No more slow starts: What Notre Dame’s second-half surge could mean against Rice

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame spent all fall camp talking about eliminating slow starts.

Then Week 1 happened.

The Irish scored just 13 points in the first half against Wisconsin and went into halftime leading by only three before looking like a completely different offense after the break.

Head coach Marcus Freeman called it a “tale of two halves.” His halftime message was simple: Stop worrying about what the game was supposed to look like and go play Notre Dame football.

C.J. Carr said the Irish embraced the fight.

“We prepared for a battle, and we got a battle in the first half,” Carr said. “We were excited coming out to the second half because Free talks about there’s nothing greater that comes from something that’s easy.”

Notre Dame eventually found its rhythm, but not everything about the offense was balanced.

Jordan Faison drew eight targets, while Jaden Greathouse and Mylan Graham were much quieter. Freeman made it clear afterward that the Irish are not interested in forcing touches simply to spread the ball around.

“We have to be efficient,” Freeman said. “At the end of the day, we got to score points.”

Sophomore running back Nolan James Jr. certainly made his opportunities count.

James entered the opener with just 37 career rushing yards and no college receptions. He left Lambeau Field with his first career touchdown — and still graded his own performance as “average.”

“I was trying to press things a little too much,” James said. “I have to be more patient and just slow down and let the game come to me.”

But perhaps the most interesting second-half change came up front. Styles Prescod handled the first-half reps at right guard before Sullivan Absher took over in the second, when Notre Dame’s offense finally began to break through.

Notre Dame did not spend this week celebrating the second-half turnaround, though. Just two days after Wisconsin, Freeman put the Irish back in full pads for what he dubbed a “Bloody Tuesday.” That sets up the biggest question for Saturday against Rice: Does Notre Dame need another halftime wake-up call, or does the offense that finished Week 1 finally show up from the opening drive?