Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM NOV. 7, 2026 61 M arcus Freeman doesn't lose sleep over allowing conversions on third downs with one or two yards to go. The Notre Dame football head coach would rather focus on preventing opposing of- fenses from getting in position for those third-and-short sce- narios than fret over a quarter- back sneak or a 2-yard plunge into the line. But when opponents are con- verting third downs with three to six yards to go, Freeman knows the Irish have a prob- lem on their hands. BYU high- lighted that issue by converting 7 of 8 third downs of three to six yards in its 28-24 victory over the Irish in October. "We have to get better for sure," Freeman said. Including an illegal formation pen- alty on Notre Dame that allowed BYU to turn a third-and-1 into a first down, the Cougars finished 9 of 13 (69.2 percent) on third-down conversions. BYU con- verted both of its third downs with less than three yards needed and failed to convert on three of its third downs with seven or more yards needed. Freeman pointed to a third-and-6 conversion by BYU in the middle of the second quarter as an inflection point in what Notre Dame was trying to do on third down. Notre Dame put person- nel on the field with the hope of gener- ating a pass rush, but the Cougars ran a speed option with quarterback Bear Bachmeier pitching to Preston Rex for a 9-yard gain. BYU ran right at junior defensive end Loghan Thomas and put him in a tough spot trying to defend both Bachmeier and Rex. "We went with our sub package early in the game, and they checked to a speed option," Freeman said. "As we go back and evaluate, we got to say, OK, even if we get to our sub package, we have to make sure we're sound versus run checks. "And it can't just be feast or famine. If it's a pass, it's great. If it's a run, we're screwed. We can't have that mentality. I think that's what you saw more than anything in the BYU game." BYU had already converted 3 of its 4 third downs prior to the speed op- tion. But it helps explain why BYU con- tinued to have success on third-and- medium against the Irish. Notre Dame shied away from forcing the issue with its pass rush, and BYU converted four more third downs with passes when it needed three to six yards in the game. Freeman likely doesn't want Notre Dame to change its philosophy so dras- tically in a game. "We can't allow offenses to just dic- tate to our defense what packages we're in," Freeman said. "Same thing if you're playing man and they got man beaters, you have to be able to continue to play man and know the beaters that you're susceptible to. "If you're playing zone, be able to match the different routes that they can give you in zone coverage. I thought as I look at BYU, the first half, they were one step ahead." Of course, BYU's game-winning touchdown pass from Bachmeier to tight end Walker Lyons came on a third- and-goal play from the 6-yard line. Even as the Irish's defense tried to find better answers in the second half, its third-down solutions weren't rock solid. Notre Dame nearly gave up a backbreaking 39-yard touchdown on a third- and-7 in the third quarter, but Kyler Kasper was called for of- fensive pass interference for the block that freed fellow receiver Jojo Phillips loose for his long catch and run. Notre Dame's third-down defense should remain a con- ce r n , b e ca u se BY U wa s n 't the first team to find success against the Irish. Freeman mentioned North Carolina, which went 6 of 11 on third downs when including penal- ties, but even Purdue converted 8 of its 18 third-down attempts against Notre Dame. Three of the Irish's November op- ponents were ranked among the top 50 in offensive third-down conversion rate entering Week 9: No. 5 Miami (54.5 per- cent), No. 33 SMU (45.3 percent) and No. 48 Syracuse (43.1 percent). Notre Dame entered Week 9 ranked 83rd in the FBS in third-down defense with an allowed conversion rate of 39.1 percent. That figure excludes penal- ties and includes plays with backups on the field in blowout victories. The percentage was even worse for Notre Dame when considering penalties and only the first-team defense: 41.3 per- cent (33 of 80). If the Fighting Irish are going to im- prove that percentage, it will have to come in third-and-medium opportu- nities. The first seven Notre Dame op- ponents converted 16 of their 33 third downs (48.5 percent) when penal- ties were accounted for against Notre Dame's first-team defense when they needed between three and six yards. "We really have to be better in that three to six," Freeman said. "One to two, those are hard situations to stop, but three to six, we have to get off the field." ✦ Coordinator Chris Ash must improve Notre Dame's defensive performance on third downs, particularly those from three to six yards. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER Third-Down Defense Is A Critical Weakness For Irish Tyler James has been covering Notre Dame athletics since 2011. He can be reached on X @ TJamesND FIRST AND LAST TYLER JAMES