Notre Dame Football: The top five running backs the Irish will face in 2019
By Chase Eyrich
The 2018 season provided a stout Notre Dame defense that many struggled with. The Irish will take a hit after losing Te’Von Coney and Drue Tranquill to the NFL, but the transition without them is likely to be smooth.
Once again, Notre Dame football’s defense is expected to be good, and when it comes to the defensive line, they could be scary good.
Jerry Tillery might also be gone, but players like Jayson Ademilola, Kurt Hinish and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa are all in for a big year. All three bring in the talent needed as well as experience.
Hinish comes in as a junior like Tagovailoa-Amosa who was redshirted last season due to injury. Ademilola has one season in the program learning behind the best.
It was difficult trying to run the ball on Notre Dame last year. Nine teams failed to reach 135 yards on the ground, while four teams didn’t even see triple digits.
Last season, Notre Dame’s defense was the driving force to their first College Football Playoff appearance. To replicate that same success this season, the defense will once again have to bring the same dominant style of play.
But it won’t be easy.
The Irish face a handful of running backs that will undoubtedly be the focal point of their respective teams’ offensive gameplan. With linebackers Te’Von Coney and Drue Tranquill gone to the NFL, the Irish will haveto find a way to step up and limit these backs.
Here are the top five running backs that the Irish’s defense will face this season.