Malachi Fields (8) with an acrobatic grab in the first half. (Photo: AJ Houk).
First and Fitzharris: A Weekly Look at Notre Dame Football
Whew. Breathe, Irish fans. Breathe. As I sat down with a cup of coffee Saturday morning, I had the feeling the Notre Dame Fighting Irish would dismantle the Pittsburgh Panthers. Pat Narduzzi, the head coach of the Panthers deemed that the top 25 matchup, and where College Gameday was heading for the first time in 20 years, was not a “must win” game. As I dwelled on that comment while College Gameday was on the screen, two thoughts entered my brain: (1) either the Irish were going to roll past the Panthers, or (2) the Panthers were going to make this a tight game until the very end. Of course, it was the former, as an Irish victory was never in doubt with the final score being 37-15. Notre Dame’s defense continued to steal the show: “I thought they played lights out. I really did”, said head coach Marcus Freeman in his Monday press conference.
I am sure the Irish defense is only playing “lights out” because First and Fitzharris previously issued a public apology to defensive coordinator Chris Ash.
Malachi Fields – the Deep Threat the Irish Needed
After the Irish picked up Malachi Fields from the transfer portal in the offseason, I took a look at his film from his time at Virginia. Right off the bat, I noticed that Fields was not only massive (6-4, 223 pounds), but he made highlight-reel catches which could change the trajectory of the game. All year I had been talking up Fields to other Irish fans and even opponents, saying that Fields was a top 10 receiver in the nation. On Saturday, Fields showed why. Not only did Fields have 7 catches for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns, but Fields had one of the greatest catches of the season by anyone (pictured above). Since Miles Boykin and Chase Claypool, Notre Dame has lacked a big threat receiver. Even last year, the Irish never could never rely on a big receiver like Fields.
With a wideout like Fields, CJ Carr has the boldness to throw it up to Fields with the confidence knowing Fields can come down with grab. On the year, Fields has 32 catches, 596 receiving yards, 5 touchdowns, and averaging 18.6 yards per catch.
In last week’s version of First and Fitzharris, I gave a Jaden Greathouse update. Today, head coach Marcus Freeman states: “he’s as close to being healthy now as he’s been.” However, Freeman mentioned that he and Greathouse had a conversation about redshirting, and indicated that Greathouse will not play the remaining of the regular season if he is not needed. By staying out of the last two regular season games, Greathouse would preserve two years of eligibility. Playing in the post season however would not affect his eligibility. With the stellar play of ND’s receiver corp, it makes sense to sit Greathouse for two more games.
Win, Watch, and Wait
So, what’s next for the Irish? Notre Dame’s last two opponents are both 3-7. How do I put this nicely…both teams are just not very good. Stanford has a win against Florida State, who beat Alabama in the first week of the year, but that seems like a misnomer. The fact is, Notre Dame should cruise past its next two games and have a spot in the College Football Playoff on December 7, barring any significant chaos and disaster. The Irish need to win their final two games, watch the rest of the country and hope that chaos ensues in their favor. And then they wait for their name to be called on December 7.
Let the winning, watching, and waiting begin…
