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I read something interesting recently: when the committee that selected the finalists for the Joe Moore Award, which surprisingly included ND, they noted how good ND’s OL is with footwork and technique — noting that they are “maybe a year away” from reaching potential. Was that just bluster? Maybe. Or maybe the struggles this year are just a matter of having to replace the top 3 OLs from last year (Nelson, McGlinchey, Bars) with less experienced guys and some nagging injuries.
seems like there are an awful lot of tackles for loss or minimal gains. I can't really recall when ND has ever been able to get a 4th and short in the last couple decades. Even in 15 and 17, it seemed like many stats were skewed by one long run per game. I rarely feel like ND owns the LOS with a visible push like I sometime see with other teams.
After spending more time than I care to admit contemplating this while on a treadmill or bike, a couple challenges come to mind:
1) RB's rarely have that running start like they do when a QB is under center (I do like that Long has started putting Book under center)
2) the RPO game limits how aggressively an OL can fire out
3) DL nowadays are more about getting up field than stringing out plays, and penetration kills a running game
4) I don't see many inside traps, which I've always felt are key to a strong running game
5) DL are just bigger and stronger than they've been in the past
It would be an interesting conversation to have with someone who played OL during the time of Joe Moore.
the box often and changing gaps versus nose up to offense. If you can break the first wave in the types of defenses almost selling out against the run, then you can break a big run. See John Riggins in Super Bowl against Dolphins. This happens all the time. We don't see the frustrations that many teams have running the ball because we see only their highlights. When we watch our games we watch every single play and see a lot of good but also some stuff that is well defensed.
a crease and he's gone. But there is no running game established to carve out 4-6 yards of running per down. Bama has that ability to set up and knock you off the ball. ND needs to develop that trait somehow. It opens everything up. That was Holtz's signature.
Notre Dame ranks an abysmal 115th in percentage of runs that gain at least 4 yards, and 118th in gaining positive yardage from a rush.
These rankings are absolutely terrible, and point to gross deficiencies in the O-line when it comes to running the ball.