Notre Dame Football: 3 Bold Predictions vs. Wake Forest
By Chase Eyrich
Tony Jones Jr. leads all rushers
Tony Jones Jr. may have just turned the corner. The running back has been trusted with more carries in each game this season and he’s capitalized. At first, it looked like it might be Jafar Armstrong who would step up in the absence of Dexter Williams. Now, there’s no question as to who would be the one to step up.
Not only have his numbers continued to improve, Jones was vital in the win over Vanderbilt. Averaging 6.9 yards per carry on 17 attempts for 118 yards, when the Irish offense was struggling, he was their go-to guy.
He also opened a new arsenal as well. Last season, Jones only ran away with six receptions for a total of 12 yards. He changed that last week, as the running back collected two receptions for 56 yards.
If he becomes a threat or even a potential threat in the air, his whole game opens up.
That might be exactly how he opens up his game against Wake Forest. If he’s successful with one or two receptions early, he will be lethal on the ground in this game.
After getting leaner and faster this offseason, Jones hasn’t changed his style. He’s a strong back. As a very physical player, confidence stemming from his last performance will only cause more problems for defenses.
The game plan could dictate this as well. With Wake Forest being an up-tempo team, one way to give your defense some rest is to keep them off the field. If Jones has success on the ground, that will help time of possession and give the defense needed rest.