Notre Dame Football: 4 reasons the Irish will beat Stanford in Week 5

1. Big-play Dexter Williams is back

Last year, Dexter Williams touched the football just 41 times from scrimmage, but the 5-11, 215-pound back averaged almost a first down each time he did.

Williams was suspended from the football team through the first three games, but returns for Stanford this Saturday in a pivotal contest for the College Football Playoff hopes of the Irish.

Of those plays, the majority of them have come in the form of a run by Williams, as he had 39 totes last year for 360 yards with four touchdowns. And for a Notre Dame backfield that has been lacking that big-play threat, there is no time like the present to have him return.

Ian Book appears locked in at quarterback after taking over the job last week, and with Williams added to a group including Jafar Armstrong and Tony Jones Jr., the Irish seem set to become a very explosive unit.