This was a learning week for No. 18 Notre Dame.
Players and coaches took time to figure out what went wrong in last week’s stunning loss to Northern Illinois. They searched for corrections and believe the Irish will emerge stronger because of it.
On Saturday, they’ll get a chance to show the college football world this is not the same team, that this is a team that intends to take care of business.
“We’ve got a great challenge,” third-year coach Marcus Freeman said. “Our guys will be ready.”
Speeches don’t get any simpler than that.
But fixing the problems NIU exposed last week could prove more complex, especially against a hungry, longtime rival such as Purdue (1-0).
Notre Dame (1-1) has dominated this series recently, winning eight straight since the late Purdue coach Joe Tiller celebrated his fifth and final victory in the series back in 2007.
The Boilermakers enter with a defense that allowed only 154 yards in an opening rout of Indiana State; an offensive coordinator, Graham Harrell, who faced Freeman’s defenses at USC; and a ground game capable of doing serious damage.
“They led the Big Ten in rushing last year in conference games, and they rushed for 250-plus in three of the last four,” said Freeman, whose team has scored 37 points this season. “So we’ve got to make sure we’re prepared to stop the run, and they have good skill — really good tight ends and some good, skilled wideouts.”
Purdue coach Ryan Walters has been following Freeman’s career trajectory too.
Both are 38 years old, were defensive coordinators before becoming first-time head coaches and already have faced scrutiny for subpar results. And when they square off Saturday, the game will feature two of the 16 Black head coaches in the 134-school FBS.
“The thing that I’ve sort of admired from afar is just the quick rise, the consistent success and consistent play on the defensive side of the ball,” Walters said. “Obviously I’m a defensive guy, so you study a little bit. You pay attention to people that are also playing good defense, and he’s definitely done that.”
While Walters would like to become the seventh coach in Purdue history to beat Notre Dame in his first meeting, he has another reason for wanting this victory.
His father, Marc, was on the Colorado team that had its perfect season and national championship quest end with an Orange Bowl loss to the Irish on Jan. 1, 1990.
“Notre Dame was like their archnemesis in the national championship game,” Walters said. “I remember the Rocket Ismail days and all the great players that have come through there. So to be able to host a ranked Notre Dame team at home in Ross-Ade (Stadium) in front of the best and loyal fans out there, it’s a special moment.”
Passing woes
Notre Dame would have preferred to see its name in a group of five with Georgia, Texas, Alabama and Ohio State and a debate over the playoffs.
Instead, after their stunning loss, the Irish find themselves lumped into a different group of five — Air Force, Miami (Ohio), Northwestern and Western Michigan — as the only FBS schools without a passing touchdown this season. The air attack is ranked No. 114 nationally, and quarterback Riley Leonard has become a focal point for critics.
“The quarterback is just like the head coach, right?” Freeman said. “Rightfully so. He is going to get the blame and he’s going to get the praise.”
Freeman said Leonard must make better decisions, such as the fourth-quarter interception that led to NIU’s decisive field goal. But Freeman knows it’s not just the quarterback struggling, and Irish offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock believes Leonard will get things turned around soon.
Card’s accuracy
Purdue quarterback Hudson Card throws at practice on April 13, 2023, in West Lafayette, Ind. (Alex Martin/AP)
Hudson Card came to Purdue partly because he liked the school’s reputation as the Cradle of Quarterbacks. If he’s going to earn a spot among that elite group that includes names such as Len Dawson, Bob Griese and Drew Brees, he needs to play more like he did in the opener.
Card tied an FBS single-game record for players throwing at least 20 passes when he competed 96% of his throws (24 of 25) for 273 yards and four touchdowns in the 49-0 victory over Indiana State.
His encore will come in front of another former Purdue quarterback, Gary Danielson, who will be part of the CBS broadcast team.
No sympathy needed
Freeman understands nobody will give a high-profile program like the Irish a break.
He doesn’t want it either.
“Nobody is going to feel sorry for us. I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for us. Let’s go,” he said. “I’m a competitor and I’m surrounded by competitors. Let’s get back to work and let’s challenge each other. Let’s have the right mindset.
“I’m ready to just get back to work and go. I don’t want sympathy. Nobody needs sympathy. Let’s just get back to work.”
No. 18 Notre Dame (1-1) at Purdue (1-0)
Time/TV: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, CBS-2.
Line: Notre Dame by 11½.
Series: Notre Dame leads 59-26-2.
Facts & figures: The longtime in-state rivals first played one another in 1896 but haven’t met since 2021. The last meeting at Ross-Ade Stadium was in 2013. … The Shillelagh Trophy is one of three trophy games on the Boilermakers schedule. They play Illinois on Oct. 12 for the Cannon Trophy and close the season at Indiana for the Old Oaken Bucket. … A win would give Purdue its second 2-0 start since 2007. … The Boilermakers have 38 sacks over their last 13 games. … Marcus Freeman lost his first two games as Notre Dame coach in 2022 and hasn’t lost two straight since. … Irish QB Riley Leonard had a 25.8 QB rating, per ESPN’s formula, against NIU, going 20 of 32 for 163 yards with two interceptions.
