HN went in-depth with an expert that covers MU's upcoming opponent. In this week's "Ask the Expert," we caught up with Tyler James from InsideNDSports.com to get his thoughts and perspective on this weekend's game.
How are Notre Dame fans feeling about the season after the loss to Ohio State?
It's a bit of a mixed bag. Some Notre Dame fans are pleased to have kept it close with Ohio State. The Irish legitimately could have won the game for the majority of it. Notre Dame's defense allowed the Irish to hang around for three quarters, but the offense didn't hold up its end of the deal. There's concern about how much Notre Dame's offense will be limited throughout the season, but fans can hope that was more a product of Ohio State being good than Notre Dame being shaky.
It wasn't a surprise to lose to Ohio State, so it should impact the outlook on the season. It was just a bit surprising the fashion in which Notre Dame lost.
Talk a little bit about how you think Tyler Buchner performed last week and what his ceiling is as a QB.
Tyler Buchner played really well in the first half completing his first eight passes and running the football when needed. He couldn't get into a rhythm in the second half, but he never looked raddled by the hostile environment and withstood some pretty big hits from Ohio State defenders. Given the circumstances, I'd say it was a good first start but not one good enough to win the game.
His ceiling is tantalizing. If he can put things together in the passing game and be accurate with the football, there's reason to believe he's the kind of quarterback Notre Dame needs to compete for a national championship. And that's the belief that ND's coaching staff has in him.
Are there any concerns from the ND side about an emotional let down this week?
There's always going to be some concern with that. But I think Marcus Freeman's coaching style will prevent that from happening. This team cares too much about Freeman to waste another opportunity to get him his first win as head coach. That's a pretty easy motivating factor to lean on.
Who are some players on both sides of the ball for ND that Marshall fans should keep an eye on?
I'll give you two on each side of the ball — one obvious player and one maybe less obvious player per side.
On offense, tight end Michael Mayer is Notre Dame's best player. He's the most reliable pass catcher and is a matchup nightmare for defenses. Running back Audric Estime made his first start against Ohio State, and he had a really impressive preseason. Notre Dame wants to establish a running game, and he's likely a big part of it.
On defense, safety Brandon Joseph lived up to the hype in his ND debut. The former All-American at Northwestern made his presence known against Ohio State and was all over the field. He's immediately become a leader for the defense. Linebacker Marist Liufau missed last season with an injury, but he started to look like himself against Ohio State. He can cause problems in the backfield and be relied on in coverage.
Prediction on a final score as well as how the game will play out?
I think Notre Dame will start fast and play well on both sides of the ball. Notre Dame will be far less conservative on offense after trying to play ball control against Ohio State. And I think the Irish can have success both in the passing game and on the ground. Marshall should be able to move the ball a bit, but I expect Notre Dame's defensive front to prevent it from consistently finding momentum. Score: Notre Dame 35, Marshall 13.
How are Notre Dame fans feeling about the season after the loss to Ohio State?
It's a bit of a mixed bag. Some Notre Dame fans are pleased to have kept it close with Ohio State. The Irish legitimately could have won the game for the majority of it. Notre Dame's defense allowed the Irish to hang around for three quarters, but the offense didn't hold up its end of the deal. There's concern about how much Notre Dame's offense will be limited throughout the season, but fans can hope that was more a product of Ohio State being good than Notre Dame being shaky.
It wasn't a surprise to lose to Ohio State, so it should impact the outlook on the season. It was just a bit surprising the fashion in which Notre Dame lost.
Talk a little bit about how you think Tyler Buchner performed last week and what his ceiling is as a QB.
Tyler Buchner played really well in the first half completing his first eight passes and running the football when needed. He couldn't get into a rhythm in the second half, but he never looked raddled by the hostile environment and withstood some pretty big hits from Ohio State defenders. Given the circumstances, I'd say it was a good first start but not one good enough to win the game.
His ceiling is tantalizing. If he can put things together in the passing game and be accurate with the football, there's reason to believe he's the kind of quarterback Notre Dame needs to compete for a national championship. And that's the belief that ND's coaching staff has in him.
Are there any concerns from the ND side about an emotional let down this week?
There's always going to be some concern with that. But I think Marcus Freeman's coaching style will prevent that from happening. This team cares too much about Freeman to waste another opportunity to get him his first win as head coach. That's a pretty easy motivating factor to lean on.
Who are some players on both sides of the ball for ND that Marshall fans should keep an eye on?
I'll give you two on each side of the ball — one obvious player and one maybe less obvious player per side.
On offense, tight end Michael Mayer is Notre Dame's best player. He's the most reliable pass catcher and is a matchup nightmare for defenses. Running back Audric Estime made his first start against Ohio State, and he had a really impressive preseason. Notre Dame wants to establish a running game, and he's likely a big part of it.
On defense, safety Brandon Joseph lived up to the hype in his ND debut. The former All-American at Northwestern made his presence known against Ohio State and was all over the field. He's immediately become a leader for the defense. Linebacker Marist Liufau missed last season with an injury, but he started to look like himself against Ohio State. He can cause problems in the backfield and be relied on in coverage.
Prediction on a final score as well as how the game will play out?
I think Notre Dame will start fast and play well on both sides of the ball. Notre Dame will be far less conservative on offense after trying to play ball control against Ohio State. And I think the Irish can have success both in the passing game and on the ground. Marshall should be able to move the ball a bit, but I expect Notre Dame's defensive front to prevent it from consistently finding momentum. Score: Notre Dame 35, Marshall 13.
