Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/998819
52 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW RUNNING BACKS A n effective running back corps must demonstrate an innate ability to bounce back from the repeated hits absorbed. Unfortunately, the Notre Dame running backs took far too many hits not even on the field of play since this past winter: • Freshman C.J. Holmes, who earned a 2017 monogram on special teams, was sus- pended prior to Christmas break — along with troubled wideout Kevin Stepherson — because of a shoplifting incident. Both were dismissed from the team in January. As of mid-June, Holmes' future at Notre Dame looked murky at best. • Sophomore Deon McIntosh, the third- leading rusher last season (368 yards, 5.7 yards per carry, five touchdowns) was sent home during Citrus Bowl preparations for a violation of team rules, and later dismissed from the team because of past transgres- sions. In June, he enrolled at East Missis- sippi Community College, which has be- come known as "Last Chance U." • Junior Josh Adams, who amassed 1,430 rushing yards in 2017, turned pro rather than return for his senior season. He signed with the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadel- phia Eagles after going undrafted. • Senior Dexter Williams is the top re- turning rusher with 641 career yards (360 last year) — but in June there was rampant speculation, although no official confirma- tion from the university, that he would miss the first part of the season because of inter- nal disciplinary issues. When a group of local reporters asked head coach Brian Kelly about Williams' status at the Kelly Cares Foundation Golf Invitational June 4, he would neither con- firm nor deny anything, similar to 2017 with Stepherson when the wideout was suspended the first four games. "We hope so," Kelly responded when asked whether Williams will be with the team at the opener. "There are always things behind the scenes that you've got to sort out, but our expectations right now are that he'll be there for us in the opener." In Blue & Gold Illustrated's post-spring analysis of the 2018 Fighting Irish team that rated all nine positions on offense and defense, the issues at running back had that group listed at the bottom in terms of expe- rience and depth. Consequently, sophomore quarterback Avery Davis and sophomore wide receiver Jafar Armstrong — both of whom redshirted last year — worked some with fourth-year running backs coach Autry Denson this spring. The lead back entering 2018 could be junior Tony Jones Jr., who enjoyed a superb spring and August in 2017 before a high ankle sprain slowed his progress to 232 rush- ing yards last year. "He's a guy that if at any time we wanted to call him a No. 1 [running back], we could call him a No. 1," Kelly said of Jones in the spring of 2017. "He's done all the things to build that trust in terms of protections, catch- ing the ball out of the backfield …" A lot of trust will be put to the test for the 2018 backfield. ✦ WORKING FROM THE GROUND UP Notre Dame's ball carriers will try to bounce back from numerous setbacks Senior Dexter Williams' 641 career rushing yards are the most among returning Fighting Irish running backs. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL