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Notre Dame Football 2017 preview

By John Buhler

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 01: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and his team wait to head on to the field for the start of the game against the Syracuse Orange at MetLife Stadium on October 1, 2016 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 01: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and his team wait to head on to the field for the start of the game against the Syracuse Orange at MetLife Stadium on October 1, 2016 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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SOUTH BEND, IN – APRIL 22: Notre Dame Fighting Irish Offensive Coordinator Chip Long in action during the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Blue-Gold Spring Game on April 22, 2017, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, IN. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN – APRIL 22: Notre Dame Fighting Irish Offensive Coordinator Chip Long in action during the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Blue-Gold Spring Game on April 22, 2017, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, IN. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Biggest X-Factor: Offensive coordinator Chip Long’s play calling

Much was made last year of the play calling on both sides of the ball for Notre Dame. Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder didn’t make it through the season, as he was let go. Kelly would take over play calling duties on offense for Mike Denbrock mid-season. Denbrock left to go be Luke Fickell’s offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bearcats in the AAC.

Coming into South Bend is former Memphis Tigers offensive coordinator Chip Long, who had the Tigers offense humming under first-year head coach Mike Norvell. Keep in mind that Memphis lost its great head coach Justin Fuente to the Virginia Tech job and starting quarterback Paxton Lynch a year early to the 2016 NFL Draft. Together, Norvell and Long had a good year together in Memphis.

Before leading the Tigers’ offense, Long had been on Todd Graham’s staff at Arizona State. He was  the Sun Devils tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator from 2012 to 2015. At only 34 years old, Long’s coaching career has been fast tracked, as he is already the Golden Domers’ offensive coordinator.

Long is a guy that Kelly feels comfortable in handing the keys over to in running this offense. How he bonds with Wimbush at quarterback will be key. Notre Dame has to get a higher completion percentage than what it got out of Kizer last year to have any success offensively.

Devising a game plan to make the most out of Wimbush’s dual-threat ability will be key for Long. Expect this offense to have more nuance than the one Rhett Lashlee ran at Auburn and will run for Randy Edsall in Connecticut. However, Long will be unfairly the scapegoat if Notre Dame struggles to move the sticks through the air this season.