Carson Beck ends surprising streak, and a Boubacar Traore breakout highlight Notre Dame Hot Takes going into matchup against Miami

It has felt like an extremely long offseason, but Notre Dame football is just over the horizon. They will kick off their 2025 college football season against the Miami Hurricanes on Sunday night. Hard Rock Stadium is sure to be rocking as both teams begin the year ranked inside the top 10, and each has playoff aspirations. It should be a great matchup. 

For the Fighting Irish defense, they are expecting to be a borderline elite group once again, this time under new defensive coordinator Chris Ash. Most of the stars on that side of the football are pretty well known, but there will always be some surprises. That includes some hot takes you should expect in this battle against the Hurricanes. 

Here are my Notre Dame defensive hot takes heading into that week one matchup. 

1. Boubacar Traore has 2+ sacks, Notre Dame has 5 as a team 

Before Traore was injured during the Louisville game last season, it looked like he was going to be one of the breakout defenders in college football. His first step is tremendous, as is his closing speed and bend. Traore was on pace last season for 16 tackles for loss and 10 sacks before the injury, and there was a time where he looked like he could be the top Irish defender. The rising junior is set to have a huge matchup with Miami offensive tackles Francis Mauigoa and Markel Bell on Sunday. If Traore is able to get back to his full form and the impact he’s capable of, he could make himself a national name getting after quarterback Carson Beck. 

2. Notre Dame secondary doesn’t allow a passing touchdown 

Heading into the 2025 season, there is a very strong argument that Notre Dame has the best secondary in all of college football, or at least in the top two or three. Preseason All-American cornerback Leonard Moore is a star, possessing an impressive blend of size, length, and movement skills. Combine Moore with Christian Gray and Adon Shuler, and that is a tremendous baseline on the back end. You also have former Alabama transfer DeVonta Smith and a wealth of younger safety talent to get excited about. That group has a strong advantage against a makeshift Miami wide receiver room that boasts some unproven youth and underwhelming veterans. The Irish secondary needs to dominate for a huge victory this weekend, and I think they will. 

3. Carson Beck ends a 4-game streak 

Former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck had issues with turnovers in 2024 for the Bulldogs, including 12 interceptions and two lost fumbles. With Beck coming back from the elbow injury, he will need to prove that he can get back to 2023 form, and play much more consistent football. One thing of note, Beck actually didn't throw an interception during his last four games in Athens, so he was cleaning it up a bit. With some younger pass catchers around Beck, there is a chance that he could press a little bit, especially early on in the 2025 season. That could lead to a couple of errant throws, and less than ideal decisions against the Irish defense. The Notre Dame secondary should be able to create a turnover or two on Sunday night.