As I sit here reviewing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish's recent performances, I can't help but feel both excited and concerned about their offensive development. Having followed college basketball for over fifteen years, I've seen what separates good offenses from great ones, and frankly, the Irish have some work to do. I was particularly struck by Coach Micah Shrewsberry's recent comments after their exhibition game against the Philippine national team, where he emphasized the value of early-season experience. "Pero, it's a good win for us kasi it's not just a positive thing to win, nakakuha din kami ng ganitong klaseng experience as early as now," he noted, mixing English with Filipino to express his genuine appreciation for the learning opportunity. That phrase really stuck with me because it highlights something crucial - Notre Dame needs to treat every game, even preseason matchups, as laboratories for offensive experimentation.
Looking at last season's numbers, Notre Dame ranked 145th nationally in offensive efficiency, averaging just 68.3 points per game while shooting 43.2% from the field. Those numbers simply won't cut it in the ACC, where they finished 7-13 in conference play. What troubles me most is their predictability in half-court sets - too much dribbling around the perimeter, not enough player movement, and frankly, an overreliance on contested jump shots. I've charted their possessions, and approximately 62% of their offensive sets begin with a high ball screen that often leads to isolation plays rather than creating advantages for multiple players. They need to embrace more modern offensive concepts like Spain pick-and-rolls, dribble handoffs with purpose, and what I like to call "second-side actions" that force defenses to make multiple rotations.
The three-point shooting has to improve dramatically - there's just no way around it. Last season, they shot just 32.8% from beyond the arc, which placed them 287th in Division I. In today's game, that's practically basketball suicide. I'd love to see them implement more staggered screens for their shooters, similar to what Virginia does so effectively. They have capable shooters in J.R. Konieczny and Markus Burton, but the offense doesn't create enough clean looks for them. What I've noticed in successful college offenses is that they generate approximately 12-15 "wide open" three-point attempts per game (defender 6+ feet away), while Notre Dame creates maybe half that number. They need to run more off-ball actions specifically designed to free up shooters rather than hoping they'll get open through standard motion.
Ball movement is another area where I believe significant improvement is possible. The Irish averaged only 11.2 assists per game last season, which ranked near the bottom of the ACC. Watching them play, I often count the number of passes per possession, and too frequently they settle for one-pass-and-shot scenarios. The best college offenses I've studied - think of teams like Purdue or UConn - typically make three to four passes before taking a shot, which forces defenses to constantly adjust. Notre Dame's guards need to develop what I call "passing vision" - the ability to anticipate where openings will develop rather than reacting to what's immediately visible. This comes from both film study and building chemistry through exactly the kind of early-season experiences Coach Shrewsberry mentioned.
Player development, particularly for their big men, could be a game-changer for their offensive scheme. I'm really high on Carey Booth - at 6'10" with decent mobility, he has the potential to become a modern stretch-four who can both shoot and put the ball on the floor. Right now, Notre Dame's bigs account for only about 18% of their perimeter scoring, whereas elite programs often get 30-35% of their outside production from forwards and centers. Teaching Booth and the other bigs to be legitimate three-point threats would completely transform their offensive spacing. I'd also love to see them develop more post-up game for when they have mismatches - they rarely exploit smaller defenders in the paint, which is a missed opportunity.
Tempo control is another aspect where Notre Dame could gain an edge. They play at one of the slowest paces in college basketball, averaging just 65.2 possessions per game. While controlling tempo can be smart, they need to pick their spots better to push in transition when opportunities arise. I've noticed they miss at least 4-5 potential fast break chances per game by being too deliberate. What I'd recommend is implementing what I call "selective urgency" - identifying specific triggers (like defensive rebounds from certain positions) that automatically become push situations regardless of the game clock. This controlled aggression could get them easier baskets before defenses set up.
The integration of their freshman class will be critical to offensive improvement. I'm particularly excited about what Braeden Shrewsberry brings to the table - yes, he's the coach's son, but having watched his high school footage, he has legitimate scoring instincts that this team desperately needs. Freshmen typically account for about 22% of scoring in successful Power Five programs, while Notre Dame's first-year players contributed only about 12% last season. Getting immediate production from their newcomers could provide the offensive spark they've been missing. Coach Shrewsberry's emphasis on early experience suggests he understands this development timeline better than anyone.
As the season progresses, I'll be watching closely to see if they implement more creative offensive sets, particularly out of timeouts where they struggled last year, scoring on just 41% of ATO (after timeout) possessions. The best coaches have 5-7 go-to plays for critical moments, and I'm hoping Shrewsberry develops that kind of repertoire with this group. Their November and December schedule provides the perfect testing ground for these adjustments - the kind of experiential learning their coach rightly values. If they can turn these early opportunities into lasting offensive improvements, I genuinely believe they can surpass expectations and become a much more dangerous team come conference play. The foundation is there - now it's about building something special upon it.
