Notre Dame was off this past week, but last time they took the field, the Irish lost to BYU 28-24. On the first drive of the game, Boubacar Traore was called for targeting. Not only did that lead to Traore being ejected from the game, but it also gave BYU a fresh set of downs. They would score a touchdown on the drive.
Now, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is revisiting the play, per Pete Sampson of The Athletic.
“There's no need to yell and scream at him,” Freeman said of his star defensive player. “He's gonna do whatever he can to make sure he doesn't miss another play.”
Traore played just five plays against BYU, but had been one of the most impactful players on the field. He has 18 tackles with 3.5 sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a touchdown on defense this year. Freeman noted the difference in his team when Traore is not on the field, per Mike Berardino of the South Bend Tribune.
“I consider Boubacar to be worth seven points a game. Him going out meant another touchdown for BYU,” Freeman said.
Considering Notre Dame lost by just four points, the difference in the game may have been Traore's ejection. Freeman has also been looking back at the BYU game as they prepare for the rest of the season.
Article Continues Below“It's important we had to own our shortcomings, our mistakes … and not just move on,” Freeman said of reviewing the BYU game.
Notre Dame is still a top team in the nation and will have Traore back in the lineup when they host Navy on Saturday.