Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/165246
✦ News & notes Juniors George Atkinson III, Amir Carlisle and Cam McDaniel possess different running traits, but none is appreciably or significantly above the fray. Meanwhile, freshmen Greg Bryant and Tarean Folston might possess the higher ceilings, but they have a much steeper learning curve in the college game. All played in the 28-6 victory over Temple. Carlisle opened the game with a 45-yard run and finished with 68 yards rushing and two catches for five yards. McDaniel had the most carries with 12, which netted 65 yards. Atkinson (eight carries for 34 yards and one catch for 11 yards) scored the lone touchdown on the ground. Bryant (two carries for 12 yards) and Folston (five carries for 14 yard and one catch for nine yards) did mop-up duty late in the contest. The most irrelevant question about the running back spot is, "Who will start?" The far more pertinent inquiry to Kelly is, "Who can finish?" "We played five because we're still trying to find out who that guy is," Kelly said. "We're not at that point." The graduation of Theo Riddick (917 yards rushing in 2012) and Cierre Wood (742 yards rushing last season) has left a void in experience, consistency and allaround versatility in the group as runners — inside and outside the tackles — receivers and blockers. "Last year we knew when we were going to close out the game, Theo Riddick was in the ballgame — and we're not there yet," Kelly said. "We're still searching for that. Everybody is going to have an opportunity to show that that's his job. "… They all have things that they need to work on. I don't think we left the [Temple] game going, 'You know, we know everything about all these guys.' I think it's going to take some time for all of them to continue to work and continue to progress." Other than Atkinson with his 361 yards rushing last year, nobody in the Irish backfield stable has seen meaningful game-onthe-line action. "We've got some growing pains a little bit at the position," Kelly acknowledged. "They're all gifted players, but I think it's going to take us a little time as we grow. We're willing to play them all, and we're willing to take all of them and their strengths and try to make it work at that position." Scheduling Balance Junior wide receiver DaVaris Daniels, who had a pair of 32-yard touchdown grabs in the win over Temple before being sidelined by a groin injury, was cleared to practice this week. photo by bill panzica Miscellaneous Notes • Head coach Brian Kelly said that junior wide receiver DaVaris Daniels was cleared and expected to practice at full strength with the team this week. Daniels, who grabbed two 32-yard scoring passes from senior quarterback Tommy Rees in the first 4:41 of the Temple game, tweaked his groin in the second quarter of Notre Dame's season-opening win over Temple and did not return in the second half. • Freshman quarterback Malik Zaire, No. 3 on the depth chart, is still waiting for the aftermath of his bout with mononucleosis to dissipate before being fully cleared to play and practice. Kelly said Zaire may be able to do some conditioning work this week, but didn't think he'd be available for Saturday's game. • Sophomore slot Will Mahone indicated on Twitter that it felt good to be practicing again on Tuesday after missing the last half of August with a high ankle sprain. Mahone had a strong camp at running back before getting injured. He was shifted to slot when the staff noted his ball skills as a receiver. • Notre Dame is 4-1 in night games against Michigan — 4-0 at home (including last year) and the 35-31 loss at Ann Arbor in 2011 after entering the fourth quarter with a 24-7 lead. • Dating back to 1997, Notre Dame is 1-6 at Michigan, with the lone victory occurring in 2005 (17-10). ✦ Page 14 With Michigan off the schedule after the 2014 season, Notre Dame is seeking to balance its schedule geographically, particularly in fertile recruiting areas. The prime example is a four-game series with Texas in 2015-16 and 2019-20. The Irish agreed to play five games against ACC teams each season starting in 2014 as part of a compromise that gave all of their other sports a new home in the conference. They also cling tightly to annual battles against USC and Stanford — because of the importance of recruiting in California — and Navy, a valued opponent every year since 1927. "We're also looking at areas where our Shamrock Series can be touted or played geographically, whether that be on the East Coast or in some areas that geographically make sense to us," head coach Brian Kelly said. The objective is to have a balanced schedule yet one that will also impress the committee that will select the four-team playoff that begins in 2014. "When the committee looks at a schedule in whole and decides who are those four — or, maybe down the road, eight teams — relative to playoffs, they can look at our schedule and say, 'That's a deserving schedule.'" Kelly said. ✦