JotCast | ND Football Marshall Week Chat

ND Football Marshall Week Chat

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Mike Berardino

11:48

Hey Chris, thanks for your question. I was half-expecting Merriweather to get some snaps in the opener, but Marcus Freeman mentioned a nagging hamstring or knee issue that slowed his progress during the second half of training camp. I'd look for Tobias as well as Staes and Raridon to make their first college catches on Saturday if the Marshall game goes as expected. As for the Irish run game sputtering, Jarrett Patterson's absence can't be brushed aside, but I still think it's vital to mix up the first-down play-calling far better than Tommy Rees did on Saturday. That was the topic of my postgame analysis, and it's something to watch moving forward as the Tyler Buchner era unfolds. Notre Dame's run defense will be fine. The Buckeyes' O-line was simply better on Saturday, but there will be plenty of chances for Notre Dame's experienced front 7 -- now including Chris Smith (3 tackles in his debut) -- to impose its will moving forward.

Chris

11:38

What’s your view on the why the ND run game wasn’t effective? Were you surprised Merriweather wasn’t more involved? Henderson and Willams both averaged over 6 yards a carry, worrisome or just good backs on a good team?

Mike Berardino

11:37

I'd also note that Foskey was the one player on defense that Ryan Day said during the week the Buckeyes had to know where he was "at all times." New DC Al Golden did try to keep Day guessing. Foskey's 40 snaps on defense (per PFF-College.com) were split almost equally between the left (19) and right (21) sides of the Irish front. Even so, Foskey was credited with just one QB hit on 20 total pass rushes and finished with the second-lowest pass rush grade of his 30-game career (only BC in 2020 was lower). Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and right tackle Dawand Jones certainly had plenty to do with that, although I will note Jones was called for three false starts. (Not sure if Foskey was lined up over him on all of those.) Bottom line, Al Washington's group, starting with Foskey, should come away from that loss feeling quite salty. It won't see another O-line nearly that good until Clemson two months from now.

11:24

Hey Joe, thanks for the question. I'm sure Foskey's every move was watched closely by the 43 NFL scouts from 27 different teams that were in attendance. He certainly drew extra attention from the highly regarded Ohio State offensive line (as well as the tight ends and backs). Aside from "Fast Hands" Howard Cross III sacking C.J. Stroud on the first defensive snap of the game, it was a fairly quiet night for the Irish D-line in general. Stroud's elusiveness is next-level stuff, as he showed when Foskey chased him to the sideline only to see Stroud find Emeka Egbuka for 16 yards to start the go-ahead TD drive late in the third quarter.

Joe

11:17

Did Foskey actually play on Saturday? I thought ND had great depth on the DL that did not show up at the end; what happened?

Mike Berardino

11:13

Good morning, Irish football followers. Thanks for all the questions. I'll do my best to answer them all. And away we go ...

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