Last week we recapped the Irish defense with some quality grades pretty much across the board with the exception of the safety position. Today we turn our attention to the offense which had a season unlike any other in the Kelly era. We’ve got a lot to talk about, let’s get to it now.
QUARTERBACK
Wimbush, Redshirt Sophomore (730 snaps)
136 of 275 (49.5%), 1870 yards, 16 TD, 6 INT, 141 rushes, 803 yards, 14 TD
Book, Redshirt Freshman (200 snaps)
46 of 75 (61.3%), 456 yards, 4 TD, 4 INT, 37 rushes, 207 yards
I’m not going to underrate the quarterbacks’ running ability because they accounted for almost 29% of all yardage in a season that saw the offense obliterate the modern-day rushing record at Notre Dame. Wimbush finished with the 8th most rushing yards among non-option quarterbacks which is pretty impressive. His running alone would’ve led the Irish in the 2010 and 2013 seasons. Plus, Book’s 207 yards are basically half of what Kizer ran for in 2016 while playing in roughly 20% of the games.
Unfortunately, throwing the football is kind of important too and things weren’t so hot. This was only the second time in the Kelly era that the 3,000-yard mark wasn’t reach in passing and the 2017 total was the fewest since 2010 by an astonishing 570 yards. An interception every 35 attempts is fine while 20 touchdowns is also acceptable given the lower amount of passes thrown.
Grade: 74%
You can win a lot of games with really good running quarterbacks and a good offensive line. Still, not being able to reach 7.0 yards per attempt and completing an abysmal 51.7% of your passes leaves a lot of room for improvement.
RUNNING BACK
Adams, Junior (581 snaps)
206 rushes, 1430 yards, 6.9 avg, 9 TD, 13 receptions, 101 yards
T. Jones, Redshirt Freshman (199 snaps)
44 rushes, 232 yards, 5.2 avg, 3 TD, 6 receptions, 12 yards
McIntosh, Redshirt Freshman (139 snaps)
65 rushes, 368 yards, 5.6 avg, 5 TD, 3 receptions, 8 yards
D. Williams, Junior (79 snaps)
39 rushes, 360 yards, 9.2 avg, 4 TD, 2 receptions, 13 yards, 1 TD
Holmes, Freshman (9 snaps)
8 rushes, 32 yards, 4.0 avg
Sure, the quarterbacks running ability helped the bottom line on the ground game. This was still a high-water mark for the tailbacks, too. Take for example, the Irish running backs ran for almost 1,000 more yards in 2017 than they did in 2016, or that this was only the second time in the Kelly era they broke the 2,000-yard mark, or that they were 647 yards above the 2010-16 season average for running backs.
For the departing Josh Adams it’ll largely be a memory of “what if” for his 2017 season that saw him just fall short of the single-season rushing record and only the 2nd player to eclipse 1,400 yards in a gold helmet. What if he could stay healthy? What if the other backs could’ve stayed healthy and taken some of the load off? What if he didn’t have 6 games with 56 or fewer rushing yards?
McIntosh will always be a fun piece of trivia. He goes from not even on the radar for carries in 2017, doesn’t play in the first 2 games, doesn’t play in the last 3 games, but finishes third in rushing before being kicked off the team.
The snap count-to-production inequalities between Jones and Dexter will be something to fixate on during the off-season. Both were banged up and missed time but there’s a much different look to these players on the field that is backed up by the numbers.
Grade: 88%
This was probably the peak of Notre Dame running backs for Brian Kelly. Only 24 receptions is pretty curious but we can cut to the receivers glaring at the quarterback for evidence.
WIDE RECEIVER
St. Brown, Junior (623 snaps)
33 receptions, 515 yards, 4 TD
Claypool, Sophomore (563 snaps)
29 receptions, 402 yards, 2 TD, 2 rushes, -3 yards
Stepherson, Sophomore, (302 snaps)
19 receptions, 359 yards, 5 TD, 5 rushes, 76 yards
Boykin, Redshirt Sophomore (299 snaps)
12 receptions, 253 yards, 2 TD
C. Smith, 5th Senior (206 snaps)
8 receptions, 60 yards, 1 TD, 2 rushes, 5 yards
Finke, Redshirt Sophomore (202 snaps)
6 receptions, 102 yards
Young, Freshman (89 snaps)
4 receptions, 18 yards, 1 TD
Canteen, Redshirt Junior (39 snaps)
1 reception, 7 yards
Sanders, Junior (26 snaps)
1 reception, 0 yards
So many snaps, so little catches. It’s pretty amazing that no one at receiver averaged even 3 receptions per game! Trust me that’s definitely a Kelly-record for futility.
