Irish 365 20250922 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football vs Purdue game review

Irish 365 20250922 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football vs Purdue game review

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
It's the moment you didn't know you're waiting for.
He's Carter. He's Chad.
And this is the. Irish 365 Podcast Chad, welcome
into the Irish 365 Podcast. Got a little bit different pink
this week, right? What a game.
Yeah, absolutely. It was a good change of pace.
Is this a? Victory Pod.
First victory pod of the season.Yeah, as much as needed.

(00:24):
I don't think we could take another post game L pod.
So it's not three in a row, right?
I could not take another one, I can tell you.
That I was gonna say we hit our record obviously of two pods in
a row with a loss. That was a very fun.
We're used to the winning thingsaround the R-65 pod and I used
to talk about so much losing here at Notre Dame.

(00:45):
So yeah, definitely great, greatdisplay by the offense.
We'll get into the whole game. But yeah, Notre Dame comes out
gets a win against the Purdue team.
That's much, much improved from Usher.
I think we all probably got awayfrom the game.
Yeah, absolutely. Purdue's a much better team than
what they were last year, which just goes to show with the NINIL
transfer portal error, it doesn't.

(01:07):
It's not hard to improve a team in a short period of time.
Are they national? 83 new faces on that program.
Yeah, 120 roster or whatever theroster size is now, there's 83
new faces. So that's quite a change for
sure. But it just goes to show they're
not a national championship contender, but even a team like
Purdue, and I don't know how they're doing in the NIL era, if

(01:30):
they're if they're getting all in on it, if they're spending
all their money on basketball orhow they're going.
But it's amazing just how much ateam can change in the course of
of 12 months or less. I mean, if they can keep their
coach round and keep things going 2-3 years, they'll be top
half of the Big 10. I don't think they're going to
be doing what IU did necessarily.

(01:50):
But yeah, I mean, just a team that should be middle of the
pack. They shouldn't be bound in the
Big 10 every year. Yeah.
The question, the question is, is IUA pretender or I mean they?
Made Illinois look like fools onyeah Saturday night.
So. How good is Illinois?
I don't know. Yeah, I I just don't know.
I mean, that's. The funnest September football,
right? Exactly.
I mean, another podcast, anothershow.

(02:13):
We're not going to talk about IUtoday, so let's talk about the
vibe of Purdue, Notre Dame, I guess hitting campus.
I, I thought it was a really strange vibe.
Nervous. Anxious.
It was. It wasn't the same vibe as Free
A&M, that's for sure, I think. He definitely didn't feel like a
football game was about to take place that everyone was about to

(02:33):
be loud for over 60 plus minutesof game time.
It it was definitely an interesting campus was I don't
want to say calmer, but I don't know.
I don't know the best way to describe it.
I guess I'm going to say calm because they're people are so
excited at the game day, but it's definitely not not kicking
off a top 20 night game. It's an SEC opponent.

(02:54):
Yeah. I, I would say the A&M game had
the feel of everybody was excited right before they went
to their favorite cousins reception at a wedding after the
wedding. And maybe the Purdue game felt
more like you're going to your great, great aunt's funeral,
like, you know, you kind of expected it, but not excited
about it. I don't know.
It was, it was, it was just a weird vibe.

(03:16):
It just didn't, didn't have the,the same buzz for sure.
So. Yeah, and it's one of those
things where I was texting some friends during it or before the
game was like, man, I just I'm excited because we get a chance
to go play football. But at the same time, like I'm
not excited for this game because best case scenario, we
win 70 to nothing. And I don't know if I feel great
about it because it's Purdue. And worst case we lose this

(03:37):
game. I'm really not going to be great
about it because it's Purdue. Like I just how you going to
feel walking out of that stadium?
But by the end of the game. But I mean, I think we we
improved. We saw some improvement from
Friday nights, at least on the opposite side of the ball, some
improvements on the defensive side of ball.
I'm not going to act like there was no defensive improvements
throughout the game. And yeah, so I mean, I don't

(03:57):
know if you want to start breaking down some box scores,
you want to get into the game play by play or the.
Let's just highlight quickly kind of the quarters, right?
I mean, first quarter it, it, itwas tight.
It wasn't, it wasn't. Purdue didn't go away quietly
quickly. I guess that's.
Yeah, I was going to say I thinkwe got to get into the defense
started off again, which I don'tthink they got scored on an

(04:19):
opening drive, right. I'm trying to remember,
definitely not against A and MI don't think in Miami we got
scored on the opening drive but I can't remember where I thought
my head. Yeah, I'd have to go back and
look if the if my. I don't think they scored on
opening drive. Purdue had a couple penalties,
lost 14 yards and then, I mean, you can't talk about the first
quarter, not talk about one play66 yards right to Malkai Fields.

