Chris Tyree Taking On A Leadership Role Is Important For Notre Dame, So Is His Speed

Notre Dame junior Chris Tyree is now the veteran at running back, but his speed is still a premium

Notre Dame running back Chris Tyree has seen his time as an understudy come to an end. After two seasons as a rotational player, the Fighting Irish junior is poised for a much bigger role in the offense heading into his junior season.

Kyren Williams was Notre Dame’s lead back for the last two seasons, and deservedly so. Williams ran for 2,125 yards and 27 touchdowns with another 672 yards and four touchdowns on receptions during Tyree’s freshman and sophomore campaigns.

With Williams off to the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams, Tyree now has a chance to move into that lead back role in the Fighting Irish offense.

“I take a lot of pride in it,” Tyree said of his new role as the veteran in the room. “I have to be the one to uphold the standard, to hold everyone accountable. Everyone is watching me as an example. No matter what I’m doing, someone is always watching. I have to be a role model for the guys. I’m a big brother — I’ve been doing that my whole life. So it’s not really pressure for me.”

Tyree brings the most returning production to the running back room, and it’s not close. The junior ran for 222 yards last season after amassing 496 as a freshman on Notre Dame’s 2020 College Football Playoff team. Compare that to Logan Diggs and Audric Estime, who combined for 290 rushing yards as freshmen last season.

The running back room also has a new coach this year. Lance Taylor left to become Louisville’s offensive coordinator, which opened the door for Deland McCullough. The first year position coach immediately built a connection with Tyree and the running backs.

“We hit the ground running,” Tyree said of his relationship with McCullough. “I like that he played running back as well. It’s a lot easier to connect to him because he’s played the position and played it in the league. He understands where we’re coming from when we’re watching film or we disagree or have different options about a play he’s going to be able to understand it because he knows what it’s like playing, having that vision.”

McCullough has brought a fresh approach to the running backs on a daily basis. He is both enthusiastic, while also bringing what McCullough himself refers to as a tough, “two-fisted” mentality to the Irish backs. McCullough has seen growth in Tyree in the short time he has been his position coach.

“He's more confident,” McCullough said of Tyree. “He can just see things better. He's clear on what he's doing. He's understanding kind of what we asked him to do. And he's doing it at a high level.”

Of course, the home run ability that made Tyree a big-time recruit and a standout freshman has been on display in camp. McCullough compared the Irish junior to former LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

"Chris, he's got a little bit of Clyde Edwards-Helaire in him," McCullough said of Tyree. "He's got more straight line speed, but as far as in the box quickness, route expertise, overall feel for the game, I would put him in that Clyde category. Great contact balance, but like I said that speed is a premium right there, that's something that's different."

Edwards-Helaire was a first round pick of the Chiefs and played under McCullough as a rookie in 2020. 

McCullough has emphasized ball security during individual running back drills as well. The Fighting Irish running back coach has a handful of unique gadgets, like a boxing glove on a stick and a football attached to a rope, that he uses in ball security drills. They look offbeat, but the focus is on the importance of protecting the football.

“The ball is the program in our eyes,” Tyree said. “We can’t do anything without the ball. Ball security is job security. You’ve heard those cliche’s. It’s definitely the number one priority in our room.”

Tyree, Diggs, Estime, and freshman Gi’Bran Payne are the core four running backs who will see the field for the Fighting Irish this season. 

While the four won’t be on the field for every down, they all figure to be factors in their own ways throughout the course of the season. McCullough has a list of eight situational jobs for his running backs that will give them all their own chances to shine.

“As soon as Coach Deland came into the room, he made it clear everyone would have a job, have a role in the room,” Tyree said. “I think that’s motivating for us. Nobody is going to be sitting there all game. Everyone has to be ready to play.”

McCullough’s job list is an extension of the approach offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has to employing his personnel on game day. Rees has found a way to play to the strengths of his available players in his first two seasons calling plays for the Irish, and that figures to continue this year.

“I feel like this whole offense Coach Rees is doing a good job of putting everybody to their strengths so we can all play fast and we don’t have to think when we’re out there,” Tyree said. “Everybody has their own style in the room, and I think that’s what makes us special. No matter who’s in (RB) we all have a way of attacking the defense and making plays.”

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