Marcus Freeman blasts Notre Dame’s defense after 41-40 loss to Texas A\&M
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman expressed frustration with his defense following a 41-40 loss to Texas A\&M on Saturday night. Despite a thrilling back-and-forth game, Freeman pointed to defensive lapses as the reason his team couldn’t secure a win.
“It’s not good enough. We’re not executing well enough in the run and the pass. We’re not putting enough pressure on the quarterback… It’s not about the calls, it’s about the execution,” Freeman said post-game.
The Aggies exploited Notre Dame’s defense through the air, with quarterback Marcel Reed completing 17 of 37 passes for 360 yards and two touchdowns. Texas A\&M also rushed for 128 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries.
A bright spot for the Irish came from redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr, who made his first start at Notre Dame Stadium. Carr went 20-for-32 for 293 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He was sacked three times and called for intentional grounding, but Freeman praised his poise.
“You have to live with the tipped ball that turned into the pick,” Freeman said. “But overall, I thought he played really well. He led the offense, protected the ball, and put it in great spots for the wideouts.”
Notre Dame’s ground game was solid, with Jeremiyah Love rushing 23 times for 94 yards and a touchdown, and Jadarian Price adding 12 carries for 68 yards and two scores.
In the receiving game, Eli Raridon caught four passes for 85 yards, Malachi Fields had five receptions for 77 yards, and Love added four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown.
The Fighting Irish will look to bounce back when they face Purdue at home on Sept. 20 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
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