Notre Dame Football: 5 bold predictions for October 2018

1. Dexter Williams logs over 70 carries

Everyone knew what running back Dexter Williams was capable of following a season in which he fell one carry shy of qualifying as the nation’s leader in yards per carry. However, there were also some significant question marks in regard to his stamina and durability. Adding onto the many questions was Williams’ four game suspension to start the 2018 season.

Junior Tony Jones Jr. and sophomore Jafar Armstrong took over in his absence, combining for 548 yards and eight touchdowns. Jones was the more efficient runner, but not by much as he and Armstrong averaged 5.4 and 5.2 YPC, respectively. Neither back could distance himself in the passing game as Jones compiled 88 yards and Armstrong, 87. With Avery Davis mixing in as well, Williams’ role on the team was as murky as ever.

However, Williams showed no interest in taking part in a committee, rushing for 161 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries in his first game back. If his explosiveness was still a question, it was quickly answered with a 45 yard touchdown run on his first carry of the game. With Armstrong out with an injury, Jones was given 10 carries while Davis and Jahmir Smith were each awarded four.

Now, it’s no given that Williams continues this workload throughout the season, especially considering their upcoming matchup against Virginia Tech. Nevertheless, Kelly had to have been happy with what he saw, leaving little argument as to who is the best running back on this team. Should Williams stay healthy, 20 plus carries per game isn’t out of the question.