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Notre Dame Football: Fighting Irish can take next step in 2018

By Andrew Miller

EAST LANSING, MI - SEPTEMBER 23: Dexter Williams #2 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish scores a second quarter touchdown a celebrates with his teammates during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on September 23, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - SEPTEMBER 23: Dexter Williams #2 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish scores a second quarter touchdown a celebrates with his teammates during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on September 23, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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The ability of Notre Dame football to reach double-digit wins again and get into the CFB Playoff field will mark the team’s success or failure in 2018.

Notre Dame football had a solid run going for the first 10 weeks of their season. The Irish had a firm spot in the College Football Playoff held until losing to the Miami Hurricanes, on the road, in convincing fashion 41-8, on Nov. 11. A loss to the Stanford Cardinal, just two games later, sealed the fate of Notre Dame in the Citrus Bowl.

However, even making it to a solid non-New Year’s Six Bowl, like the Citrus Bowl, is a sign of major progress compared to the four win-campaign in 2016. Head coach Brian Kelly seemed to have a different level of motivation for 2017, and it showed. There was a six win improvement for the Irish.

The schedule that Notre Dame had to face in 2017 was nothing but daunting. They faced seven teams that were either ranked at the time the Irish faced them, or were ranked at the end of the year. Of those seven matchups against ranked foes, Notre Dame won four of them. The Irish also came within seconds of defeating the National Champion runner-up Georgia Bulldogs, losing by one point at Notre Dame Stadium.

With a 10-3 record to round out this past season, Notre Dame is still a program with top-15 hype in some “way too early” top 25 rankings. A Citrus Bowl win over superstar running back Derrius Guice and the LSU Tigers gives the Irish momentum entering the off-season.

There’s a load of talent returning on defense, with six starters coming back like rising senior defensive tackle Jerry Tillery. Rising senior linebacker and 2017 tackle leader Te’Von Coney and rising sophomore cornerback and interception leader Julian Love help soften the blow of losing the rest of the starters.

The bulk of Notre Dame’s fortunes in 2018 rests in the hands of the quarterbacks. Kelly could have a quarterback battle on the horizon between Brandon Wimbush, Ian Book, and four-star signee Phil Jurkovec. Wimbush is the favorite, after his 30 total touchdowns to just six interceptions. His accuracy and consistency in the pocket have to develop before the 2018 campaign kicks off.

The loss of star junior running back Josh Adams will hurt more than any other. Adams rushed for just over 1,400 yards and had his best year of his career. If any team can absorb that kind of loss in the backfield, it’s a team like Notre Dame with Tony Jones Jr., Dexter Williams, and Deon McIntosh ready for larger roles.

We’ll learn a lot about Notre Dame, in their season opener against the Michigan Wolverines. Both Michigan and Notre Dame could be ranked in the top 15, or even the top 10 in the AP Poll entering the upcoming year.

Next: 3 ways Notre Dame can improve from 2017

Taking at least three of the five contests against the Virginia Tech Hokies, Florida State Seminoles, USC Trojans, Michigan and Stanford, would allow the Irish to stay in the thick of the Playoff race and improve again in 2018. Kelly’s massive progression in 2017 proves he can do it again.

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