Notre Dame Boasts Top Pass Efficiency Rating on Both Sides of Ball

Notre Dame has been at its best when the ball is in the air through three games.

It doesn’t matter which side of the ball is on the field. 

The Fighting Irish are the only team in the country that ranks inside the top 10 in team pass efficiency (2nd of 133 FBS programs) and pass efficiency defense (4th). 

PASS EFFICIENCY OFFENSE

Of course, it all starts with Notre Dame’s new man under center: Sam Hartman. The sixth-year quarterback has been poised and decisive without making the risky throws that often cost him in the past. 

In three games, he’s completed 75 percent of his passes for 731 yards (11.4 per attempt), 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Hartman also boasts the second-best pass efficiency rating at 222.51, just behind USC’s reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams.

What’s more impressive is he’s found so much success without a go-to receiver. He’s hit 14 different pass catchers and no one has more than 15% of the receiving production. 

“You’re going to be the guy when the ball comes your way, but you always have to anticipate the ball coming your way,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. “I think that’s the beautiful part of how we’re playing offensively. Anybody on any play has a chance to get the ball thrown their way.”

Jayden Thomas remains Hartman’s most frequent target, with 10 passes thrown (15.6% of targets) the junior receiver’s way. 

In 2022, Notre Dame’s pass offense revolved around Michael Mayer, who led all FBS tight ends with 101 targets. Those accounted for 33.1 percent of quarterback pass attempts in the 12 games he played.

”I love what we’re doing (this year with) the ability to spread the ball out,” Freeman said. “Last year, you look at the Michael Mayer effect. It was if Michael Mayer is single covered, you’re going to Michael Mayer. I think the ability to really go through a progression, it really puts the defense at a disadvantage because you can’t just double-cover one guy.”

Team pass efficiency doesn’t take into account when the quarterback gets sacked, and that’s an area with room for improvement after Notre Dame’s 45-24 victory over N.C. State on Saturday. 

On the surface, it might appear that the Wolfpack defensive front beat up Notre Dame’s offensive line by sacking Sam Hartman four times on Saturday. In reality, N.C. State generated 12 pressures on 27 dropbacks. 

There are several things Notre Dame can do to improve in this area.

“We have to make sure our details are corrected in the routes and we’re on the same page,” Freeman said. “We have an option route. Is the guy running an out or an in? The technique of pass protection. Sam getting the ball out of his hands.”

“Sometimes your against a good defense and they had some good pressure packages. One or two where I said we might need to look at that defensively. It’s not one specific person, one specific position. it’s a collective group that we have to continue to improve in all aspects of pass protection.”

Notre Dame’s bread and butter is still its ground attack, with the Irish averaging a respectable 5.7 yards per carry (21st). 

Hartman’s pass efficiency will likely drop as Notre Dame gets into the meat of its schedule, but the Irish need to remain productive through the air to have a balanced offensive attack. 

If teams can’t key on the run or the pass, Notre Dame’s offense will be difficult to stop, no matter the opponent. 

PASS EFFICIENCY DEFENSE

Through three games, Notre Dame’s opponents are completing 42.9% of passes for 4.8 yards per attempt (13th), 123.3 yards per game (10th) and a 43.8 NFL passer rating. 

It helps that Notre Dame opened the season with mediocre opponents in Tennessee State and Navy (although, the Midshipmen don’t impact this pass efficiency much since they only threw the ball seven times). 

A key to the Irish’s success this past weekend against N.C. State was frequently disrupting Brennan Armstrong’s passes, deflecting eight balls and snatching three out of the air. 

The Fighting Irish defense finished with 11 passes defended (interceptions + PBUs). Notre Dame last had 11 passes defended in a 31-13 win over No. 11 Michigan State in 2011. 

A strong secondary is only part of the equation. Notre Dame only had one sack against the Wolfpack but finished the game with 28 quarterback pressures while forcing Armstrong to complete just 47 percent of his passes for just 5.5 yards per attempt and a 51.7 NFL passer rating. 

“If it generates interceptions and great pass efficiency defense, I’m great with it,” Freeman said. “(Armstrong) was getting the ball out of his hands (at) around four seconds, which isn’t a lot of time to get a sack.”

In 2022, the Irish finished with 38.0 team sacks (13th) but only exceeded 22 pressures in a game once, with 34 in a 24-17 win over Cal. 

More importantly, Notre Dame generated pressure on Armstrong without allowing him to escape the pocket and extend plays or run for first downs. He finished with 12 carries for just 26 yards.

“We were very strategic in how we wanted to rush this quarterback,” Freeman said. “We could not be out of control and just free-rush this guy. We wanted to create pass-rush gains that forced him to do certain things. I’m really pleased with the execution and the outcome of what happened. 

“I know the sack numbers aren’t what we aspire to have, but the outcome in terms of the interceptions and pass efficiency was exactly what we needed.” 

Part of Notre Dame’s success thus far is blitzing second and third-level defenders. Linebackers Marist Liufau and JD Bertrand rank first and second in pressures with eight and six. Jack Kiser and Jalen Sneed are also among the top 10. 

Nickel Thomas Harper is also an effective pass rusher, pressuring Armstrong twice on Saturday. 

“I have full confidence in our pass rush with four guys, but I think that’s who we are,” Freeman said. “Being able to keep offenses off balance by bringing second-level linebackers but also defensive backs.”

Notre Dame’s demonstrated ability to contain a mobile quarterback like Armstrong should pay off when the Irish face a higher caliber of dual-threat signal-callers. USC’s Williams and Duke’s Riley Leonard are projected first-round NFL Draft picks who make defenses pay once they escape the pocket. 

It’ll be even better if the Irish defense can get a few extra sacks in those contests.

“The sacks will come,” Freeman said, “just continue to buy into what we’re trying to do defensively because the results defensively big picture have been exactly what we wanted.”