2020 Notre Dame Preview: Running Back

Previewing the running back depth chart heading into the 2020 season

Notre Dame has a chance to put an outstanding offense on the field in 2020, but for that to happen the returning Fighting Irish running backs must play better than they did a season ago.

Lance Taylor is now the run game coordinator, and that role will be extremely important, but his work as the running backs coach will be just as vital.

Let’s begin our season preview of the running backs by looking at the returning depth chart:

Notre Dame returns 935 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns to its backfield in 2020, but the returning group averaged just 4.1 yards per carry in their careers up to this point.

WHO STEPS UP?

I’m not someone who believes an offense needs one “great” back to be elite. Of course it helps, and it's the ideal situation, and Notre Dame should be hitting the recruiting trail in hopes of finding those kinds of backs, but it's not a must.

If the offensive line is good enough, and the rest of the talent on the roster is good enough, you can be an effective offense with a good back, or in the case of Notre Dame, good backs.

We saw this in 2017, when it really didn’t matter who Notre Dame put at running back. That season the Irish threw out four different backs due to injury, and each back was productive and averaged over 5.0 yards per carry. Josh Adams averaged 6.9 yards on 206 carries, Deon McIntosh averaged 5.7 yards on 65 carries, Tony Jones Jr. averaged 5.3 yards on 44 carries and Dexter Williams averaged 9.2 yards on 39 carries.

The line won’t be that good, but if it plays to its potential there will be plenty of room to work for the Irish backs. Also, quarterback Ian Book can do damage as a runner, and slot receivers Braden Lenzy and Lawrence Keys III are legit weapons in the run game, and their presence takes some of the pressure off the backfield.

The question, however, is will the backs take advantage of improved line play and the other run game weapons.

It doesn’t really matter who steps up, but Notre Dame must be able to go into each game with at least two running backs ready to play. Ideally, senior Jafar Armstrong and at least one of the juniors (C’Bo Flemister, Jahmir Smith) emerge, but if both juniors step up, or one of that trio emerges along with sophomore Kyren Williams then the Irish should get enough production out of the backfield to have a top notch offense.

Stepping up means being able to execute the offense at a high level, it doesn’t mean one back breaking out with a 1,200-yard season. It means making good reads, showing good patience, hitting holes on time and being physical enough to finish off runs. It means being good in pass protection and being at least solid as a pass receiver.

FINDING ROLES WILL BE IMPORTANT

If the backfield is going to be successful without one back emerging as “the guy,” multiple backs need to step into important roles. It would be ideal if the top two backs are able to do a bit of everything, but a good coaching staff can find roles for a deeper group of players with a more diverse skill set.

Notre Dame needs at least one back that can hammer teams between the tackles, whether it’s with physical running (Smith) or with more of a slashing style (Armstrong, Flemister), being effective running the ball between the tackles is a must.

Notre Dame needs at least one back that can come on the field in obvious passing situations (third-down, two-minute offense) and be effective in protection. If that back is at least serviceable as a runner he can play in more first and second down situations, but they need at least one back that is a dependable pass blocker.

Based on last season I do not know who that player is going to be, and Taylor needs to get the entire group performing better in protection, but at least one back must become a strong pass blocker in the mold of what we saw from Tony Jones Jr. last season.

Armstrong was a major weapon in the pass game as a sophomore in 2018, as the converted wide receiver caught 14 passes for 159 yards. We saw Armstrong working the seams, the middle of the field and he was able to run downfield routes and do damage. In 2019, however, Armstrong looked to struggle carrying all the extra weight and he lost some of the foot quickness that made him so effective the season prior.

Getting him back to being a bit more explosive, a bit more fluid and effective in the pass game is a must in 2020.

A role player I’ll be keeping my eye on in fall camp is Williams. He lacks any elite trait, but he’s got a quality all-around game. Williams was a strong runner in high school, and with an extra year of time in the Notre Dame strength program he should be able to do more damage between the tackles. Williams is also an impressive pass catcher out of the backfield and in the slot.

I could see Williams seizing the third-down role, and if he does and thrives there we might see him getting more and more early down reps as well.

The key to all of this working is players must seize control of those jobs. It can't be them winning it by default. If the latter happens the Irish will struggle at the position, but if players step into those roles and take control the backfield won't have an every-down impact player, but the production will be there.

BACKS MUST STAY HEALTHY

If the backs stay healthy and everyone puts in the work during the offseason I truly believe the production will be at least solid in 2020, but that’s a giant if based on their history. Armstrong has missed significant time each of the last two seasons and Smith has been plagued by a number of nagging injuries. Flemister is a bit undersized and has had his fair share of minor bumps and bruises.

If this group can’t stay relatively healthy in 2020 things could get very dicey. We already saw it in 2019. A little known secret is that part of the reason Notre Dame didn’t run the ball much against Georgia was the backfield was ravaged, with Jones and Avery Davis (now at receiver) being the only healthy backs, and Davis couldn’t pass block. That meant if Jones was injured running the ball the Irish would have been in major trouble.

When Jones went down the run game to the backs took a major dip.

That cannot happen in 2020.

FRESHMAN IMPACT

The wild card at running back is incoming freshman Chris Tyree. Simply put, Notre Dame absolutely must find a way to get Tyree involved in the offense the day he steps foot on campus. This isn’t about him needing to master the playbook, or master the technique, or any other excuse the staff has used in the past to justify relying on veteran players.

There’s no excuse not to have Tyree a factor in 2020, assuming he’s even remotely healthy.

Tyree brings a level of speed to the running back position that Notre Dame has not had in a very, very long time. He’s not someone that is going to carry the ball 15-20 times a game, at least not at this stage of his career, but he must have a role carved out right away. His slashing style and home run ability must be taken advantage of.

It would benefit Taylor and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to make sure Tyree is put in position to have success in the early games. If he can prove to be a big-play threat against inferior defenses like Navy, Arkansas and Western Michigan then future opponents will need to show him respect, which then opens up the perimeter and vertical pass attack, and takes even more pressure off Book.

KEY QUESTIONS

1. Can the unity finally stay healthy?

2. Will anyone step up and become “the guy” at the position?

3. Who steps into role positions, and will they be by default winners or will players take control of their roles?

4. How much of an impact will Tyree have?

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