Notre Dame Football: Final 2020-2021 Report Card
By Dante Pryor
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish reached the National Semifinal for the second time in three seasons, falling short against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Notre Dame Fighting football team had another fine season finishing ranked No. 5 in the country, winning 10-plus games for the fourth consecutive season and the fifth time in six years. The Irish made their second trip to the College Football Playoff this past season. For the third time under Brian Kelly, the Irish fell short of winning a National Title.
Despite falling short, Kelly has raised the floor of the Irish with yet another fine season. The Irish found their identity with a physical running game and elite offensive line play on offense.
Senior quarterback Ian Book had another solid season despite not throwing 20 touchdown passes. Redshirt sophomore Kyren Williams was Notre Dame football’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Josh Adams in 2017.
Defensively, the Irish were solid last season, considering they had to replace practically their entire secondary and pass rush from last season. Safety Kyle Hamilton led the Irish in tackles, and defensive end Adetokunbo Ogundeji led the Irish in sacks. Notre Dame also got some key contributions from young defenders Isaiah Foskey and Jack Kiser.
The season might not have ended the way the Irish wanted; they still had another outstanding season. Here is their final report card for the 20-21 season.