Mike Carter-US Presswire
With the loss of both Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick, there are questions as to who Brian Kelly will use as his primary running back in the 2013 season for Notre Dame.Currently, the hands-on favorite to take over the reception is George Atkinson III, but take note of Amir Carlisle, who, like Atkinson, will be a Junior.
However, it could change dramatically over the Spring and Summer once Five-Star recruit Greg Bryant gets a chance to show Kelly what he can do with the ball. It’s expected he will boost himself into the No. 2 spot immediately but it will be his job to stay there. It’s not like Atkinson plans on going away, either. So don’t expect either one to be a “featured back” as Kelly doesn’t believe in using just one running back for extended periods of time, so all three will get a chance to play.
Atkinson, though, has the best chance of being the most productive with his ability in the system. He was picked by Kelly to produce speed coming out of the backfield, and now that he’s in his third year, he will get the chance to be unleashed by the coaching staff. It will be instrumental for him to help Everett Golson along in his development as the previous two running backs are no longer in South Bend.
Unfortunately, it won’t be clear to see how the production will pan out the way it did in 2012 since both Wood and Riddick already showed what they could do as starters, but in 2013, it will certainly be just as exciting.
Korey Beckett is a writer for RantSports.com and can be reached at koreydbeckett@gmail.com for questions or comments.
