Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME The Running Game By Andrew Owens Entering this season, one of the bigger rea- sons for optimism surrounding the 2014 Irish centered on the running game. In 2013, Notre Dame sputtered to a No. 81 finish in rushing yards per game (150.9). Despite losing George Atkinson III to the NFL and the move of Amir Carlisle to wide receiver, Notre Dame returned a pair of dynamic sophomores (Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant) along with steady senior Cam McDaniel. One other factor expected to stimulate the unit: the return of senior quarterback Everett Golson. For various reasons, Notre Dame continues to struggle with its ground game. Through Nov. 15, the Irish ranked 69th in the country in both rushing yards per game (160.7) and average yards per rush (4.2). While Golson rushed for 374 yards (including sacks) and eight touchdowns in 10 games, he still has not become entirely comfortable with the read option. That, combined with the in- consistent play of the offensive line and running backs, has held the Irish back. Folston entered the Louisville contest with a chance to reach the 1,000-yard mark this sea- son, needing 332 yards in three games. He has taken the next step as Notre Dame's clear No. 1 back in 2014, but his sophomore counterpart has been inconsistent. Bryant recorded 34 rush- ing yards on 12 carries in the six games from Oct. 4 to Nov. 15. Notre Dame's passing attack has been as promised this season, but the Irish will enter another offseason with questions about their ability to run the football. The Offensive Line By Douglas Farmer Heading into the 2014 campaign, the of- fensive line was expected to be one of Notre Dame's strengths, primarily its right side. The line returned four starters — sophomore Steve Elmer took over for fifth-year senior Christian Lombard at right guard last year after a back injury ended Lombard's season, and senior cen- ter Nick Martin and junior tackle Ronnie Stanley also returned. Stanley moved from right to left tackle, and Elmer moved out from guard to tackle. Weeks into the season, a thumb injury played a part in moving Martin from center to left guard, replac- ing classmate Conor Hanratty while senior Matt Hegarty stepped in at center, and Lombard and Elmer flipped spots. The switches did little, if anything, to solidify the line. The two constants? Lombard and Elmer manning the right side. A year ago, Notre Dame gave up eight sacks for minus-63 yards. Through 10 games this season, opponents have brought down senior quarterback Everett Golson behind the line of scrimmage a total of 21 times for minus-156 yards. In addition to the sacks, both Elmer and Lom- bard have committed penalties at costly mo- ments. For example, the Irish were set to go for it on fourth-and-seven at Arizona State's 48- yard line Nov. 8, trailing 34-10. An Elmer false start erased any logic behind that idea, forcing a Notre Dame punt. The offensive line has limited the Irish running game, exposed Golson and played a primary role in the dashing of any playoff hopes. Point ✦ Counterpoint: WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT IN 2014? Listen to the discussion in this digital exclusive