Kevin Stepherson was basically a comet–an unruly and rebellious comet–but a comet nonetheless. In his 2 short years at Notre Dame he logs just 650 snaps (or just under a full season’s worth for a star receiver) with 44 catches, 821 yards, and 10 touchdowns. This past season he also entered “hey, I might gain 250 yards on jet sweeps with a couple carries per game” territory, too. Wasted talent hurts, man.
Grade: 81%
The receivers can share some of the blame but the passing from Wimbush was so poor for long stretches that I’m not sure what can be said overall for this unit. Claypool and Boykin were fine for the playing time they received while I’m still amazed C.J. Sanders was all but left for dead. I would’ve welcomed St. Brown back with open arms but also kind of think he peaked as a sophomore.
TIGHT ENDS
Smythe, 5th Senior (643 snaps)
15 receptions, 244 yards, 1 TD
Mack, Redshirt Sophomore (348 snaps)
19 receptions, 166 yards, 1 TD
Weishar, Redshirt Junior (215 snaps)
9 receptions, 52 yards, 2 TD
Kmet, Freshman (62 snaps)
2 receptions, 14 yards
Wright, Freshman (30 snaps)
No stats
I’d have to say Durham Smythe will likely be the best tight end in school history to catch fewer than 30 passes (he finishes his career with 28) as certainly as a pass catcher he won’t be too memorable. I think he maxed out as a senior though, improved as a blocker, and was a much-needed steady force for this position.
Imagine if Mack didn’t have so many drops! Even still, he projects to be an upgrade with a catch every 18.3 snaps compared to Smythe’s 42.8 per reception. Although, ironically Mack’s supposed strength was stretching the field and his 8.74 YPA was the lowest by a mile among the top 7 Irish pass catchers and almost a 50% drop from his debut 2015 season.
Grade: 83%
The offense got quality work out of Weishar from a small amount of snaps and working in the freshmen should pay dividends for 2018. Mack’s production falling about 200 yards short of expectations really hurt this group but Smythe’s steadiness helped out in the end.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
McGlinchey, 5th Senior (890 snaps)
Mustipher, Redshirt Junior (890 snaps)
Nelson, Redshirt Junior (884 snaps)
Bars, Redshirt Junior (832 snaps)
Hainsey, Freshman (489 snaps)
Kraemer, Redshirt Freshman (484 snaps)
Bivin, 5th Senior (83 snaps)
Eichenberg, Redshirt Freshman (45 snaps)
Ruhland, Redshirt Sophomore (45 snaps)
Byrne, Redshirt Junior (24 snaps)
We all know with Nelson and McGlinchey the grade for this position is going to be very high. Beyond their terrific seasons the third most impressive feat of 2017 was the fact that a true freshman (Hainsey) played so many snaps and held his own. Both Hainsey and Kraemer made solid debuts as first-year co-starters.
I actually thought Bars and Mustipher trailed off in the latter part of the season–the former especially after picking up a lot of praise early in the season for playing so well. This will be an intriguing off-season story line as they move up to the most veteran and experienced linemen on the team.
Grade: 95%
This is the Joe Moore Award line, after all. If you recall reading Michael’s advanced stats reviews throughout the season there was a lot of garbage time in favor of Notre Dame for 2017. Something which really isn’t evident in the snap counts. The team has always leaned heavily on its starters on the offensive line but this was an even more pronounced this past fall. I guess you can’t blame them for not wanting to put in the backups during some 3rd quarters and perhaps there might have been a lack of trust in setting protections with Wimbush.
I think it’s interesting that Book and Wimbush’s per/rush average is almost the same (5.6 vs. 5.7 respectively).
