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Notre Dame Football Commentary: Rushing Attack Cannot Last

By Andrew Hall

CHESTNUT HILL, MA - SEPTEMBER 16: Josh Adams #33 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball during the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
CHESTNUT HILL, MA - SEPTEMBER 16: Josh Adams #33 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball during the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images) /
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The Notre Dame football team rushed for 515 yards against Boston College after only gaining 55 yards against Georgia. The Irish sprinted to 422 yards against Temple in the opener. Through three games, Notre Dame is averaging 330.67 yards per game. This total ranks 5th in the country. Despite this success, the Irish rushing attack is not sustainable.

Boom or Bust

Against Boston College, the majority of the rushing yards occurred on a handful of carries. 406 yards happened on only 14 carries. The remaining 109 yards occurred on 37 attempts. The average on the chunk plays is an absurd 29 yards per run. The remaining attempts only yielded a 2.95 yards per carry.

Teams definitely have better plays and worse plays. However, against defenses who will not allow these long runs, the rushing attack could struggle. Notre Dame only gained 55 yards against the Bulldogs.

The type of defense could be the cause for this “boom or bust”. Notre Dame is facing 8-men in the box frequently. If the Irish break the initial line of defense, a big play could be coming.

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Quarterback-centric Attack

The role that Wimbush plays is another possible issue. Through three games, the Junior Quarterback carried the ball 49 times. Many of those plays occurred on scrambles or broken plays. Wimbush’s 314 rushing yards represents 31.7% of Notre Dame’s rushing attack. Wimbush currently sits as the top non-option Quarterback in rushing yards.

As the year progresses, Wimbush will not be able to keep up this pace. He will not be able because a Quarterback cannot carry the ball that frequently and not sustain an injury. The injury does not have to remove him from the field. It can hamper his performance and willingness to run.

Bottom Line

Overall, the Notre Dame does not appear sustainable because of these factors. If the Irish hope to continue these video game numbers, more consistent play is needed. Notre Dame’s improvement in the passing game will also play a huge role in whether or not the Fighting Irish continues this type of play. If Notre Dame develops a respectable passing game, opposing defense will not be able to put eight players in the box

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