Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2019 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 55 RUNNING BACKS NOTABLE DATA The Notre Dame running back position has not lost a fumble in 41 games — which is very likely a school record. The last one was by freshman Josh Adams during a 19-16 win ver- sus Boston College at Fenway Park on Nov. 21, 2015. There were two fumbles by Fighting Irish backs in 2016, but both times Notre Dame play- ers fell on it. A football wasn't even dislodged from the backs in 2017. Last year, Dexter Wil- liams and Avery Davis (now at cornerback) both fumbled twice, but again they were not lost to the opponent. The law of averages dictates that at some point this remarkable achieve- ment will end. QUOTABLE: SENIOR RUNNING BACK TONY JONES JR. ON PRACTICING WITH PURPOSE AND CONSISTENCY THIS SPRING: "I think I've found a way to balance my life, to worry about the things I can control and just keep fighting through it. I need to balance my emotions … and stop thinking so much about things and making it difficult when it's really just playing a sport and having fun." 2018 VS. 2019: STOCK UP OR DOWN? Despite the graduation of sixth-round draft pick Dexter Williams, a strong case could be made that Notre Dame is much further along at the start of the 2019 season than it was a year ago. Heading into last fall, the Irish had a suspended senior running back in Williams, who never carried the ball more than 39 times in a season, an oft-injured junior with just 44 career carries in Tony Jones Jr. and a sophomore in Jafar Armstrong, who spent his freshman season redshirting at wide receiver. Armstrong and Jones combined for 1,091 yards of offense and 11 touchdowns to complement a breakout season from Williams. There might not be a home run threat at the position, but the pass catching talent is impressive, and the spring emergence of sophomore Jahmir Smith has the position in good hands. X-FACTOR It would not be a shock if Armstrong had a breakout season and racked up more than 1,000 yards of offense this fall, and Smith could become a productive third op- tion at the position. However, the difference between Notre Dame possessing a solid backfield and one with championship-caliber output is the play of Tony Jones Jr. He lacks downfield speed, but his overall skill set is strong. He is quite nimble for a 227-pound back, his vision stands out, his pass catching skills are top-notch and he's a capable blocker. Crucial to Jones is staying healthy and bringing his "A game" consistently, not in spurts. FRESHMAN OUTLOOK Injuries to Smith and Jones allowed Kyren Williams to get more reps in the spring, and the early enrollee took advantage by growing his game. Williams rushed for more than 3,000 career yards and hauled in more than 1,000 receiving yards during his prolific prep career. While not a burner, Williams is a strong runner with a thick lower body, and his pass catching skills are advanced. He is a natural route runner and displays strong hands. If he can improve his pass blocking, he could find himself on the field this fall. DID YOU KNOW? The past two seasons under offensive coor- dinator Chip Long marked the first time Notre Dame averaged more than 170 rushing yards per game in back-to-back seasons — 269.5 in 2017 and 182.6 in 2018 — since 2000-01. In the four losses during that 22-4 stretch, the Fighting Irish ground attack averaged only 101.5 yards per contest and 2.7 yards per carry. Last year was only the fourth time Notre Dame finished in the Associated Press top 10 with a rushing average of less than 200 yards, the others occurring in 1957, 1964 and 2005. The figure was 190.9 both times in 1957 and 1964, while the 9-3 unit in 2005 was at 147.1. The other three 2018 College Football Playoff teams were at 248.2 yards per game (Clemson), 247.4 (Oklahoma) and 198.4 (Alabama). SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS (5) Listed after the class year is the years of eligi- bility remaining. 8 Jafar Armstrong (6-1, 220), Jr./3 6 Tony Jones Jr. (5-11, 227), Sr./2 34 Jahmir Smith (5-11, 207), So./4 20 C'Bo Flemister (5-11, 195), So./4 23 Kyren Williams (5-9, 209), Fr./4 Tony Jones Jr. enters his senior year with 624 ca- reer rushing yards, 17 less than Dexter Williams had last season going into his final campaign. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA