Marcus Freeman wants you to believe Notre Dame’s defensive struggles are about execution. After back-to-back weeks of its once proud defense getting gashed, Freeman repeated the same refrain: “No, it’s not the call, it’s the execution. I’ve always believed that.” But the reality is staring the Irish in the face — Chris Ash’s defense is broken, and it’s the reason Notre Dame is 0–2.
From Championship Standard to Rock Bottom
One year ago, Notre Dame was in the National Championship Game because of its defense. Al Golden’s unit gave up just 16.8 points per game, dominated in the trenches, and set the tone for a team that bullied its way to the playoffs.