Notre Dame concluded its spring practices with the Blue & Gold game, where the Blue team narrowly defeated the Gold team 41-40. Head coach Marcus Freeman orchestrated a close finish, allowing kicker Spencer Porath to secure the win.
Key points
Notre Dame's Blue & Gold game concluded spring practices
The Irish had an entertaining game, one that had a score that was a bit misleading. Head coach Marcus Freeman made the game close at the end, giving transfer kicker Spencer Porath a chance to win it for the Blue team, and nailed the attempt for a 41-40 victory over the Gold team.
There were a few players who didnāt participate, but many did including CJ Carr. Letās start off with what we saw from the second-year starter.
CJ Carrās performance wonāt inspire many
BRUTAL:
In today's Press Conference after the Blue and Gold game Mike Denbrock had this to say:
"CJ Carr is in a position now where he can steer the ship. Sometimes he steers it in a ditch and sometimes he steers it on the straight and narrow. We're still working through allā¦ pic.twitter.com/oOkwvQloSe
Remember, this is just the spring game and surely the coaching staff was going to work on things. Carr didnāt look as sharp as we would expect, as he missed more than a few easy attempts and had a tipped pass picked off.
I think that had to do a lot with him dominating the open scrimmage last week and defensive coordinator Chris Ash taking that personally. He said during the broadcast that his goal was to try and confuse Carr, which it seemed like he did. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock wasnāt too happy with his showing, but he was going up against one of the top defenses in the country which will always give offenses troubles.
I wouldnāt be too concerned about his struggles, as you should expect Carr to be one of the frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy this season.
The Notre Dame secondary is going to be elite again
Once again, Notre Dameās defensive backs showed why they should be viewed as one of the top units in the county, if not the best overall. Ethan Long played very well, his tipped pass led to linebacker Jaylen Sneedās interception, then he had one of his own later in the game. Michigan cornerback transfer Jayden Sanders will contribute right away, while safety Adon Shuler was great as always. Unfortunately, former 5-star true freshman safety Joey OāBrien went down with an injury early, and we donāt know his status currently. Even if heās lost for an extended amount of time, this unit will still be dominant this fall.
The hope is that Carr stays heathy all season, but if he doesnāt, it looks like Hebert will get the opportunity to run the first-team offense. He looked very good commanding the second-team offense, and you have to wonder how we would have done against the first-team defense. Noah Grubbs flashed as well, but it would be hard for a true-freshman to shine at this level as only a few have shown that ability. Hebert is now in his second-year with the program, and itās looking like he has made a nice jump and could lead the offense if needed.
I donāt think this was a surprise to anyone to see Williams perform the way he did. Last fall he just wasnāt going to see any time on the field with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, and it make perfect sense for him the take a redshirt year. Heās waited his time to be the starter, and while he probably wonāt put up stats like his predecessors, Williams will still be a great back in this offense.
Rodney Dunham could be a star
Rodney Dunham going right around Will Black with an outside speed rush wasnāt something I expected to see today.
This game wasnāt set up for the defensive line to make plays, as Freeman along with the referees controlled much of the āsacksā on the day. However, the true-freshman Dunham flashed multiple times and was consistently in the backfield. You can never have enough pass-rushers, and it looks like Notre Dame found its next impact edge in Dunham.
Devin Fitzgerald could be the best wide receiver in South Bend since Will Fuller
This might be hyperbole for a true-freshman, but the son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry sure looks the part. Heās got a huge frame, knows the nuances of the position, and his ability to gain yards after the catch is impressive. The younger Fitzgeraldās touchdown was so impressive, baiting the defensive backs by not showing his top-speed, then turning on the jets to get behind them and catching the ball with his hands instead of his body. The ball was a bit under-thrown from Grubbs, but it didnāt matter. This could be the start of a very impressive career for Fitzgerald.
Ian Book was fantastic
Okay Iāve heard enough! Can Ian Book just be a permanent announcer for Notre Dame Football? Heās already 1000% better than what weāve had calling ND games over the years! pic.twitter.com/PwzqOSdWI5
While it was Bookās first time in the booth as an analyst, it sure didnāt seem like it. He did a great job of breaking down plays, showing his immense knowledge of the game. Weāve seen plenty of former quarterbacks make the seamless transition into a color analyst, and Book is looking like he could be the next one.
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