Notre Dame Football: What We Learned after Beating Vanderbilt

Notre Dame football went to 3-0 with a win over Vanderbilt. But while the Irish improved in a few areas, there still are plenty of questions.

For Brian Kelly’s Notre Dame football team, there is reason to be encouraged following a win over Vanderbilt. First of all, it’s the first time the Irish have been 3-0 for the first time since 2015, a season that ended just short of the College Football Playoff. Next, Kelly’s defense, which is coordinated by first-time coordinator Clark Lea, has played lights-out, and is the reason the team is undefeated. And finally, the Irish were able to establish a running game after struggling in weeks one and two.

But, after two uncomfortable wins against perceived lesser opponents, it’s the question marks that loom large for Notre Dame.

Notre Dame has followed the same script in each of their three wins: Be aggressive early, get a lead, and let the defense be good enough to hold that lead.

Certainly, though, the Irish would prefer a different script–one that included the offense taking advantage of the play of their defensive counterparts. In three games, though, the Irish offense has been unable to extend Notre Dame’s second-half lead.

And as Vanderbilt found ways to move the ball against the Irish defense behind the precise passing of Kyle Shurmur, fans began to wonder whether the Irish would be able to rebound should Vanderbilt take the lead.

The bottom line is this: Notre Dame’s offense isn’t good enough to propel them to the College Football Playoff. They may not even be good enough to propel then to a bowl game on New Year’s Day.

And in a game where other groups of the Irish offense (the offensive line and running backs) seemed to take a step in the right direction, it was the lack of a passing game that prevented the Irish from putting Vanderbilt away. It was the lack of a passing game that prohibited the Irish from scoring more than 6 points in the second half.

There will be much debate about who should be the quarterback of the Notre Dame football team going forward. There will be analysis of play calling, wide receiver play, and establishing a good offensive balance. If the Irish find the answers to resurrecting a fairly anemic passing game, the sky is the limit for this team. But until the Irish find those answers, this team won’t reach it’s true potential.