College Football: Notre Dame Faces Navy Option Attack After Loss
The Fighting Irish attempt to snap a recent slump against a Navy team that leads the country in rushing.
By Jacob Reynolds ·
Notre Dame players will step onto the field at Gillette Stadium on Saturday with a fresh wound from their first loss of the season. The Fighting Irish dropped to No. 5 in The Associated Press Top 25 poll following a controversial defeat to then-No. 8 BYU. They now face Navy, a team that has not beaten them since 2016.
The matchup presents a specific challenge for the Irish defense. Navy leads the nation in rushing, averaging 307.7 yards per game. Coach Marcus Freeman stated that the team must own its mistakes from Utah rather than simply moving on. He noted that losing provides lessons that help prepare players for future opportunities.
Linebacker Jaylen Sneed, a fifth-year player, emphasized the need for younger teammates to be ready. He identified eyes alignment and technique as the primary focus for handling Navy's option-spread style. The Midshipmen have struggled recently, losing two consecutive games in the American Conference to Texas-San Antonio and North Texas.
Navy coach Brian Newberry said he will not focus the team on the long losing streak against Notre Dame. He wants to avoid placing extra pressure on his players. Newberry instructed his team to win one play at a time, noting that each play is independent of the last. He acknowledged that Navy will need to play extremely well and hope the ball bounces in their favor.
Notre Dame's defense is missing key personnel. Senior Boubacar Traore, the team's sack leader, was ejected for targeting during the BYU game. Freeman called the 6-foot-5, 253-pound player a playmaker who is drawing attention from NFL scouts. Freeman estimated that Traore's absence costs the team at least seven points. He said the team learned from the incident, with Traore committed to hitting in the strike zone to avoid missing another play.
The last time Navy defeated a ranked Notre Dame team was on November 7, 2009. The Midshipmen won 23-21 in South Bend, Indiana. That victory remains the benchmark for Navy as they look to end an eight-game losing streak in this series. The game begins at noon on Saturday.
Source: The Boston Globe
