Notre Dame's defense is in 'get right' mode after a major let down performance against BYU on October 17. The issues we've seen from the defense stemmed further back than just their matchup in Provo, but now it's time to get things turned around after a dominant four-game stretch to start the season. This will be defensive coordinator Chris Ash's second time facing the Navy Midshipmen who are starting to put together some impressive offensive performances in their last three games.
The Midshipmen put up 34 points against Tulsa in a win, 30 points against UTSA in a road loss and 39 points in a home loss to North Texas. Navy offensive coordinator Drew Cronic is starting to find his groove with the personnel that he has which means the Fighting Irish defense will have to win these matchups to get things turned around and stop their option attack. Will this game tell us anything about how they'll perform against Miami? No, but it'll go a long way in rebuilding the confidence in the Irish defense if they stop the Navy option attack.
Notre Dame defensive tackle Tionne Gray has had an interesting season through seven games with the Irish. It hasn't been bad by any means, but he has yet to have that breakout performance some were expecting to see. He's played 137 snaps but has only recorded six run stops. Now, some of that is a byproduct of what the scheme is asking him to do, and they haven't asked Gray to do much penetrating and disrupting. When watching him on film, there's plays where he gets beat off the snap and some where he dominates at the point of attack. Saturday is a prime opportunity for the 6-5, 320-pound interior tackle to show why he was brought to South Bend.
Matchup To Watch: Navy has one of the most experienced offensive lines the Irish will face this season and it's one of the reasons why, among other things, as to why the Midshipmen rank 3rd in the country is rushing yards per game, 8th in the country in yards per rush and 5th in the country of 20 yard runs. Left guard Cam Nichols is one of those reasons why. Nichols has started all seven games for Navy this season and entered 2026 with 18 career starts. The 6-1, 305-pound guard has played all over the interior offensive line and will be matched up with Gray throughout the afternoon.
Middle linebacker and captain Drayk Bowen is having the season we thought he would have. He currently leads the team in tackles with 38, and also leads the team in solo tackles with 22. Earlier this season, he scored his first career defensive touchdown at Notre Dame and has been the heart and soul of this Fighting Irish defense. But one area Bowen needs to improve, and a big part of that is the scheme helping him out, is becoming a more disruptive player. Through seven games, Bowen only has 1.0 tackle for loss. Ash needs to let the linebackers loose, play down hill and aggressive football and it starts with Bowen.
Matchup To Watch: If you sit back and let Navy dictate what they want to do to the defense, that's when they finished with 300+ rushing yard performances. Quarterback Jackson Gutierrez has taken over as the primary QB1 but they'll play Braxton Woodson as well. Linebacker's responsibility is the quarterback when facing the option and Bowen will have his work cut out for him getting the defense lined up properly and squaring off against Navy's leading rusher and passer.
The bye week was needed for the entire program, but safety and captain Adon Shuler might have needed it the most. He entered this season bearing a burden that most others on the roster have yet to experience, yet Shuler still answered the bell every week and has started every game. It's been an up and down season for the New Jersey native and we're seeing him make some uncharacteristic mistakes that we haven't seen him make since his first year in the starting lineup. Because of the things he's experienced off the field, Shuler gets my grace and Saturday is the perfect 'get right' opportunity for the senior safety.
Matchup To Watch: Navy's second most productive rusher on the roster is slot back Michael Barrow who has taken on the ' Eli Heidenreich' role in Cronic's offense. Barrow has 81 carries for 442 yards and one touchdown on the season. He also has seven catches for 58 yards and one touchdown as a pass catcher. Shuler will be in line to make some of his signature bone-crusher, highlight reel hits this Saturday afternoon, but accounting for Barrow and not letting him break away chunk runs off a pitch is going to be key No. 1 for Shuler and the Fighting Irish secondary.
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