Notre Dame Keys To Victory vs Wake Forest

Notre Dame (7-3) will look to get back on track today when it hosts the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-6). The Irish offense especially needs to get back on track after it struggled against Clemson. That followed back-to-back games where the Irish combined for 106 points.

We'll see what version of the Notre Dame offense shows up today, but there's no doubt the unit needs to find some answers if it's going to finish the season on a strong note.

Here are the four keys to Notre Dame having a big offensive day against the Deacons.

1. Start Fast - This is always important for Notre Dame, and it's been an issue throughout the season. There are times when the offense gets off to a bad start, but it didn't against the better defenses on the schedule, and it hasn't started well in its last two games. Notre Dame needs to avoid the early turnovers that hurt it against Pittsburgh and Louisville, and it needs to convert early drives into touchdowns, something it didn't do against Clemson.

Notre Dame needs a fast start against Wake Forest for a number of reasons. To begin, the Irish offense needs a confidence boost, and a fast start will not only give it that, it will also let Wake Forest know this isn't their day. A fast start would allow the Irish to find an early rhythm and hopefully create the energy and focus needed to finish the year on a strong note.

A fast start would also help settle in quarterback Sam Hartman, who is facing his former school today. There's a chance he could be a little amped up or press, so finding an early game plan to help him settle in while also moving the ball into the end zone would be ideal.

2. Attack/Be Aggressive - Too often this season the offense has come out conservative, showing an unwillingness to really go on the attack against opponents. This is way beyond mixing up tempos, although that would be nice. It goes beyond taking a deep shot or two, although that would also be nice. It's about a mindset that permeates the entire game plan. Be aggressive in how you attack the opponent with your game plan and you'll find the entire unit comes out with a more aggressive, on the attack mind set.

We need to see that in this game, there is no doubt about that.

3. Get The Ball Down Field - Part of an aggressive game plan is also about going down the field with the pass game. I want to see the Irish be willing to attack down the field, but do so with some creativity and diversity. It's not about just throwing a couple of deep outside shots, although I'm not opposed to that. I want to see outside shots, shots up the seams, shots over the top, shots with levels concepts and would also like to see some post-snap switch concepts that get receivers and the running backs the football.

I would love to see running back Jeremiyah Love as well as receivers Tobias Merriweather, Jaden Greathouse and Chris Tyree be used in different ways to attack Wake Forest down the field.

4. Finish - This has been an issue in all of Notre Dame's losses. The Irish move the ball but fail to finish off drives. Notre Dame got into Ohio State territory on five of its first even possessions, but the offense came away with just two touchdowns. The Irish took the opening drive against Louisville into opponent territory before throwing an interception. The Irish kept settling for field goals in the loss to Clemson.

That can't happen, and this offense needs to be better finishers. Part of that is covered in points one and two, but at the end of the day moving the ball is great, but it has to end with touchdowns.

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