Notre Dame football's offense had a very up-and-down opening weekend against Miami, culminating in an eventual last-second loss despite an impressive comeback.
On one side, the Irish scored 24 points against what appears to be a solid defense in Miami, on the road, in their first game with a brand-new starting quarterback.
On the other side, the Notre Dame football team turned the ball over twice, struggled to move the ball much of the game, and only had seven points through three quarters.
Over the last two weeks, fans hope the Irish have made some improvements and tweaks to the offense to get off to a better start against another top 20 opponent in Texas A&M. But what exactly do the Irish need to focus on this weekend?
Notre Dame football must embrace the ground and pound approach
Notre Dame has arguably the best running back duo in the country, with a more than capable third option as well. Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, and Aneyas Williams are as legit as it comes around the nation.
In addition, for decades, Notre Dame has prided itself on being tough in the trenches and outworking opponents at the line of scrimmage.
Fans most certainly expected the Irish to continue this offensive approach this year with an experienced quarterback and returning talent elsewhere.
However, as noted in depth, Jeremiyah Love had 10 carries last game, Jadarian Price only had 6 (and none outside of one drive in the 2nd quarter), and Aneyas Williams did not get one carry all night. CJ Carr, not known as a runner, had eight carries excluding sacks.
To say Notre Dame MUST find a way to run the ball not only more, but also more effectively, is an understatement. I understand Coach Marcus Freeman's words about not being able to run the ball with Love every play into a stacked box, but a more active effort to get Love involved should not be this hard.
If the Irish want to beat Texas A&M Saturday night at home, I think Love needs to get close to 20 carries, with Price over 10 as well. Sprinkle in a few touches for Williams, and the Irish can dominate the trenches, ground game, time of possession, and have a better balance offensively.
CJ Carr must keep the pedal to the metal
An aspect of the Miami game that was heavily critisized by fans and analysts was Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock's insistence on throwing RPOs (run-pass option) or wide receiver screens close to the line of scrimmage.
It seemed, especially through three quarters, that Carr did not even attempt a pass beyond a few yards from the line.
I understand Denbrock and Freeman's approach; keep Carr comfortable with easy reads and throws, get him into a rhythm, and don't ask him to do too much and lose you the game with bad turnovers or poor decisions.
However, Carr proved later in the game that he is capable of the big-time plays. Carr delivered some fantastic throws as the game went on, delivering a beautiful fade to Malachi Fields to spark a score, finding Eli Raridon downfield through busted coverage on a broken play, and scrambling to fire a no-look score to Micah Gilbert in a top play of the week.
In fact, the entire reason CJ Carr won the starting job for Notre Dame was because he was able to consistently make plays downfield and deliver on time and with accuracy to playmakers on the outside.
The Irish, and specifically Coach Mike Denbrock, cannot call plays in an effort not to lose the game. They must be aggressive. Let CJ Carr cook. Let Carr turn the engines on and let that thing fly around the yard.
Notre Dame's Offensive Line Must Meet the Challenge
I think I speak for all fans when I say that the most surprising thing against Miami was how bad the offensive line looked. What was easily the most dominant unit last year on the offense quickly became its biggest liability this year.
What was most worrying was how badly tackles Anthonie Knapp and Aamil Wagner performed. You could argue it was the worst game of both of their careers.
The rest of the unit did not fare much better, with Guerby Lambert and Sullivan Absher splitting mostly disappointing reps at right guard. It was a mostly poor performance where it seemed the unit was not moving as one.
The challenge for Notre Dame's offensive line does not get much easier in game two as Texas A&M comes to town with a loaded SEC-style front that brings physicality and athleticism. I don't think they are quite as talented or quite as deep as Miami, but they are definitely the second-best front the Irish face this season.
If the offense is going to have a chance to move the ball and score points, the Irish Offensive Line MUST come out guns blazing, moving bodies around upfront, and playing with the violence Coach Freeman always preaches.
A dominant offensive line day will most likely mean explosive runs for the talented backfield and time to throw downfield for CJ Carr. That is the key to success this week.