What We Learned in Week One About the Notre Dame Running Back Room
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
For the past two seasons, Notre Dame grew accustomed to the extremely talented running back duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. With both players drafted in the first round, Notre Dame was left with a huge hole to fill. After week one, here are some early thoughts for this group going forward.
Making a Huge Impact in the Pass Game
One aspect of the RB room that immediately jumped off the page was this group's ability to be a target in the passing game. While running the ball was tough going for most of the game, Aneyas Williams and Nolan James Jr. had no problems displaying their usefulness as pass-catchers. Although Williams caught only one pass, he has been a viable third-down receiving threat for Notre Dame in past years. During his freshman season, he became the go-to third-down back, even making a huge catch in the Orange Bowl that led to an Irish touchdown to tie the game. Williams will surely have bigger receiving games than this, but it was James who stole the show in this aspect of the game.
Coming into the game, it was still a bit unclear who would be getting the bulk of the reps, whether that was Williams, James, or Kedren Young. James did not see much success on the ground, but he did make some of the biggest plays of the game through the air. On the first drive after halftime, James received a check-down pass where he made multiple Wisconsin players miss, resulting in a 28-yard play to set up Notre Dame's second touchdown. Later in the second half, James once again showed off his hands with a really tough catch with a defender draped all over him. While the play did not result in a lot of yards, it did display just how good his hands are, especially for a running back. He put the cherry on top of an already great night on Notre Dame's last drive, where he once again took a mundane pass for 28 yards and a touchdown. In total, James finished with four catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Notre Dame May Need to Find a New Way to Create Explosive Plays
Last season, Love and Price almost single-handedly supplied Notre Dame with all of its explosive plays. Love was seemingly due for a breakaway run once a game, and Price would often match in the run or return game. Together, they made the Irish run game efficient, productive, and explosive. After week one, it does not appear that this group contains that same level of explosiveness, which is not necessarily a bad thing. In the first half against Wisconsin, Notre Dame's run game was bogged down, often just gaining a yard or two per attempt. As the game went on, Williams began to gash the Badgers for bigger gains, largely due to the improvement across the offensive line. This improvement displayed that Notre Dame's rushing attack may come in a more "grind it out" style this season. They may look at their deep RB room as a way to keep backs fresh and wear down opposing defenses. Last season, Love and Price were big play threats that could win games with just a few runs. This room may be one that plays the long game with physical runs that accumulate over the course of an entire game. Both styles can be equally effective, but it takes patience. If this group is one that struggles to create big plays, Notre Dame will have to be able to find it elsewhere.
The Run Game May Take Time
The most important thing for Notre Dame fans who are worried about the run game is patience. Even against Wisconsin, the run game saw a noticeable improvement in just one half. While it is valid to have concerns, there is also a lot of time to continue improving. One aspect of the run game that needs to improve is the offensive line. While there is a lot of experience on the line, there are also a lot of players playing a new position. These are all talented players, so they all just need more games under their belt as a unit to reach their full potential. In just one game, they seemed able to make the necessary adjustments to change the trajectory of that game. For the running backs, they are also in an unfamiliar role. Although Williams has seen a lot of playing time, this is the first time he is being asked to receive the bulk of the carries. For James and Young, this is their first time playing real minutes. The trio should become more and more comfortable reading blocks, fighting through tackles, and carrying out all the other roles necessary for the position. Think back to last year against Miami; the Irish running attack was lethargic for much of that game, too, even with two first-round draft picks. After that game, they went on to carry the offense, so it may be best to give this unit the time they need to grow into the season.
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