Notre Dame's offense looking to improve while waiting to see who will be in at the quarterback

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind -- It's a new look for the Irish this spring not just for the players but there are seven new coaches on the staff as well.

When you look at an offense you always start with what's considered the field general, the quarterback.

As of right now the decision is still up in the air between Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner.

After the news about Buchner's ankle, the competition will not be resolved any time soon.

We won't see the quarterback battle in the Blue-Gold game with Buchner out.

Pyne will play quarterback for both the blue and gold teams.

"I'm going to put everything I have into this offseason and I'm going to have no looking back," Pyne said.

Pyne's main target will likely be tight end Michael Mayer who led the Irish with program record 71 receptions to go with 7 touchdowns last season.

"I have a connection with both of them. They both know my route running, they know it's an art, they know when I'm going to break, they know when I'm going to snap, that type of thing." said Mayer said.

Pyne will also call upon an experienced group of receivers to throw to guys like Braden Lenzy and Lorenzo Styles. They combined for nearly 700 yards and four touchdowns last season.

"Deliberate in overall concepts. I think at times in the past, it was more positional awareness at each individual, but now I think all the receivers can kind of play all around," Lenzy said.

"The beauty of it is guys are hungry to learn, hungry for the details and to be great. That's all you can ask for. They want to learn and they don't feel like they know it all," said receivers coach Chansi Stuckey.

With the uncertainty at the quarterback position, the run game with returners Chris Tyree, Logan Diggs and Audric Estime, will have the opportunity to shine.

"You have different backs. You have Chris, who is really a threat with his speed every time he touches it. He's good out of the backfield in the pass game," said offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.

"You have Logan, who is more of your traditional slasher, stop and start, short-area quickness, but he is 6-foot-2, 200 however many pounds and can deliver a blow," said Rees. “You have Audric, who is obviously a grown man. You have your bully in there, who can grind out tough yards, be physical and impose his will."

New running back's coach Deland McCullough will call upon the experience of the run game to replace two time 1,000 yard rusher Kyren Williams.

"They're hungry to be the best running back group in the nation. That's one of our goals as we go out here every day,” McCullough said.