Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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RUNNING BACKS QUOTABLE: RUNNING BACKS COACH AUTRY DENSON ON HITTING MORE IN PRACTICE: "It absolutely helps you. It's a numbing factor. I understand safety and all of those things, but football is a physical game. … The body just adjusts to what it feels like to carry weight, to get hit every different way. You need that — that's a part of your preparation for the season. We can never be hit enough." Starter ★★★½ Josh Adams' 2016 season had a slow start. Through the first seven games, he rushed for only 59.4 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. He heated up down the stretch, pump- ing out 103.4 yards per game and 7.5 yards per rush in the final five contests. Adams enters his junior season with high expectations and a career average of 6.4 yards per carry. Offen- sive coordinator Chip Long's system is ideally suited to his slashing style and pass catching ability. If he can stay healthy and be more consistent than he has shown thus far in his career, a true breakout season is fully expected. Experience ★★★ Adams already has racked up 303 touches in his first two seasons. The junior has played on the big stage and performed well in several such con- tests. He has been better the more he plays, averaging 6.7 yards per carry in games where he carries the ball at least 13 times. His average dips to 5.8 yards per tote when he gets the ball less than 12 times. Classmate Dexter Williams has played in 19 games, but has merely 60 rushing attempts. Williams is the only other experienced back on the roster, with sophomores Tony Jones Jr. and Deon McIntosh having never played in a game at Notre Dame. Depth ★★★★ Not many teams have the quality depth of Notre Dame heading into the 2017 season. It might be comparable to 2015 when top returning rusher Tarean Folston was lost for the season after three carries and second-leading rusher Greg Bryant transferred — yet C.J. Prosise became a 1,000-yard rusher and then-freshman Adams added 835 yards on the ground. Williams entered Notre Dame as both a consensus four-star recruit and top-150 player. Despite his home run potential, Williams is going to have a hard time holding of Jones, who is a better natural runner and a more physical player. Overall Grade ★★★½ Notre Dame's backfield possesses a returning starter that has shown he can produce against the best op- ponents, proven big-play ability and several good pass catchers. The depth is strong enough that freshman C.J. Holmes — a four-star recruit — will face a difficult challenge to get on the field in 2017 once he recovers from his spring shoulder injury. For now what keeps this unit from getting classified as elite is Adams proving he can be more consistent and the backups being more expe- rienced. If the group can maintain a high level of effort and production, it could become a major strength. BY THE NUMBERS 1 Running back in Notre Dame history that totaled at least 800 yards on the ground in each of his first two seasons — current junior Josh Adams in 2015 (835, a school record by a freshman) and 2016 (933). 6.4 Yards per carry by Adams so far in his career. That figure is fourth on the all-time Notre Dame career chart for players who have had at least 150 attempts. Reggie Brooks (1989-92) is at the top with 7.6, followed by C.J. Prosise (2014-15) at 6.9 and Four Horseman Don Miller (1922-24) at 6.8. Adams is just ahead of 1926-28 star Christie Flanagan (6.3). 39 Carries for 200 yards the entire 2016 season by current junior Dex- ter Williams — despite being sin- gled out by head coach Brian Kelly as the "one guy" who showed any sign of passion during the 38-35 loss to Duke last Sept. 24. Williams had 24 yards on five carries in that defeat, including a 13-yard score. He played in all 12 games. 54 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★★ National Title; ★★★★ Top 10; ★★★ Top 25; ★★ Too Unproven; ★ Major Concern Running backs coach Autry Denson, Notre Dame's all-time leading rusher with 4,318 career yards, believes his unit would be better prepared for game action with more hitting in practice. PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN