Notre Dame Football: Hot and Cold Takes VS North Carolina

How’d We Do Last Week

As mentioned last week, I will feature the Most Interesting, Most Wildly Inaccurate, and Most Accurate Takes for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the previous week. Here we go!

Interesting

“I’ll never let go” - All of us watching highlights of the Clemson game for the rest of our lives.

Wildly Inaccurate

Is 18/40 with a pick (and two dropped picks) good?

Accurate

By no means perfect, but you HAVE to respect the 3 TD call before half time. Book was LIGHTS OUT.

And now onto the takes between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the North Carolina Tar heels

Cold Take

Sam Howell Starts the Game Perfect

Photo by Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Nothing noteworthy here, but Sam Howell is a very very good quarterback. I think that Clark Lea will start off a bit conservative as to not get beat on a huge play early. Howell will take advantage of that and come out very sharp, hitting every throw on his first drive. Lea will also play it safe because UNC had a bye week and will have unique looks/packages out of the gate. Don’t fret if he does this......The North Carolina offense is potent, but streaky. Look for Lea and the defense to settle in and mix in a lot of pressures. The UNC offensive line is average, but the blitzes need to get home FAST or Howell will adjust. In my heart of hearts I think the defense only needs 2-3 stops and they will win this game...though I don’t anticipate that happening on the opening drive.

Hot Take

Ian Book Gets a Turkey (3 Rushing Touchdowns)

Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Ian Book has proven over the course of the last month to be ELITE at maneuvering in the pocket. Tommy Rees has been dialing up a lot more RPOs and designed quarterback runs. The play calls + a few new faces along the offensive line will pave the way for Book to see a lot of action on the ground. I love Book against this defense this weekend. #COOKBOOK

PS LOVE the cockiness of pumping the ball there. He had ZERO intention of throwing it but completely freezes the defender. My buddy (former WOPU Nation legend) Joe Romano used to do this all the time and pump fake 10-20 yards downfield. Incredibly savvy move.

Your Takes: Please leave your takes below (hot, cold medium-any temp). I will feature the Top Takes next week. GO IRISH!