Notre Dame Offense Must Become More Explosive

Ripping off more big plays is a must for the Notre Dame offense in 2023

When evaluating areas where Notre Dame must get better on offense in 2023, one that jumps out is the need for the offense to become far more explosive. Notre Dame has had its moments over the years when big plays were a key part of the offense's success, but by and large it has been a problem area for the Irish.

This was especially true last season, with the Notre Dame offense struggling to rip off big plays. When you can't generate plays of 20 yards or more it requires the offense to be highly efficient if it's going to be able to put points on the board. It also widens the margin for error by forcing the offense to run even more plays if it's going to put points on the board.

Offensive coordinator Gerad Parker will be tasked with taking an offense that struggled to rip off big plays and making it a far, far more explosive unit. Last season, Notre Dame ranked 69th nationally in plays of 30 or more yards, 118th in plays of 40 yards or more, and 110th in plays of 50 yards or more.

Notre Dame is going to have a very, very hard time getting back to the College Football Playoff, and then doing damage once they get there, if Parker and the offense don't become a lot more explosive.

Look at the numbers below, which compare the playoff teams each season to where Notre Dame has been.

No matter how you slice it, Notre Dame hasn't come close to stacking up with playoff teams when it comes to big plays. This is especially true with teams that played for the title. In the graph above, the two teams that advantaged to the title game were listed first, with the national champion being listed on top. (Note: 2020 was not used due to the variance in games played due to Covid-19 cancellations)

The teams that have played in the title game in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 ranked 1st (twice), 2nd, 3rd (three times), 4th and 7th of plays of 20 yards or more. Outside of Alabama in 2021, all of the teams to play for the title in those seasons ranked in the Top 20 in plays of 30 yards or more, and six of the teams ranked 8th or higher.

Every team that played for the title in the four seasons discussed above finished 27th or higher in plays of 50 yards or more, and six finished in the Top 10.

Notre Dame's struggles have been especially true in the pass game. Notre Dame ranked 44th in pass plays of 20 yards or more last season, 39th in pass plays of 30 yards or more, and 117th in pass plays of 40 yards or more last season. Notre Dame's highest ranking for pass plays of at least 30 yards or more in that stretch was 30th, and with a low of 71st.

Notre Dame's ranking on pass plays of 40 yards or more has been 117th (2022), 44th (2021), 48th (2019) and 84th (2018) in the most recent stretch.

Parker will have to find ways to get more big game production out of the pass game. Getting Chris Tyree involved should help, and sophomore Tobias Merriweather also provides big play potential. Tyree has two scores of 90+ yards in his career and two more scores of 50+ yards, both in the pass game.Merriweather has just one career catch, but it was a 41-yard touchdown.

The good news for Notre Dame is it now has a quarterback with a track record of being a big time big play quarterback.

Sam Hartman ranked 9th in the country in pass completions of at least 30 yards last season, and he ranked 19th in pass completions of 40 yards or more. He did that while playing 12 games.

Hartman ranked 2nd nationally in pass completions of 30 yards or more in 2021, and he ranked 11th in completions of 40 yards or more that season.

If Hartman, Tyree, Merriweather and the rest of the pass game weapons can generate the big play production Notre Dame needs it makes the run game far, far more dangerous. Imagine Audric Estime, Jadarian Price, Gi'Bran Payne, Jeremiyah Love and Devyn Ford running in an offense that has forces opponents to protect against the pass game. That's a recipe to Notre Dame becoming the kind of explosive, big play, high-scoring offense it must be if the Irish are going to make a playoff run, and then do damage once they get there.

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