Notre Dame Football: 3 keys to victory vs. Georgia in Week 4
By Jacob Wilson
2. Overcome injuries in the run game
We’re only a few weeks into the 2019 season, and the Irish offense has already been hit pretty hard by the injury bug. Wide receiver Michael Young and tight end Cole Kmet received news of broken collarbones in back to back weeks, overshadowing some of the more recent injuries to the running back corps.
Running backs Jafar Armstrong and Tony Jones Jr. were expected to split time over the course of the season, but the former went down with a groin injury just minutes into the Louisville game, an injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for the next few weeks. As if that wasn’t enough, sophomore Jahmir Smith went down with a sprained toe and isn’t expected to play this weekend.
That leaves the Irish with three running backs on the roster: Kyren Williams, C’Bo Flemister, and Jones. The versatile Avery Davis will remain at running back after transitioning back from cornerback for last week’s matchup against New Mexico. Outside of Jones, this group has amassed less than 50 combined carries dating back to the beginning of last year.
These injuries put a significant amount of pressure on Jones to lead the run game, especially given the inexperience behind him. This is a young unit that should come together nicely in the future, but they’ll face quite a tall task as they attempt to navigate the running game and give quarterback Ian Book something to work with.