Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1302940
6 OCT. 31, 2020 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY PATRICK ENGEL T he assertion came Aug. 17, nary a hint of doubt in it. Head coach Brian Kelly, asked a personnel and identity question, paused for a moment mid-answer and offered an absolute. "You will see three tight ends, and not just in goal line," Kelly said, five days after Notre Dame opened camp. "You're going to see the utilization of three tight ends as a basic package because that's our personnel group- ing. Those are the guys who can help us win." Nearly two months later, the quote has aged well. Notre Dame's tight end trio of junior Tommy Tremble, freshman Michael Mayer and senior Brock Wright have been active as re- ceivers and blockers. Most of all, they have been on the field together, in pairings or all at once. Through four games, Notre Dame lined up in 12 (two tight ends), 13 (three tight ends) or 14 (four) person- nel on 154 of its 270 plays, excluding two kneel-downs and special teams fakes. Multiple tight ends is the base offense, and as Kelly hinted might happen, their presence has created explosive plays. The Irish are on pace to smash apart their tight end usage numbers from last year. Already this year, Notre Dame has run the ball out of 12 or 13 sets 107 times for 653 yards (6.1 yards per carry), seven touchdowns and 39 first downs, per Sports Info Solutions (SIS), including one sack for a two-yard loss. That's compared to last season's 173 carries for 918 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns, includ- ing eight sacks. At this pace, Notre Dame will attempt 428 carries in 12 and 13 personnel if it plays 12 games. In 13 only, Notre Dame has more than doubled its rushing attempts from last year in a third of the games. The Irish ran out of it 11 times for eight yards in 2019, essentially a short- yardage package. This year in 13, they already have 27 carries for 122 yards. The theme is obvious: Notre Dame wants to run the ball. Notre Dame has skilled running backs and a pun- ishing offensive line. Tight ends are extra blockers, and in Notre Dame's case, impact blockers. At 85.0, Trem- ble was Pro Football Focus' high- est-graded run-blocking tight end among those with at least 25 snaps as of Oct. 17. Mayer was fifth (81.0) and Wright was 20th (74.7). Heading into the Oct. 24 game at Pitt, Notre Dame hadn't been tested by a stout run defense, but it's an encouraging sign that its best game came against Florida State's front, which has several draftable play- ers. The Irish averaged 8.4 yards per carry, their seventh-highest in a game since 2000. Their 17 rushing attempts in 12 personnel averaged 11.2 yards. For now, 14 remains a goal-line package only. Notre Dame has used it six times — all runs — and scored four touchdowns. Junior George Takacs is the fourth tight end in those sets. In 2019, Notre Dame employed 14 just four times. MULTI-TE PASSING COMFORT What makes the heavy-set method feel sustainable and multi-dimen- sional, is the passing success out of it and the play action opportunities an explosive run game has created. In multi-tight end formations, fifth- year senior quarterback Ian Book is 27-of-42 passing for 276 yards with two touchdowns and one inter- ception. The 6.6 yards per attempt doesn't show explosiveness, but it's weighed down by an overall poor game against Louisville that included three drops. Book has completed UNDER THE DOME HEAVY SETS The Fighting Irish have featured lots of multi-tight end formations, and it's easy to see why Through four games, junior tight end Tommy Tremble had a team-high 10 catches for 114 yards and a lofty run-blocking grade of 85.0. PHOTO BY MIKE MILLER