Even today Brian Kelly couldn’t officially acknowledge that there was or wasn’t any suspension for Notre Dame senior running back Dexter Williams. He did his best to dance around the inevitable questions about Williams expected return to the Notre Dame lineup though while indicating the electrifying runner was indeed back.
“Well, he’s been working with us. He’s been practicing. He’s been with us. He just hasn’t been up to the level that we wanted him to,” Kelly said at his weekly presser. “He’s done a really good job. I expect that this week could be a week that he plays.”
Translation. Yes he was suspended like everyone knew and yes he is back this week when #7 Stanford comes to town for the first showdown of top 10 teams inside Notre Dame Stadium since the Bush Push in 2005.
As if getting Williams back wasn’t good enough news for Notre Dame though, Kelly told the media that the Irish were getting an improved version of the runner we have seen in the past. “He’s better in all facets than the Dexter Williams version that we had in the spring,” Kelly added.
Williams has been practicing with the team all summer long and through the first four games. He just hasn’t been getting first or second team reps as Notre Dame has been working in the younger backs who have carried the load the first four weeks of the season. “We’ve worked him through our team periods over the last few weeks, whether it be our blitz pickup period or our skelly period,” Kelly said. “He’s ready to play for us this week if he continues to do what we expect him to do.”
How Kelly and Chip Long work Williams into the mix after he hasn’t gotten any game reps this season remains to be seen. Some have indicated that Williams will still have a light load this weekend and that Notre Dame will still lean on Tony Jones Jr and Jafar Armstrong as they have over the first quarter of the season.
“Where do I think he fits in? I think he’s explosive. I think he gets into the second level, and he’s an explosive back,” Kelly said. “Does he have 20 carries in him this week? Probably not, but I think he can be integrated within a backfield that is emerging and getting better each and every week,” he would add.
That does make some sense given that both Jones and Armstrong have had their moments and have been improving each week behind an offensive line that has been improving right along with them. That said, neither has the explosiveness that Williams brings to the table and even Kelly admitted that immediately after saying Williams probably wouldn’t carry the ball 20 times.
“I would just answer your question, I think that explosiveness, especially at the second level, I think he adds very nicely to that,” said Kelly.
Notre Dame has lacked the big plays in the run game that were the hallmark of Notre Dame’s rejuvenated running back a season ago this year. I wrote last week that Notre Dame was severely missing Williams this year because the big plays that Josh Adams provided on a weekly basis have not been present so far this year.
Even last week as Notre Dame ran for 240 yards, there were several instances where Tony Jones Jr got into a bit of opened field where a back like Williams or Adams would have had a chance to take it the distance where Jones was unable to. Adding Williams back into the Irish backfield gives the offense that element and makes it even tougher to defend now that the Irish passing game has shown signs of life under Ian Book as well.
While it’s not likely that Williams will see 20 carries this weekend, let’s not forget that it’s not as though Williams is returning from an injury and needs to be worked back into shape. Williams has been healthy and practicing all this time – he just hasn’t been getting game reps or 1st / 2nd team practice reps. From a physical standpoint, Williams should be more than ready for whatever carries he does get.
For comparisons sake, Cierre Wood was suspended for the first two games of the 2012 season, but came back in time for Notre Dame’s trip to Easy Lansing to take on the then #10 ranked Spartans. Wood carried the ball 10 times for 56 yards and led the Irish in rushing. Theo Riddick registered more carries than Wood in his return to the lineup, but that night when facing a top 10 opponent, Kelly showed no aversion to giving Wood a good amount of work.
With a stout Stanford defense on tap this weekend, Notre Dame will need Williams’s explosiveness. Remember, three years ago at Stanford, Josh Adams carved up the Cardinal defense in defeat. Last year, however, a banged up Adams was limited to just 49 yards on 20 carries as Stanford dared Notre Dame to pass the ball. With the emergence of Ian Book, Stanford just might not be able to do the same – or at the very least have the same results.
Whatever role Williams plays for Notre Dame this week, his return is a very welcomed addition to an offense that finally showed signs of life last week and has the potential to continue to improve each week should Book’s performance against Wake Forest be more of a sign of his own progression and not just the the result of a poor defense from the Demon Deacons.
The lack of Williams has actually been a plus so far. Why? Because it forced the coaching staff to realize that a dangerous passing game is also required. Kelly’s offenses still have mostly lacked balance until last weekend. A true passer in Book as well as what folks are seeing is a deep and excellent (potential) receiver core now offers a precision passing game that may be more than effective. While Book hasn’t shown downfield strength, the West Coast mid range stuff is pretty precise and gives the receivers trust to just get to it.
Now that Book is the primary starter, it is great to have Williams back. That explosiveness will be a needed extra threat. It will be a great thing to watch a break out 50 yard touchdown run. But let’s not minimize the effect of Jones, Jafar or the rest of the current running crew. Jones doesn’t get tackled for a loss. That’s huge. The long runs are needed to keep a defense off balance. But I’ll take 20 plays of exactly 4 yards on any series all day. Jafar and Jones have been close to being able to do that. And yes, against the better defenses, mix run and pass, play action, and disguise the looks.
Finally, Wimbush does need to be in the game this week. Not sure where, but how do you keep an athlete like that off the field. Certainly we must all hope the coaches have some plays drawn up to include him. Wildcat? Decoy? Pitch back and he throws the long ball? Pitch back and he takes off for 30? Pass out of a wishbone? Line him up in the slot? Who knows but they could use him too.
And the last finally, whatever the personnel, the coaches better realize they’ll need to adjust as the game progresses. Stanford is excellent at adjusting and so countermoves are critical to a win.
Two top-10 teams have not squared off at Notre Dame Stadium since 2005? Wow that doesn’t seem possible.
I think the over/under on Dexter carries is 10. I think if he gets single digits it’s a disappointment. 10-12 carries would be nice.
Jafar 15 carries
Dexter 12 carries
Tony Jones 10 carries
Book 10 carries
Dexys Midnight Runners!!!!!! ??? Go IRISH!!!!! ☘️ ☘️ ☘️
PP , really — you want to call him “Dexy.” I like your optimism though—Go Irish.
Dex!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dex !!!!! That’ll work — dictionary meaning — a human who has speed , one who is fast , a person who can out run others etc.
Notre Dame will need every carry from Williams to hang in there. Welcome back Dexter.
Big chunks of yardage on limited carries–just might happen.
Hopefully Williams can break some big runs.Nottedame will need that against Stanford. I’m interested to see how Book looks against a good defense.You know I follow all college football even though I focus mainly on Notredame.One of things I’ve doing is trying to compare Notredame with the elite 5 teams in college football to see if Notredame could hang with and possibly beat those teams.Right now I would definitely say no with Wimbush and maybe with Book. I need to see a lot more from Book before I can Notredame could play at the level of Ohio State Clemson Georgia Oklahoma. Alabama maybe just too good.Time will tell.