Notre Dame Football: Running The Ball Isn't Enough To Make The College Football Playoff

If Notre Dame wants to make a run at the College Football Playoff, it can't be one dimensional.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) breaks the tackle of Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Markevious Brown (1) Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, during the NCAA football game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Notre Dame Fighting Irish won 66-7. | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame 28, Miami University 3

If you take a look at the teams that make the College Football Playoff, much less make it consistently, there are a few common themes. The largest one being that those teams are not one dimensional.

To take it a step further, most of those teams are elite or at least very good at throwing the ball and running it. Notre Dame is elite at running it and maybe one of the worst in the country at throwing it.

The goal before the season, as it is in all Notre Dame seasons post-BCS era, is to make the College Football Playoff. Everyone is on the same page there. One sure-fire way to not make it is to be awful at throwing the ball and that is exactly what Notre Dame is right now.

Being able to stretch the field and score in an instant is a must in college football these days. Being dangerous on the outside and down the field is to vital to success that it makes it even more frustrating when Notre Dame struggles to throw the ball, frankly at all.

HERE COME THE IRISH#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/26QnighyuC

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 21, 2024

To be able to beat high quality opponents, Notre Dame knew it needed receivers out of the portal and it got them. However, it isnt using them. Beaux Collins, Kris Mitchell and Jayden Harrison were brought in to give Notre Dame much needed size and speed at the receiver position after the garbage recruiting from Del Alexander and strange usage/strategy from Chansi Stuckey.

Moving forward to Louisville, Notre Dame simply can not just run it with Riley Leonard, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price and expect to win. Louisville and any other solid opponent will stack the box and suffocate you.

During this week in preparation for the Cardinals, Notre Dame MUST figure out something through the air. If it wants to beat Louisville and make the playoff, the season depends on this week of preparaiton and the execution of it next Saturday.