SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 08: Kurt Hinish #41 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish fights off a double team by Zac Ricketts #71 and Andrew Poenitsch #64 of the Ball State Cardinals at Notre Dame Stadium on September 8, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Ball State 24-16.(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Every good team has an identity–a place where it can hang its hat. Where will the Notre Dame football team of 2019 hang its hat?

The last time the Notre Dame football team played in the National ChampionIrish establishing championship identity behind depth of defensive lineIrish establishing championship identity behind depth of defensive lineship game, it was obviously apparent the way that team hung its hat on a solid defense and game managing on offense. The Irish leaned on their defense and used a two-quarterback system (is it fair to call it that?) to find a way to win games. That was their identity.

When I started thinking about what the identity of the 2019 team, I wondered about Notre Dame’s biggest strength. It seems to be pretty obvious where this strength is: The defensive line.

Notre Dame, without a doubt, will hang its hat on the strong play of its defensive line. Its identity will certainly involve getting their opponents “behind the sticks” and unleashing a lethal pass rush to make 3rd downs a nightmare for their opponents and get the ball back for an offense with a load of weapons.

And then I continued to think about this identity and I thought to myself, “this is the exact type of identity that the best teams have.”

The two perennial College Football Playoff stalwarts–the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Clemson Tigers–build their teams on the talent of their respective defensive lines. Furthermore, the Irish have recruited and developed talent along the defensive line better in recent years under Brian Kelly than they did before Kelly and his staff came to the helm.

When was the last time that Notre Dame had a combination of players as good as Julian Okwara, Khalid Kareem, Daelin Hayes, and company along the defensive line? When was the last time the Irish had the depth on the defensive line with the likes of Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, Kurt Hinish, Jacob Lacey, Jamion Franklin, Hunter Spears, Jayson Ademiloa, Justin Ademiloa, Adetokunbo Ogundeji, Ovie Oghoufo, and Nana Osafo-Mensah?

I just named about half the team right there… but do you see my point? The Irish are deep on the defensive line and the young guys are developing.

I’ve said for a long time that Notre Dame is getting close. They’re reaching a point in recruiting and player development that the proverbial “peak” is near.

The depth and the talent of the defensive line is where the Irish will hang their hat, and if history is any indication, they will be all the better for it in the long run.