Folston and Adams named to Doak Walker Award watch list

Two from Notre Dame’s stable of running backs were named to the Doak Walker Award watch list on Thursday.

To very little surprise Tarean Folston and Josh Adams were named to the Doak Walker Award watch list. Even though he sat out for basically all of last season with a knee injury, Folston is considered one of the better backs in the country. Adams turned heads last season as a freshman. His blazing speed and big play ability have many Irish fans excited for the next three seasons. Folston and Adams are expected to share a bulk of the carries this upcoming season, with Dexter Williams sprinkled in here or there.

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Folston was perhaps Notre Dame’s best back in 2013 and 2014. In his freshman season of 2013 Folston ran for 470 yards and three touchdowns. He became Notre Dame’s main back towards the tail end of the year. In the last five games of that year he averaged 13.2 carries for 70.8 yards. In the following year Folston lead the Irish in rushing. In 2014 he ran for 889 yards and six touchdowns. He broke the 100 yard mark in four of the last six games that season. Folston should provide a steady, consistent presence in Notre Dame’s backfield this upcoming season.

The one guy on this year’s Notre Dame team I am most excited about might be Josh Adams. Last season he was absolutely electric as he set a ND freshman record for rushing yards with 835 yards. Most of that was done playing sparingly in the first seven games of the season. After C.J. Prosise went down with injury late in the year Adams stepped in and Notre Dame’s run game did not skip a beat. In the last five games Adams averaged 16.6 carries and 114 yards.

What excites me the most about Adams’ game is his big play ability. It’s been quite some time that we’ve seen a guy like Adams who has the ability to rip off a 60-70 yard gain at any time. To me it seems like those type of players have been going to schools like Oregon and Alabama. It’s good to see Notre Dame is starting to get those players.

Next: Notre Dame will have two 1,000 yard rushers

Last year we saw Brian Kelly finally commit to the run game. It was the first time Notre Dame averaged 200+ rush yards a game since the Holtz era. I would shocked if he veered from that philosophy because the 2015 Irish offense was probably the best we’ve seen it since Kelly took over. With that commitment to the run game I’d expect big years from both Folston and Adams.

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