CJ Stroud previews upcoming matchup with Notre Dame

Ohio State‘s week one, primetime matchup versus Notre Dame is one of the most anticipated games to open the season in the entire college football landscape. And in order for the Buckeyes to come out on top, they’ll rely on their star quarterback CJ Stroud, who talked about what he’s seen from the Irish defense.

“Notre Dame is a great team, they do a lot of great things, greatly coached, they do a great job on the defensive side, have some great dynamic players. They do a lot of different things up front, they like to twist, turn, some different fronts,” Stroud said. “And then on the back end, not too sure because I know they changed defensive coordinators, but at the same time I’m ready for everything. With a team like that you’ve just got to respect them and I think it’s gonna be a battle and it’s gonna be a great game.”

Notre Dame’s new defensive coordinator Al Golden will take over the defensive play calling duties previously held by head coach Marcus Freeman, and is handed the keys to a defense that features stars like Isaiah Foskey and Brandon Joseph.

Notre Dame defenses are notoriously a strength of their team, but so is Ohio State’s offense, as the Stroud lead Buckeyes were the highest scoring team in the nation last year that will be looking to put up plenty of points on the Irish come September 3.

CJ Stroud discusses what he has seen from Ohio State defense

Nobody knows a defense better than the quarterback that has to practice against it day in and day out, and for Ohio State that’s CJ Stroud. Stroud and the Ohio State offense have their eyes set on Notre Dame‘s defense for their week one, primetime matchup against the Irish, but at Big Ten media day he spoke about how his own defensive squad is looking. 

“Of course on offensive you have scheme and thing that you need to execute, but as a defense you want to play freely and you want to do what you’re called to do, what your talents are. I definitely think coach Knowles defense does that, and it’s definitely challenging for me in practice, which I do enjoy just because I like challenges and I think that the harder it is in practice the easier it’ll be in the game. So just seeing that and seeing them make plays at practice is amazing for me just to see that, both ways it’ll be even this year, we’ll both be really good,” Stroud said.

This will be defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jim Knowles’ first season with the Buckeyes, as he was previously had the same role with Oklahoma Statewhere they improved every single year of his four year tenure. 

The Buckeyes had the most prolific offensive attack in the Big Ten last season leading the conference in points, touchdowns, and points per game resoundingly. Their defense on the other hand finishes more in the middle of the pack of the conference, but if Knowles can elevate that side of the ball like he did at Oklahoma State and they can continue to have iron sharpen iron in Columbus, we may see an improved Buckeye defense next season.