Notre Dame Football: 5 reasons Josh Adams is nation’s best running back

4. Adams has displayed significant resiliency

One of the reasons freshmen were removed from consideration earlier was due to the lack of adversity they’ve seen so far. While there is certainly the possibilities that those freshmen maintain their current pace down the stretch, we are only three games in at the moment, leaving plenty of time for potential fall-offs.

Adams, however, has displayed a great deal of resiliency when it comes to on-the-field situations. Coming into his freshman year with Notre Dame, Adams was just one of many tailbacks at a stacked position. Adams sat behind standout C.J. Prosise for a significant portion of the season while also ceding carries to Dexter Williams, Amir Carlisle, and Josh Anderson.

Despite having to fight hard to work his way up a talented depth chart, Adams eventually took the starting job from an injury-ridden Prosise who would go on to be drafted 90th overall by the Seattle Seahawks. Adams was able to secure first and second down work before establishing himself as the Irish’s featured back.

Since then, Adams has refused to look back. Appearing in all 12 games last season, Adams regressed only slightly despite a lingering hamstring injury and a poor supporting cast. Adams’ next test is not to climb his own depth chart, but to solidify himself as the best back in the nation. So far, he’s on a great track to make that happen.