Notre Dame Football: 3 keys to victory vs. Virginia Tech in Week 10

1. Chip Long needs to put his offense in a position to succeed

When any team is struggling (as the Irish did against Michigan), it’s natural to search for answers. Has Book really regressed this much? Is our running game the problem? Does head coach Brian Kelly have what it takes to register more than one big win in any given season? There’s often merit to many of these concerns, but more often than not the problem lies in more areas than one.

One of the more concerning areas (and perhaps the most greatly voiced across social media) has been offensive coordinator Chip Long’s inability to put together a consistent offense. Long, perhaps rightfully so, was the recipient of much support as working with former quarterback Brandon Wimbush didn’t allow him to run the offense the way he did during his time at Memphis.

However, with roughly a year’s worth of Book at the helm, the offense looks as inconsistent (or worse, inept) as it ever has. Book and the running game should be held responsible as well, but Long hasn’t panned out in the way most of us expected. While not among the top in the nation, Long does have a talented receiving corps to work with, raising even more questions about his output.

While it means much less after such a humiliating loss, Long has the opportunity to right the ship and give his players the opportunity to succeed against an average Virginia Tech defense. This shouldn’t be the note on which we end as it relates to Book, so it’ll be up to both him and Long to turn Notre Dame’s offense back into the exciting product it was last season.