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Notre Dame’s C’Bo Flemister: Small Town, Big Doings

Coming from the town of Zebulon, Ga., with approximately 1,200 residents, Notre Dame junior running back C’Bo Flemister’s original goals at Notre Dame did not center on statistics as much as character and responsibility.

“I don’t want to tarnish the name of my town,” Flemister told BlueandGold.com shortly after signing with the Fighting Irish. “I want to make everybody proud and make a good reputation for myself and my town.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish junior running back C’Bo Flemister
Flemister, a junior, is back in the running back rotation after rushing for 127 yards on 13 carries versus South Florida. (Notre Dame Athletics)
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“… Coming from where I’m from, you don’t expect somebody to get an opportunity like this to go play football at such a high level and get such a good education. I’m paving the way for a lot of kids in my community.”

The character part was always there, as Army, Navy and Air Force all recruited Flemister, who is listed by Notre Dame as hailing from Williamson, Ga., to be a part of their triple-option attack.

First, though, as a mere two-star prospect, Flemister committed to another renowned triple-option program, Georgia Southern, in his home state. Following a sensational senior season at Pike County High, where he led the ultra-talented football state in rushing with 2,463 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior, he switched his pledge in December to yet another triple-option school in state, Georgia Tech.

Suddenly, there was intrigue from Power Five schools, which prompted Flemister not to sign during the early signing period in December. Tennessee came calling … and then Notre Dame, which had struck out on earlier options at running back. Just as suddenly and maybe not coincidentally, Flemister was upgraded from two to three stars in recruiting outlets that January before opting for the Fighting Irish.

“It just made me think how political the whole recruiting process is, because during the season, I was two stars, and then I pick up two offers, and I pick up a star, and I haven’t played football since November, but all of a sudden I have another star,” Flemister told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Following a freshman redshirt season in 2018, Flemister began to make inroads in the lineup last year as a sophomore. Although he finished with only 162 rushing yards and a modest 3.4 yards per carry, his five rushing touchdowns were second on the team to senior lead back Tony Jones Jr.’s six.

Furthermore, Flemister displayed an aptitude and willingness as a pass blocker to take on the blitz. After two years in a college strength and conditioning program, the now 5-11, 201-pound Flemister’s always physical nature has been honed.

Because a collarbone injury hindered him during August preseason camp, Flemister was withheld from playing in the 27-13 opening game victory versus Duke. But last week against South Florida, with the backfield liberally rotating, Flemister was inserted by the third series and went on to pace the Irish in rushing with 127 yards on 13 carries, highlighted by a 26-yard scoring scamper.

That tally came on an outside zone run, but it is his physicality that remains his trademark.

“He plays with very, very low pads,” Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said on what is enabling Flemister to challenge sophomore lead back Kyren Williams and rising freshman star Chris Tyree for carries. “… His yards after first contact are as good as anybody that we have. Kyren's pretty good too, obviously.

“He’s a guy that you’ve got to wrap up. He’s got that high knee kick and low pads. He’s very difficult to tackle. I know our guys do not like to tackle him. … He’s got really good vision. With all those backs, they bring something a little bit different.”

Prior to the collarbone injury, Flemister’s progression in training camp went far beyond the physical. Highly competitive and not reticent to question last year why he wasn’t seeing more action, he took to heart Kelly’s lecture on consistent “traits.”

“I know you guys kind of like to not hear this all the time, but the reality of it is he started to do the things I needed him to do on a day-to-day basis,” Kelly explained. “His attention to detail was better. His focus was better. His attitude was where I needed it to be.

“And that put him in the mix. He figured that out and said, ‘OK, I guess this is how I’m going to play.’ And he’s been great, awesome. I’m so proud of him, because he finally said, ‘OK, I’m just not going to play if I don’t do these things.’”

It's all part of enhancing one’s star power.

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