Notre Dame Offensive Grades vs. Virginia

Sep 12, 2015; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver C.J. Prosise (20) carries the ball as Virginia Cavaliers cornerback Tim Harris (5) chases in the first quarter at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Running Backs: A- 

That A- is based on how well C.J Prosise carried the football despite the lack of help from his fellow tailbacks. Notre Dame has found the perfect replacement for Tarean Folson, and it’s a great story to follow given that it’s Prosise’s final year. He went from playing in the slot, where he wasn’t used as much as he probably would have liked last season, to becoming the featured back in the offense. A position he’s never played before, Prosise is manning the position like a true veteran. He ran for 98 yards against Texas after Folston went down with a knee injury, and as a starter against Virginia, Prosise dominated rushing for 155 yards. He also scored a critical touchdown right after Malik Zaire was lost with an ankle injury, which gave the Irish life and the lead.

The only thing I could critique about the the backfield’s performance was the lack of help from the other running backs. The fault doesn’t fall on the running backs as much as it does on offensive coordinator Mike Sanford. Josh Adams played exceptionally well against Texas scoring two touchdowns, but he only saw three carries. Prosise is without a doubt the featured back for Notre Dame, but he can’t carry the load on his own. Especially with the loss of Zaire, Adams and Dexter Williams are going to have to step up and effectively relieve Prosise when needed.

Next: Grades: Wide Receiver