The Notre Dame football team questions marks on offense, but when all is said and done, it could be an explosive unit after all.
The 2022 college football season is still months away, but as the Irish work their way through spring practices ahead of the Blue-Gold Game, questions surround the offense. We still do not know who will be the starting quarterback when the team kicks off their season against Ohio State, and there are still depth issues at wide receiver.
This summer, Tobias Merriweather will join the program, adding another body to the wide receiver room, but they have very small numbers right now. At quarterback, it will come down to a two-man battle between Tyler Buchner and Drew Pyne, and right now, nobody has an edge with two weeks left before the Blue-Gold Game.
That game is going to be a good indication of who will emerge as the potential starter at the most important position in sports. While questions are still looming, there is still a lot to like about this Notre Dame football team on the offensive side of the ball, an offense that could be very hard to stop this season.
Here, we look at three reasons why the Irish offense will be explosive in 2022.
Notre Dame football: 3 reasons the Irish offense will be explosive in 2022
Playmakers
First things first, the Notre Dame football team is not lacking when it comes to playmaking talent. Sure, there are a limited number of bodies in the wide receiver room, but when it comes to pure talent, every single one of those players can bring something special to the offense on any given weekend.
Take Lorenzo Styles Jr. for instance. This is a kid who stepped in as a true freshman last season and contributed in any way he could before breaking out against Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl. He joins a starting wideout group that includes veterans Avery Davis and Braden Lenzy, and there is plenty of talent behind them.
At tight end, the Irish boast the best player at the position in the country, as Michael Mayer returns for what is likely his final season in South Bend. He is a matchup nightmare, and against Ohio State, he is going to show the rest of the country why his being snubbed for the John Mackey Award last season was an absolute joke.
Now, onto the running back room.
Notre Dame football: 3 reasons the Irish offense will be explosive in 2022
Deep Running Back room
One of the big losses for this year’s team in terms of the offense is running back Kyren Williams, who is now expected to be a Day 3 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. For the past two years, Williams has run over, or around the opposing defenses, putting together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Now, the team will turn to a collection of talented running backs, including Logan Diggs, who was used primarily as Williams’s backup last season. The true sophomore will be joined by fellow true sophomore Audric Estime atop the depth chart in 2022, and the Irish also return the versatile Chris Tyree, who can be a real playmaker in the run or passing game.
True freshman Jadarian Price also joins the party in 2022, and he is a kid who is going to have a bright future in South Bend. When you look at it, Tommy Rees could call on as many as four running backs whenever he needs someone this season, and that is a great asset for him going into life without Williams.
Notre Dame football: 3 reasons the Irish offense will be explosive in 2022
Elite offensive line
At any level of football, a team’s failures and successes begin and end up front along the line on both sides of the ball. For this Notre Dame football team, the offensive line could end up being one of the best in the country, especially with the return of offensive line coach Harry Hiestand.
All five starters from last year’s team return, and there is plenty of depth behind them as well. Some could have gone to the NFL, as center Jarrett Patterson was considered a Day 2 pick this year, and rated as the second-best center in this year’s draft class.
Young tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher are going to be dominant for the Irish for a long time, and the interior has veterans, as well as some younger players itching to crack the starting lineup. With the current starting five in place, the Irish offense dominated down the stretch, and one can certainly think that they will certainly be in line for the Joe Moore Award this year.
Notre Dame football: 3 reasons Tyler Buchner could dominate in 2022
The Notre Dame football team is likely to roll with Tyler Buchner as the starting quarterback in 2022, and here is how he could end up dominating.
If the Irish can get the kind of blocking that is expected, the quarterback, no matter who it is, should have more than enough time to throw. When you consider the talent at running back, and the playmakers this team has gone into 2022, the Irish have the potential to hang at least a 30-spot on any team, any week.