True, I think with sacks removed it’s Wimbush (7.89) and Book (7.40) so still not a big difference.
I realize this is off topic, but here’s our DB coach – https://247sports.com/college/notre-dame/Article/Notre-Dame-Fighting-Irish-hiring-North-Carolina-Tar-Heels-Terry-Joseph-as-next-safeties-coach-113925953
On first instinct, I’m pretty underwhelmed. I hope somebody can tell me my instincts are wrong.
I try not to judge coaching hires at the assistant level. He seems fine to me, though.
I mean, I think there are different levels. Objectively, Tommy Rees should not be the quarterbacks coach at the University of Notre Dame as a 25 year old. On the other hand, objectively, Harry Heistand was over- (or at least hyper-)qualified to be a college o-line coach, to our benefit. This guy at least is somewhere between those two poles, so I’m open-minded.
Good write up. I wonder what everything looks like next season.
I know a lot of people obsess over Tom Rees being bad or whatever. Wisconsin just hired a new QB coach. He’s a former UW QB from Illinois who graduated in 2013 and has never been a full assistant before (he’s been one of their quality control assistants the past two years). Hm, sounds like a familiar trajectory!
OK, but (a) that sounds kind of lame too; (b) Wisconsin under Alverez is famously cheap with hiring assistant coaches (that’s why Beilema left); and (c) Wisconsin and Notre Dame should be in different strata in terms of who they can and do hire, even without (b) as a current reality.
Maybe!
Nice write up. However, I think you undervalued the running backs by giving them only an 88 grade. They had one of the best performances in ND history. Sure it was helped by one of the best lines ND has had, but it was also hurt by the ineptness of the passing game, especially towards the end of the season. I’d put them just behind the O line, say 93. I think we are really going to miss Josh Adams. And Deon McIntosh.
I agree – great writeup, and really only can quibble with those numbers. Those quibbles:
I also agree with Coyote that 88 seems a little harsh for the RBs, especially given that (I think I heard this on a podcast somewhere) Josh Adams was among the leaders in the nation in yards-after-contact, which means it isn’t all the o-line. Even before the McIntosh/Holmes news, I thought we would miss him more than some in the ND media were treating it. Now we’re *really* going to miss him, IMO.
I also think the o-line might be a bit underrated, even at 95. Can’t be a 99 or 100 (see Georgia, particularly the final drive; see also Miami), but, as you said, that’s the Joe Moore line.
On the other side: I’m not sure how to treat the QB grade. If that is a C (i.e., on a 10-point scale, where Fs start at 59), that’s overrating to me. If that is a D (i.e., on a scale where Fs are scores in the 60s), that seems about right.
I tried to look at it like this:
Would any season with 3,336 total yards, 34 TD, and 10 INT ever be close to a F grade?
Strictly passing, maybe. But outside of one game they protected the ball really well and there were too many examples (like Wimbush nearly single handededly turning the BC game) of the QB’s making plays to give them a really bad grade.
Poor passing + very good running led me to an average grade.
“Would any season with 3,336 total yards, 34 TD, and 10 INT ever be close to a F grade?”
Yeah, that’s fair/a good point. I guess my most searing memory of the QB play this season is Wimbush throwing a WR screen in the grass two feet in front of the receiver (and again, and again), but I should try to mentally balance that with the MSU TD run.
Well put, I agree with that overall assessment of Wimbush in 2017. Couldn’t throw worth a lick but ran very well and operated an offense that averaged 34 points a game and went 48+ points five times.
I agree, Eric. You cannot ignore the great running from the QB’s, and looking at the TD to INT ratio, that is respectable as well. Of course, we all saw how the passing “actually” looked, so I am perfectly comfortable with the grade you gave. Lots of room for improvement, which we will need given the likely drop off with the running backs and O-line.
I actually think that’s fair. I initially thought they were solidly high tier 2 just outside the elite in the country. We had 5 games with under 5 YPC, one major stink bomb, and Adams really struggled over the final third of the season.
But looking at things closer and assessing some other teams I think it’s fair to bump them up into the 90’s.
Great article Eric. I thought you graded them pretty fairly.