Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 2, 2023 27 NOTRE DAME DEFENSE PLAYS ITS PART One play that didn't count as much as Notre Dame wanted it to was actually the defining defensive snap from the Fighting Irish's 42-3 victory over Navy. Graduate student linebacker Marist Liufau made sure a missed tackle from graduate student safety DJ Brown wasn't going to matter. He viciously at- tacked a Navy ball carrier from seem- ingly out of nowhere and punched the pigskin to the natural grass at Aviva Stadium. Fellow graduate student linebacker Jack Kiser was next on the scene, corral- ling the ball near the Notre Dame side- line. Too close to the Notre Dame side- line. Upon review, on the Notre Dame sideline. The fumble recovery didn't go the Irish's way. The ball stayed with Navy. But everybody saw what happened. Liufau and Kiser were all over the Mid- shipmen on that play and several more throughout the night in a performance that left Navy with just 169 total yards on 55 plays; 3.1 yards per play isn't go- ing to win a whole lot of ballgames. For Navy, it didn't even yield a touchdown. Score one for Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden and his guys. "All week Coach Golden emphasized limiting yards after the pile, attacking the football and just eyes aligned with technique," Liufau said. "That's what he was harping on all week. With the triple option, it's hard to see the ball sometimes. So know our keys, read our keys and be detailed." Notre Dame looked like a team that had all offseason to focus on the triple option. The play that seemed to hurt the most on a consistent basis was the fullback dive, and the Irish got that under control sooner than later. Navy's longest rushing attempt went for 14 yards, and it occurred on the Midshipmen's second play from scrimmage. The Irish were simply persis- tent in pursuit of the football. Head coach Marcus Freeman said he was most impressed by the overall execution and the ability to adapt on the sidelines. That wasn't the case nine months prior when Navy scored 19 un- answered points in the second half and nearly came all the way back to stun Notre Dame in Baltimore. "They did a really good job, especially after being exposed last year," Freeman said. "It was good to see." Freeman subtly hinted that there is potential for even more from the 2023 Notre Dame defense. Obviously, as tricky as the triple option can be, stel- lar outings against the Ohio States and USCs of the world would mean more than stymieing the Midshipmen in an era that could best be described as re- building in Annapolis. And turnovers. Freeman would have loved to see Kiser actually possess the ball inbounds to give an unstoppable Notre Dame offense led by red-hot quarterback Sam Hartman a short field. "We were close," Freeman said. Next time. With this Irish defense, there seems like there will certainly be one. JADEN GREATHOUSE SHINES IN TWO-TD DEBUT Before the video Notre Dame foot- ball posted on X (formerly Twitter) even started, Jaden Greathouse was open. Sure, if graduate quarterback Sam Hartman threw the ball right then and there, it wouldn't have worked out so well. But the freshman slot receiver had inside position and a half step on Navy safety Rayuan Lane as he entered into a seam route. He was even, so he was leaving. And Hartman, a second or two later, put the throw right on the money. Caught. Touchdown. Greathouse has arrived for Notre Dame, and he's here to stay. "It was amazing," Greathouse said. "I've dreamed of this ever since I was young. The opportunity is finally here. I was able to make the most of it." The best part of Greathouse's first game, as far as the Irish coaching staff NAVY GAME NOTES BY TYLER HORKA AND JACK SOBLE Graduate student defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste and the Fighting Irish defense bottled up Navy's offense, limiting it to just 169 total yards and 3.1 yards per play. PHOTO BY JOHN CROTHERS