Notre Dame Football: Offensive position grades against Louisville
By Ben Belden
Notre Dame football took to the field Monday night to tango with Louisville. Overall, the offense was lackluster, but did enough to get the win.
The Notre Dame football team expected to have a solid offense in 2019, especially considering the return of quarterback Ian Book. Overall, the Irish offense looked solid at times, but scattered more often than not. The Irish did enough to get the win, but will need to improve in order to truly compete for a College Football Playoff.
Offensive line: B+
The offensive line had an up and down game. On the game’s first drive, they were dominant, allowing the Irish to run the ball down the field to score a touchdown. Overall, the Irish ran for 230 yards and 5.5 yards per carry, which was more than enough to win this one.
The big guys up front weren’t perfect, however. They did allow a few pressures on quarterback Ian Book early on. Still, it’s hard to look at the offensive line and not feel optimistic.
Running backs: A
Overall, the Irish running backs shone the brightest against Louisville.
We weren’t able to see much out of starting running back Jafar Armstrong, who appeared to suffer a groin injury after catching a crossing route on the first drive of the game.
But Tony Jones, Jr. looked as good as he has in an Irish uniform. Jones carried the ball 15 times for 112 yards and a score.
Wide receivers and tight ends: B+
It’s hard to knock the Irish receivers in this one. Although the Irish passing game wasn’t particularly great, it’s hard to place the blame. Without a doubt, Chase Claypool distinguished himself as the number one receiver, while youngsters Lawrence Keys and Tommy Tremble made big plays.
Quarterback: C+
Without a doubt, this wasn’t Ian Book’s greatest performance. That said, the Irish still put up 35 points. Book finished the game 14 for 19, amassing 193 yards and connecting for 1 touchdown. Book was solid on the ground, carrying the ball 14 times for 81 yards and adding another score.
It must be nice to play poorly and still lead your team to 35 points.
Next. My favorite Notre Dame football player: Manti Te'o. dark
Book looked more comfortable as the game went along and now has the opportunity to view some tape and improve upon his play during next week’s bye.