Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/542018
Prosise more and more active in the backfield, including a game-high 12 car- ries for 64 yards in the Blue-Gold Game, Folston again remained in the shadows. Not being in the limelight is not an issue for Folston. "I'm looking forward to just as many carries," he said of his effort versus LSU. "But I'm also looking forward to [oth- ers] having just as many carries. I want a dual backfield, and possibly those fresh- men coming in [Josh Adams and Dexter Williams] getting some touches as well. "I'm looking for a very strong running game this year, so we can get the back- field rolling and have a strong offense altogether." Ideally, Denson said the Irish would like to play the brand of physical football they did in the bowl victory versus the Tigers, but to do that, it will necessitate rotating bodies in the backfield to keep them fresh. "All of our backs now are very physi- cal and we run very well in between the tackles, so really that's what we do — we're running backs," Folston said. "The physicality is there." In April, Notre Dame associate head coach Mike Denbrock touted Prosise as possibly the top weapon on offense. In May, Zaire took center stage when incumbent quarterback Everett Golson opted to use his fifth season at Florida State. And this June, Bryant made the head- lines again — but this time for a four- game suspension to open the season be- cause of a violation of team rules. Like Ol' Man River, Folston is the one who just quietly keeps rolling along with reliability. At 214 pounds, his stout 5-9½ frame has remained durable, and in his 263 career carries he has not lost one fumble while putting the ball on the ground just twice. Folston also has upgraded his skills as a receiver, going from five catches for 35 yards as a freshman to Folston enters 2015 with 1,359 career rushing yards, the fourth most by an Irish back in his first two seasons. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA