Key players to know for Notre Dame ahead of the Sugar Bowl game against Georgia

Leonard first appeared on the national radar last season when he helped Duke pull off an early-season upset against Clemson. He was one of the prizes in the portal last winter and ended up in South Bend, where he coached one of the more dominant Notre Dame teams in recent years. Since a humiliating home loss to Northern Illinois in September, the Irish have won 11 straight, by an average margin of over 30 points.

The numbers don’t jump out at you – Leonard has completed nearly 67% of his throws with 17 touchdowns to six interceptions – but he’s been effective. His legs are an integral part of the Irish’s offensive success. He has rushed for at least 30 yards in all but one of Notre Dame’s games and is the second-leading runner. His ability to extend plays was crucial. His experience and comfort level shone in the first as Leonard recovered from an interception on the opening drive and played flawless play for the rest of the game.

Yes, that means Love was in control outside of that run, but his home run skills are invaluable. Because of this, he ranks 35th among all running backs in rushing yards despite having significantly fewer carries than many others. His yards per carry is just behind the best in the country, Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty of Boise State (7.5).

“He’s the engine that’s moving this thing in a really positive direction,” Irish offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said. “Every week he seems to find a way to make an explosive play, get over someone and run for 98 yards. What do you want? It’s kind of the dealer’s decision and I’m honored to have him with me.”

Running back Jadarian Price

This will indeed be another test for Georgia’s speedy defense. One reason Notre Dame doesn’t have to overwhelm Love is its other talents. Price actually carried the ball more against Indiana – Love wasn’t 100% as he was dealing with an illness – and while he wasn’t as effective (32 yards on 11 carries), he was productive. He has 683 yards and seven touchdowns on 100 carries.

“We’ve got a lot of buddies in the room, obviously we’ve got some studs,” Love said of the Irish’s running backs. “We have me, JD, Kedren (Young), Aneyas (Williams), Devyn (Ford), all great backs, all have different types of roles. Everyone executes when their name is called, and we have a lot of backers.”

The defensemen run behind a young but thriving offensive line. Notre Dame prides itself on toughness, which may have been met with eye rolls in the past, but these Irish have continued to prove that teams won’t push them around.

Receiver Jordan Faison and other targets

Faison had seven catches for 89 yards against Indiana; he had only exceeded two catches once before. But the Irish wanted to include him because they knew how valuable his explosiveness could be. When Leonard looks to take down Georgia’s secondary, he’ll often look for Faison.

“For us on offense, he’s a guy who has to touch the football,” said Denbrock.

Clemson transfer Beaux Collins is Notre Dame’s leading receiver, although he had some drop issues and only managed two catches for 18 yards against the Hoosiers. The team’s second-leading receiver, Jaden Greathouse, had just one catch for eight yards. As usual, the Irish have a future NFL player at tight end in Mitchell Evans. As a sound blocker, Evans was the team’s third-leading receiver with 289 yards and three touchdowns. Against Indiana, he had two catches for 17 yards.

Much has been made of Georgia’s problems with its pass catchers. The Irish lack an elite weapon who can truly test defenses, which is why their overwhelming success and Faison’s emergence are crucial.

Defensive player Howard Cross III

Cross returned from injury and made the difference in the first round. “Howard is a big accomplishment,” coach Marcus Freeman said of his senior lineman, who had four sacks in nine games. Notre Dame will need him to have the best game of his career in the Sugar Bowl, especially with fellow defensive lineman Rylie Mills out. Mills was an important part of Ireland’s defensive front and will be extremely difficult to replace.

Safety Xavier Watts

Watts, perhaps the team’s most talented defender and undoubtedly one of the best safeties in the country, stopped Indiana’s opening drive with an interception deep in Notre Dame territory. The senior is a defensive coordinator’s dream, successfully playing versatile and closer to the offensive line. His six interceptions are the second most in the country, a testament to his receiver background. Watts stood out in the first round and seemed to impress everywhere on defense.

“He was a major,” Freeman said. “He made some great tackles, tracked the ball carrier well, was close to getting a few balls out and had the interception. He’s a leader out there. He brings everyone into line. He communicates. He plays the game the way you expect him to. It’s a big part of what we’re trying to do and a very important part.”

Cornerback Leonard Moore

Notre Dame lost No. 1 cornerback Benjamin Morrison early in the season, an unfortunate blow since Morrison was an All-American player. But they had a breakout star in Moore, a true freshman from Texas. Indiana completed just one of six attempts against Moore in the first round, which was a continuation of its regular season.

Moore is 1.90 meters tall and weighs 75 kilograms and has breathtaking speed. He finishes extremely quickly and is a good tackler. It has the makings of an excellent development story, as Moore was a three-star recruit by 247Sports. He is a key part of the third-ranked pass defense in the country. one that will present quite a challenge for quarterback Gunner Stockton in his first start.