Notre Dame football: 3 takeaways from victory over NC State
By Jacob Wilson
2. Notre Dame’s defense has found their calling card
The Irish defense entered their Week 9 tilt with a tall task ahead of them considering the efficiency of NC State’s offense. Quarterback Ryan Finley came into the matchup without an interception, solidifying the Wolfpack as the only team in the nation without an aerial turnover. Along with their conservative approach through the air, NC State coughed up the football only three times on the year.
On the other hand, the Irish have seen a complete reboot on the defensive side of the ball with the addition of coordinator Mike Elko. Notre Dame now ranks ninth in turnovers gained, a statistic greatly improved from their disastrous season of last year.
Saturday’s matchup began to shape up as an unstoppable forcing meeting an unmovable object, but it was the Irish who came up on top at the end of the day. Finley ended up throwing his first interception of the season in one of the weirdest plays of the 2017 season. Nevertheless, the Irish took advantage on a pick-six that sparked an ever-burning fire in fans and teammates alike.
This Notre Dame defense has clearly found its calling card after lacking identity for the majority of last season. Considering their ability to force a turnover against one of the most conservative offenses in the nation, this unit should enter future matchups with an abounding amount of confidence.