Tommy Kraemer Looking For Improved Run Game On Saturday
Notre Dame opened the season with questions surrounding the run game after the departure of offensive linemen Alex Bars and Sam Mustipher along with explosive running back Dexter Williams.
Running back Tony Jones Jr. led the Irish with 110 rushing yards as Notre Dame racked up 230 yards on the ground, which came as a pleasant surprise to many, but senior offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer wants more and the early bye week provided the chance to work on some of the mistakes.
“After the Louisville game, we made some corrections and we know what we have to clean up,” Kraemer said on Tuesday following practice. “We’re excited to get to run the ball this week.”
Jones’ big game didn’t come as a surprise to Kraemer as he’s seen what the Florida native can do for the last three seasons.
“He’s so physical,” stated Kraemer. “You see how he runs. He runs with his head down and he’s not afraid of contact. He’s awesome to block for.”
Notre Dame scored 35 points and ran the ball well, but it wasn’t all pretty. Head coach Brian Kelly stated the veterans have to play better and the message was heard loud and clear.
“Whenever he asks people to stand up, we take it as a challenge,” explained Kraemer. “You think about the guys before us in the offensive line room, Quenton (Nelson), Mike (McGlinchey), (Alex) Bars, Sam (Mustipher), Nick Martin and Ronnie Stanley. All those guys were great leaders. We watched what they did and how they helped us to see how we can do better as a group.”
While this week will be about seeing if the veterans can step up to allow the youth of the roster to get crucial playing time, Saturday will also be about quarterback Ian Book.
Book didn’t have his best game in Louisville, but Kraemer isn’t worried about his quarterback.
“Nothing but confidence,” stated Kraemer when asked about Book. “Ian Book’s the man. He’s out there with confidence every day. We’re excited to work with him and we love working with him every day.”
It’s been over 300 days since the Irish played a game inside Notre Dame Stadium and the goal is simple for Kraemer.
“It’s just playing with a mindset of going out there and beating the guy in front of you,” said Kraemer. “We have to clean up the mistakes and work on our technique. It will be a fun weekend.”