Gerad Parker faces first real test vs. NC State on Saturday

In his first two games as offensive coordinator, Gerad Parker led Notre Dame to score 98 points. Understandably, fans are excited.

Nonetheless, Blue and Gold’s Tyler Horka believes Fighting Irish fans shouldn’t get their hopes up quite yet. Horka claims Parker’s performance on Saturday against NC State will be more telling of Notre Dame’s new OC.

“You don’t want it to be one of those situations where you think you know what you have and then all of a sudden you play an actual team,” Horka told On3’s Andy Staples. “I’ll bring up an example. When I was covering Mississippi State a few years ago, Mike Leach [was in] his first year there [and] KJ Costello [was] the quarterback.

“They play LSU, the defending national champion, now LSU ended up not being that good that year, but you thought, ‘Holy cow, Mississippi State has the air raid rolling in Starkville. This is a thing.’ And then they lost to Arkansas the next week and went 3-7 that season.”

Gerad Parker has the stats on his side

Notre Dame’s first two outings don’t feel like a fluke. As of now, the Fighting Irish average over 500 yards per game while boasting 13 touchdowns, the second-most in the country. For reference, the Fighting Irish averaged 396.2 yards per game last season.

Parker was promoted to offensive coordinator this offseason after spending 2022 as Notre Dame’s tight ends coach. While there, Parker mentored Michael Mayer, who finished first on the program charts for tight end catches (180), receiving yards (2,099) and touchdowns (18).

If all goes right for Parker, perhaps he can break a few records this season. While Horka is hesitant, he isn’t putting it past the 42-year-old OC.

“I’m not saying it’s gonna be that much of a like a dip for Gerad Parker and Notre Dame,” Horka said. “But this is a test to see like, ‘Hey, this is what we think we have. We’re about to find out what we actually have.'”

If it’s any comfort to Notre Dame fans, head coach Marcus Freeman has never had any doubts.

“With [Parker] as a leader of a staff, him as a leader of the offense, he’s done a tremendous job. His players truly buy into who he is as a leader,” Freeman said in August. “That’s to me a reflection of a great leader, when your players start to speak the same language, when your players are acting very similar to the leadership in that offensive room or defensive room. It’s a reflection of leadership so I’m really pleased with what he’s done.”

Notre Dame will square off against NC State at noon on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ABC.