Previewing Notre Dame’s defense ahead of Week 1 vs. Texas AM

Notre Dame’s identity this season starts and ends on defense. The Fighting Irish return three of the top defenders in the country, led by senior defensive lineman Howard Cross III .

In the secondary, junior defensive back Benjamin Morrison looks like one of the top cornerbacks in the country. At the same time, senior safety Xavier Watts led the team with seven interceptions last season and looks to become a versatile defender in the box this season.

Cross, who recorded 66 tackles and two sacks last season, will pair up with senior DL Rylie Mills. Mills readily utilizes his 6-5 frame and recorded 47 tackles and 2.5 sacks a year ago.

As a team, Notre Dame recorded 31 sacks and 75 tackles for loss while ranking 5th in total defense after allowing just 276 yards per contest. Many of us believe Saturday’s season opener vs. Texas A&M will be a low-scoring contest won in the trenches.

If A&M’s run game fails to find consistency, this will force starting quarterback Conner Weigman to drop back and deliver strikes in tight windows, as he will likely target sophomore corner Christian Gray. At the same time, Morrison will likely cover junior Aggie WR Noah Thomas throughout the night.

This could be the toughest defense Mike Elko’s team will face throughout the season, so the main goal continues to be squeaking out a tough win with limited turnovers.

No. 20 Texas A&M will host No. 7 Notre Dame on Saturday, August 31, at 6:30 p.m. CT, and the game will air on ABC.

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