Notre Dame To Face “Enhanced” And Undefeated Navy Come Saturday

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In today’s realm of college football there are not many surviving non-conference rivalries left to wax poetic about.

The Notre Dame-Navy rivalry has yet to disappoint, even with Navy, and with the same respect Army, now a part of the American Conference. It’s amazing to think the rivalry is even a rivalry at all given the Irish dominance of the series going back to their first meeting in Baltimore in 1927.

Notre Dame has a remarkable 80-13 lead in the all-time series between them and the Midshipmen, yet every year without fail Navy keeps coming back at Notre Dame with the ever-recognizable triple-option offense that they have run for decades.

Yet, with a slight tweak in how they do things, Navy finds themselves ranked for the first time in five years and 6-0 for the first time since 1978.

“They are putting up big numbers offensively,” said Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. “Their offensive scheme is enhanced from what we saw last year. They are about 45-percent in the (shot)gun. Last year, they were some in the gun, but not like this year. It’s not your traditional quarterback under-center triple-option. They can do it from under-center or the gun.”

Navy is always the most unique offense that Notre Dame faces year in and year out. It’s a good thing the Irish defense has been stellar this season allowing the 5th fewest points in D-1 FBS this season (11.9). They are also coming off of holding a stout running attack in Georgia Tech to a season-low 63 yards rushing, not to mention two interceptions through the air.

Nevertheless, Freeman said Navy will be a challenge for his tenacious yet young defense.

“You’ve got to be disciplined (against Navy),” Freeman said. “It’s really hard to simulate in practice th speed at which they run their offense. So, it can take a little time for guys who have not faced that kind of offense to adjust to the speed of that offense.”

Freeman said they’ve been preparing for Navy specifically since Fall Camp and you may remember he even said they dedicated even more prep for the Midshipmen during their bye week at the beginning of October.

Offensively, the Irish, wouldn’t you have it, are 26th in the nation in overall scoring per game (34.6). Riley Leonard has been coming more into his own as a passing threat in offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock’s system. Yet his reliable go-to has been his ability to run. Leonard is 8th in the nation among quarterbacks when it comes to running the ball.

Oddly enough, with Leonard on the field as well as Navy’s Blake Horvath (2nd), fans will be treated to a match-up in which two of the top ten rushing quarterbacks in the nation will go head to head. Adding to the running attack of late for the Irish has been Jeremiyah Love who has now taken over as the team’s leading rusher (462 yards, 7 TDs) as Leonard gets more comfy throwing the ball.

“From Week 1 to now, the (offensive) growth has been tremendous,” Freeman said. “They are performing well, but there is still so much more out there to continue to improve. The big thing is consistency.”

The overall thing for the Irish to be ready for, according to Freeman, is the adjustments that Navy will ultimately make as the game goes on and in like manner they too will have to make.

Navy has not beaten Notre Dame since November 5, 2016 when they faced each other in Jacksonville, Fla. Saturday’s game will be just outside the Big Apple at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Scored as a neutral site officially, the Irish will have to be ready to get it down away from South Bend for the second week in a row.