Offensive Line Limits Notre Dame Again in 2008

It doesn't take a football expert to see that the Notre Dame offensive line is better then the 2007 version. Unfortunately, better does not mean good.

The Notre Dame rushing attack, or rather, attempt at a running game, ranks 95th in the country. The Irish are averaging 115 yards per game, and have rushed for eight TDs this season.

Statistics would support that the line is doing an outstanding job in pass protection. The 13 sacks allowed ranks 36th in the country. This statistical fact is a complete misrepresentation of the pass protection this season.

With the emergence of Golden Tate and Micheal Floyd, and flashes of greatness by Jimmy Clausen, many fans have wondered why the playbook hasn't opened up more. Why is every pass a fade, slant, quick out, screen, or seam?

The answer is because there is no way Clausen is going to get enough time to throw any route which takes longer then three seconds to develop.

Kudos to Mike Haywood for realizing that calling any plays that involve a post, drag, post-corner, or anything he could hope to draw up taking more then a couple seconds to develop would be doomed.

The low sack total this year can also be credited to Clausen's uncanny ability to spin away from the pass rush and throw the ball out of bounds with defenders draped all over him.

Every opponent Notre Dame has faced since UNC has followed the UNC blueprint from that fateful second half. Drop seven or eight defenders in coverage, or occasionally nine if you're Boston College, and shut down the Notre Dame offense. Without a legitimate rushing threat there is no reason to commit more players to defend the run.

With seven or eight defenders in coverage, the line has to allow more time for Clausen to find receivers in the few windows seven- or eight-man coverage allows.

When Clausen is consistently being pressured by just a three- or four-man rush, he can't get to a third or fourth read in his progression and has to throw the ball away (hopefully) and not force plays that aren't there (BC).

So what's the problem? Does line coach John Latina need to go? Are the players not physically talented enough? Are the players confused by their blocking assignments/scheme? Does strength coach Ruben Mendoza need to put the line on the Brady Quinn workout plan?

Yes, maybe, yes, and yes.

Whether it is coaching, talent, scheme, or training, the full potential of skill players Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, Michael Floyd, Kyle Rudolph, and Armando Allen will never be seen if the Irish don't improve up front.