10 Strategies for Notre Dame to Overcome Offensive Line Worries Against Texas A&M

How will Irish OC Mike Denbrock work around an uncertain offensive line?

Notre Dame offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Mike Denbrock addresses media after a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK

Not an ideal first game to have this kind of worry

Timing is everything in life, and often in football as well.

As Notre Dame gets ready to start their 2024 campaign it feels like most fans and pundits feel great about the overall talent on this football team. That being said, every team has certain areas they feel better about than others.

For the Irish, the biggest question mark entering the year is the offensive line that is dealing with injury, quality depth, and youth concerns.

It's quite common for teams to wonder how their offensive lines will hold up entering a year. Given Notre Dame's Week 1 opponent and their clear strength, the defensive front and pass rush, emphasis on this unit has reached a fever pitch. Will this line be able to hold up in Game 1 against the best pass rush it will face all year?

#NotreDame O-line intrigue continues and could become an ongoing saga
Freshman Anthonie Knapp and sophomore Sam Pendleton surge, but position battles remain active at LT and LG.@insideNDsports https://t.co/bMnJ9gLQ0S pic.twitter.com/K9vIcHPoo4

— Eric Hansen (@EHansenND) August 17, 2024

There are many ways to mitigate Texas A&M's defensive front

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock will need to get creative to find ways to mitigate the Aggies' aggressive and skilled defensive front. In the run game, RPOs for Riley Leonard, running north-south, and using misdirection could all be effective in slowing down the A&M rush.

In the passing game, quick screens, slants, and dump-offs can be utilized to offset incoming pressure. Rolling Riley Leonard out to keep him on the move could also be a useful tool, as would speeding up the offense with increased tempo.

This matchup will be a challenge for the Irish, and it’ll be incumbent on Mike Denbrock to find answers sooner rather than later.

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