Notre Dame O-line focused on making life easier for new backfield

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Notre Dame’s offensive line brought plenty of experience into this season, but the backfield behind it looks much different.

After losing two first-round running backs from last year’s team, the Irish entered 2026 with questions surrounding who would take over the workload. Aneyas Williams and Nolan James Jr. have stepped into those bigger roles, and Notre Dame’s offensive line is putting an added emphasis on making life easier for the new-look backfield.

For offensive lineman Sullivan Absher, that starts with the mentality head coach Marcus Freeman has pushed throughout the program.

“It starts from the top with Coach Freeman kind of installing our motto for the year, ‘Leave No Doubt,’” Absher said. “In offensive line terms, I believe we’ve put a much higher emphasis on finishing blocks this year and getting them sorted so our running backs have more confidence hitting holes.”

That emphasis has become increasingly important as Williams and James take over a running back room that has faced questions from outside the program.

For the offensive line, the approach is straightforward: finish blocks, create cleaner running lanes and give the backs the confidence to hit those holes without hesitation.

Offensive line coach Joe Rudolph said he does not put too much stock into statistics while the game is unfolding. Instead, he checks video on the sideline, makes adjustments in real time and saves the full evaluation for film study afterward.

So far, Rudolph likes what he has seen from the group.

“I really like that group of kids, man,” Rudolph said. “I think they are very much on par with the likes we’ve had here, and I think they are doing a really good job in a lot of areas. The thing we’ve got to do is stay focused on getting better, each guy understanding his role a little bit more, how he fits in the whole picture.”

Notre Dame will take that mentality on the road Saturday against North Carolina, a matchup that carries some extra meaning for Absher.

The Belmont, North Carolina, native said he expects about 15 people from his hometown to be in attendance, including friends, former coaches and family members.

Despite the familiar faces, Absher said he is treating the trip like any other game.

There is one twist to his homecoming, though.

Absher said he grew up a North Carolina basketball fan. When it came to football, however, he was on the Alabama Crimson Tide bandwagon.

Now, he will return to his home state wearing Notre Dame colors as the Irish look to keep building behind an offensive line that has taken on an even bigger responsibility this season.