Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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to do some things with quickness and touchdown in the contest. being able to get the ball in his hands Last year, the now-graduated Robby and let him get something positive," Toma and Smith took the majority of Denbrock summarized. reps in the slot. Martin joked that the The original plan this spring was to 5-9, 175-pound Toma provided the cross-train Prosise at both receiver and "Smurf" element at the position, while safety, but it soon became evident that the much larger Smith supplied more his future was on offense. of a physical presence as a blocker. "I still know the defense and I still This year, the options might be more know what's going on [there]," Prosise abundant. said. "Knowing the defense helps me During the spring, backup tight end read it while I'm on offense." Ben Koyack was sometimes lined up in The learning curve is going to the slot. Although the 5-10, 185-pound remain steep entering August training junior running back Amir Carlisle camp. In a scrimmage the week before broke his collarbone on the third the Blue-Gold Game, Prosise lined day of spring practice, he also could up on the outside for the first time, become a faster version of Riddick as a according to Kelly, hybrid slot/running and also ran an back. "He's been what we out cut for the first "Your guess is thought he could be; time. He dropped as good as mine," he's just done it a lot the pass because he quicker than we thought." replied Martin when was not used to the Head coach Brian Kelly on Prosise asked who might see pattern. In the same the most reps this scrimmage, he misjudged a route on a season in the slot. "C.J. … the jury is well-thrown ball. still out on him. I don't know that he's "A couple of plays a day he goes ready to get the keys to car and take meandering down the field, he's off and be our slot." looking back and he kind of comes Prosise's thick frame evokes some back and smiles and says, 'No I didn't memories of 1992-95 Fighting Irish really know what I was doing,'" star wideout Derrick Mayes (who was offensive coordinator Chuck Martin listed at 6-1, 208). said. "When you're thinking about the "When you look at him you think of routes, sometimes you don't catch it as tailback, not receiver," Martin said. "As much as when you know the route like he continues to grow in our program the back of your hand." and we gain confidence in him and he Still, Prosise snared an 80-yard gains confidence in himself, you could touchdown pass from a scrambling see him moving around because he Golson in the April 13 scrimmage. can play outside receiver, he can play Then in the Blue-Gold Game the inside receiver and you can play him following week, his 35-yard scoring in the backfield." catch in the fourth quarter from Prosise will not be surprising freshman Malik Zaire was the lone anymore. ✦