Game Observations: Notre Dame Offense From The 44-21 Win Over UNLV

Analysis of the Notre Dame offense from the team's 44-21 win over UNLV

Analysis of the Notre Dame offense from the team's 44-21 win over UNLV.

*** There were a couple of new wrinkles in today's offensive performance, but outside of that is was much of the same, just against an inferior opponent. We saw a couple of RPO completions in the first half, only to see them abandoned in the second half as Notre Dame decided to go into run out the clock mode at the start of the third quarter. We saw Notre Dame's backup tight end (who was a pretty good high school quarterback) take a couple of snaps in short yardage situations, and that was effective.

*** Beyond that this game was about Notre Dame having better players than UNLV and the Irish defense and special teams giving the offense great field position all game long. Notre Dame had six possessions that started in UNLV territory, including two that were at the 20-yard line or closer, and the offense converted just two of those into touchdowns. Yes, Notre Dame scored 44 points, but a well coached offense with a good game plan and aggressive play calling would have scored at least 17-20 more points than this.

*** Let's start with the run game. We saw a stretch play go for 8 yards in the third quarter, but with few exceptions it was the same overall philosophy. I'll have to go back and watch the film, but I do think we saw some Inside Zone today, which was effective (the first touchdown seemed to be that), but there was still no diversity in the run game. Notre Dame's "scan offense," which once again played a role in stunting any rhythm and momentum with this offense, seems to be looking to the sideline to figure out which A Gap run to call. 

*** Notre Dame did very little to attack the perimeter with the run game (the Jet sweep to Braden Lenzy was nice to see), and the Irish continue to use Chris Tyree - guy who runs a 4.3 - as a downhill, A Gap runner, which is nothing more than mismanagement by the offensive coordinator. Notre Dame was able to lean on UNLV's undersized defense with its lines, and the backs payed well for the most part, but from a plan and play-calling standpoint this was a very boring run game that primarily worked because UNLV came into this game with inferior defensive players and gave up 609 yards on the ground in its two most recent contests, a 40-7 loss to San Jose State and a 42-7 loss to Air Force.

*** Simply put, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to why they design and call the run game the way they do. A team with this line and this talent at running back should be much, much better at running the football, especially against a team like UNLV.

*** We saw 12 personnel continue to dominate this game. We also didn't see Notre Dame do much to get the second tight end - Mitchell Evans - involved much in the pass game. Having only four players consistently viewed as targets (and only three when the backs stay in and block) makes it much easier for opponents to use an extra defender to cover Michael Mayer. It also makes even less sense when you consider how much Notre Dame runs in the A Gaps. It's as if their constant use of 12 personnel is to protect the edges and not to add a gap to the perimeter of the line in order to use for Outside Zones, Stretch plays, Buck Sweeps or other perimeter runs that have worked so well for Notre Dame in past seasons. 

*** We saw the pass game look better early, with quarterback Drew Pyne hitting tight end Michael Mayer on a well-called bootleg that went for 23 yards on the second play of the game, and three plays later he hit Jayden Thomas on a well-called and well-thrown post route that went for 37 yards and set up the first touchdown. It was Notre Dame's first touchdown to start a game all season. The Irish came into this game with just six first quarter points, having mustered just two game opening field goals against Ohio State and BYU.

*** Pyne had a rough game, there's no doubt about that. He missed several open players, either by not hitting open receivers (he overthrew Braden Lenzy, threw too hot to Tobias Merriweather - both in the end zone) or he locked in on Mayer and failed to see open targets. Lenzy was wide open on a third-down incompletion that was forced to Mayer in the first quarter, and he missed Merriweather open on a pivot route in the third quarter that would have picked up a first down, and then some. Pyne locking in on Mayer on third down has been an issue for three straight games, and it doesn't appear they've done anything to fix it. Until that changes the Irish are going to continue being an inconsistent offensive football team. You can't have receivers getting open this frequently without getting targets if you expect to beat good football teams, which UNLV is not.

*** It wasn't all on Pyne, however. He did have a couple of very unfortunate drops. Lorenzo Styles continued his inconsistent play by dropping a third down drag route that would have moved the chains in the first quarter. Mayer dropped a pass in the end zone that was initially ruled a touchdown but was properly overturned. Mayer dropped a bubble screen that would have picked up positive yards as well. Why Mayer is the only Notre Dame player to get thrown a bubble screen is another conversation altogether, but he should have made the catch. When your quarterback is struggling these types of drops can be crushing, and are symbols of a unit that just isn't coached to play fundamentally sound football.

*** I'll have to watch the film to evaluate the offensive line, so tune into our Upon Further Review show on Sunday night (7:00 PM ET). We'll have more on the line after checking out the game film.

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