Everything Notre Dame DC Al Golden said before Irish host Louisville

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden met with the media Tuesday before the No. 16 Fighting Irish (3-1) take host No. 15 Louisville (3-0). Here is everything Golden said.

On Notre Dame’s red zone defense

We just made some systematic changes (after 2022) and then we built it better for the long haul. We’re able to pick and choose based on the personnel or the way teams are attacking us. We just feel like we’re in a comfortable spot. These guys (Louisville) are really good in the red zone. They have a great plan. They make it challenging. That’s going to be our challenge (Wednesday) and then a lot on Thursday.

On Notre Dame’s red zone/goal line defense unit being prepared

They should be. We always look at it like, it doesn’t matter how it got there. It’s a different area of the field, and you have to have urgency and a complete different mindset than every other spot on the field. For our guys, we just slip the switch and go to work down there.

On the Notre Dame defense not having fumble recovery luck

You can change your luck by populating the ball. I didn’t think we populated the ball as well as we should have. What I mean by that is everybody play through the echo of the whistle. I haven’t had to say that very much, but I had to say that on Monday to the guys. You change your odds by every human that gets to the ball area, and that’s what we call populating the ball. If the ball does come out, which in both cases – Boubacar, great play, and then X’s play was superlative – and we didn’t get it. That part is disappointing. There’s some others that we haven’t gotten that were great efforts and just didn’t go our way. But you change your odds by populating the ball, no doubt about it.

On the chunk gains Miami (Ohio) had on the ground vs. the Notre Dame defense

Bad play-calling. Just bad. I put the guys in some bad situations, especially that last drive. I was calling the wrong game at that time. It was just poor by me. They had gone to a different game, a different style, and I was calling it like it was early in the game and that was bad. There’s some other ones we have to fit better. We have to tackle better, no doubt about it. This group that’s coming in here, they’re excellent at running the football. They have three, four backs that we’ll see. They have a big fullback at tight end. We’ll see every run imaginable. It will be a great challenge for us.

On Louisville’s running game

Number one, tackling. They’re strong runners. They do have explosive runs. They’re very good at yards after contact and they’re very good at getting their running backs to the second level within their scheme. That’s a great challenge. They have strong running backs, elusive running backs and they have a running back that can go … elite speed. They really provide challenges at all three levels.

On the Notre Dame defense containing the QB scramble game when stunting

We still have rush lanes. We can’t lose sight of that. Even though it’s a stunt or blitz or whatever it is, we can’t just throw caution to the wind and not be in our lanes. I would say, on the one, we had a wrapper in Bryce and he kind of got lost. If he comes around, he’s scott-free. That one was a big gain  right up the middle. I think that’s what you’re referring to. There may have been another one in there. Sometimes that happens, but we’re going to be aggressive on defense. At some point you have to trust the guys to get them on the ground. 

On three-program quarterback Tyler Shough

You look at the characteristics going back because that’s who he is as a player. But there’s no doubt he’s executing this system at a high level. He’s doing a good job. I’m sure he was hand-picked by coach (Brohm) to run this system, and he’s doing a really good job of doing it. He’s throwing the deep ball well. I don’t think he has an interception. That’s what you want. Good running game, explosive shots and a quarterback that doesn’t turn the ball over. That’s a good recipe. We have to do something to distract that this weekend.

On Tyler Shough’s size

Big man. Big man. Hard to get down in the pocket. Has rushed for over 100 yards multiple times in his career. Can run the ball, can scramble but has the wherewithal and the vision downfield to throw it on the run as well.

On Junior Tuihalamaka stepping up

I just saw an unbelievable week of practice. His preparation was awesome and it carried over to the game. His preparation definitely preceded performance and his results. I said it to him during the week: ‘You’re practicing your a—off. You’re really having a great week.’ And he went out there and played really, really well. I’m proud of him. A lot of people get opportunities, but they’re not ready for that opportunity. He just put his head down and got ready for his opportunity, and when the opportunity came he cashed in on it in a big way. Couldn’t be more proud of him. I don’t know if we play as well as we do without him. Some of his plays in the game were excellent. The third-and-2, third-and-1, I don’t know. That play was awesome. That’s just a big-time play by him. Just really proud of the young man. He’s such an awesome human being. I’m glad he’s with us.