Notre Dame defense shows improvement late against Purdue, but concerns still linger

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --  Notre Dame’s first win of the season — a 56–30 victory over Purdue — brought plenty of fireworks on offense, but the defense remains under the microscope. Under new coordinator Chris Ash, the Irish are still giving up big points, and fans are wondering what happened to a unit that recently ranked in the top five nationally.

The Irish defense surrendered 286 yards in the first half, letting the Boilermakers average 6.5 yards per play early. But after halftime, they tightened up — limiting Purdue to just 76 rushing yards total. They ended with two sacks, five tackles for loss, and two interceptions.

Even so, the secondary struggled in key moments, especially against hurry-up drives. And compared to Texas A&M, a much more explosive offense, the Purdue test doesn’t quite prove that Notre Dame’s defensive issues are fixed.

Head coach Marcus Freeman emphasized accountability, saying it comes down to coaches and players buying in and executing together. With a trip to Arkansas looming, the Irish defense will need to show it can deliver a full game — not just a better half.