Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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50 OCT. 8, 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED IRISH IN THE PROS BY COREY BODDEN A fter a stellar junior campaign in South Bend that saw Josh Adams rush for 1,430 yards and nine touch- downs, the star Irish running back de- parted for a chance at the NFL. His name was not called during the 2018 NFL Draft, but it led to a chance to play for his hometown Philadelphia Eagles. Due to the nature of the preseason, Adams earned a fair shot to make a name for himself and work his way onto Philadelphia's 53-man roster. In three games, the former Rivals three- star prospect logged 23 carries for 90 yards while catching six passes for 13 yards. "It was good for experience, espe- cially because young guys play a lot more in the preseason," Adams told NJ.com when asked about his chal- lenge to make the team. "You're also getting a lot of reps in practice. … It was a great experience to learn from other guys in camp and try to build this thing one step at a time." Due to a numbers crunch at his posi- tion — which included veterans Jay Ajayi, Darren Sproles, Corey Clement and Wendell Smallwood — he was not part of the active roster to start the sea- son. However, Adams was signed to the Eagles' practice squad. Adams was not there for long. Be- cause of injuries suffered by Ajayi and Sproles, he was activated to be part of the running back rotation before the team's matchup with the Indianapolis Colts Sept. 23. Adams played just eight snaps dur- ing the 20-16 win, but received six car- ries and rushed for 30 yards (a strong 5.0 per attempt). "It's unbelievable," Adams told The Bucks County Courier Times. "Not too many people get to do this. I'm blessed to be able to play in front of my family, play in front of my hometown. "[The other backs] just told me to step up. It's not something you haven't done before. Each and every play com- ing back to the sideline, getting some support from them, seeing what they saw, helping me out a little bit. It was a great experience." The eventual return of Ajayi and Sp- roles could push Adams back to the practice squad, but that won't hinder his confidence following his opening performance. "This was only a start," Adams said with confidence. "I'm definitely excited to move forward. I can't wait to see what happens in the future because I know everybody in that [running backs] room is hungry. "And I'm ready to compete and try to push those guys. We're going to en- joy this one, but I'm excited to get back to work." NHL PRESEASON UPDATES As of Sept. 27 • Anders Bjork (Played at Notre Dame from 2014-17), F, Boston Bru- ins: Still working his way back from shoulder surgery during the offsea- son … Tallied 12 points (four goals and eight assists) in 30 games last season. • Ian Cole (2007-10), D Colorado Avalanche: Signed a three-year deal with the Avalanche in the offseason Josh Adams Is Grateful For His First NFL Opportunity Adams rushed for 30 yards on six carries during his first taste of NFL action in a 20-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts Sept. 23. PHOTO COURTESY PHILADELPHIA EAGLES NOTRE DAME IN THE NFL: WEEK THREE HIGHLIGHTS • Tyler Eifert (Played at Notre Dame from 2009-12), TE, Cincinnati Bengals: Finished second on the team in receiving yards with 74 on six catches in a 31-21 loss at Carolina. • Will Fuller (2013-15), WR, Houston Texans: Recorded his second straight 100-yard performance, reeling in five receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown in a 27-22 loss to the New York Giants. • Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OT, Baltimore Ravens: Helped the Ravens to a 27-14 win over Denver and was graded as the top-performing left tackle in week three by Pro Football Focus.