Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 57 BY MATT JONES J osh Adams took handoff after handoff, scratching and clawing for every last yard on the soggy turf of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It's fitting that the Notre Dame running back's best career game — a 17-carry, 180- yard rushing effort — came during an other- wise forgettable time for the Irish. Despite trailing by double digits for a majority of the game, Adams trudged ahead time and time again. When the game finally came to a close, Adams had the look of a man who had gone through severe battle. His mud-stained white jersey and gold pants reflected a season full of disappointment, though not for a lack of trying on his part. Through two seasons, the Warrington, Pa., native has proven to be a workhorse for the Irish, a player capable of doing the dirty work. Should Notre Dame return to glory in 2017, Adams will likely play a big part in that resurgence. Since head coach Brian Kelly's arrival at Notre Dame in 2010, four running backs have surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in their careers — Adams, Tarean Folston, C.J. Pro- sise and Cam McDaniel. Only three running backs in program history have more yards than Adams through their first two seasons. While Adams' name rarely appears in headlines, he continues to produce at an im- pressive rate. A player who was once thrust into a major role as a freshman is now the grizzled veteran, having thrived during two starkly different seasons with the Irish. "It feels like I just got here; like I'm that guy just trying to find my spot and trying to do the best I can to get on the field," Adams said. "It's great because I know how it feels, and I can help some of the young guys com- ing in. [The leadership role is] a transition that I'm getting used to. "A young guy needs to know to have pa- tience. You're going to make a lot of mistakes coming in. Just have patience and know good things are going to come in time. Be patient with yourself and be patient with the coaches. "Just know that success is going to come, and the mistakes are going to be limited as you keep getting reps." Adams' football career was nearly de- railed before he even arrived at Notre Dame. A three-star prospect out of Central Bucks South High School — located in Warrington, a northern suburb of Philadelphia — Adams considered Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Stanford before pledging to the Irish. He tore his ACL on a relatively non-violent hit on a kickoff return as a high school junior, but returned as a senior to rush for 1,618 yards and 27 touchdowns. Being a highly touted recruit and having the devastating injury scare off many of the country's top programs proved a positive experience for Adams. "It definitely made me realize that the game could be taken away at any moment, and nothing is promised to anyone no matter how good you are or were," Adams said be- fore enrolling at Notre Dame. "One moment I was ranked second in the state, and then I dropped quickly down. It helped me relate to people more. … It's easier to talk to people about their issues and their problems. "It just makes you want to help more and do better even outside the sport of football. It made me realize things come and go quickly, so you have to try to make an impact the best way you can. "It tests you as a person, either in a posi- tive or negative way, and it affected me in a positive way." Adams burst onto the scene in 2015, rushing for an Irish freshman-record 835 yards. PHOTO BY RICK KIMBALL