Notre Dame Football: The Importance of the Irish Secondary Against Michigan

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Michigan has been blaring music this week during practice, trying to prepare for a raucous road environment Saturday night. But it was Notre Dame football that turned up the volume early in the week, aiming to improve its communication in the secondary.

Joe Raymond/Associated Press

After Notre Dame allowed five explosive plays (four passes), three of which Irish head coach Brian Kelly attributed to poor communication, in its season-opening 48-17 win over Rice, defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder increased the decibels in the meeting room.

“I was in the quarterback meeting room and I could hear our safeties communicating very well during film study,” Kelly said Tuesday with a knowing smile.

“Coach VanGorder … made it clear during the meetings how he wants those guys to communicate,” Kelly added.

VanGorder and Kelly want the defensive backs—the safeties, in particular—to be more demonstrative and to take control. Irish graduate student safety and captain Austin Collinsworth typically handles that communicative role, but Collinsworth has been sidelined with an MCL injury.

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Senior S Austin Collinsworth will miss today's season opener vs. Rice with an injury. Elijah Shumate will start in his place.

— Michael Bertsch (@NDsidBertschy) August 30, 2014"

“Austin was very good at [the communication aspect],” Kelly said Tuesday. “It was part of his DNA. That was his strength of who he was.”

With Collinsworth on crutches, junior safety Elijah Shumate hopped into the starting spot against the Owls, joining sophomore starter Max Redfield. Shumate had less than 48 hours to prepare for his start, and Redfield was forced to play without his running mate Collinsworth, who had been handling much of the quarterback-like preparations and communications.

“These are things that Max and Elijah are going to have to continue to get better at,” Kelly said of the communication. “These guys are going to have to take control as if they have that same kind of ability [as Collinsworth], and they're going to have to do it right now. Michigan is on them, and it's going to have to happen immediately.”

Michigan is on them, and Wolverines junior wide receiver Devin Funchess will be looking to blow by them. The 6’5” 230-pounder terrorized Appalachian State in Michigan’s season-opening 52-14 win. Funchess reeled in seven receptions for 95 yards and a career-high three touchdowns.

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Devin Funchess with 3 TD in 1st game wearing #1. Last time Michigan WR wore #1 was Braylon Edwards on Jan. 1, 2005 (also had 3 TD in game)

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 30, 2014"

Asked about his talented wide receiver two days after the victory, Michigan graduate student quarterback Devin Gardner made a clear yet bold statement.

“He can probably be the best receiver to ever play here,” Gardner said simply.

Now, whether Funchess ends up better than former Michigan greats Braylon Edwards, David Terrell and Desmond Howard is another story. The point, though, is Notre Dame has its hands full with Funchess.

“Funchess being on the perimeter is a matchup problem, and he will be a matchup problem for everybody he plays this year,” Kelly said. “We will have to find ways obviously to slow him down, and he's going to be difficult, and Gardner has played great against us.”

Notre Dame’s secondary will have to communicate well to at least be in position to slow down Funchess and the Michigan aerial attack.

Otherwise, it could get quiet quickly in Notre Dame Stadium.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Mike Monaco is a lead Notre Dame writer for Bleacher Report. Follow @MikeMonaco_ on Twitter.