(04:40):
You know, it was reminiscent of the Den Brock days, back when he
had Will Fuller. I'm going to send this guy deep
and I'm just going to take my shot.
I mean, it's just it felt like we did it every.
I know we didn't, but it just felt like we did.
Every it did feel like especially yeah those must win
USC Michigan will Fuller see ya right like he's.

(05:02):
Yeah. And the great, the great thing
about that play is you take the top off the defense early, you
expect to open up the run game. Oh yeah.
And I don't know if it that's what opened up the run game or
not, but the run game was definitely wide open.
I mean it it was Waffle House 24/7 in the run game.
Yeah. And I mean, then Purdue, and we
can talk about Purdue 6 play, 75yards, but the people that are

(05:26):
trashing Notre Dame's defense onthat touchdown play, like who
thought they're going to hand the ball off to Maccabee and
collapse the defense in and thenhe's going to throw back to his
quarterback? Yeah, I mean, heck of a play.
Call trick, trick play. I love the play call.
I hate it happened to us, but I love that play call.
Yeah, I mean, that was like, that was absolute.
That's flag football one O 1, right?
There, right, I was going to say, yeah, dig into the old flag

(05:47):
football playbook right there, but I liked it.
I I really like the play call. I like the one, you know what
happened? I just didn't like the fact that
was Purdue doing it to Notre Dame.
So yeah. So yeah, the Irish ended up
responding pretty quickly down there. 10 plays, 56 yards in
just under 5 minutes to take that lead at the end of the
first quarter. Jeremiah Love gets his first of
the day. Yeah, on, on just great running

(06:10):
out. I think you and I were sitting
at the end of the quarter talking and it's like, wait a
minute, like we got like 90 yards of passing.
Didn't we get like 65 of that? Maybe that was halftime.
I don't remember which, but it was.
Like, I think it was a little bit fun.
I don't think we did throw the ball one.
We had one completion on that drive.
But yeah, it's like you're looking at the stat sheet.

(06:31):
I don't remember if it was. I think it was midway through
that second quarter. It's like, yeah, we've got 90
passing yards and 66 of it was on one play, but it was on our
first play, not just one player.First play and you're like, what
it it felt like we threw the ball a lot in the first quarter,
but we we threw it twice and that was I think 3.
Times, I think we had one in completion, yeah, I mean, CJI

(06:52):
think threw the ball at 12 times.
He was 10 for 12 or something stupid.
Yeah, which is which is funny because I think we were like,
oh, someone predict passing yards.
Yeah, that was a that was a bad call.
This was a run and run a lot. I thought it'd be a pass, pass a
lot game. It turned out to be a run and
run and I liked the run and run a lot game.
We saw some duo in the second. Even in the first quarter we saw

(07:14):
some duo 2 tight ends just letting those guys push off and
block. It was great to get the run game
healthy, that's for sure. So yeah, first quarter we're up
14-7 at the end of at the end of1 going.
Yep, and then Purdue starts the second quarter. 6 minute drive,
13 plays, 45 yards, ends up getting a field goal on this one
so Ben don't break. They're a couple of completions.

(07:39):
So defense gets out of the field, forces a 48 yard field
goal. So yeah, I mean figured it out a
little bit there and then yeah, the narrative offense, I mean,
what more can you say? Responds though with 9 plays, 75
yards and just under 5 minutes again and we end up with who get
that one jargon price with his first touchdown of the four.

(08:00):
First touch of the first touch of the game, in fact, yeah.
I was going to say it was a 21. Yeah.
He just bounced outside, right? And wouldn't got in there.
So yeah, I'd be Jerry Price. I'm upset about him.
I mean, if you watch that game, wow.
Price and Love. But yeah, Lindner name's defense
of 2110. Three plays in and gets

(08:20):
intercepted. Christian Gray comes out, makes
his first pick of the year, right?
Yep, at first pick of the year Graham, and this is 1 where I
remember looking at you and saying no field goal, we're
getting the ball on the 36 hit touchdown.
Got a score, Got a. Score we got.
Yep. Right. 9 yard touchdown run
price gets his second of the dayand that that drive was heavy

