Four Notre Dame freshmen played in the 24-17 victory over Michigan last weekend. Many more than that will debut against Ball State on Saturday.
That is in part because of the lower level of competition. No matter how one looks at it, the Irish simply should not face the same challenge or pressure against a team that went 2-10 last year compared to a top-15 opponent like Michigan. That creates an opportunity for a handful of inexperienced players, just as it always has.
This year is different, as has been abstractly discussed at length. The NCAA now allows players to take the field in up to four games without burning a year of eligibility.