Texas A&M football vs. Notre Dame: Three biggest questions for the Irish
Can Riley Leonard crack this Elko defense?
Mike Elko, in his Monday presser, alluded to the fact that Leonard’s familiarity with his system would actually be a benefit to Notre Dame’s signal caller. Whereas most opponents only have passing familiarity with his defense, Leonard has had many practices against it.
For a guy like Elko, who’s system relies so heavily on confusing the opposing quarterback (see: Bryce Young in 2021), this could be an issue. However, the addition of Jay Bateman could add a little twist to things that Leonard and the Irish may not be expecting.
If Leonard can settle into a groove on Saturday, the Irish will be in business. If he struggles, this could be a long night against an Aggie front that is not exactly apt to allow a lot of success running the ball.
Can the star Irish defenders play at 100%?
Recent reports have it that both Howard Cross III and Benjamin Morrison, the star defensive tackle and cornerback for Notre Dame, respectively, have been nursing injuries throughout fall camp. Though they don’t appear to be anything that will precipitate either player missing time at this point, it’s something to watch.
So much happens in the course of a game—if one of them takes a wrong step or makes an awkward move, it could exacerbate something that’s already present. Given how important both are to this defense, it’s imperative for the Irish that they’re not only out there for the duration, but also that they’re able to play at full go.
Can the ground game do just enough?
The Irish bring a well-renowned reputation as a physical, run-first squad into Kyle Field. Of course, new OC Mike Denbrock could be looking to change things, but you can't be a successful football team without at least the threat of a decent run game.
If the guys up front are able to beat you one-on-one every time, then it allows the defense to do so much more on the back end. If more resources are required to stop the run game, the back end begins to look a lot more basic—and that’s where your receiver can go to work.
Given the quality of this Aggie front, it’s tough to imagine that this will be a banner day on the ground for the Irish. However, if they’re able to do just enough to make the Aggies respect the game—committing one more defender than they would like—then it will be a big win for the Irish, opening up a lot more on the offense.