When Notre Dame lost the core of its 2014 defense to injuries in the season’s latter half, it collapsed to an 0-4 regular-season finish, falling in shootouts at Arizona State, in overtime against Northwestern and against Louisville before getting run over by USC.
The Irish simply did not have starter-caliber players to fill in the gaps, perhaps most notably along the defensive line.
With fifth-year defensive tackle Kurt Hinish sidelined this past Saturday by a concussion, and still in the concussion protocol this week, the same problem could have befallen No. 7 Notre Dame (4-0). Instead, the defensive line was no worse for wear.