(08:43):
Price, I think yeah, price 12 yard run price 4 yard run, 5
yard run, 6 yard run and then 9 yard every play with the price
on that that next touchdown Dr. Yeah.
And it was earned. I mean, he just kept getting
yards, kept making plays. So feed him the rock.
Yeah, and then Purdue goes 12 plays 67 yards and gets a field

(09:05):
goal on the return here again, just level field goal, though.
Kicker hooked one in on that left side and then hooked one in
on that right side. Wasn't pretty but he he was
kissing the post but he made them.
He was inside him. That's the I guess that's the
important part. Yeah, all right.
And then we go a minute 46, we get the ball and you're like,

(09:26):
all right, 2813, let's go get a touchdown before the half.
Let's go win the middle 8. Yeah, let's go win it.
And what happens, nerd MCJ, Garth fumble the second play or
first play? Yeah, and.
And. It's sacked.
Yeah, Nap. Nap just blew his assignment on
that blocking. I, I saw some stuff on social

(09:49):
where basically it looked like he was looking for an inside
stunt that never came and then let the guy kind of release
outside and it was like didn't react fast enough.
It's like, you know, and, and you could pick a part Nap if you
want to, And I know some people have because he made it.
It was like, look at what the guy did last year as a true
freshman. OK, he made a mistake, but it
wasn't like, oh, he's a terribleplayer kind of a thing.
So anyway. Yeah, so Purdue gets the ball on

(10:11):
our 19 yard line. Yep, they run one play, we get a
nerd aim time out and then a very extended delay.
Then the weather hit, Yeah, and that and that from the.
That was the. That was the worst thing that
could have happened the most. Like I was hoping they would get
2 halftime before the weather hit and I.

(10:33):
And let's make this clear. So we're so we're exceeding
tickets are this year and we were we were all sitting
together this week. We we're in section what one O
1. One O 1.
So we're looking S past the Jumbotron.
You see lightning off like we all saw lightning off in the
district, probably the three to four and five minutes before
this happens. Yeah.
And you know, I, I don't know ifit's five miles or 10 miles.

(10:55):
I don't it's. 10 miles. I didn't go back and look.
OK, so it felt like it. That first lightning strike I
saw looked like it. It felt closer than 10 miles.
It had to be 10.1 miles, right? Yeah, I I'm not calibrated, I
can't read mileage like that. But yeah, I just, I was like,
oh, crap, here it comes. And if you look at the radar, it
was like it was going to go Westof the stadium and the Lightning

(11:16):
was going to go east of the stadium a little later.
But we had to make a business decision at that point, like,
oh, now what? We've got this delay, then
there's going to be a halftime. And Full disclosure, Kaden
wasn't feeling well. So I.
Do we've stuck out a lot of weather delays this is and those
have been third, fourth quarter ones.
Yeah, I don't normally leave just because of the weather.

(11:38):
I'm I'm not a fair weather fan, but just knowing it was going to
be an hour and a half like for the.
We thought between an hour and 3hours.
We were like, is what the radar was saying.
Yeah. So we knew it was going to be at
least an hour and a half for theweather delay.
We knew that if we left the stadium at that point, we could
probably be home in about an hour and 50.
And it's like, so if it pushes the two hour mark, we could get

(12:01):
home and watch the second-half from the television and get
Kaden taken care of and. So, and at this time we were
thinking it could be at, yeah, an hour and a half to three hour
weather delay. Then you're going to come play
90 seconds of football and then you're going to go back to a 20
minute halftime. Yeah, that was that was the
assumption we were making. So we made a business decision
and we actually, I think it's the first time I've ever left

(12:21):
the Notre Dame game early. Yeah, like, you know, like I've.
Only one I can remember, yeah. Yeah, I've set out a lot of home
or set through a lot of rain delays at the home games, you
know, set in the joist or the wherever.
And anyway, that was our original thought was like, well,
maybe we'll just go set in the joist or we'll go hit Mendoza
like. And it's like, no, let's just
Kate's not feeling well, let's just get out of here.
Let's just not make him more miserable and not having a

(12:44):
joyful experience for him that day.
So we we hop in the car, turn onthe radio, listen to some the
the radio broadcast and those guys were talking and getting
delays and updates. But we ordered a pizza from our
favorite pizza place, which is usually about an hour wait to
get pizza from there. We timed it out right.
We swam right there on the way back to the home base and we had

(13:04):
delicious pizza. So for the first time in my
entire life, I watched the firsthalf in the stadium, the
second-half at home and I can't believe.
I did. I was getting to say we were
basically pulling in the driveways price recurrence, the
kickoff in the till the second quarter.
Yeah, so. Like we, we made it.
We. Scored.
There's the kickoff and then price scores.
Yeah. So we made it home before the
second-half started. So that was just funny that you,

(13:26):
you left with a minute 30 left in the second quarter and you
make it home and we don't live close.
We're like I said, just under 2 hours.
Yeah, But you, you walk out of the stadium with 91 seconds left
in the second quarter, you make it home before the third quarter
kickoff. So that was definitely,
definitely something that I didn't expect to do going into
Saturday. We're hoping the rain missed us.
And really the time we were in South Bend, it really didn't.

