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Leftovers & Links: Counting Down the Irish reaction, focusing on underrating Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart

Stanford v Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - OCTOBER 15: Cam Hart #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on against the Stanford Cardinal during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium on October 15, 2022 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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Far be it for one lackluster and self-deprecating scribe to criticize the consensus opinion of nine far smarter Notre Dame media members. That would not reflect the appreciation they are owed for partaking in the annual balloting known as “Counting Down the Irish.”

But they seem to not recognize how luxurious Notre Dame’s cornerbacks could be this season.

Sophomore Benjamin Morrison receives the accolades and the headlines, a preseason All-American already with one iconic moment in his career. But merely his established presence should elevate the play of fifth-year cornerback Cam Hart to a level that was underappreciated in last week’s “Counting Down the Irish” rankings. At least, in this scribe’s opinion.

The two combined to get their hands on 14 passes last season, including Morrison’s six interceptions. And that came in only 19 starts. There should be every reason to expect them to start 26 combined games this year. Prorate those 14 deflections or interceptions last year across 26 games and it would tick up to 19.

But even without that math, realize how impactful this duo could be.

Morrison’s six interceptions last season were more than any two Irish cornerbacks have combined to have since Bennett Jackson and KeiVarae Russell combined to snag six interceptions in 2012, part of 12 total passes defended.

Opposing quarterbacks will be desperate to avoid Morrison in 2023. His reputation will precede him and diminish his stats. Enter Hart.

Hart is plenty capable of breaking up passes. He knocked down seven in 2021 while intercepting two additional passes, and that was in his first genuine action as a cornerback after playing receiver in high school. The more quarterbacks throw toward him, the more likely it is Hart repeats those kinds of stats.

It is unlikely Morrison and Hart combine to match the 29 passes dby Julian Love (16 breakups and one interception) and Troy Pride (10, two) in 2018, but the threat of interceptions should be greater with Morrison in play, and that will complicate game plans for opposing offensive coordinators.

This cornerback duo should allow the Notre Dame safeties to help elsewhere, on the slot receiver or the tight end or in creating a pass rush. Here the math becomes more simple than ever.

A traditional quarterback — as in, not a mobile or dual-threat passer — gives the defense an 11-on-10 advantage. That slight edge becomes more distinct when two cornerbacks match up with two receivers. Suddenly, it is 9-on-8.

Hart should have a statistical impact in 2023, but the schematic advantage of him and Morrison together should have raised Hart higher than No. 8 in the “Counting Down the Irish” series. Consider that this scribe’s greatest criticism: Move Hart up to No. 5, knocking fifth-year linebacker JD Bertrand, junior right tackle Blake Fisher and junior receiver Jayden Thomas each down a peg.

Otherwise, the rankings were largely as one might expect. Preseason praises of sophomore tight end Holden Staes (ranked at No. 24) could serve as a precursor to junior tight end Mitchell Evans (No. 18) being ranked a bit too high.

The uncertainty along the offensive line kept a few names from being properly touted, something that will stand out only in retrospect. Recent practices have shown junior Rocco Spindler getting some reps as the starting right guard. He did not receive a single vote in this exercise, so a strong season from Spindler would certainly stand out.

That may be the greatest question. Who will end 2023 clearly among Notre Dame’s most impactful players that no one anticipates just yet?

Any name suggested cannot be an answer, given the qualifier of “no one anticipates just yet,” but Spindler will be a clear possibility. Morrison served as the answer in 2022, following freshman left tackle Joe Alt in 2021 and veteran receiver Javon McKinley in 2020 (42 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns).

If not Spindler, could freshman running back Jeremiyah Love’s speed be enough to propel him into the conversation? If not, will sophomore running back Jadarian Price be the reason, a developed role keeping Love sidelined?

Like Staes, spring and preseason hype rule freshman receiver Jaden Greathouse (No. 25) out of this thought. Jumping from ranked to higher ranked will not be as much a shock as sought in this wonder.

ON REALIGNMENT
Notre Dame remains independent.

Nothing out west in the last week has changed the logic behind that. Anyone arguing otherwise is simply checking the strength of their vocal cords. More notably, there have not been many arguments otherwise in the last week.

Give credit for that to outgoing Irish athletics director Jack Swarbrick. As was written when Swarbrick announced his pending retirement earlier this summer:

Yet, how (Marcus) Freeman fares should not be the top bullet point attributed to Swarbrick. His long-term achievement of keeping Notre Dame independent through the 2010s and now seemingly through the 2020s has been the singular task of Swarbrick’s tenure.

RELATED READING: Jack Swarbrick’s time at Notre Dame marked by retained Irish independence, not by hires or construction
Time is Notre Dame’s ally, for now, in independence as Big Ten and SEC grow

At some point, Notre Dame and a broadcast partner (presume NBC, though that is suggested with no inside information, just basic logic) will announce a partnership that should carry the Irish into the 2030s. Along with the expanded College Football Playoff beginning next year with clear access for Notre Dame, Swarbrick’s charge of keeping the Irish independent remains on solid ground.

Now all that said, one can justify wondering about the future of the Notre Dame - Stanford series. If the Cardinal ends up in a conference with Utah State, UNLV and Hawaii, it may find some success. Not like Stanford could play much worse on Saturdays than going 6-18 in the last two years, not posting a full-season winning record since 2018 and not reaching a Rose Bowl since 2015.

But will the Irish see value in playing the same Mountain West opponent every single season?

With the obvious exception of 2020, Notre Dame has played Stanford every year since 1988, going 18-15 in those matchups. There may be a want to continue to elevate an academic peer in football. Previous Irish coaching staffs espoused the merits of playing in northern California on a regular basis from a recruiting perspective.

But Notre Dame already play an annual foe from a lesser conference, all due respect to Navy and the American, that description is simply factual. Adding a second could twist the schedule beyond the wanted flexibility combined with a certain competitive level.

This is not a prediction, but more an acknowledgement that the Pac-12’s demise changes the figurative math to the Stanford series and will be one of the first things considered by Swarbrick’s successor, former NBC Sports executive Pete Bevacqua.

COUNTING DOWN THE IRISH 2023
The Top Five, led by the best offensive tackle in college football and his QB
10 to 6, here comes Notre Dame’s offense
15 to 11, a lower defensive line focus than in years past
20 to 16, featuring Notre Dame’s speed at its skill positions
25 to 21, led by examples of modern college football roster construction
Others Receiving Votes

INSIDE THE IRISH
New Notre Dame season, new-look ‘Inside the Irish’ website
Surprise strength coach resignation overshadows Notre Dame’s preseason debut
2023 Betting Preview Series: Notre Dame

OUTSIDE READING
Projecting the 25 most impactful players for Notre Dame football in 2023
Pac-12, Apple deal was $23M per school and underwhelming, but hope remained until 11th hour
What they are saying about the status of the Pac-12 and what lies ahead
The 50 best players in college football right now
The top 10 linebacker units in the country
College football teams have the wrong incentives. Someone has to make them say no
How news of Simone Biles’ gymnastics comeback got spilled by a former Notre Dame QB
Detroit Lions sign WR Avery Davis

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