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Notre Dame’s Need For A Greater Passing Threat Is Becoming More Pressing

Brian Kelly balanced the dueling emotions of disappointed and optimistic when addressing the bugaboo in Notre Dame’s 12-7 win over Louisville.

Notre Dame scored six points in its first three red zone trips, with the first 12 plays netting 10 yards. It couldn’t throw the ball consistently. Those two went hand-in-hand. Kelly was bothered enough by sputtered drives to mention them four times postgame. But not battered.

“A great learning point for these guys,” Kelly told NBC’s Kathryn Tappen on the field.

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Notre Dame and quarterback Ian Book (12) are still searching for passing-game steadiness.
Notre Dame and quarterback Ian Book (12) are still searching for passing-game steadiness. (ACC)

Film review and practice this week assuredly contained teaching. Presumably, much of it focused on the passing game, the initial point of emphasis against Louisville and bearer of most of the red-zone issues. Only one of those first 12 red zone plays was a Kyren Williams run.

There is reasonable pause, though, when learning is being brought up for a passing offense with largely upperclassmen receivers and a three-year starting quarterback. At some point, the matter at hand is simply execution. Notre Dame is running out of time to find the right recipe for consistent levels of it before the game where it’s required: Clemson’s Nov. 7 visit. Asked Monday about what his team can learn, Kelly acknowledged the time element.

“We have to play with a bit more sense of urgency,” Kelly said. “Sometimes the clock is ticking, and you need to play with that sense of urgency from the very first play. You learn about those things as we move along.

“We’re all learning. I have to do a better job of preparing them and coaching them. They have to turn up that level of urgency. They’re extremely confident in their ability and belief they’re going to win.”

Notre Dame’s red zone missteps included coverage sacks, late throws and reads, infrequent separation, a catchable ball not secured and an overturned touchdown catch. On the whole, they were indicative of the season-long search for more production when throwing to wide receivers.

Kevin Austin has to make more plays for us,” Kelly said after the game. “Ben Skowronek has to make more plays for us on the outside. Javon McKinley. Braden Lenzy was limited today with a soft tissue injury. He's got to make more plays. Those guys have to be involved.

“(Quarterback) Ian (Book) has to get them the football. That will be something that we continue to focus on. I'm quite certain they're going to get there.”

Notre Dame receivers have combined for 26 catches and 329 yards through four games. There are eight wide receivers nationally who have played exactly four games and own at least 25 catches and 330 yards by themselves.

Health has been a problem. Skowronek had played two catchless quarters before returning from a hamstring issue against Louisville. Lenzy’s flare-up is his second this season. The potential ceiling-raiser, Austin, missed the first two games and played two snaps in the third before bumping up to 22 snaps against Louisville.

“This has been a revolving door at the wide receiver position,” Kelly said.

There have been bright moments when throwing the ball, but an equal amount of disharmony. Louisville’s leaky secondary presented a welcoming chance for repair, and Notre Dame knew it. Eight of offensive coordinator Tommy Rees’ first 12 plays calls were passes.

“We saw some opportunities in the passing game and we wanted to go out and do that early,” Book said.

But he threw for 106 yards, the second-lowest total of his 27 career starts. He didn’t complete a throw 20 or more yards downfield.

“We came out with the intention that you need to respect our ability to throw it,” Kelly said. “We did not complete enough passes where we had opportunities to push the ball down the field. That’s going to continue to be our priority and a focus. We’re going to continue to push the ball down the field and we’re going to be better at it.”

All told, Book’s 12.8 percent deep ball attempt rate is 16th out of 17 ACC quarterbacks with at least 60 pass attempts, per Pro Football Focus. Success on vertical throws falls on the entire operation, from quarterback to receivers to pass protection to coaching.

“We realize we have a really, really good offensive line, really good backs,” senior slot receiver Avery Davis said. “We have a really good receiving corps too. We’re confident. Whenever our opportunities come, we’re going to capitalize.”

Notre Dame doesn’t need to morph into an Air Raid team and ignore its currently dominant rushing attack to beat Clemson. An adequate or explosive passing offense doesn’t necessarily require an uptick in pass calls and subsequent drop in runs. Notre Dame simply needs to present an over-the-top passing threat.

The Irish likely won’t push around the Tigers for 200-plus rushing yards like they did to their last three opponents. They may well even need some chunk passing plays this weekend against Pitt, which allows only 3.25 yards per carry, excluding sacks.

“When I talk about balance from an offensive structure, I talk about the ability to be equally effective running it and throwing it,” Kelly said. “Right now, we’re so much better running it than throwing it. I want teams to respect our ability to throw it.”

There isn’t much past evidence that will put a scare into Clemson, and that’s hard to ignore with time no longer on Notre Dame’s side. There were a few sparks against Louisville, like Austin’s almost-touchdown catch and 18-yard catch-and-run, and Skowronek’s two third-down conversions. Lenzy’s speed still carries allure. Notre Dame has two weeks and two games for those sparks to yield a lasting flame.

“We know where we need to get better moving forward, and that’s attacking defenses downfield in our passing game,” Kelly said. “We’re not there yet, and we have to get going.”

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