Experience Should Help Notre Dame Overcome Challenging Offseason
College football is experiencing something it hasn't since 1918. Because of World War I and the Spanish Flu, the college football season started late. Army, Navy and West Virginia were a few that didn't play at all that season.
Now in 2020, similar questions surround the season. While the season is happening in some fashion, it could possibly be altered. No matter how the season shapes up, the offseason has certainly been altered. The good news for Notre Dame is the makeup of the roster and coaching staff gives the Irish an advantage few others have.
Veteran Players
Most teams didn't get the chance for spring practice and coaches had limited access to players. Veteran players have a major impact because of their experience in navigating an offseason. Younger players and incoming freshmen don't have the history to lean back on when it comes to prepping for a season.
The loss of a spring kills any chance of players being able to build up confidence in each other and mesh beyond what already existed. Teams that will thrive in this scenario are those with the most experience, especially at key positions.
Notre Dame has their entire starting offensive line back. A veteran line is a huge boost in any season, even more so in the current circumstances. While questions may loom about run blocking, this was overall a solid unit in 2019. Chemistry shouldn't be an issue, and reports are several starting linemen spent much of the spring and summer together.
A three-year starter behind the center also helps tremendously.
Quarterback Ian Book is the biggest proponent to all of this. Book should have the offense as ready to go as they can be given the circumstances. The spring is typically when leaders step up and fill their spot as the voice to lead the team. With multi-year starters such as Book, offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg and returning team captain Robert Hainsey, Notre Dame should be a team that is prepared and a stronger unit overall.
Limited Coaching Turnover
Having a strong veteran player presence is a big boost. However, having a veteran coaching staff is a massive game-changer. Head coach Brian Kelly and his staff suffered very little turnover headed into 2020.
The change from Chip Long to Tommy Rees at offensive coordinator should go relatively smooth considering Rees was an internal hire and has been in Kelly's system for years. Rees and Book are also obviously very familiar with each other and Kelly will likely help overcome any shortcomings.
When you look around the country at teams like Florida State or Arkansas, they face huge hurdles. Both schools are going through a coaching and trying to change a program. New offenses, new coaches, new players and a lack of an offseason. You can only do so much over Zoom and reading through a playbook. Preseason practice will now be trying to cram more learning and chemistry building for these new staff and inexperienced teams.
Looking at Notre Dame’s schedule, Georgia Tech and Louisville are both going into year two under new head coaches, and the lost spring and summer periods could prove more damaging for them than the Irish.
As the season wears on, teams will catch up. However Notre Dame will have some major benefits to a veteran team. With that said, there are some serious concerns as well.
Notre Dame Misses Out
Notre Dame also only had one spring practice before the shutdown. So the veteran presence will help but they still lack experience in at the skill positions.
The offense is more chemistry-based, and that could be lacking early in the season. The defense typically has a leg up in the early part of the year. Until the offense starts to gel, we see a lot of week one games look like Miami and Florida last season. Now that gap could be even wider between offense and defense in 2020 and Notre Dame has limited production returning at both running back and receiver.
Running Back Inexperience
Running back Jafar Armstrong is the leading returning rusher headed into 2020 among running backs with 505 career rushing yards. The talented but oft-injured Armstrong is someone that needs to prove he can stay healthy for a full season.
The biggest concern is Book is the leading rusher on the team and Jahmir Smith is behind Armstrong at 208. Stanford grad transfer Trevor Speights has 363 career rushing yards but just transferred in and wide receiver Braden Lenzy (200 yards) is only eight yards behind Smith.
That are several players with reps, but concerning that a sophomore receiver is so close to the top of the rushing production list. Book also had more rushing yards in 2019 (546 rushing yards) than any other running back on the roster has in their career.
A veteran quarterback and offensive line can help bridge the gap, but inexperience at running back can be more effectively overcome, but the issue is it isn't the only spot.
Wide Receiver Youth
Youth at receiver is also a concern when looking at the lack of practice. The talent is undeniable, but they also lack real experience.
Notre Dame has five pass catchers returning in 2020 that made an impact in 2019, and it returns junior Kevin Austin. All five (Armstrong, Lenzy, Lawrence Keys III, Tommy Tremble, Javon McKinley) combined for 61 catches in 2019. Chase Claypool alone had 66.
Notre Dame has to replace 150 catches from their top three receivers from 2019. This is where Notre Dame could see their passing attack struggle early on. Three of their top five are redshirt sophomores and Austin missed all of 2019. A positive is that Notre Dame has Northwestern grad transfer Ben Skowronek, who hauled in 110 passes for 1,417 yards during his career with the Wildcats.
Talent will shine through when everyone gets up to speed and players returning in June is a good sign. However, the pass game could need some time to get on track.
Notre Dame Ahead Of The Pack
While Notre Dame has some youth at skill positions, overall they are in great shape. The defense isn't much of a concern while defensive coordinator Clark Lea is around. The return of a deep and experienced group of defensive linemen also helps. The offense has enough of a veteran presence to overcome and they also have a benefit from infection rates.
South Bend and St. Joseph County have lower COVID numbers compared to places like Los Angles or along the East Coast. This could speed up the process to get Notre Dame back together quicker and easier than other heavily infected areas. As I previously mentioned, while everyone is striving for a level playing field, it is unlikely.
With each passing day, it is becoming apparent the COVID-19 pandemic is going to make that goal difficult to achieve. Despite the best intentions of conference leaders, the possibility exists of college football being played in SEC country before it begins in Pac-12 territory – or vice versa.
“I can’t say enough about the extent to which they’re working closely together, spending time together, communicating with each other,” Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick told Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press. “And I think that’s the most important thing.
It gives us a chance to come up with an overarching policy and an ability to start together.
“Having said that, I think we all recognize that there is a significant chance that that may not be possible.”
2020 could end up playing out just like every other season as September is still a few months away. But even if there is some strange turn of events, Notre Dame finds themselves in good shape headed into the season.
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