Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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20 AUGUST 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI A t the end of the 2017 spring drills, running back Tony Jones Jr. — who redshirted as a freshman in 2016 — was one of the clear standouts as a breakout performer while complementing the far more proven Josh Adams. "He's a guy that if at any time we wanted to call him a No. 1 [running back], we could call him a No. 1," head coach Brian Kelly said of Jones grooming to become a lead back. "He's done all the things to build that trust in terms of protections, catching the ball out of the backfield. … He's earned that through his work this spring. "Quite frankly, [he's been that way] through the time he's been here. … You'll see a lot of him this fall." Alas, breakout plans or coming-out parties don't always work out in a college career as planned. The 5-11, 220-pound Jones from the superpower IMG Academy in Bra- denton, Fla., finished the 2017 season as only the fifth-leading rusher with 232 yards and three touchdowns on 44 carries. A high ankle sprain suffered during the fourth quarter in game three at Boston College sidelined him a week later in the win at Michigan State, but the physical setback affected him emotionally and mentally, which was his greater regret. "The injury just strung up the whole season," Jones said this spring. "I started feeling way better the week of USC [carrying five times for 37 yards against the Trojans] … but Josh was doing great." With Adams opting to turn pro early this spring, Deon McIntosh (now at East Mississippi Community College) and C.J. Holmes (now at Penn State) both dismissed from the team this past winter, and enigmatic senior Dexter Williams a question mark entering 2018 (see page 14), Jones might well be needed to take on the No. 1 role in the backfield that Kelly had projected for him a year earlier. For now, Jones' goals center more on week-to-week consistency than glittering statistics. "Staying healthy and just being a leader more than I was last year — and just controlling my emotions," Jones said when asked about his 2018 objectives. "Be a more complete back and more a leader and be more effec- tive. … When things would get tough [last year], I would get mad. I guess I would be very hard on myself. "… I think I've made my most strides by being a better leader on the field, controlling my emotions and being more of a shifty back." Still, the junior ball carrier knows his bread and butter is more about his power, north-south running than elusiveness. If he had a choice be- tween running over a defender or around him … "Probably run them over, to be honest, because it's more demeaning to them," Jones said. "You run them over and they're like, 'Dang, he came with that thing.'" His physicality could earn him a spot on kick coverage as well. He switched his jersey from No. 34 to No. 6 this spring, but preferred No. 4. Because he and senior linebacker Te'von Coney (also No. 4) could be on the same coverage units, Jones was given No. 6 instead. Jones' 2018 spring was far more under the radar and understated than in 2017, but he'll trade that for much better results for himself this time in the fall. "I think I'm ready to contribute in the run game, the pass game, just be an every-down back," Jones said. "I don't have to look at Coach on third down and him bringing me out be- cause he doesn't have faith in me. "I'm excited for it and I want to show the world who Tony Jones Jr. is." ✦ LEARNING ON THE RUN Tony Jones Jr. suddenly is in a lead back role for Notre Dame's ground game Last year, Jones scored three touchdowns and was Notre Dame's fifth-leading rusher with 232 yards. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA Late Bloomers Often times, great running backs display their wares as freshman — as did Josh Adams with a Notre Dame freshman-record 835 rushing yards in 2015 — or certainly by their sophomore season. However, there are numerous examples of "where did he come from?" late-blooming running backs at Notre Dame, among them Creighton Miller for the 1943 national champs. He entered his senior season with 183 career yards and 3.1 yards per carry, but then led the nation in rushing — the lone Fighting Irish back ever to do so — with 911 yards and 6.0 yards per attempt. Nearly 50 years later in 1992 there was Reggie Brooks, who rushed for 43 yards as a freshman, played cornerback as a sophomore and totaled 122 yards as junior after returning to offense. As a senior, he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting and became a second-round selection in the NFL Draft after rushing for 1,458 yards (including the bowl) at nearly 8.0 yards per clip. More pertinent has been the history under head coach Brian Kelly: Jonas Gray (2011) — His first three years he totaled 90, 119 and 100 yards rushing and received a stigma as a fumbler. As a senior he rushed for 791 yards, 6.9 yards per carry and 12 scores before tear- ing his ACL in the home finale. Theo Riddick (2012) — Converted to receiver after a freshman year in which he rushed for 160 yards. As a senior, he returned to running back and led the 12-1 Irish with 917 rushing yards to go with 36 catches for 370 yards. Cam McDaniel (2013) — Rushed for a total of 134 yards his first two seasons while also receiving work at cornerback. As a junior, he rushed for a team-high 705 yards to earn a captaincy the following season. C.J. Prosise (2015) — After beginning his career at safety in 2012, he shifted to wide receiver, where he rushed for 126 yards as a junior, mainly off jet sweeps. As a senior, he shifted to running back full time and romped for 1,029 yards, 6.6 yards per carry and 11 touchdowns en route to becoming a third- round pick in the NFL Draft. — Lou Somogyi