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Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Al Golden explains challenges Notre Dame will face with Ohio State’s deep receiving corps

Sydney Hunte

By Sydney Hunte

Published:

Al Golden has been instrumental in leading Notre Dame to Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Ohio State.

The Fighting Irish defensive coordinator, currently in his 3rd season with the team, is aware of the challenges the Buckeyes’ deep wide receiving corps will present. While Jeremiah Smith leads the way, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate are more than capable of making an impact: they needed to in the semifinal against Texas amid limited production from Smith. The Buckeyes’ rushing duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are a massive threat, too.

“It is a great challenge. And if you do what they do, you might do it at the peril of allowing the other two to have an enormous game or allowing the two running backs to have an enormous game,” Golden said on Saturday.

That puts the onus on Notre Dame’s defense to be on its toes to limit any potential damage from Ohio State’s offense.

“We’re at the point in the season where guys are going to make some plays and you have to adjust and adapt,” Golden said. “Where are they going, where do they want to go with the ball, who is the guy, the hot hand right now, do we have to take him away? What will the better answer be?”

Sydney Hunte

Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.

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