FanPost

In Case You Didn't Notice: Jonas Gray Is Better Than Cierre Wood

 

From the start, do not misunderstand what I am saying: this is not a knock on Cierre Wood (721 yards rushing, 5.6 yards per play, eight touchdowns, longest run of 55 yards). He is a fine running back, and, with four or five games left, may still get to 1,000 yards on the season. I'm glad he'll be back in 2012.

But Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly is seeing the same thing we're seeing. That is, Jonas Gray is just the better back right now. Granted his sample size is not as large, but he's averaging eight yards a carry, more than two yards better than Wood. Which is surely one of the reasons why Kelly started him against Navy. (Gray answered the bell, by the way, with 3 touchdowns.) He's bigger, faster, and seems to see the field lately. Quite simply, he is running the ball like a man. I definitely wouldn't want to get in his way.

The 79-yard touchdown run against Pittsburgh is only one example that comes to mind; there are others. The touchdown run against USC. You can see the confidence rising with every brilliant run he produces. Don't know when or how his "potential" turned into production, but it did and as an Irish fan, I am grateful for that.

 Wish Gray had some more eligibility, but I have to think that a few scouts out there have seen enough to warrant at least some interest; I certainly won't be surprised if Gray is on an NFL roster next fall.

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