Notre Dame's start to the season has been up and down, to say the least. The offense, as a whole, has been bogged down and one-dimensional with Riley Leonard's inability to move the ball down the field. The loss to NIU has been a shock to the whole program and has left the team surrounded by questions. The questions have gotten louder, as Notre Dame followed up a blowout win to Purdue with another subpar performance against Miami (Ohio). With this being said, there are bright spots on this team that are worth noting.
Photo by The Irish Tribune
The Running Game
Although the offense has been sluggish this season, the Irish running attack has been productive and the offense's main source of big plays this season. Notre Dame's rushing game is featured by Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, and Riley Leonard. Love, a sophomore, has shown off his shifty running style and his explosive burst to get to the next level of the defense. Price, second to Love in carries, is a more physical runner, but that doesn't stop him from also having big-play potential every time he touches the ball. Both of these running backs have been the staple of the offense. Their big runs against Texas A&M were the difference in that game, as they continue to prove why they are a dangerous duo for any defense. Leonard is the third component of this rushing attack. There are plenty of questions about Leonard's arm, but his ability to run the ball is undeniable. Leonard has already run for 322 yards and six touchdowns. Leonard's skill, as a runner, seems to be developing even more over the last two games where five of his touchdowns have come from. Without a consistent and efficient passing attack, this running game needs to continue to be effective and explosive for the remainder of the year.
The Offensive Line
Notre Dame's biggest question mark coming into this season was the offensive line. This was mainly caused by the extreme lack of experience among the starters. That starting line has since changed due to a season-ending injury to Ashton Craig, and an injury to Billy Schrauth that will keep him off the field for multiple weeks. Even with youth and injuries, this line has held up well so far this season. The young line was tested early against a talented A&M defense on the road and ended up controlling the line of scrimmage late in the game. This line is certainly not perfect, but they have been able to perform at a level to allow the team to win games. Leonard has been able to stay upright for the most part, only getting sacked four times this season. Yes, he is a hard player to sack due to his speed, but the offensive line has done well to keep players off of him. The line seems to be at its best when Notre Dame wants to run the ball. They have now blocked for an offense that has 953 yards on the ground, resulting in 13 touchdowns. This line could see improvements in pass protection, but for being a young and inexperienced line, they have played well to start the year.
The Defense
Last but certainly not least, this Notre Dame defense continues to play at an exceedingly high level. Coming into this season, this defense had high expectations to be one of the best units in the country, and they have done exactly that. Headlined by Benjamin Morrison, Xavier Watts, and Howard Cross III, this defense has been able to shut down every offense they have played. Morrison has proven again why he is one of the best cornerbacks in the country, Watts is still a tremendous playmaker, and Cross holds down the middle of the field, but it is the newer cast of players that have taken them to the next level. Cornerback, Christian Gray has been an excellent player on this defense as just a sophomore. He came up huge against A&M with the game-sealing pass breakup. Along with that, Gray had another great game this past week against Miami (Ohio). In that game, he tipped a ball that resulted in an interception and had a pick of his own. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa has been another great addition to this defense. As a freshman, he has become a true playmaker for this defense with his incredible athleticism and instincts. This defense has shown a nice blend of experience and youth. The experience features some of the best defensive players in the country while the youth has a lot of exciting players with a ton of promise. All of that has led to a defense that has put up some impressive statistics. So far, quarterbacks are only completing 42.7% of passes against this secondary. On the ground, this defense is giving up only 121 yards, but the most impressive part of this defense is its ability to keep teams out of the end zone, only allowing three touchdowns through four games. Maybe the most important part of this defense is their playmaking ability. Notre Dame's offense has struggled, but they have been able to get extra chances due to this defense's playmaking ability, taking the ball away six times. This defense will have to continue to pick up the slack, as the offense tries to find its footing.
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