Notre Dame Running Attack Remains In The Shadows

During Brian Kelly’s 21-minute teleconference Sunday afternoon, about 20 minutes of it centered on the Notre Dame defense — especially defending third-year coordinator Brian VanGorder — coaching the fundamentals and fits better, and establishing better overall consistency.

The offense was barely even a footnote, despite finishing with only 57 yards rushing. The poor production wasn’t necessarily from abandoning it too early.

The most audible boos Saturday night at Notre Dame Stadium actually occurred near the six-minute mark of the third quarter when the Irish took possession at their 26. Michigan State had just kicked off after extending its lead to 29-7. Notre Dame then opened its drive with a running by sophomore Josh Adams on a misdirection play — an Ara Parseghian staple — that lost one yard. That play had been successful for Kelly in the past, but like virtually everything else kept on the ground on this night, it was stymied. Surprisingly, the next play that was called was another Adams run, this one for no gain to make it third-and-11.

That’s when the boos cascaded inside the 86-year-old structure because of what was interpreted as a lack of urgency on the part of the coaching staff. The third-down pass fell short of the first down, and a couple of plays later the Spartans were up 36-7. Thereafter, almost every play for the Irish was a pass.

Coaching is often a damned if you, damned if you don’t proposition. Had Kelly gone to more passes earlier and still lost, then he would be vilified for “abandoning the run too soon."

“The first half we had a pretty balanced attack,” said Kelly of trailing 15-7 at halftime. “…We were moving the ball effectively running the football, there was pretty good balance to our offense. And then we got behind and really had to throw the football. There were enough good things in the running game that if we didn’t get behind by three scores, we would be able to have pretty good balance in the offense.”

In the first quarter, Notre Dame had eight carries for 44 yards, highlighted by DeShone Kizer’s 14-yard quarterback draw for the game’s first score. Adams and Tarean Folston also combined for a yeoman-like seven carries for 30 yards.

By the second quarter, diminishing returns were beginning to seep into the attack. Adams had two carries for six yards, Folston one for one yard and Kizer mainly had to scramble around (he also was sacked once) four times for one yard.

Michigan State became stronger with the running game as the game progressed — highlighted by 166 yards rushing in the decisive third quarter when it extended the lead from 15-7 to 36-7 — while Notre Dame’s became a non-factor.

Notre Dame’s preseason strength was considered the offensive line, particularly the left side, while Michigan State Achilles heel was maybe the defensive line. Yet the latter won the night.

Running for a huge amount of yardage doesn’t necessarily ensure victory. Last year the Irish amassed 299 yards on the ground at Stanford, but still lost 38-36. However, finishing with less than 100 yards on the ground often is a formula for defeat, especially when finishing with a 260-57 disparity as it did against Michigan State.

Overall, Notre Dame is now 6-11 under Kelly when finishing with less than 100 yards rushing.

Two of the wins occurred during the 12-0 regular season in 2012 when the defense was able to bail out the team in a 20-17 victory versus Purdue (52 yards rushing) and a 13-6 conquest of Michigan (94 yards rushing). But only 32 yards rushing in the 42-14 defeat to Alabama in the BCS Championship remain the fewest under Kelly.

Last year there was no game where the Irish finished with less than 100 yards rushing. The lowest was 111 at Clemson, a 24-22 defeat.

In years past, the low rushing total against Michigan State would be the feature topic. For now, the continued woes of the Irish defense are on center stage.

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