Gerad Parker excited to call first plays for Notre Dame on Saturday

It is official: this week marks the start of the college football season. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will start their 2023 campaign with a Week 0 matchup against Navy. This game will be a lot of first for Notre Dame, but arguably the biggest one is that it’s the first look at the Fighting Irish offense under new offensive coordinator Gerad Parker.

As Notre Dame prepares for their Saturday afternoon matchup against Navy, Parker revealed his level of excitement to call his first plays as the Fighting Irish OC.

“I would be lying to you if I didn’t say there was an excitement. If you’re not excited to do this job and to do it at a place like Notre Dame, why are we doing it? So I feel proud to be able to say that. And then, it’s certainly humbling at my age now, knowing this isn’t about me; it really isn’t,” said Parker.

We have great staff, great players, and this is a healthy place to be coaching. So I want to enjoy it; try my best to enjoy the ride. I’m very grateful to be here and certainly proud of where we are as an offense. And I look forward to watching our guys get a chance to play because they work an awful lot year-round. So I’m anxious for them more than anything.

Notre Dame enters the 2023 season as the No. 13 ranked team in the AP preseason polls. Although this contest is listed as a home game for Notre Dame, it’ll actually take place across the Atlantic Ocean in Dublin, Ireland. Fans can catch the fighting Irish season opener and Parker’s offense Aug 26 on NBC at 1:30 CT.

Marcus Freeman shares area Notre Dame must show improvement ahead of season opener

Notre Dame has been in the process of changing gears from fall camp to game prep, and with kickoff just a few days away, head coach Marcus Freeman detailed which points of emphasis the team is focusing on, starting with the defense.

“Well I think defensively it’s time to really turn your attention to to Navy, we’ve been doing normal defensive things that you’ll see for the majority of the year to defend,” Freeman said. “A majority of the year we have not been doing much Navy-specific defense and so now your attention will truly turn to defending the triple option and what Navy’s offense will present.”

Facing Navy’s triple option style of offense definitely comes with its challenges, as defensive coaches and players have to prep against an offensive scheme that’s rarely seen in today’s college football.

Navy ranked fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game last season with their option attack averaging 241.2 yards on the ground per game, presenting a scheme that will require the Fighting Irish to be extremely gap sound and detailed in their run fits.