Notre Dame needs to become a far more dynamic pass offense if it wants to become a title contender. That means building a pass game that is efficient and explosive, and one capable of doing damage against all opponents, not just the ones the Irish can out-talent.
How you get there can vary, and there are plenty of dynamic pass attacks that go about things in different ways. For Notre Dame, the key is building around its particular talent, and the 2024 Notre Dame squad has a running back depth chart that brings unique value to the pass game. If Notre Dame is willing to adapt its pass game to make them a bigger part of the offense they could have a major impact.
As I was watching the Divisional Playoff game between Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers I couldn’t help but think about Notre Dame’s 2024 team, and how the backs for the Irish could bring so much value in the pass game. In that game, the Lions and Buccaneers both targeted their backs in the run game. I saw effective check downs, well designed screens and downfield routes that got their backs in space.
Tampa Bay back Rachaad White tied the game at 17-17 late in the third quarter on a screen pass he took to the house. Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs set up two touchdowns, once with a screen pass and again when he beat a TB linebacker on an angle route for a 20-yard gain. In total, the backs for both teams combined for 13 catches and 108 receiving yards on 15 targets, good for 7.2 yards per target and 8.3 yards per catch.
In that particular game all the throws were short, which makes much of their production an extension of the run game, making that an impressive efficiency number. Notre Dame could learn something from how both teams use their backs, or from watching how Kyle Shanahan uses Christian McCaffrey with the San Francisco 49ers. The reason this is important isn’t because using running backs is something you must do as much as its about using the depth chart properly. Running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price bring excellent pass game potential to the offense, Gi’Bran Payne and Devyn Ford bring value in the pass game, and incoming freshman Aneyas Williams racked up over 3,000 receiving yards in his high school career.
Even Kedren Young, who wasn’t used much in the pass game in high school, showed good pass catching skills in preparation for the All-American Bowl. This group could make a huge, huge impact in the pass game, both directly and indirectly. That is why the Notre Dame coaches need to build the offense around the backs being a more integrated part of the pass game. This includes focusing more on using check downs that are specific to the opponents coverage schemes, as well as getting the quarterbacks more comfortable being willing to go to these check downs.
It includes a well-designed and well-called screen game. It includes creating isolations with the backs against linebackers and safeties. It also includes finding ways to get the backs down the field on wheel routes, switch routes, seam routes and other downfield routes. Notre Dame has the talent at running back to use all of these concepts, and if they do it effectively from a design and volume standpoint, the backs can have a huge, huge impact on the offense. ADVANTAGES There are five key advantages to increasing the pass game volume for the running backs. 1. Increased Efficiency – If you have legit pass game weapons at running back it enhances the team’s efficiency in a number of ways.
Quick perimeter throws and screens are an extension of the run game and can be effective first and second down plays. If you do it right you can average at least seven yards per attempt with these routes, and if you have the right weapons – which Notre Dame does – you can go well beyond that. 2. Big Play Potential – If you have the right weapons it can also create big play potential in the pass game. The first time fans saw Price was in the Blue-Gold Game back in 2022, and in that contest he took a screen pass 51 yards for a touchdown. In 2023, he scored a 40-yard touchdown on a screen pass, and he also has a 96-yard kick return for a touchdown. There’s no doubt that Price in a dynamic weapon in space. Love took a swing screen against Pitt 33 yards, but he had to make a defender miss behind the line to make that happen.
That was his only big pass play of the season, but his skill set is perfect for an enhanced role in the pass game, and he has high school film to back that up. This is true in the screen game or downfield throws. Williams brings similar skills to the table. The moral of the story is the more times you can get this group of running backs in space the greater opportunity you have as an offense to generate big plays from low risk play calls. 3. Third-Down Weapons – A well designed and executed running back pass game can have a significant impact on the third-down offense. As mentioned above, using the backs effective in the pass game on early downs (check downs, screen games, downfield routes) it can put the offense in far more manageable third-down situations.
It can also have a direct impact on third-down success. If this group of backs get the ball in space, even if it’s behind the first down marker, they have the speed and elusiveness to pick up first downs, at minimum. Love in particular has the ability to line up outside and win as a route runner, which gives the offense some empty options, or better yet, some two-back options where he and Love (or another back) are on the field together. This can be effective in any situation, but especially so on third-down. Notre Dame has to get better on third-down, and this could be an important aspect to making that happen. 4. Threaten Linebackers – Notre Dame’s backs have the talent to put opposing linebackers in major, major binds. There aren’t many linebackers on the schedule that can run with the Irish backs, and their unique skillsets should allow Mike Denbrock, Deland McCullough and the Irish coaches to design multiple ways to get the backs isolated against linebackers in the pass game beyond just check downs and screens.
The more you threaten linebackers in the pass game the more opportunities you have to distract them from other duties. 5. Open Up The Middle Of The Field – One of those duties is getting into their zone drops, and if the backers are focused on the Irish running backs in the pass game it can create more middle of the field opportunities for the Irish receivers and tight ends.
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