Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM PRESEASON 2023 43 GAME PREVIEW: NAVY third nationally at 1.9 percent. Navy's other com- pany at the top of the chart were programs with a reputation for stingy defense in Iowa (0.9), Illinois (1.6) and Iowa State (2.1). Navy also ranked second in the country in stuff percentage at 28.3 percent, seventh in yards per attempt against at 3.9 and eighth in first down percentage allowed at 21.8 percent. By many met- rics, Navy had a top-10 run defense last year. The Midshipmen have experienced players from that unit returning for 2023, with three seniors and a junior slated to start across the defensive line. Notre Dame, meanwhile, brings back a tank of a running back in junior Audric Estimé and four more scholarship players who are all capable of earning RB2 status. The Irish offensive line is projected to be stout with three returning start- ers, too. That said, Notre Dame rushed for only 66 yards against Navy last year. The Midshipmen did to the Irish what they did to pretty much everyone all year. Notre Dame also rushed for only 76 yards in last year's season opener versus Ohio State with the offensive line not in sync right away. Notre Dame doesn't need to try to win this game on the ground despite Freeman wanting to win every game that way. If there is any facet of the game in which Navy can hang with Notre Dame, it's against the Irish's rushing attack. Advantage: Navy NOTRE DAME PASSING GAME VS. NAVY PASS DEFENSE Notre Dame has Sam Hartman now. The Fight- ing Irish don't have to worry much about whether they can put up numbers and points through the air on a weekly basis anymore — especially against a Navy team that gave up 250.1 passing yards per game in 2022, which ranked 97th in the FBS. Navy has a senior, two juniors and a sophomore starting in the four secondary spots, so it's not like the Midshipmen are rolling out a cast of players who are foreign to seeing the ball go up in the air. Hartman, though, is unlike anyone Navy saw at the quarterback position in 2022. If the best QB Navy faced last year was Seth Henigan, Tanner Mordecai or Clayton Tune, Hartman could have another thing coming. Hartman led the FBS with 2,656 air yards last year. Navy faced 3,397 intended air yards all sea- son. Hartman nearly had as many successful air yards as the Midshipmen had attempted against them. Notre Dame is going to need some inexperienced players to step up as pass catchers. There is no doubt about that. This is the first chance for junior Jayden Thomas to show he can be a true No. 1 wideout. It's the first collegiate game for the three early enrollee freshmen. It's senior Chris Tyree's first game as a full-time wide receiver. There is no Michael Mayer to fall back on. The pressure is on. But the Aviva Stadium lights shouldn't be too bright. Advantage: Notre Dame Senior wide receiver Jayden Umbarger led the Midshipmen with 16 catches for 265 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2022, and may receive more chances this fall due to a retooled Navy offense. PHOTO COURTESY NAVY ATHLETICS Staff Predictions Todd D. Burlage: Notre Dame 42, Navy 14 A new day dawns for Navy this season with longtime head coach Ken Niumatalolo no longer with the program. What that means for how the program will be run and look under first-year head coach Brian Newberry remains to be seen. The Midshipmen won only 11 games total the last three seasons, and playing Notre Dame in Ireland won't immediately change those fortunes. Steve Downey: Notre Dame 52, Navy 7 Navy is coming off its worst five-year stretch (4-8, 4-8, 3-7, 11-2 and 3-10) since 1998-2002, and its once prolific rushing attack has averaged just 3.9 yards per carry, 216.9 yards per game and 18.7 rushing touchdowns per season over the past three years — a far cry from its 6.1 YPC, 360.5 YPG and 52 TD dur- ing the outlier 11-2 campaign in 2019. An under-the-radar NCAA rule change that eliminated cut block- ing anywhere but inside the tackle box certainly won't help the Mids' cause. The bet here is that they won't be as proficient throwing the ball as they'll need to be to keep up with a Sam Hartman-led attack. Tyler Horka: Notre Dame 45, Navy 10 It'll be déjà vu in Dublin. The last time these two teams met in Ireland, the Fighting Irish stomped the Midshipmen 50-10 in 2012. Notre Dame went on to play for a national championship that season. Who knows if Sam Hartman takes the Irish that far this time around, but one thing is certain: he's going to have a field day in his Fighting Irish debut. Kyle Kelly: Notre Dame 48, Navy 17 The last two times the Fighting Irish played Navy in Ireland, they hung 50 points on the Midshipmen. I am not predicting the Irish to eclipse that mark in this year's edition, but I like Sam Hartman and the Notre Dame offense to score 6 touchdowns in the victory. Unlike last season, Navy has the first-year head coach. Mike Singer: Notre Dame 42, Navy 14 With so much time to prepare for Navy's offense and what I believe is a strong Irish defense, Notre Dame should roll in that aspect of the game. And with Sam Hartman and the offensive firepower for new coordinator Gerad Parker, scoring points shouldn't be an issue for Notre Dame. Jack Soble: Notre Dame 31, Navy 20 Notre Dame knows better than to underestimate Navy, but the Irish still might experience some growing pains in Dublin. Season openers can be weird, and international games (hello, Nebraska and Northwestern) can be weirder. A strong Midshipmen interior line could give Notre Dame's inexperi- enced guards some fits. Notre Dame is the better team and should win, but don't hit the panic button if it's closer than many expect.