QBs step into primetime highlight for No. 10 Miami, No. 6 Notre Dame

Notre Dame performed within the nationwide championship recreation in January whereas Miami missed the Faculty Soccer Playoff subject.

Attending to that recreation is the objective to begin this season when the No. 6 Preventing Irish face the No. 10 Hurricanes on Sunday night time at Miami Gardens, Fla.

Miami misplaced No. 1 general choose Cam Ward from the 2024 crew and changed him with former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck.

Riley Leonard accomplished his eligibility for Notre Dame and redshirt freshman CJ Carr gained a tightly contested quarterback competitors with third-year sophomore Kenny Minchey.

“I needed to make a troublesome determination, and I did,” Irish coach Marcus Freeman stated of selecting Carr, who will make his first faculty begin within the primetime matchup. “As I informed each of them, ‘We will want each of them this 12 months. We will want each, they usually each need to be mature sufficient to deal with that call and perceive they’re chasing their full potential.’ Regardless of when you’re named beginning quarterback otherwise you’re the backup quarterback, it’s a must to proceed to work.”

Getting the quarterbacks on top of things is a giant deal if Notre Dame needs to repeat final season’s success. The Irish went 14-2 and misplaced 34-23 to Ohio State within the title recreation.

Miami (10-3) gained its first 9 video games final season and had a headlining quarterback however was handed over as an at-large crew by the CFP committee.

Enter Beck, who handed for 7,426 yards and 52 touchdowns with 18 interceptions over the previous two seasons for the Bulldogs.

Beck stated he would not really feel like he has to match Ward, who handed for 4,313 yards, 39 TDs and 7 interceptions. He in contrast his present lot to stepping in because the alternative for Stetson Bennett at Georgia.

“The final faculty I used to be at I adopted up the two-time nationwide champion, so I did not actually really feel any stress there,” Beck stated. “It is a recreation. I’ve performed soccer my entire life. I’ve performed quarterback since I used to be 7 years outdated, and it is one thing that I like to do and I’ve acquired lots of good expertise round.”

The Hurricanes skilled some difficulties on the defensive facet final season. They allowed greater than 30 factors on six events, together with 42 in every of their final two video games — losses to Syracuse to finish the common season and to Iowa State within the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

Sixth-year defensive finish Akheem Mesidor (5.5 sacks final season) is wanting ahead to the unit dealing with the Irish. He is additionally conscious Miami is simply 8-18-1 all-time in opposition to Notre Dame.

“These are the video games that you simply practice all offseason for, top-10 matchups, two nice groups going at it and battling,” Mesidor informed reporters. “I am anticipating Arduous Rock to be packed as a result of this isn’t simply any common recreation. You look again at Miami versus Notre Dame historical past, it is all the time been an important matchup and a reasonably loopy recreation.”

The scouting report for Miami’s defensive gamers seemingly would not start with Notre Dame’s quarterback. Working again Jeremiyah Love, who rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns final season, is an NFL prospect and scored least one landing in 13 consecutive video games.

Love stated he is prepared for an elevated workload because the Irish attempt to take stress off Carr.

“I’d say I am extra of a bodily again,” the 6-foot, 214-pound Love stated. “I can maintain off larger defenders, partly due to my weight achieve, working within the weight room.”

The Preventing Irish have been an elite protection final season. They led the nation with 33 takeaways whereas rating fourth in each scoring protection (15.5 factors per recreation) and passing yards allowed (169.4 yards per recreation).

–Area Degree Media