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Notre Dame football: 5 returning players who’ll lead Irish reload in 2021

By Brad Weiss

Dec 5, 2020; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly leads his players out of the tunnel before the game against the Syracuse Orange at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2020; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly leads his players out of the tunnel before the game against the Syracuse Orange at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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Notre Dame football star running back Kyren Williams. (Photo by Matt Cashore-Pool/Getty Images)
Notre Dame football star running back Kyren Williams. (Photo by Matt Cashore-Pool/Getty Images) /

Running Back Kyren Williams

Running back Kyren Williams returns in 2021 after a breakout season as a redshirt freshman in 2020. Heading into last season, there were questions as to who would shoulder the load at running back, this after the program lost Tony Jones Jr. to the NFL, a guy who nearly had 900 yards in 2019.

Well, Williams stepped in against Duke in game No. 1 and rushed for 100 yards, took control of the starting job, and never looked back. He finished his first full season as the feature back with over 1,000 yards rushing, over 300 yards receiving, and proved to be a very capable blocker, protecting quarterback Ian Book.

Turning the page to 2021, the Irish are going to need every bit of Williams, as well as sophomore Chris Tyree, who had some special moments this past season as well. In Williams, they have that three-down back that you need to be successful, and with a new quarterback in 2021, and inexperience at wide receiver, his role is going to be even bigger this Fall.

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