Notre Dame Football: 3 keys to victory vs. USC in Week 7

2. Jafar Armstrong will have to play unhindered by injury

It’s not everyday that you see a team run the ball 34 times without a single individual recording at least 10 carries, but that’s exactly what the Irish did in last week’s win over Bowling Green. Although the level of competition was likely a factor, ten players would carry the ball for the Irish against the Falcons, making it clear that Notre Dame did not possess a bona fide starter.

However, that could change with the return of junior Jafar Armstrong. Armstrong, who proved himself to be a steady option alongside Tony Jones Jr. over the course of Dexter Williams’s suspension last season, is slated to return this week after recovering from an abdominal tear that occurred on the offense’s first drive in their Week 1 win over Louisville.

In his stead, Jones Jr. and C’Bo Flemister have earned the majority of carries with Jahmir Smith and an assortment of others mixing in on occasion. However, with redshirting beginning to become a factor, the Irish will have to make do with less options in the running game. With that said, Armstrong’s return couldn’t have come at a better time.

While the Bowling Green matchup did the Irish running game some favors in the realm of statistics, it has been pretty clear that Notre Dame’s offense has been struggling on that front ever since Armstrong’s injury. It’s hard to say whether or not another average rushing performance would be good enough for a win over USC, making Armstrong’s availability (and resulting performance) critical for this high-leverage matchup.