Notre Dame football: Irish offense needs heavy dose of the run game vs OSU
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team has a versatile quarterback in Tyler Buchner, but against Ohio State, the Irish need a heavy dose of the run game.
On September 3, the Notre Dame football team will head to Columbus, Ohio to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Starting the season with a top-5 matchup is just what the doctor ordered after so many months without the sport, and for the Irish, it is a great opportunity to get a keystone win for new head coach Marcus Freeman.
Sure, Buchner is a solid quarterback who can hurt a defense in many ways, but leaning on a true sophomore making his first collegiate start inside the Horseshoe is not the game plan you want for the Irish.
Notre Dame football has the talent on offense to score in a hurry
Luckily for the Irish, they have a trio of running backs who can get the job done, and it will be interesting to see how Tommy Rees deploys them against Ohio State. Chris Tyree figures to be the starter, and rightfully so, as he has put in the time and is a terrific playmaker, but Audric Estime and Logan Diggs will get their fair share of carries as well.
Diggs was actually a key contributor as a true freshman last season, serving as the No. 2 back most weeks behind Kyren Williams, while Tyree was leaned on at times as well. All three of these backs will prove crucial to a Notre Dame offense that wants to have prolonged drives and keep the vaunted Ohio State offense off of the field.
Notre Dame football has one of the best offensive lines in the country, and even without Jarrett Patterson, who may miss the game this weekend, they should still thrive against Ohio State. Establishing the run game early, and committing to it will be key against the Buckeyes, as the Irish look to pull off a shocking victory in game No. 1.