Notre Dame Football: 5 reasons not to panic just yet about 2018
By Jacob Wilson
2. Notre Dame’s defense is stronger than in recent years
Where would Notre Dame be if it wasn’t for defensive coordinator Clark Lea and his defense? It’s probably best we don’t think about that. After all, the Irish have yet to defeat an opponent by more than eight points, and it’s not as if the defense hasn’t been pushed on a few potential game-winning drives.
In fact, if it wasn’t for a stellar defense, the Irish very well could be 0-3. That’s a scary thought, but also serves as a testament to the consistency of this Notre Dame defense. The defensive line is playing with much more energy thanks to an improved rotation while the safety position has decided to involve itself in the turnover game after contributing next to nothing in 2017.
The linebackers haven’t missed a beat since the departures of Nyles Morgan and Greer Martini, limiting opponents to just over 100 yards per game on the ground. Julian Love and Troy Pride Jr. have done a decent job of locking things down while safeties Nick Coleman and Houston Griffith have held down the fort at nickelback in the wake of Shaun Crawford’s injury.
All things considered, the Irish defense has excelled despite Mike Elko’s departure to Texas A&M. While they’re not quite the defense of 2012, they’ve been solid enough to cover for Wimbush’s limitations. The true tests will come within the next three weeks, but this unit has earned every ounce of confidence Notre Dame fans have to offer.