Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman continues asking the same defensive question that is going to make Fighting Irish fans cringe

Another week, and even more questions surrounding Notre Dame defensive coordinator Chris Ash. Some members of the Fighting Irish fanbase are understandably exhausted about the topic, but the defensive issues just aren't going away. For the second straight game, the defense gave up over 300 yards passing to the Purdue Boilermakers during the team's 56 to 30 victory. That unit is now giving up nearly 33 points per game through three weeks, quite a downtrod from the elite defenses we saw under Al Golden the last two years.

There have been questions posed to head coach Marcus Freeman over the last couple of weeks surrounding the defense, but he has refused to budge off his opinion that this is not a coaching issue, not an Ash issue. Freeman, instead, has maintained the perspective that this comes down to one thing, "execution". The fanbase has heard that word way too much the last three games, and it hasn't answered the million-dollar question: Why does this defense look so different?

While the film and pretty much every data point, including blitz rate and percentage of coverages being run, would indicate that there are absolutely some key differences, Freeman has refused to agree. During his media availability on Monday to prepare for their game against Arkansas this week, Coach Freeman was once again asked if he would consider taking over defensive playcalling. And once again, he made it clear that this isn't a scheme issue.

"That is not, to me, the issue when I am evaluating our defensive play," Freeman explained. "It is not what we are calling at this time or why we are calling it. It's why aren't we executing?

"We called this for this reason, and it didn't work," continued Freeman. "They executed an explosive play. What's the reason behind it? That is what we spend a lot of time evaluating and discussing. So how do you get them to execute at a better level or play with the right fundamentals? I think it still starts with a buy-in... What am I not doing to execute this call the right way? If I am confused, then you better speak up and say something because you are going to be held accountable."

When can we start being honest?

Freeman has never been, and will never be, the type of coach to throw his staff under the bus, but the clear lack of ownership for the issues continues to be very troubling. To infer that this is mostly a player issue, an issue of not executing, is an opinion that doesn't seem to follow logic. In one offseason, you have gone from one of the best defenses in college football to one of the worst with a lot of the same players. In one offseason, veterans like Adon Shuler, Christian Gray, and Drayk Bowen have all regressed in a defensive scheme that you claim is the same.

Every week, there is a clear lack of clarity on film. Players look uncertain with their responsibilities. Players are in the wrong spots and are playing an extremely cautious brand of football. You are blitzing less and calling less man coverage than over the previous two seasons. Those are scheme and coaching issues, not players.

At some point, in order for there to be growth, honesty needs to come out. Freeman isn't going to fire Ash, and I am totally fine with that. You can't, however, continue doing exactly the same things you are right now and expecting different results. Freeman mentioned he understands the meaning of insanity, and it would be quite insane to run this exact defense against Arkansas, Boise State, NC State, and USC the next four weeks.