Notre Dame offense starts with the run. IU football is best in country at stopping it.

BLOOMINGTON — IU football hasn’t faced a true dual-threat quarterback this season.

That will change for the Hoosiers (11-1) in the first round of the College Football Playoff against Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard. The Duke transfer was one of only six Power Four quarterbacks this season with at least 1,900 passing yards and 650 rushing yards.

“He’s an excellent player,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. “I’ve been watching him for a couple years, studying Duke offense, when he was at Duke. He’s a competitor, and he throws the ball well. He’s got good movement skills, good size.”

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Leonard has averaged 5.5 yards per carry in 39 career games and has the second most career rushing touchdowns (33) among active FBS quarterbacks. He had 16 of those in 2024 and closed out the year with multiple touchdowns in four of the team’s last five games.

“When you play Notre Dame offensively, it starts with the run game, and the quarterback is a big part of the run game,” Cignetti said. “Not only on the designed quarterback runs but when he drops back and he’s in the pocket and escapes the pocket and his ability to create plays with his arm and his legs.”

Notre Dame has the 10th ranked rushing offense in the country going into the College Football Playoff (224.8 yards per game) and is one of only three FBS teams that’s averaging more than six yards per attempt (6.3 yards per carry).

The Irish lean on two running backs — Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price — in addition to Leonard. The group tied for the fourth-most runs of 30 yards or more (16) this season.

Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, who is a Broyles Award finalist given annually to the nation’s top assistant, rattled off most of…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/notre-dame-offense-starts-run-092552437.html

Author : Indianapolis Star

Publish date : 2024-12-17 09:25:00

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