Marcus Freeman thinks Notre Dame’s run game is moving in the right direction, and the latest proof came in the form of a steady, productive day against Purdue.
The Irish ran for 177 yards on 32 carries and found the end zone twice on the ground in that game, a showing that stood out because the rushing attack hadn’t really taken hold the way many expected early in the season. Notre Dame has still scored at least twice on the ground in every game this year, but the first three outings never quite delivered the kind of consistent push the offense wanted, as the team averaged less than 3.8 yards per carry over that stretch.
Freeman said the progress is showing up in a few different places.
"It's improving, and some of those things are schematic things we're doing," Freeman shared. "We're coaching a little bit different based on what we believe the O-line and the running backs do well.
Our guys are getting comfortable with each other, those five offensive linemen working together and the backs understanding how they can read certain blocks. But it's improving, and again, I told you guys last Monday that that Sunday meeting was important that we had, and maybe that was two weeks ago, but it is definitely improving.”
The offensive line is part of the equation, and the group looks different from a year ago. Freeman’s bigger concern - and the area drawing the most attention - has been the backfield after Notre Dame lost two first round NFL Draft picks there.
Even with those departures, the room still has plenty of talent. Junior Aneyas Williams, sophomore Nolan James Jr. and freshman Jonaz Walton have handled most of the work so far, and the rotation is still being sorted out.
"We know what Aneyas and Nolan can do," Freeman said of the two older backs. "Jonaz is really creating a lot of trust in our coaches.
I think he brings a little bit something different with his running style. And, again, how many we'll use is to be determined.
But as long as the guys that are on the field are producing, we'll roll them, keep them fresh and try to keep hits off of them.
"We're also not going to roll them every series just because we want to kind of get them in a rhythm," Freeman continued about the logic behind the running back rotation. I don't know the exact answer.
Will it be two? Will it be three?
Will it be four? But as long as they're producing, we're going to keep those guys on the field.”
Notre Dame isn’t at the point where the rushing attack is fully settled, but the signs are better than they were at the start. Freeman sees the unit trending upward, and the next game should offer another useful test of just how far the Irish ground game has come.
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