Take a risk or go for the sure thing? Play it safe and lay it up or go for the green? Go in for the game winning score against No. 1 Nebraska and Eric Crouch at home or run the ball and go to overtime? Conservative or aggressive? These are questions that Irish fans and coaches can relate to in regards to the Irish running game this year.
It is no secret that Notre Dame fans have been begging Brian Kelly to give more carries to Greg Bryant and Tarean Folston as opposed to Cam McDaniel all season. McDaniel has no doubt earned the respect of his coaches, teammates and fans, but he doesn’t seem to have the breakaway speed and cutting ability of the more heralded recruits Bryant and Folston. McDaniel will get you a few tough yards, but Folston has shown he will get you five impressive yards.
Judging by the number of carries Folston has gotten, Irish fans are starting to get their wish. Well, at least half of their wish, because Bryant is still not playing up to his potential. Folston now leads the team in carries with 81 while McDaniel has 52 and Bryant brings up the rear with 44. Folston also leads the Irish backfield in yards per carry with 4.7 while the older McDaniel is averaging 3.5. Coming into South Bend, McDaniel was the least coveted recruit of the running backs but was named captain this season most likely due to his work ethic and practice habits.
The last two games McDaniel and Bryant have only carried the rock a combined nine times. Comparatively, Folston has gotten 39 carries against North Carolina and Florida State. When asked if Folston has earned more carries, Kelly told the school’s website: “He’s probably moved himself at the top of the depth chart, but that doesn’t mean that all the carries would necessarily slant his way. We’re still going to play all three backs.”
The senior captain, McDaniel is the three yards and a cloud of dust type running back, and that is why he received the bulk of the carries (15) against the physical Stanford defense. Kelly went on to explain the differences of his backs by saying: “We’re still going to probably be a little bit smarter in situations. We needed to get Cam McDaniel on the field more last year later in the game or last week or two weeks ago against Florida State. He’s a better pass pro, better protector. And Tarean struggled a little bit late in the game. So that was a mistake we made.”
A good head coach sees the big picture, and Kelly understands that all three have different skill sets. Kelly lastly had this to say about the running back unit: “I think we clearly know the importance of all three backs and how they all meet the fit in terms of what we’re doing.”
While all three backs clearly provide the Irish with unique abilities, Folston is the guy the Irish need to rally behind if they expect to change the minds of the playoff selection committee that ranked them No. 10.
Matt Heinz is a college football writer for www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattHeinz_Rant
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