Notre Dame Football: Position report card for the Irish in Week 4

Notre Dame’s defensive line performed well against Michigan State’s dual-threat signal caller in Brian Lewerke, but wasn’t overly effective in stopping the run game as a whole. They were aided by a few turnovers that allowed them to play a bit loose, but their offense’s quick score ability led to a lot of time on the field.

However, the line did what they needed to get the win. They kept Lewerke contained for the most part and were also able to apply some pressure, recording five quarterback hurries along with two sacks.

In terms of individual performances, Daelin Hayes displayed heads-up play by jumping on an early Lewerke fumble, Andrew Trumbetti seemed to be all over the field, and both Jerry Tillery and Julian Okwara combined for a sack. Again, it was a solid outing from the unit, but there was still a little something left to be desired.

There was a lot to like from a defense that allowed only 18 points in a primetime contest against a historic rival, but this defensive line struggled to contain a rushing attack that saw a total of 151 yards. They will look to tighten things up before they face the meat of their schedule down the stretch.