Notre Dame Currently Running ‘Four’ Glory
In a fairly typical, understated manner, No. 4-ranked Notre Dame’s rushing attack had a first in its history during the 42-26 victory versus Florida State on Saturday night.
It marked the fourth consecutive game that a different member of the backfield eclipsed 100 rushing yards.
• Freshman Chris Tyree’s 103 yards rushing on 11 carries were second in the contest to sophomore Kyren Williams’ 185 on 19 attempts, but it was the rookie's first game for the 3-0 Fighting Irish in which he achieved the century mark on the ground.
• In the previous game, a 52-0 romp versus South Florida, junior C’Bo Flemister did the honors with 127 yards on 13 attempts.
• A week earlier in the 27-13 win against Duke, Williams’ starting debut saw him amass 112 yards rushing on 19 carries.
• Last year’s season-ending 33-9 conquest of Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl had graduated senior Tony Jones Jr. rush for 135 yards on 11 carries, highlighted by an 84-yard touchdown scamper on what has become the signature play during that four-game "stretch": the outside zone run.
Is it merely a coincidence that those are the only four games that Tommy Rees has held the title of offensive coordinator with Lance Taylor the run-game coordinator?
“People would probably look at my background and think ‘passing game,’” Rees said this spring of his time as the Notre Dame quarterback from 2010-13 in which his 61 career touchdown passes are second on the school’s all-time chart (with current QB Ian Book at 60). “But I am a firm believer in running the football, and I am a firm believer in that you are only as good as you run it.
“I truly believe in establishing the line of scrimmage. There’s a toughness that comes with that. We’re smart, and we have tough guys and the best damn coach in the country. We’re strong up front, and I think we are going to be able to take advantage of that.”
It was no secret by the end of last year that disharmony within the ranks resulted in the December departure of Chip Long, who had his own share of success as the Irish offensive coordinator from 2017-19.
For his part, head coach Brian Kelly repeatedly emphasizes the “collaborative” efforts by the staff on offense this year that includes third-year line coach Jeff Quinn, first-year tight ends coach John McNulty and veteran receivers coach Del Alexander all sharing an esprit de corps. Quinn and McNulty have been college coordinators in the past, and the blocking of Alexander’s receivers, especially Javon McKinley, has been an essential element of their job description.
For the record, there were several other times we found a Notre Dame team that had three different backs surpass 100 yards rushing in three consecutive weeks:
• In 2015 it was C.J. Prosise (USC), quarterback DeShone Kizer (Temple) and then freshman Josh Adams (Pitt).
• In 1998, the three straight by different players included Autry Denson (Purdue), quarterback Jarious Jackson (Stanford) and fullback Joey Goodspeed (Arizona State).
• In 1995, it was fullback Marc Edwards (Boston College), the then freshman Denson (Navy), and then both Denson and Randy Kinder (Air Force).
• The 1988 national champs did it with Mark Green (Michigan State), Tony Brooks (Purdue) and quarterback Tony Rice (Stanford). Brooks did it again in the next contest versus Pitt, but he wasn’t a fourth different back like what occurred this week.
Here's to "the drive for five" versus Louisville.
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