Notre Dame OL Joe Alt Ascending Behind Improved Footwork & Film Study
Notre Dame’s offensive line was a hot topic to start the year, but the Fighting Irish have found consistency over the last five weeks.
Yes, there is plenty of room to improve as Harry Hiestand’s group hasn’t reached the dominant stage, yet the growth has been noticeable.
Entering game eight, Notre Dame is No. 47 in rushing yards per game at 178.1 and while it’s not perfect, the Irish found a way to run the ball when it’s mattered the most in recent weeks, including last Saturday to close out UNLV.
Sophomore Joe Alt has been a stable force at left tackle and perhaps the most consistent player in the trenches for the Notre Dame offensive line.
“I feel like this last game was the best as an offensive line we’ve played five as one and communicated,” Alt said. “I felt like we were really clicking there. It took a few drives to get used to their movements, but toward the end of the game, I felt like we all were in sync and really knew what we were going up against. It feels great as an offensive line to just know that it’s in our hands. We’re running the ball, they can’t stop us and we go down and score. There’s no better feeling than that.”
The 6-foot-7, 317-pounder was thrown to the wolves a year ago as Alt started the final eight games of 2021. Alt’s development was expedited and it led to lofty preseason goals, but in reality, the Minnesota native was very much growing as a player.
Alt has enjoyed getting coached by Hiestand and the focus over the last 10 months has been on his footwork.
“It’s been a lot of my footwork, especially in the run game early on, getting that calmed down,” Alt stated when asked where his biggest growth has come. “Taking the simplest, easiest footwork to get me to my block. Win the first second, both in pass and in the run game. Just getting me there.
“I feel like after the first second if you’re in the right spot your percentage of winning that block went up so much. The biggest growth for me is my footwork.”
Hiestand’s bread and butter has been having technically sound offensive lines and Alt has noticed the emphasis on the smallest of details.
“Just technique in everything,” stated Alt. “Win that first second and once you’re on the block, it’s a lot of refitting your hands, regrouping, sliding your feet. It’s been that first second for me and the technique to get there that’s been the biggest thing he’s coached me on and helped me get better in.”
The pressure can be tough for a young player, but Alt has a classmate on the same roller coaster ride as right tackle Blake Fisher is also learning at an accelerated pace.
Alt and Fisher compare notes and it’s led to better communication, which in turn has allowed the offensive line to find more consistency.
“It’s watching film individually and then passing off what we’ve seen with each other,” explained Alt. “For example, Stanford, initially one guy was on the right for most of the year, one guy was on the left. We watched our guys. But we both share our notes and it ended up being they switched sides in that game.
“I was able to share my notes with him and he was sharing his notes with me. The biggest thing for me is in-game, you come off and maybe one thing happened on the right side that’s completely different from the left. It’s communication in-game for me and him that’s been the biggest and it’s helped us both play better.”
Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has been impressed with Alt’s daily effort over the last 16 months and knows the sophomore is just scratching the surface of his potential.
“His care factor is through the roof,” Rees explained. “Technically, he’s very sound. He’s a talented kid and works really hard at it. As he gets more exposure to playing, he’s recognizing some nuanced things in the front and what teams are trying to do and how to react. He’s doing a great job.
“He’s got a tremendous upside and we’re excited for his future.”
Notre Dame will need to run the ball on Saturday at No. 16 Syracuse and there should be a ton of confidence in the run game as the Irish went 9-for-10 on rushes two yards or less to a first down or touchdown last weekend.
“For us, it was definitely communication for UNLV,” Alt stated. “We watched a lot of film. We knew what to expect and we had a lot of keys to what they were doing and we knew how to block them. I think going forward that’s going to be huge as well this week.
“This week we’re expecting movement. So we’re making sure our feet are underneath us, pads are low, and when you get on those guys it’s accelerating your feet. If you move that guy anything off the ball, it’s going to be that much better for us.”
And while Hiestand might be a tough grader, Alt’s father, John, might be the toughest as the two-time Pro Bowler and Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Famer knows a thing or two about offensive line play.
“They’re both pretty tough,” said Alt. “They grade differently. They have very similar mindsets in how they grade. They both have specific things they look for. My dad is pretty tough on me. I don’t think there is one that takes one over the other.”
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