Notre Dame Football: 3 keys to victory vs. Louisville in Week 1

1. Get production out of No. 2 cornerback

Another offseason departure that looks like it could really hurt the Irish is the loss of standout cornerback Julian Love. Love, who went to the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, played a huge role in Notre Dame’s 2018 success, deflecting 16 passes and intercepting one while also involving himself in four fumbles (one forced, three recovered).

Love’s presence (or lack thereof) was greatly felt in the Irish’s Cotton Bowl loss to Clemson, as his replacement Donte Vaughn would be picked on for two quick touchdowns. The game would go further downhill from there, but the Irish really felt like they had a chance with Love in the game. Now the Irish will have to survive without Love for the entire season.

Thankfully, cornerback Shaun Crawford will be returning to the team for a fifth year after missing the entire 2018 season due to a knee injury suffered during camp. However, Crawford has 1) played mostly nickelback over the course of his career and 2) suffered two season-ending knee injuries. He will certainly play a big role on this defense, but it might not be at the No. 2 corner spot.

Crawford will get the start there according to the Irish’s most recent depth chart, but that doesn’t mean the situation is settled. The Irish still have TaRiq Bracy, Avery Davis, Vaughn, and potentially Houston Griffith (although he is most likely to backup boundary corner Troy Pride Jr.). Regardless, the Irish will need to get production out of this position if they want to be successful against Louisville, and more importantly, tougher competition down the road.