How ‘uncomfortable’ practices prepared Notre Dame’s defense to beat Navy
The Notre Dame defense didn’t just wake up last week ready to flip a switch and stymie Navy’s triple option offense. It wasn’t that easy.
It took what might qualify as one of the toughest weeks of practice many of these Fighting Irish players from that side of the ball have endured in their entire football careers. It took a dedication to playing a unique scheme Notre Dame hadn’t utilized all season and won’t put into play in any of the three remaining regular season games plus the postseason.
It took being humbled by the scout team. No, seriously.
“There was tension between the defense and scout team,” junior rover Jack Kiser said. “The scout team was taking pride if they ripped one on us. They were hooting and hollering. The defense was like, ‘We got to go. This can’t happen.’”
But it did happen.
Junior linebacker JD Bertrand said the scout team scored a couple touchdowns on the No. 1 Notre Dame defense. And that was fine. Those scores didn’t count. Nobody but members of the team and coaching staff saw them. Better the ball cross the goal line in that type of environment than when the lights are on in Notre Dame Stadium, right?
Navy didn’t score a touchdown on Saturday. Notre Dame held an opponent out of the end zone for the first time all season. The performance was a product of the scout team preparing the top defensive unit for the unique challenge of going against Navy’s offense.
Even defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman treated this week a little differently. He spent more time coaching the scout team than he normally does because he wanted to make certain the scout team was operating the type of looks he expected to see from the Midshipmen on Saturday.
“That greater emphasis really helped,” Bertrand said.
Kiser said he loved the competitive rift with the scout team. It pushed everyone to play better. But he also said it was “uncomfortable” at times. Notre Dame defensive starters aren’t supposed to get shown up by guys the average fan couldn’t pick out of the lineup or address by name.
Bertrand spent time with the scout team in 2019. He knows it can be a thankless job. He goes out of his way every Thursday to tell show appreciation for those players. They might get a few more pats on the back this week. And not just from Bertrand.
Kiser said the heightened head-to-head nature of last week’s practices don’t have to be saved solely for Navy week. He said there’s no reason the energy level can’t be like that all the time. If it led to Notre Dame’s best defensive game of the season, why not play with that energy and passion week in and week out?
“When we have energy and we’re out there playing hard, we can be the best defense in the country,” Kiser said. “But it’s those times when guys get a little quiet and down on ourselves, that’s when we have to pick each other up and keep that energy going.”
Kiser said effort and enthusiasm should never have to be questioned. That wasn’t an issue against Navy or in the five days leading up to the game. If it’s not an issue moving forward? Maybe Kiser is onto something.
Notre Dame has some steps to take to prove him totally correct. The Georgia Bulldogs might have something to say about that best defense in the country title. But one of the best defenses in the country? Perhaps. It played that way against Navy.
Now the challenge is drastically different: Stopping Virginia's No. 1 offense in the nation. Maybe the scout team has some things up its sleeve for that too. It might hurt some egos on Tuesday. But that’s fine as long as it doesn’t hurt Notre Dame on the scoreboard on Saturday.
“We’re going to have to do a 180 flip, but I think the guys are ready for it,” Kiser said.
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