(13:48):
And the rain was coming from theSouth.
It really didn't rain that hard,which is just such an
interesting, like usually when you think of lightning and storm
delays, it's big rain, but it's just kind of like it was
lightning. But we walked 15 minutes to the
car and didn't even get sprinkled on.
Yeah, very little rain. And when it, like I said, I
think most of the storm went early, went West of of the
stadium and then later on it went east of the stadium, but it

(14:10):
just kept lightning within that 10 mile range and just kept
delaying things so. Yeah.
Now, what interesting thing I saw is that during that delay
you could stay in the stadium, in the concourse, but all the
concession stamps closed down. And I don't, I don't know.
That's a weird decision. It seems like you got a capital.
I can see shutting down the beerconcessions.

(14:31):
Yeah, just, but they, I rememberthis in the past, like last year
I think it was. I'm trying to remember what game
it was last year it got shut down in third quarter and I can
buy pretzels and they almost didn't sell me.
What's that? I'm trying to think who it was.
Yeah, it's one of the random buy.
I tried to go buy a pretzel and they like we're really not
supposed to sell it. I was like, it's a pretzel.
I'm just trying to get some food, but.
Yeah. Anyways, yeah.

(14:53):
So that was that was that get the weather delay, Notre Dame's
defense comes back out not in a great spot, but makes not the
worst of it, right. I mean, we we get let the field
goal there, Yeah. That we could have been a lot
worse, yeah. And then and then, yeah, then
you get the the return kick immediately from Price for his

(15:17):
his next touchdown. And I thought that was funny.
I don't know if you saw on social, but they interviewed him
and he kind of joked about he did not have the object estimate
hot dog, did you see? That yeah, no hot dog on that
one. So he was good yeah.
They said they definitely talkedabout during halftime.
So that that was definitely thatwas definitely funny.
But yeah, remembering how he just came out and made a play
though, right after the like setthe tone, which was just

(15:40):
definitely need it at that point.
Sucks. The defense ended up letting up
pretty quick six play, 75 yards produce just burning us down the
sides there and they end up getting a field goal out of the
bunch. But anyways, you get a short and
half time quarter break, 2-3 minutes.
It felt like, it felt like a pretty, pretty quick half, which

(16:01):
I'm glad they decided to do. That doesn't make sense to do a
full half time after sitting in the locker room for hour and a
half, hour, 45, whatever they were in there for.
So yeah, we get the third quarter, we get the ball back
and it's 5 plays, 75 yards and Jeremiah Love burst that 46 yard
touchdown run. Just again, a lot of just great

(16:24):
blocking lineman, blocking receivers, blocking, just great
team effort all the way across on the on the blocking front and
it it showed. Yeah, I think it's funny because
you talk about halftime adjustments and like during the
actual halftime, Purdue between a minute 31 and no time left on
the clock, Purdue scored two field goals pretty easily, which

(16:46):
the one there in field goal range already.
But I mean, they still still gotthat one.
And then then they drive down within like less than a minute
and get field goal. And then our defense actually
picks it up. Like during the third quarter,
we get Schuler back, obviously, which is a huge help on the
secondary. And yeah, we forced a punt.
So that's 4 plays, 18 yards. Forced a punt there.

(17:10):
Yeah, and we actually got some pressure at different times
during this game, which was niceto see.
I mean, like, that's been the Achilles heel of this defense
has not been getting pressure. And there's a whole lot of
social media conversation. Is it scheme?
Is it players? Is it something else?
I saw speculation that Marcus Freeman took over play calling
in the second-half, but I think his press conference, I heard

(17:32):
today, he kind of he put that tobed or at least he didn't.
He didn't own up to it. If that happened.
He's kind of like no, no, no. So, but yeah, second-half was
much better defensive effort. You know, I in the third
quarter, I think Purdue had the field goal and that was it,
right? Purdue had nothing in the third
quarter. They scored late in the 4th and

(17:53):
we'll get into that here in a minute.
But yeah, I mean, our defensive,and that was with mostly
reserves in at that point, got alate score.
So second-half I'd almost consider a shutout.
So it's just a huge step up fromwhere we were a week ago.
Yeah, and right to the. I mean, yeah, right at the end
of the. Still lighting up 30 points.
Purdue is more than we should be.
But yeah. But anyways, after that punt, we

(18:15):
get the ball back and it's it's CJ card time.
He finds Jordan Faison twice 15 and a 48 yard touchdown pass and
they they were both great balls there from CJ.
Yeah, C JS gotten very comfortable very quickly at in
the pocket, throwing the ball, running the offense like he
looks way better than a red shirt freshman right now.

