Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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52 OCT. 2, 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI T hrough only the first three games in 2017, Notre Dame's r u n n i n g a t t a c k a l r e a d y achieved three unique feats. First, the opener versus Temple saw three Irish players surpass 100 rushing yards in the same contest. Research that went back to 1954 indi- cated that had never before occurred. Second, at Boston College Sept. 16, junior running back Josh Adams and junior quarterback Brandon Wim- bush became the first tandem at Notre Dame — and only the seventh in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision his- tory — to record 200-yard rushing out- puts in the same game, with Adams accumulating 229 and Wimbush 207. Finally, Wimbush was the first Irish signal-caller to eclipse 200 rushing yards in a game. Both Adams and Wimbush were on pace to reach the 1,000-yard rush- ing mark this season — which would be another first in school annals, al- though after only three games such projections would be foolhardy given how injuries could occur at any time. Nevertheless, it does prompt curi- osity on what running tandem would be The Gold Standard at Notre Dame in one season. COMBINING FOR 2,000 (700 MINIMUM EACH) When including bowl games, there have been three running tandems in school history in which both players exceeded 700 rushing yards individ- ually and 2,000 collectively. Reggie Brooks (1,458) and Jerome Bettis (900) in 1992 Total: 2,358 It's difficult to envision Notre Dame ever having a duo better than this with Brooks' game-breaking speed — he averaged 7.7 yards per carry and fin- ished fifth in the Heisman balloting — and the power between the tackles of "The Bus," who in 2015 was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jerome Bettis (1,122) and Tony Brooks (962) in 1991 Total: 2,084 A year earlier, Brooks' older brother Tony fell only 38 yards short of joining Bettis in the 1,000-yard club when the latter romped for 150 yards in the Sugar Bowl during a 39-28 upset of No. 3 Florida. Vagas Ferguson (1,211) and Jerome Heavens (799) in 1978 Total: 2,010 A year earlier, Heavens ran for 101 yards and Ferguson 100 in a 38-10 vic- tory versus No. 1 Texas in the Cotton Bowl to earn the national title. Despite being slowed some by an injury as a senior in 1978, Heavens broke George Gipp's 58-year career rushing record at Notre Dame — only to be surpassed by Ferguson the ensuing season. Two others merit honorable men- tion status despite not quite reaching a combined 2,000 yards on the ground: Phil Carter (931) and Jim Stone (920) in 1980 Total: 1,851 Carter romped for 499 yards in the first three games, including 254 at Michigan State, before missing sev- eral weeks with an injury. Stone re- placed him and twice eclipsed 200 yards himself (versus Miami and Navy), making them the first Irish tandem to each reach 200 rushing yards at least once in the same season. C.J. Prosise (1,032) and Josh Adams (835) in 2015 Total: 1,867 This was especially notable be- cause the starter, Tarean Folston, was lost for the season with a knee injury after only his third carry. In his place, Prosise — who played receiver a year earlier — averaged 6.6 yards per carry and Adams set a school rushing record among freshmen while aver- aging 7.1 yards per carry. Just like in 1980, the Fighting Irish were in the national title hunt en- tering the final regular-season game before losing their last two contests. RUNNING BACK/QUARTERBACK COMBINATION What were the most yards ever amassed by running back/quarter- back duo at Notre Dame, and would the Adams/Wimbush tandem have a chance to exceed it this year? The answer to the former is 1989 with quarterback Tony Rice (934 yards) Reggie Brooks (above) teamed with Jerome Bettis to give the Irish a potent rushing attack in 1992, with the duo combining for 2,358 yards. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS Brandon Wimbush could challenge Tony Rice's rushing mark for quarterbacks at Notre Dame — 934 yards, set in 1989. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA MAKING A RUN Could two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season be the next milestone?