Notre Dame Football: 5 reasons not to panic just yet about 2018

3. A matchup with Wake Forest could spark the offense

Don’t get me wrong, Notre Dame’s performance over the last two weeks has been nothing short of unacceptable in accordance with the standards held by the program, coaches, and fans alike. However, a slow start is easier to forgive in light of a 3-0 record. Despite putting up only 24 points on a typically poor Ball State defense, a poor offensive outing against Wake would be even worse.

If you recall, last year’s matchup vs. the Demon Deacons was unconventional in the sense that it incriminated the Irish defense above anything else. Following two big wins over USC and N.C. State, Notre Dame’s defense was expected to make easy work of a less volatile Wake offense. However, that wouldn’t be the case as the Irish ended up claiming victory in a 48-37 shootout.

What was most telling in that contest was Wimbush’s statline. Recording 390 total yards and three scores, Wimbush proved once again that he could take over a football game. As seen in games against Miami, Stanford, and LSU, Wimbush’s confidence plays a particularly significant role in his performance, making it odd that he continuously struggles despite early scoring drives.

Regardless of what we’ve seen so far, it’s evident that Wimbush has the necessary talent to take the Irish where they want to go. In fact, some people forget that Wimbush was a higher rated recruit than the highly-anticipated Phil Jurkovec. Nevertheless, Wimbush hasn’t looked good this year, but a matchup against a familiar defense could propel his season from this point forward.