Counting Down the Irish — 15 to 11, where Notre Dame’s defensive depth becomes too much to overlook

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden will face a tough decision right away against Ohio State. At some point, the Buckeyes will have a third down. That might take a drive or two, as Ohio State’s offense will be that good, but the third down will eventually arrive.

Presume it is a third-and-four, neither passing nor rushing specific. If presenting a four-linemen front, will Golden drop to only two linebackers to match the Buckeyes’ personnel? If so, who comes off the field?

Last year’s leading tackler, nearly doubling No. 2’s takedowns? A player with a knack for finding the ball and causing chaos? Possibly the most dynamic among Notre Dame’s linebackers?

If Golden opts for only three linemen, does he remove the widest body in favor of veteran end Justin Ademilola?

Those players by name, in order, are senior linebacker JD Bertrand, senior linebacker Jack Kiser, senior linebacker Marist Liufau and junior defensive end Rylie Mills.

On one hand, that is an embarrassment of riches for Golden. Multiple defensive looks could qualify as Notre Dame’s best. On the other, pinpointing the right combination will be vital against offenses like Ohio State’s and USC’s.

As always, thank you to the 10 media members who took the time to rank the top quarter of Notre Dame’s roster …

No. 15 JD Bertrand, senior linebacker — 96 pointsUnanimously ranked.Highest rank: No. 6Lowest rank: No. 25

In a vacuum, it is utterly nonsensical that a player would make 101 tackles in a season, 46 more than the next defender, and then finish No. 15 among expected impactful players the following year. Not in a vacuum, it is initially even harder to square Bertrand’s placement here.

He played the entire 2021 season with a wrist injury. The Irish training