(18:37):
Yeah, then we got some swagger and I'm enjoying it.
It's fun to watch, fun to watch an everyday quarterback throw
the ball downfield. Yeah.
And it's it's one of those things where when we're such a
run heavy team, you don't get somany opportunities to throw
those balls down field. But when you get them, you got
to take advantage of them, right, because they are open.
Like so the fact he's making thethrows like you don't have the

(19:00):
ball yet where he's like, Oh no,there can't hit the long ball.
Not we just are. Just hitting them, he's he's
hitting a lot of those throws. His balls are all in the right.
I mean, placement of the ball has, especially downfield, has
been just absolutely phenomenal.Yeah.
So yeah, Purdue goes back on offense another three and out
and we get a sack on that drive.Bryce Young gets his first sack

(19:21):
of the year. Again, pressure from the Irish
was just fantastic. Yeah, much improved, yeah.
And then we get the ball back. And is that the Kenny Minshee?
Nope, Nope, this one. We still go down and Jared Bryce
gets his fourth of the day. Just a nice 8 play, 70 yard

(19:43):
drive, 5 minutes. Got some CJ Carr finding Malkai
feel or like a Gilbert on this drive.
He found Will Pauline on this drive.
Yeah, priced out a couple runs. Just just all around.
Just find a little bit of everybody on this drive.
Yeah, it was just just a good balanced Dr. Yeah, that was a

(20:05):
good balance drive. Nothing too exotic, nothing too
crazy, nothing terrible. Yeah, that was T JS lat snaps of
the day at 5623. Then we get a Purdue comes back
on the field 5 plays, they get atotal of 6 yards.
We got a penalty after they got a first down and yeah, end up
putting the ball again there couple of stops on the run game

(20:28):
for tackles for loss and then weget our first Kenny Minche
action of the season. Yeah, which was, which was
great. I was hoping to see Kenny Minche
in the third quarter because that meant things were going
well. Yep, as long as came in with.
Thunder Minche on the third quarter.
And I'll tell you what, there was one throw that if Kenny
would have just a little bit more, I'm I'm sure that kept him

(20:49):
up that that night, like just a few more yards underneath that
ball and I would have, I would. Have had it it's a touchdown,
yeah. But that's that's what we've
heard was the big difference in what the decision was right.
Yeah, CJ was just. I mean, if you watch Kenny, he
he he played very well. But yeah, that deep ball is what
the difference was being CJCJ doesn't miss his deep balls

(21:10):
where Kenny's a little more inaccurate with those.
But Kenny put out some great film film in my opinion.
I don't think he was that inaccurate.
Just he just, he just slightly under threw it.
He didn't anticipate the receiver's location when he
threw it. If he just threw it a little
farther, Burris would have had atouchdown.
It was in in. Yeah.
So, but there was some pressure on him.
He showed some escape ability. He showed some mobility, I mean.

(21:32):
He showed cause and say his elusiveness is like the best way
you can put it in my opinion. Like that dude is gay and he's
hard to tackle. He's hard to tackle and he's and
he's quick to get away from a tackle, a potential tackle.
So yeah, I thought I thought Kenny played really good, showed
good film in in the 3rd and the 4th as well.
Yeah, and we saw a little bit ofNeus Williams on this drive,

(21:54):
heard Ty Washington's name for the first time that I can
remember this year. Yeah, KK Smith with another good
catch on that drive, ended up with a missed field goal.
So that's always unfortunate. Not, not a fun way to not get
some points, you know, missed field goals.
Then Purdue gets the ball back and it's 3 plays -1 yard, I
mean, in a quick punt. I mean, they, they did nothing.

