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Notre Dame Football: 3 biggest surprises from 2019 season

By Dante Pryor

SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 13: Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly stands in the tunnel in front of his team before the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Notre Dame Stadium on October 13, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 13: Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly stands in the tunnel in front of his team before the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Notre Dame Stadium on October 13, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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ORLANDO, FL – DECEMBER 28: Datrone Young #2 of the Iowa State Cyclones defends a pass in the end zone against Chase Claypool #83 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half of the Camping World Bowl at Camping World Stadium on December 28, 2019, in Orlando, Florida. Notre Dame defeated Iowa State 33-9. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – DECEMBER 28: Datrone Young #2 of the Iowa State Cyclones defends a pass in the end zone against Chase Claypool #83 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half of the Camping World Bowl at Camping World Stadium on December 28, 2019, in Orlando, Florida. Notre Dame defeated Iowa State 33-9. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

1. Notre Dame wins 10 games yet again

During the preseason this year I — along with many other prognosticators — thought the Notre Dame Fighting Irish would take a step back this season.

They lost so many pieces from last season’s team that it was going to be impossible to repeat last year’s run to the playoff or even win 10 games. They did not make the playoff. A midseason clunker of a game against Michigan took care of that. However, the Irish found a way to take care of business and win 11 games.

This past season marks the third consecutive year the Irish have won at least 10 games and four of the last five years. They weren’t flashy this season. They did not have a dynamic player on offense this year, and there wasn’t the one dominant defender on the other side of the ball. Notre Dame simply played good team football.

Offensively they stayed in front of the chains. They moved the ball downfield by keeping themselves in manageable down and distances.

Quarterback Ian Book might not be Joe Burrow, but he doesn’t do things to cost his team a win. He’s steady and rock solid.

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Defensively, they weren’t great against the run but were decent enough. The pass rush and pass defense were spectacular. They got to the quarterback and did a good job of defending the pass when the ball was in the air. That cohesiveness is what led to another double-digit winning season for the Irish.

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