NFL
By: Brock Vierra
With one more game standing in the way of Marcus Freeman securing his first-ever 10 win season, I sat down and spoke with Irish Wire contributor Mike Chen to talk about the 2023 season, the Sun Bowl against Oregon State, and the future of the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame’s matchup against Oregon State will be the third ever meeting between these teams. Notre Dame lost the previous two matchups to the Beavers, falling 9-41 in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl and 21-38 in the 2004 Insight Bowl.
Let’s talk Notre Dame
Vierra: Thank you for joining us Mike. On a scale of 1-10, how would you grade Notre Dame’s season?
Chen: The Irish came into the season with high expectations but floundered. They should have beaten Ohio State and lost to an average Louisville and Clemson teams. The CFP was always the goal, but after the second loss, changing to a NY6 game was next up. They didn’t achieve either. The season was a 6 for me, as they struggled on offense with a veteran quarterback, which many, including myself thought was the missing piece.
Vierra: What went behind your grade and evaluation?
Chen: Anything short of a major bowl game was always going to be disappointing. At worst, this should have been a 2-loss team, but they ended up with 3. They had two consensus All-American’s, one of the top running backs in the country, but didn’t win some of their biggest matchups.
Vierra: Is Marcus Freeman the right man for the job?
Chen: You have to remember that Freeman is a first-time head coach, who is still learning. His first season, there were mistakes made, which some were corrected in year 2, but not all of them. I still believe he is the right guy, especially looking at the big jump in recruiting and portal additions. Freeman needs more time to adjust his in-game coaching, but the improvement is there.
Vierra: How will Notre Dame make up for the multiple losses on defense?
Chen: The return of two big time play makers on the line, JD Bertrand at linebacker and potentially Xavier Watts, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner should be a base for another solid defense. Don’t forget about Benjamin Morrison, who didn’t put up the same stats as his freshman year, mainly because teams threw away from him. The drop off won’t be that large in 2024.
Vierra: Is Gerad Parker the right offensive coordinator for Notre Dame?
Chen: That is the biggest question of this offseason. Parker was a first-year play caller who had his moments, but also made some questionable calls throughout the season. The scoring was historically good this year, but defense and special teams had a lot to do with that. In the biggest games of the year, USC excluded due to it’s terrible defense, they averaged just under 20 points, that’s not good enough. The jury is still out, but I’d like to see a veteran voice help Parker out next fall.
Vierra: Notre Dame once again failed to perform when the lights shined brightest with their home loss to Ohio State. What happened and was that loss a one off or Notre Dame failing to perform per usual?
Chen: As someone who covers both teams, I was writing my postgame was if the Irish were going to win. A dropped interception on the last drive along with a long 4th down conversion, doomed Notre Dame. They turtled on offense, not giving Audric Estime the ball enough, just 14 carries, when their line was winning the battle. This goes back to a Parker issue, as the defense played well enough to get a win. The big game demons are still around, and they will have to squash that narrative going forward.
Vierra: What is your prediction for the Sun Bowl against Oregon State?
Chen: No Sam Hartman, Joe Alt, Blake Fisher, Marist Liufau and multiple receivers is a lot of production they will be missing. With that said, I still like the Irish’s chances, as the defense has depth while the offense could be more explosive with Jeremiyah Love getting the carries. The Beavers will be missing plenty of players as well, but the Notre Dame roster is much better, giving them an advantage with all the player movement.
Vierra: What are your expectations for Notre Dame in 2024?
Chen: With the College Football Playoff expanding, Notre Dame should be in the running for one of the spots. They won’t get the bye, but hosting in the first round isn’t out of the question. If they fail to make it, Irish nation will be questioning Freeman and his future. I think they do, especially considering the schedule is very manageable.
Vierra: How excited are you about acquiring Riley Leonard?
Chen: Leonard is the best athlete that Notre Dame has had at quarterback in a long time. He’s going to make plenty of plays with his legs, but I’m a bit concerned with his passing accuracy. Sam Hartman was better than him but had his worst passing season in three years. I’m optimistic, but a lot of it depends on the growth of the line and Parker’s play-calling.
Vierra: What other transfers are you excited about and which portal players should Notre Dame go after?
Chen: Love is going to be a problem after flashing his freshman season running the ball. The Duke pair, Leonard and defensive end RJ Oben were big additions, as was FIU receiver Kris Mitchell. I would have liked to see the go after a tackle, since they are losing both starters. Can’t utilize the offensive weapons if you can’t have time to get them the ball. It’s hard to say who they should go after, since the majority of transfers they take are graduates, so as of right now, no specific names come to mind.
I would once again like to thank Mike Chen for his time. Notre Dame plays Oregon State on December 29th. For more college football content, watch The College Football Forecast.
