Texas A&M football vs. Notre Dame full breakdown: Why Aggies will smack Irish

Three players to watch for Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M football

Riley Leonard

Is it cheating to list both quarterbacks in these sections? I will say… no.

Leonard, as I’ve mentioned, is a dynamic weapon at the QB position; however, his accuracy can leave something to be desired. This is a new Aggie DB group in a new system, though, so there’s a chance he can make some hay early on in their growth into said system.

The thing that will help the Irish the most, though, is if Leonard can begin to pick up yards on the ground. If he is consistently knifing through a stout Aggie front, then the Irish will have a solid offensive strategy to lean on.

Howard Cross III

Cross, though he is dealing with the aforementioned hamstring injury, has game-wrecking potential up front. He may be the best single defensive lineman on either side of the ball (though his numbers will likely be poorer than Scourton’s, that has more to do with the position he plays).

A retooled Aggie OL will have their hands full with Cross, no doubt. Nabou, Faaiu, Dewberry, Bisontis—whoever ends up seeing time on the interior there should be prepared for some tough sledding against this guy.

Jack Kiser

He may not have started last year, but make no mistake—Kiser is no spring chicken. A sixth-year player for the Irish, his experience in this system will make sure the Domers’ defense are all in place before the snap.

Facing off against a system like Klein’s, though—run-heavy, and predicated upon confusing defenders’ keys—could be a tough task. He’ll have to mind his p’s and q’s to make sure the Irish don’t get gashed up front by this innovative rushing attack.