Notre Dame football: What the Irish offense can learn from Florida
By Brad Weiss
Notre Dame football must establish the run game
Alabama allowed only 54 yards to the Gators on the ground, as Florida abandoned the run pretty early, and really only leaned back on it when they were close to the goal line. They scored on the ground three times against the Tide, and while Kyren Williams and company did not really get going against Clemson, they cannot afford to go away from it against Alabama.
Establishing Williams early will enable the Irish to do two things, which will help their offense move the ball down the field against an elite defense. First, it will cause the Tide to respect the run just as much as they do the pass, and secondly, it will keep Alabama’s three-headed monster of Mac Jones, DeVonta Smith, and Najee Harris on the sidelines.
Williams proved all season long that he can produce in the biggest of moments, and the Irish need him to prove that once more on New Year’s Day.
Of course, as nearly 20-point underdogs, there are not many people out there that are expecting the Irish to win this game. The program has struggled in big games, but they are in the dance, and as we have seen all season long, anything can happen when big-time programs battle it out.