravy and no one is complaining. He’s getting the best out of the players, being aggressive, letting ’em play, and doing what’s best for everyone on the roster! And yes, I’d bet there would be some complaining about 4 straight shutouts because some young player wasn’t on the field enough or something.

Right now, it’s positive vibes only. Freeman is determined to get the most out of the players and fit his scheme to their strengths. That’s easy on paper, now we’ll see how it’ll come together on the field.

Can a deep front 7 carry the whole defense (and maybe the whole team)?

Any way you picture a successful 2021 season it’ll likely be led by what is shaping up to be a very good, and perhaps fearsome, front seven that can anchor the defense and maybe the whole team altogether. However, a pair of questions linger prior to camp:

Media Practice Viewings

Saturday, August 7th – 30 Minutes
Thursday, August 12th – Full
Tuesday, August 17th – 30 Minutes
Thursday, August 19th – Full
Tuesday, August 24th – 30 Minutes
Wednesday, August 25th – 30 Minutes

1) Will the front seven dominant due to their depth?

2) Will a player or 2 emerge from the front seven as truly dominant players?

I argued with our writers about this a couple months ago, it doesn’t seem like there’s anyone in the front seven at this moment that’s really going to strike fear into an opponent on an individual basis. Therefore, it’s tough to think this group is going to be great except with one or two players getting a lot better.

There are enough very good players and quality depth (at least we hope so) that the sum should be greater than the parts. Will that be enough if the offense sputters at times?

Will there be a supporting cast worthy enough surrounding Kyle Hamilton?

Unless something goes horribly wrong–or potentially for Notre Dame fans insanely right and Hamilton returns–this should be the All-American safety’s final year in South Bend. Following a positive freshman season Clarence Lewis has a starting job all but locked up, yet what happens in the rest of the secondary remains largely a mystery.

Freeman has been keen in the past on playing 3 safeties together so this adds further intrigue for fall camp if he takes a similar route at Notre Dame. The defense may not be looking for only 1 starter opposite Hamilton but a 3rd option to use, which could also free up Hamilton to do some fun things in Freeman’s scheme.

New Faces to Watch

Linebacker Prince Kollie

The reigning high school Butkus Award winner isn’t expected to jump right in to a major role due to the depth at linebacker. He comes in at 6’2″ and 210 pounds which very likely means he will be a candidate only at Rover (as expected) but he looks much more physical and put together than that listed size would suggest.

Linebacker neck: confirmed. 

If we’re setting the over/under on Kollie just playing special teams and not being a factor at all with the defense I’d buy stock that he’s going to do something at linebacker as a freshman.

Corner JoJo Johnson

The defense made a lot of progress in the spring developing some corners (hello to Cam Hart and Ramon Henderson!) and Johnson didn’t enroll early so an instant impact would be tough straight away in camp. However, Johnson has the size and burst to carry the torch from the departing veteran Shaun Crawford and could develop into a fun explosive player near the line of scrimmage. Freeman has shown in the past he loves a speedy blitzing defensive back so this could be something to watch.

Safety Khari Gee

One of the gems to come aboard late in the 2021 cycle wasn’t able to enroll early, otherwise there could be a really big push for playing time with Gee. He’s an intriguing prospect who many project to one day grow into a linebacker/Rover-type but at 6’3″ and just 185 pounds those days are not near. That’s fine, there remains hope Gee can stay at safety for a long time and become an heir apparent to Kyle Hamilton as a tall, rangy defender at the back.

Key Positional Battles

Vyper (I hate this name)

This position, which isn’t cool enough to be called weak-side defensive end anymore, looked like it was going to be one of the best battles of camp. Or, maybe it still will be just that. Scuttlebutt on the good old internets fears Jordan Botelho could be missing time (or worse) which would be a big blow for the defense as some believed he was talented enough to win this job outright.

Either way, it feels super important for Isaiah Foskey to stay healthy and become a competent pass-rusher with excellent consistency. Freeman’s rise to national prominence coincided with Cincinnati’s edge rusher Myjai Sanders (17.5 TFL & 11 sacks 2019-20) being a menace and Foskey can hopefully get to this level. Without Botelho, the depth is quite poor including a converted linebacker (Ekwonu) and a true freshman (Schweitzer) with a knee injury.

Will Linebacker

Shayne Simon is technically the returning starter at this position although it’s expected he’ll be battling with Marist Liufau for snaps. Ask us today and we’ll predict Liufau ultimately gets the majority of the playing time as his aggressive down-hill hair-on-fire blitzing talent is tailor-made for Freeman’s mugging linebacker activity from the inside positions.

Rover Linebacker

This is potentially a really fun fall camp battle both because Notre Dame is replacing an absolute star and we’re still not sure how different the responsibilities are going to be for the position still-named Rover. There are also intriguing options. We like Jack Kiser as the favorite due to a little bit of experience in 2020 and his fluidity. Some might like Isaiah Pryor to have a breakout under a new coordinator or for Paul Moala to return to his form following an Achilles injury. Also, as mentioned Kollie lingers.

Cornerback #2

We’ll likely see a 3-way battle for this position between veteran Tariq Bracy and younger players Cam Hart and Ramon Henderson. If spring was any indication, Bracy regained some of his pre-2020 form but may be trailing Hart who qualified as maybe the biggest breakout player from those practices.

Nickel Corner/Extra Defensive Back

We’ll wait and see if Freeman opts for a corner or likes a safety as a nickel and/or extra defensive back. If he prioritizes speed this would seem like a natural spot for Bracy (whose struggles being physical in press coverage may prevent him from starting opposite Clarence Lewis) while there could be options at safety worth exploring, too. Maybe watch out for KJ Wallace coming into his redshirt sophomore season at this spot.

Strong Safety

It feels like many people have been wanting Houston Griffith to happen, can he make it actually happen? The former IMG product removed himself from the transfer portal and was convinced to stay under Marcus Freeman, although the spring didn’t seem like a set of practices where Griffith grabbed this role by any means. We have the veteran DJ Brown who has the inside track based on experience from last year while we saw surprising (even shocking!) production out of Litchfield Ajavon and true freshman Justin Walters in the spring game.

The latter 2 may not be realistic options for 2021 but KJ Wallace could be squarely in the mix while we’ll keep an eye on Gee and possibly fellow freshman Philip Riley (198 lbs. and would be tied for the 3rd heaviest safety on the roster) could move from corner and make an impact.

Freshmen Numbers

#15 CB Ryan Barnes
#18 CB Chance Tucker
#20 CB JoJo Johnson*
#20 S Justin Walters*
#25 CB Philip Riley
#29 S Khari Gee
#32 LB Prince Kollie
#47 DE Jason Onye
#48 DE Will Schweitzer
#55 LB Kahanu Kia
#97 DT Gabriel Rubio

*Rock, paper, scissors for jersey 20? Walters was here for spring and probably changing to #22 his high school number which is open for a defender.Â