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With the 2020 college football season over, we look to 2021. Everyone is dropping their ‘way too early’ ranking in the top 25 (implying it’s right on time) so let’s go head first to how the Irish can adapt the previous season.
They’ve already answered a few questions by bringing in graduate transfer quarterback Jack Coan and hired the much sought after Marcus Freeman to coach the defense. These were the two biggest question marks heading into 2021 and the answers were as good as they could have been.
The rest of the offseason will provide answers to the following questions: How does the offensive line come off? What does the large room / receiver spin look like? Who emerges at the cornerback? The way these things work out will ultimately tell the story of the Irish next season.
With that in mind, here are four ways Notre Dame must adapt offensively and defensively to make 2021 a successful year.
Reduce Kyren Williams’ workload
Kyren Williams was a Notre Dame star in 2020 as a runner, wide receiver and pass blocker. In his 12-game season, he finished with the second-highest all-round yardage of the Kelly era (1438), finishing only behind Josh Adams in 2017 (1531). In many ways, he was the driving force behind Notre Dame’s offense; despite his small size, he was able to run with power indoors, break big plays and dazzle us with his ability to open the field. That being said, Notre Dame is going to have to lighten his workload in 2021 to get the most out of him at the end of the season.
Williams has recorded 246 offensive touches in 2020, an average of around 21 per game, a number that would have been even greater had he not injured his shoulder in the first half against Boston College. The next closest talented player was Chris Tyree with 81 attacking touches (about seven per game), including 17 against Boston College when Williams missed a good chunk of the action. 21 to seven running back is too much of a disparity. Williams’ size is what it is, and pumping him up will only hamper his game. None of that takes into account the countless number of hits Williams has also racked up as the best pass blocker in the world. team.
Notre Dame needs to find a way to turn the carrier position into a true spin to a.) Keep her best players cool b.) Make the most of the position. They’ve got Williams, they’ve got their award-winning rookie Tyree, C’Bo Flemister has logged over 110 contacts during his career, plus two incoming freshmen. Find two or three that can share the load during a Game. It’s best for everyone involved.
Bring back the RPO game
My biggest advantage of this playoff season has been that Notre Dame has to bring their RPO offense back into the fold. Alabama crushed us with short passes throughout, with 15 of their 25 completions coming between 0-5 yards with the LOS with over 100 yards on three completions coming from RPO concepts (two tilts and one swing pass).
Notre Dame was very fond of this in 2018 with Ian Book, but mostly ditched it in 2019 with Chip Long calling games and again in 2020 with Tommy Rees. Considering the strengths of Jack Coan’s game – quick release, good decision maker, accurate short – adding this to the offense seems like a no-brainer. It also compliments the running game by discouraging running blitzes, as a linebacker who leaves only opens up lanes for the passing game. Taking advantage of offensive strengths is all about bringing back the thing that killed you the year before.
Making better use of Kyle Hamilton
Hamilton led the team with 63 tackles, despite missing what equals two full games with his ankle injury, plus another half with a targeted ejection. In truth, it felt more like an over 80-year-old tackling season thanks to our free safety, and he was on track to lead the team in double-digit tackles. It is also the first time a defensive back has led the defense in tackles during the Kelly era.
Part of that is because Hamilton is a fantastic player. But it’s also a sign that he has been asked to cover deficiencies in the linebacker corps. The three players who have saved Buck a considerable amount of time this season – Marist Liufau, Shayne Simon and Jack Kiser – have combined for 56 tackles in 2020. Hamilton totaled 4.5 tackles for a loss in nine and a half games while the trio de Buck counted 5.5. You got the idea.
Part of getting the most out of Hamilton includes fixing Buck’s position so he doesn’t have to be a cover for shorts. That’s a lot of what we saw with Jaylon Smith in 2015, not something Notre Dame wants to be associated with as it is seen as a waste of her talents. I imagine Marcus Freeman spends a lot of time thinking and finding ways to turn Hamilton into the game destroyer he clearly can be. He’s going to be an All-American first team – he’s made a few first teams this season – and will be a major part of why 2021 Notre Dame can make a playoff comeback. They need to turn him into a star.
Find the formula around the corner
Notre Dame has little experience but a lot of numbers and abilities in secondary school. TaRiq Bracy and Clarence Lewis both played big minutes in high profile games. Beyond them is athleticism and length that just needs to be exploited. Cam Hart and Ramon Henderson have length and speed. Caleb Offord, Ryan Barnes, Philip Riley, and Chance Tucker include length, tenacity, and speed. There are raw materials from which Notre-Dame can draw. They have their new coordinator and his friend Mike Mickens who supervise the turns. There are four players here who can get the job done at a level worthy of a playoff-caliber unit. My big prediction for this afternoon of January 12 is that the corner group will explode in 2021.
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