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Notre Dame Football: 3 overreactions after close win against Toledo

By Dante Pryor

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 01: Head coach Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players run on the field during player introductions before the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium on January 01, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 31-14. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 01: Head coach Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players run on the field during player introductions before the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium on January 01, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 31-14. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /
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Notre Dame football beat the Rockets with a late touchdown pass by quarterback Jack Coan. Here are three overreactions.

The Notre Dame football team is testing the whole “Luck of the Irish” moniker. For the second week in a row, the Irish escaped with a close win against an inferior opponent. Last week, Notre Dame escaped Tallahassee with a 41-38 win against Florida State.

This week, it was the Toledo Rockets. Notre Dame football needed a touchdown pass from quarterback Jack Coan with less than two minutes left to defeat the MAC contenders. Notre Dame did outgain the Rockets 449-353, but three turnovers did not help them.

The running game also sputtered for the second week in a row, rushing for just 134 yards. Leading rusher Kyren Williams was held under 100 yards for the second week in a row. Though the Irish are happy to get away with a win, there is a lot to fix in South Bend.

With a home game against Purdue next weekend, here are three overreactions from the game.

3. Notre Dame should abandon the running game.

When former Irish quarterback Tommy Rees was named offensive coordinator, Brian Kelly stated that he wanted to get back to the “DNA” of Notre Dame football. Kelly and Rees want to run the football and throw deep off of play-action.

It is difficult to get safeties to bite when you are not running the football well. The Irish are averaging under three yards per carry in their two games. Last season’s leading rusher Kyren Williams has yet to break the 100-yard mark this season, and Notre Dame’s complimentary runners, Chris Tyree and C’Bo Flemister have not been effective.

Meanwhile, Coan has been everything and more throwing the football. While the offensive line has not done a great job pass blocking, Coan and the passing game has had two great games in a row. So far this season, Coan has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 605 yards and six touchdowns.

The Wisconsin transfer has proven that he is more than a game manager. Coan has put the football in the hands of his playmakers and has shown the arm strength to push the ball down the field. Maybe the Irish should come out throwing and force the opponents to play their safeties deep, then run.

Before anyone thinks the Irish should start throwing the football 50 times a game, keep in mind that the offensive line is young and needs time to play against live competition. Notre Dame had to replace four starters from last season’s team; three picked in the top 150 of the NFL Draft.

They are talented but young in places this season, and freshman phenom Blake Fisher was out with a knee injury. Let’s give the o-line time to congeal, and the running game will be fine.

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