Pete Thamel, Rece Davis question Notre Dame’s offensive identity

Who is Notre Dame on offense? That’s the big question for Rece Davis and Pete Thamel in regards to the Fighting Irish, especially considering who their next opponent will be.

Davis and Thamel broke down Notre Dame’s identity on offense on the ‘College GameDay Podcast’ this week. To Davis, unless they really just can’t run the ball the way everyone thinks, he doesn’t understand why RB Audric Estime isn’t getting more touches as he comes off a 10-carry game in their loss to Louisville.

“I think Notre Dame needs to decide what it is,” Davis said. “If you’re going to have this identity that you’re this big, bad offensive line and we’re going to run the football behind you, we’ve got Audric Estime? He’s not getting the ball enough. I know they’ve got a lot of backs, I know they want to get (Jeremiyah) Love involved. I applaud all of that – he’s either your guy or he’s not.”

“If he’s your guy and that’s your identity? Then do that,” said Davis. “If you can’t do it, which might be the dirty little secret there? Maybe it’s what they want to do but they can’t? Then you have to find some different answers.”

Thamel agreed with Davis as he sees Estime as Notre Dame’s top weapon on offense. That’s why he wants to see what the Irish’s game plan will be this weekend against a defense that will give up yardage if they just go take it.

“It will be interesting pushing forward, Rece, for Notre Dame and how they call the game on Saturday against USC. USC’s defense is so bad that will they take the cheese and try to slice them up in the air? Or will they try to find that identity? I agree. Audric Estime should be your identity. He is your best offensive skill player and that’s no knock on Sam Hartman,” said Thamel. “Audric Estime, with the way they are constructed, should be their identity.”

“I really feel like there’s going to be some hard conversations about Notre Dame this week of like, ‘What are we?’. And how is that going to manifest itself against the Trojan defense that is just, simply put, not good?”

So, who is Notre Dame? It’s time to find out, specifically on offense. With their fourth straight Top-25 matchup on deck, Davis sees this next contest as the one that will decide what kind of season they have in South Bend this fall.

“Now, with USC coming in? Having lost the Ohio State game, having getting whipped at Louisville? Now, here come the Trojans – this is your last stand,” Davis stated.