(22:14):
And then, yeah, Nerdan gets the ball back.
Ty Washington gets a grab. Nolan James junior here him for
the first time this year and he gets stuffed on 1/4 and 1 though
just doesn't get the first down,but that's definitely named if
you fall in that and recruiting has been very hyped up.
Very good freshman running back.Expect to see him in the next

(22:38):
couple of years. Yeah, if Love's going pro this
year for sure if price, if pricegoes, it won't shock me.
I, I would be more shocked if Price comes back.
I'll just say I think we've got the two best running backs in
the country. Arguably that we've got two of
the top five. I think that's almost, almost no
one would argue that we may havethe two best in the country.

(22:59):
We may have one and two. If Price would come back, I'd be
shocked. I wouldn't be mad.
I'd just be shocked. But even if those two guys go, I
still think we're going to have top 10 running backs, 2 top 10
running backs next year on our roster, maybe, maybe 3 top 10
running backs on our roster nextyear if everybody's healthy.
So it'll be we'll be fine. Yeah, and then Pier gets the

(23:19):
ball back, throws an interception.
Dallas Golden, another guy, if you follow Notre Dame recruiting
for a while, he he's been a big name on the in that second
there. And yeah, he gets his first
Notre Dame interception. So obviously a sweet moment for
him. And then, yeah, Notre Dame's
offense goes for it again on 4thdown and we're short, can go

(23:43):
over on downs I can't even see. I mean, look pretty solid.
Again, elusiveness and yeah. And then at the very end you get
a Purdue touchdown, which is scrap time, 24 yard touchdown
pass. Again, all of Purdue's
touchdowns were kind of like, oh, entertaining, I'll say that,
right? Yeah, absolutely.

(24:03):
They weren't. They weren't short on
entertainment on the Purdue side.
Yeah, obviously Purdue feels like a much.
I'm not saying they're going to win the Big 10, no one's singing
that, but they're a much improved team from where they
were last year. They had fight goal game, Yeah,
but I mean, if you look at the box, that box scores CJ Carr 10
for 12. He threw 12 passes, completed

(24:24):
10/22 hundred 23 yards of passing.
Which that gets to say Congrats to Nathan Calendar.
You gonna pronounce it that way.Contest winner this week.
Where you go, Nathan? That's not Nathan.
OK? You're getting an Irish 365
T-shirt mailed to you and entered in those two Syracuse

(24:45):
tickets. So Congrats to that.
Well deserved. So yeah, we'll we'll have a
contest again this week for Arkansas, so make sure you guys
are tuned in for that after our pre game show.
Yeah, so sitting for that. But yeah, Kenny Minchi throws 8
passes so he almost throws thoseover halfway.
CJ didn't only play 1/4, it shows the game, but Kenny went
seven for eight. Only one in completion.

(25:06):
Is that default? Yeah, and that the ball was the
ball was catchable, but it wasn't if he threw it better, it
was it would have been caught. He he just undo it where the
defensive player could make a play on it.
Actually, I think the defensive player in a helmet, didn't it?
Yeah. So it was it was like, man, two
more yards ahead of that. That ball was perfect.
So I. Think the impressive part is

(25:27):
Kenny Mitchell only had one run.I mean, you hear about how
athletic he is and all this stuff, but he was really staying
in the pocket or not staying in the pocket.
He was throwing the ball. Yeah, I think that's the Kenny's
elusiveness and hard to tackle and ability to escape is is
superior to that of CJ Carr. CJ Carr's deep ball is superior
to that of Kenny, but to say Kenny can't throw the deep ball

(25:48):
or Kenny's not an accurate passer is in is inappropriate or
inaccurate. It's the same to say that CJ
Carr can't be mobile because CJ Carr's shit, he can be mobile.
So I think, you know, maybe 1 slightly better than the other
or something, but they're both very good and they're both full,
full complete quarterbacks. So not perfect, but they're
they're making progress. So it was good to see.
So what was what was your big, Iguess positives and takeaways

(26:12):
from it? I guess what are the things you
really like from this game and this game plan?
What I really did like is, yeah,taking the top off early of the
defense, but then like you said,it felt like we were moving the
ball. So what, you didn't realize you
weren't throwing it, I guess. I mean they think your starting
quarterback plays 3/4 and throwsthe ball 12 times but still has
223 yards, like 22.3 yards or like a completion.

(26:38):
Yeah, that's crazy. Good stats.
Yeah, I mean the highest QBR forquarterback since the stats been
tracked since 2014 for college at 90.3.
And what what was the combined touches for Price and Love like
30? So rushing Love had 19, price
had 9, so I got you to get 28 and then I I don't think either

(27:02):
of them caught a pass this week.But then yeah, if you throw in
prices, punt and kick or his kick off duty.
OK, but even 28 if you tell me that we're getting 28 touches
for? Price and that's thirty 3/4.
And love, I'm, I'm that's, I love that.
And then you tell me, yeah. And that we only have to have CJ
throw 12 times. And he, and by the way, he's 10
for 12. Yeah.

