Room for Improvement: Why the Notre Dame Offense will Peak Sooner Rather than Later (As History Shows)
Much has been said of the Notre Dame offense through the early portion of the season. And while there has been obvious growth in some areas in dire need of reinforcement in years past, there is still much to be desired from a team with national championship aspirations.
Photo by USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
It's early enough in the 2026 season that many of the top contenders are still working out obvious kinks or flaws. As I write this, the defending national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers, have just finished off Northwestern in a less-than-convincing victory, 29-23. But for the Fighting Irish, the final scores have been impressive enough thus far to maintain their standing as the third-ranked team in both the AP and Coaches Polls through their first three contests. The defense, as usual, is the anchor of a team whose potential seemed to reach new heights during the offseason.
However, despite starting 3-0 through the month of September for the first time in Marcus Freeman's tenure, many fans and pundits have pointed out that the offense, and more specifically the rushing attack, has appeared to become a glaring weakness as we march toward October.
Well, as I had mentioned earlier, many of the best teams in the country are still trying to find their footing as they navigate the ever-confusing CFP landscape, and the same can be said for the Fighting Irish. The good news? Many of these issues have been commonplace for Notre Dame over the last handful of seasons, in which the Irish were able to (mostly) right the ship in time. And without a marquee matchup until November, there is still plenty of time to get things pointed in the right direction. So, what are some smaller actions we can expect Notre Dame to take that may end up making all the difference? Let's take a look.
The Offensive Line - Time to Get Right
As a program that is perennially in the conversation for the Joe Moore Award, you would expect the offensive line to be able to get more push than we have seen. I will try and stay away from the RB1 debate and focus on one thing that I know has been true since around 2021; The offensive line has needed time to gel before we see a product that is reminiscent of a contender. Whether it be turnover at the tackle position, injuries along the interior, or just run-of-the-mill rustiness, this is a position Notre Dame has been accustomed to for some time. Let's go back to that date I pointed out - Notre Dame opened the 2021 season against a Florida State team that was in decline. And in a similar vein to this season, the line featured some new faces alongside some incredibly talented and well-established players. Despite the talent gap in the trenches, Notre Dame, (and now star NFL RB) Kyren Williams, only managed to muster a measly 42 rushing yards on 18 carries. A rough start for a group that featured what many thought would be one of the best units in the country. Williams would again be held to 78 yards the following week against... Toledo. A game which required some late heroics, by the way. It wasn't until the Irish approached the midseason mark before they were able to find their footing on the ground. The same has been true, and will continue to be true for Notre Dame until proven otherwise. TLDR; Don't panic, this is nothing new. The Irish line will gel and round into form.
The Receiving Corps - Let's Diversify
Oh man, am I ever tired of talking about Notre Dame being a one-dimensional team - because while this may have been slightly true in years past, there is simply way too much talent on the outside for this to continue to be the case. Fans have been frustrated with the bill of goods that was sold to them in the offseason. Multiple five-star transfers from Ohio State? A healthy Jaden Greathouse? One of the most reliable receivers in the country in Jordan Faison? One might presume the Irish to be spoiled on paper. But games aren't played on paper, and sometimes, the expectations are too high too early. Such is the case for this particular group. Through two games, Jordan Faison seemed to be Notre Dame's key to moving the ball through the air, as they continued to brute-force a running game that struggled to put the offense in position to stay on schedule, and Faison would be the only receiver to create separation. However, this trend came to a screeching halt last week, as Micah Gilbert, the ever-talented junior, put together a performance that hadn't been seen from a wideout in nearly a decade. As this offence learns who it is, I expect the wealth to be shared further through the remainder of September and well into October. I understand being antsy about a passing attack that isn't historically a strength. But with a quarterback as intelligent as CJ Carr, and talent on the outside that I haven't seen since the days of Michael Floyd, it really is a matter of who is going to step up before the teeth of the schedule. And Gilbert's performance further punctuates this narrative. The Irish are simply too talented to be a one-man show in the passing game. And as confidence builds, so will the product on the field.
The Running Backs - Committee Expansion
Breaking news: Replacing two first-round picks in the backfield is not a slam dunk. Notre Dame has been on the wrong end of conversations when it comes to their stable of backs for the better part of three weeks, and it's easy to see why. Last season, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price formed the most lethal duo in an Irish backfield this millennium. With both declaring, and subsequently making history in the NFL Draft for Notre Dame, that left what was formerly a powerful ground attack in the hands of Aneyas Williams, a junior back who made teams pay on third down out of the backfield throughout his career. Unfortunately, Williams has looked less than explosive, to put it nicely, through the first handful of games. This has led to more of a committee approach in the room, with Nolan James earning the Lion's share of the carries last week after an impressive opening resume. And despite the tandem of backs earning plenty of reps, yards on the ground are still incredibly hard to come by. Well, this is why I started this piece discussing Kyren William's early struggles in 2021 - he ultimately eclipsed 1,000 yards. It's just not realistic to expect the explosiveness we have been accustomed to between two backs who proved to ultimately be what NFL GMs believed were the top-2 ball carriers in the draft. After Williams' humbling performance against Michigan State, I think the staff will lean on a committee of more than two members to mix up the style and what the defense will ultimately key in upon. Backs like Kedren Young and Jonaz Walton have earned high praise from the staff, and once again, after a period osettling innt and trusting the more experienced athletes, I expect Notre Dame will ultimately make a change that galvanizes the backs and keeps defenses honest enough that the backfield won't be running into a line of defenders. It's likely not a matter of if - but when for this talented backfield.
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