Notre Dame Interior Offensive Line Must Show Growth In 2024

Notre Dame's interior offensive line has a chance to be really good, but growth is needed to get to that point

Nov 27, 2021; Stanford, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive lineman Rocco Spindler / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame broke spring practice last month with the certainty that its offensive line is loaded with talent. It also broke the camp with the certainty that the majority of that talent is inexperienced but the interior of the Irish line exited the spring on the upswing. 

Left guard Pat Coogan was the only Fighting Irish lineman to start all 13 games last season after Joe Alt and Blake Fisher started all 12 games in the regular season but opted out of the Sun Bowl. 

"Pat was that steady guy, I think the only guy that started every game last year,” Irish offensive line coach Joe Rudolph said during the spring. “He battles, man, and he's tough, and we talked about, for him, his biggest improvement more than anything needed to be making gains in the weight room, and then transferring that strength to the field and I think he's really done that. He’s really proud of the growth he's taken in there. They've done a great job with them helping him to make those strides, and then you see it. Now he’s starting to trust it.”

While Coogan brings back the most experience from last year’s unit, his status for this season could be up in the air. Rocco Spindler, who started Notre Dame’s first 10 games at right guard and then missed the last three contests against Wake Forest, Stanford and Oregon State due to injury, was back this spring and found himself rounding into form late in the spring. 

Spindler being out created an opportunity for redshirt sophomore Billy Schrauth, who took full advantage and has since locked down the right guard spot. That shifted Spindler over to left guard, where he will compete with Coogan.

"When Rocco and Pat started (at the beginning of the season), they were better and that’s why they played,” Rudolph explained. "It doesn't mean that's the end of the world for anybody else. You just continue. It's part of your story. It's part of your journey and you gain strength from that. When Billy had a chance to go back in there and play, he played exceptionally well and that's a great credit and he was excited about being able to get out  there. 

“But Billy was the biggest fan of Rocco’s when Rocco was in and he talked to him when he came to the sideline,” Rudolph continued. “When Billy went in and played, the first guy that hit me up was Rocco. ‘Man, Billy played great!’ Those guys want to be a great O-Line at Notre Dame. So even though there's competition within the group, their overall vision has to be a special group here. That as a fan, as a coach, as anyone, you appreciate that.”

Schrauth played in the first 10 games last season, but he didn’t make his first start until game 11 against Wake Forest after Spindler’s season-ending injury. 

Spindler was especially good in the Blue-Gold Game, earning the highest grade among the Gold team blockers according to Irish Breakdown.

Coogan and Spindler will battle at left guard, but redshirt sophomore Ashton Craig has a firm lock on the starting center job after last year’s starter, Zeke Correll, transferred to NC State before the spring semester. 

"Ash is really smart,” Rudolph said of the rising junior who has sophomore eligibility. "He's done a great job of that. There  was some moments where last year at spring and fall camp, where he would really flash ability, but kind of those things weren't there yet. You know what I mean? I just think he continued to work and study and follow and when he got his opportunity to get out there, I think he was ready for it. And so that's good. Like that's that's the kind of growth you want to have.” 

If Notre Dame is going to have an offensive line capable of fueling a top offense, the interior must thrive. That means growth from Schrauth and Craig, and the left guard battle resulting in better play this season. If that happens the Irish interior will give the Irish a great foundation to build the offense around.

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