(27:24):
To me, that sounds like a winning football combination
offensively. Your starting quarterback throws
12 passes and you put up 56. Yeah.
If both running backs averaged 8/ 8 yards of care, which is just
insane. So yeah, I mean just I think an
all around offensive successful day at the office.
Yeah, it would have been more impressive to have those stats

(27:44):
against a defence the caliber ofa Miami or an A&M.
But we needed we needed a good offensive showing and the
offense just continues to get better week after week.
They started off pretty good actually, after we got down.
Well, is it 17-7 to Miami? The offense turned a corner and
started playing really well and they played really well against
A&M. It's just the defense has got to
find its footing and that that to me that's like.

(28:08):
An interesting thing is Eli Raritan's been our leading our
top 2 receiver of the book last two games.
No catches for him against Purdue.
That's just so weird that he just went and I don't think he
came off the field for A&M and he just was like non existent.
And I don't know if that's just was intentional or just, you
know, CJ is reading it and he's not open on those 10 pass plays,

(28:31):
you know, because he was busy engaged and blocking or
whatever. But the thing it's been pretty
interesting is I don't think Notre Dame has keyed on like
Love and Price have been like steady, but they haven't, but
they haven't like everywhere else.
It's just been distribution. It's been kind of we're going to
get you. I mean, it's you know, it's not
one player. It's it's a group of players.
It's I like what we're seeing from Notre Dame offensively.

(28:53):
I like it a lot. Yeah.
I just need, I just need to get back to that 2024-2025 defense
level. Yeah.
I mean, allowing 303 yards in the air to Purdue, that's a
tough look. Obviously a couple of trick
plays, but yeah, Ryan Bone, 21 for 34250.
That's a lot of yards, right? I mean, yeah, I made a lot more

(29:17):
attempts than what we had, so obviously weren't letting up
explosive play. But I mean, they had, let's see,
three guys over 55 yards receiving.
I mean, I always said they had some good receivers.
I mean, Tuggle, Jackson, Maccabee, Watson, I mean, they
had they had some decent guys. But yeah, definitely don't
probably go to the best Dwyers you're going to see all year.

(29:41):
So I guess from your fandom standpoint, like how do you feel
about this Irish team? I mean, we thought we coming
into this point, we thought we might be two and one and we're
one and two and two very close losses.
So I guess how are you feeling now?
We I was anxious thinking a lot of people were anxious going
into the Purdue game. You know, now we got through the

(30:02):
Purdue game, we looked pretty good.
Not perfect, still got some concerns, but I.
Just I just go back to like and it's easy to go back to last
year, but like after you lose that heartbreak or NIUI, think
of NIU and like, ain't it like that's two different heart
breaks, right? Like, but that that responds to
following 60 whatever to nothingor 7 or whatever we did to

(30:23):
Purdue. You're feeling like, OK, this
team's taking it personal. Yeah.
Yeah. I mean, in 5630 to Purdue,
you're like, is this the greatest nerd name offense of
all time? You know what I mean?
Like we're putting up 50 pieces,we're putting up 40s.
It's like we just can't freakingget a stop though.
Like and we got stops they have.So I'm going to try to be
optimistic about it, but I don'tfeel good going into a game

(30:44):
against Arkansas with the mobilequarterback.
You know what I mean? Like an Arkansas team that can
put up a lot of points. Their defense is questionable,
but it's like, is this going to be, is this where we're at?
We're Big 12? Like, I know we joked about it
like. Yeah, it's, it's that Big 12.
I mean, and you think about it, I thought about those
comparisons. We made the joke the other day,
how many times did you see a corner from the Big 12 get

(31:07):
drafted like, you know, pretty high in the NFL draft?
You're like, they're a Big 12 corner.
And it's like, well, they but a lot of good corners come out of
the Big 12, even though they they give up 40 points a game in
the Big 12. You know, I mean, so yeah, I
don't it, it, it, that's the closest comparison I think there
is to the way we're playing right now is we play like a
traditional Big 12 team where we've got all kinds of offense

(31:28):
and the defense is suspect. You know, it's like, like we're
like Oklahoma State or somebody.I, I just, it's strange, but
yeah, I don't, I don't feel, I don't feel bad.
I feel better after the Purdue win, but I don't feel like we've
turned the corner. We're there.
And obviously Arkansas coming upnext week is going to present
its own set of challenges and weget into that later this week,

(31:49):
but there's definitely some challenges there.
So as my fan side is like, I feel good that we got the win,
but I don't feel great about where the team's at yet.
Yeah, I think it's all those things where I need, I need some
more evidence. I need to see we're getting
better. And it feels like on the
opposite side of the ball it is.It's just who's going to who's
going to step up on the defense side.

