Mary Votava | The Observer Humans have a tendency to remember the lows. Some people are more optimistic and forgiving than others, but in general, the negatives tend to stick out. And when they’re glaring, or when they come in a first impression, that tendency only grows.
So it’s understandable why Al Golden isn’t beloved by the Notre Dame fanbase. His first game as the Irish defensive coordinator was marred by an ill-fated double safety blitz that Ohio State easily picked apart for a game-winning touchdown last year. And despite last week’s triumphant bounce back against Duke, there’s no doubt what the biggest moment of Notre Dame’s season is so far: the final play of the Ohio State rematch. Giving up a one-yard touchdown is understandable, but having 10 men on the field is not. Maybe the simple counting game wasn’t strictly Golden’s responsibility. But at the very least, he failed to save the day.
Notre Dame has dealt with quite a bit of disappointment over the last few years. The Marshall loss … where the defense allowed just 19 points (Tyler Buchner also threw a pick-six). The Stanford loss … where the defense allowed just 16 points (three of which were the direct result of a fumble recovery). Those two Ohio State games … where the defense allowed 38 combined points to an Ohio State offense averaging 35 points per game this year and 44 a season ago.
Last year, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams and Navy’s triple-option were the only ones to put up more than 24 on offense. Through six games this season, the Irish have only allowed more than 17 points once, and that threshold wasn’t crossed until garbage time against NC State. That in itself isn’t necessarily a sign of improvement. After all, three of Notre Dame’s opponents didn’t pose much of a threat (although one of them was the same Navy team that previously gave the Irish fits). But Golden sees growth on his side of the ball.
“I think we’re getting better. I think we have a collective mentality,” Golden said. “Do I think we’re better? I think we’re better.”
How is that improvement measured? There are countless statistics and ways to evaluate every area of a defense. But as Golden pointed out, some statistics are more important than others. It’s no good if you’re gaining something in one aspect of play by sacrificing another that’s just as important.
In some of the areas Golden pointed out as mattering the most, the Irish are thriving. They rank sixth in red zone defense, 11th in total defense and tied for 14th in scoring defense. They may not be getting many sacks, but the Irish are a top-10 unit in applying pressure on quarterbacks with an excellent success rate when blitzing. That’s despite taking on two top-25 teams averaging over 32 points each. Notre Dame held them to 31 combined, which also shows some growth from a year ago.
“We’ve definitely made some changes internally,” Golden said when asked about the team’s improvement in the red zone. “I think guys know it was unacceptable [last year] and I think they’ve responded to the challenge. I think they’re doing a really good job of taking the gameplan to the field.”
It’s also important, of course, to develop players as individuals. The Irish have seen new additions to the program in recent years, such as sophomore cornerback Benjamin Morrison and graduate student defensive lineman Javontae Jean-Baptiste play big roles right from the get-go. Their individual talents and position coaches deserve credit, of course. But their echoing of Golden’s emphasis on the details shows that his overall approach is hitting its mark.
“Sometimes you can get caught up in the big things, but it’s truly, when you think about the game in football, it’s the little things,” said Jean-Baptiste, who had a career-high eight tackles against the Buckeyes.
The low point totals are certainly important, but context matters, too. Making big plays in the fourth quarter is more critical — and more challenging. The Irish showed they had that in them against Duke, not just in the game-sealing strip-sack of Riley Leonard, but in forcing the Blue Devils to punt the ball back with time left on the clock. Though not perfect, Golden was pleased with how the defense executed.
“There’s a lot of ebbs and flows in games and if you get too high or get too low, it’s hard to be consistent,” said Golden. “If he could beat us in every facet, it was gonna be a long night. I think the guys did a really good job of eliminating [Riley Leonard’s] rhythm throws and the quarterback draw.”
Some of the doubt around Golden comes from his past, and that’s understandable. He struggled as a head coach in five-year stints at Temple and Miami, exceeding eight wins just twice. And tougher tasks lie ahead, especially a rematch with Williams and the Trojans immediately after a Louisville game the Irish would be wise not to overlook. But the confidence the Irish have in their defense, and Golden, is high. It’s backed up by the numbers, and there’s evidence it won’t always disappear in the big moments.
Golden and company have work to do to put those scars in the past. His and the team’s growth hasn’t been linear. But it’s there, and it showed last Saturday night when Notre Dame’s season depended on it. It may not be rewarded with a Ferrari, but a payoff could be coming.
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