Notre Dame’s opponents should be ready.
Notre Dame football has recently had a string of winning seasons. It’s been a long since they finished below.500; the last time that happened was in 2016. Since then, the victories have exceeded the defeats, and Fighting Irish fans have generally enjoyed seeing their beloved team on the field. Still, there’s always space for improvement, and many supporters are hoping that Notre Dame steps it up this season.
What does this entail? Given that the Fighting Irish are already a great squad in general, going into a higher gear only implies one thing: playing at a level that will result in a CFP return.
Can they do it? Possibly. Several factors point to that direction. Notre Dame’s reasonable schedule springs to mind. The employment of Mike Denbrock as the new offensive coordinator is also a factor. Finally, consider the present lineup, which can only be regarded as “promising.”
Looking attentively at the roster, a handful of great players stick out. Riley Leonard, a highly regarded Duke player, leads the way among the incoming Notre Dame transfers. There’s also cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who is perhaps the finest player on the team’s talented defense. Howard Cross III, who led the Fighting Irish with 66 combined tackles last year, will also be on the radar. However, this article will focus on two more players that could be considered the team’s X-factors. These difference-makers will not receive the most attention, but they will be critical in improving Notre Dame’s overall performance.
X-factor #1: Mitchell Evans, TE
Mitchell Evans tore his ACL during Notre Dame’s game over Pittsburgh last year, just when he was having a career season. As a result, he concluded the 2023 season with only eight games played. Evans was nevertheless quite productive, totaling 422 yards on 29 catches and ranking second on the Fighting Irish’s receiving yardage list. He also had an average of 14.6 yards per reception and scored a touchdown in the team’s October game versus Louisville.
With Chris Tyree going via the transfer site, Evans is currently the best pass-catcher among all returnees. However, it will be difficult to anticipate whether he will become Riley Leonard’s number one target. In place of Tyree, Notre Dame signed Kris Mitchell, an ex-Florida International football player who racked up 1,000 yards last season. Regardless, if Mitchell Evans is healthy this year, he will undoubtedly have his best season yet.
X-factor #2: Xavier Watts, S
If there’s one thing Notre Dame fans should be thrilled about, it’s the defense. As previously said, stars such as Benjamin Morrison and Howard Cross III are expected to thrive this season. Include Xavier Watts on that list as well.
One could argue that Watts is a full-fledged superstar rather than an underestimated X-factor. It’s logical given that the safety was a unanimous All-American and won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy in 2023. However, it appears that many people forget Watts’ on-field heroics. Certain publications have elected not to include Watts in their All-American predictions for this year. Furthermore, numerous sites did not put Watts among the top 50 players in the country.
Anyone who has been following Notre Dame’s 2023 campaign may find this confusing. Aside from the honors, Watts’ figures demonstrate how significant an impact he had on the squad. In 13 games, the safety made 52 combined tackles (30 solo), the most of anyone in the Fighting Irish secondary. He also defended four passes and was credited with a half-sack.
What were the most impressive aspects of Watts’ stat sheet last season? He has seven interceptions and 137 interception return yards.
Oh, and he also recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown. Surprisingly, Caleb Williams and USC bore the brunt of the cost. Here’s the video from Notre Dame football’s official X account. The Fighting Irish won the game 48-20, and Watts had two interceptions.
If being overlooked gives Xavier Watts more drive, Notre Dame football will undoubtedly take it. Fans should expect another outstanding season from the safety this year.