(32:09):
I mean, you're already seeing injury reports and whatnot.
Maybe Devante Smith still not playing.
I don't know what's going on there.
Yeah. I mean, just what are we doing
on the back end here? Yeah.
So just are we are we injured already?
And that's what's are we just young to need more game

(32:30):
experience? Like are we going to be by week
6 by OK here, here we are. Or is it just going to be like
this all year long? Well, I think the good thing
about it is if we're going to have some injuries, you know,
and get some young guys playing,it's our schedule's going to
lighten up a little bit after Arkansas and Arkansas.
I don't think it's a big pass threat.
I think Arkansas more of a running threat with the

(32:51):
quarterback and he and he's going to throw enough to keep us
honest if we we can't just let him throw the ball.
I mean, we got to get some pressure on him, but he's going
to have some escape ability. He's going to make some, you
know, plays with his legs and then, you know, that may end up
opening up some opportunities inthe passing game form.
But I think like the young guys,what I know is they're freak
athletes. Like there's a lot of good

(33:12):
athletes. So if they just got to get some
things figured out. Dallas Golden showed what an
athlete he is. Tay Johnson showed what an
athlete he is. So yeah, we got young guys
playing, but I don't feel like it's a Oh my gosh, we don't have
athletes playing or these guys aren't physically.
So now it's again, I I feel likeit's it's it's a coaching issue
on the defense is my opinion. I could be way wrong.

(33:34):
And I'm not sure if it's, you know, Freeman said 100 times.
It's not play calling. But have we taught the defensive
backs, you know, have we taught the communication?
We taught the schemes? Do they understand what we're
trying to accomplish? I just know I've coached a lot
of youth sports and when the kids understand the goal, even
at even an outline level, they understand what you're trying to
accomplish. They play quicker, they play

(33:55):
faster, they perform better. And I just don't know if this
team is is there yet. And I don't know if it's
complicated scheme, not complicated scheme, just
teaching, training technique, you know, all kinds of
speculation in the fandom swirling around the the universe
of the Internet. So I can't, I can't get into
that and don't want to get into that right now.
But I don't feel good about where we're at.

(34:17):
But I don't feel terrible about where we're at either.
I I see a lot of good things from the offense.
It's like, OK, this offense can keep us in about any game.
Can our defense do enough to to make sure the offense gets the
win? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I mean, you just can't expect offense put up 50 point or 40
point plus every week to win thegame.
Why not so? Yeah, it'll be interesting

(34:39):
getting ready for Arkansas. But hey, that's later in the
week. We can enjoy the victory a
little bit, right? We meet the Purdue Boilermakers.
We're on the wind. Total, we're up to 22 in the AP
poll. Life's almost good, right?
Yeah, and I think so. And so the question is, we're 22
in the AP poll. Is there a path for us to get to
the top 12? You know, if we went out, can we
get to the top 12? Is our strength of schedule, the
second-half, going to be good enough?

(35:01):
I think Notre Dame is getting a lot of love from the national
media, and that scares me. It concerns me, but it may
actually benefit us. We may get that that perceived
Notre Dame bias that everybody'stalked about for the last 30
years may actually exist. I may say, yeah, maybe we were
14, but we got to the 12th spot because we're Notre Dame.
Because right now, USC is the only hope we've got to knock off

(35:23):
a ranked opponent, I think coming the balance of the
season. They got Illinois this chicken,
so they got to beat them. Well, yeah.
And they haven't, yeah, they, they have to travel to Illinois.
Yeah. And they and they haven't always
done well when they've travelledeast.
So we'll see how that goes for USC.
But all right. Any other comments or things on
Purdue? No, I think we just got to be

(35:43):
thankful we got to win, saw someimprovements, need to hope for a
lot more again this week all. Right.
Well, unfortunately we got started a little late on our on
shooting the pod, so we're not have time to get it to our
guests. So apologize, Coach Freeman, we
can't get you on tonight, but we'll keep you in the queue for
the next time. Yeah, maybe.
Maybe that pregame show. Maybe.