Following a tough start to the season that saw Notre Dame begin 0-2, the Irish are in the driver’s seat for an opportunity to make the College Football Playoff.
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The CFP selection committee ranked the 6-2 Irish No. 10 in its first rankings released on Tuesday night. Notre Dame will finish the regular season against Navy, No. 24 Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Stanford.
ND head coach Marcus Freeman had a tough decision to make this week as the team prepares to host the Midshipmen on Saturday. The Irish have dealt with issues in the kicking game all season. Most recently, Notre Dame missed three kicks (by three different kickers) in its 25-10 win over Boston College in Week 10.
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Freeman wanted to have a kicker battle this week in the hopes that the Irish could find a consistent kicker for the remainder of the season.
Per Tyler Horka of On3, ND is turning to Erik Schmidt as the kicker against Navy. The freshman missed a 35-yard field goal attempt against the Eagles but went 1-of-1 on extra point attempts. He’s 0-2 on field goal attempts for the season.
“At the end of the day, the ultimate decision to make is what is best for the team,” Freeman said.
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The Irish rotated kickers on Saturday. Noah Burnette missed his only extra point attempt. Marcello Diomede missed his only extra point attempt.
Notre Dame’s issues in the kicking game have gone beyond the kicker position. A botched hold by the backup quarterback Tyler Buchner late in the fourth quarter, turned out to be the difference in a 41-40 loss to Texas A&M in Week 3.
It’s worth noting Notre Dame had issues making field goals last season. Mitch Jeter missed two field goals in the Irish’s 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois. He missed several more throughout the regular season.
Jeter hit his stride in the CFP, going 7-of-9 on field goals in the playoffs to finish the season going 13-of-21 on field goal attempts. However, he was a perfect 54-of-54 on extra point attempts in 2024.
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