Notre Dame kicks off their 2026 season tomorrow night at Lambeau Field against the Wisconsin. The Badger's offensive coordinator, Jeff Grimes, is headed into his second year calling plays and has several new players at his disposal. One of the new players he'll be utilizing is Old Dominion transfer quarterback Colton Joseph who came to Madison earlier this offseason.
Joseph is a dynamic playmaker with his arm and his legs. Last season for the Monarchs, the 6-2, 212-pound quarterback threw for 2,624 yards, 21 touchdowns, rushed for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns. Notre Dame defensive coordinator Chris Ash knows that stopping Joseph is the No. 1 priority for this defense.
"Colton's a really good athlete," Ash explained. "In college football, you face a lot of athletic quarterbacks. Last year, we played Arkansas, and they had one of the fastest quarterbacks in America. So this isn't new or unique. Doesn't mean that we're ready for the challenge yet. We've got work to do, but our players understand how hard this is going to be."
The former Old Dominion signal caller can really hurt opposing defenses with his legs. Last season, Joseph rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener against Indiana on the road. He also rushed for 297 yards and two touchdowns combined in the final two games of the season. Defending Joseph as a runner is top of mind for Ash tomorrow night.
"When you're talking about the run game, making sure we're assignments sound, and we're always aware that the quarterback's the main priority for us," Ash shared. "Then in the pass game, when he drops back the pass, making sure that we make him throw from the pocket and stay in the pocket and not let him get out.
"He's going to get out ," Ash continued. "Most athletic quarterbacks in the course of the game do get out, but we've got to limit those opportunities, and then just make sure that we're doing a great job on the coverage part of this. So if he does get out, you know we can rally and pursue and make sure that we take care of our coverage."
Senior middle linebacker and captain Drayk Bowenalso knows the importance on containing Joseph. Game planning for a quarterback they haven't seen playing in their current offense is difficult, but the Irish defense is putting in the work to make sure they do their job.
"The biggest thing is his speed," Bowen explained. "Last year against IU, he took two 60+ yarders and outran some of their best players. Keeping him in the pocket, making sure we shut down the run game and make him throw from the well and don't let him use his legs. It's a lot easier said than done, especially with those types of guys, but I think that's going to be the biggest challenge."
As of today, Notre Dame is 20.5 point favorites in this matchup Sunday night over the Badgers. If the Fighting Irish is going to win big, they're going to need their defense to make sure Joseph doesn't become the game-wrecker he's capable of becoming. Talented players are going to make plays, but they have to ensure he doesn't break this one wide open. If last season's rush defense was any preview of what we might see tomorrow night, they'll get the job done.
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