CJ Prosise Cross-Training at RB Adds Another Playmaker to Notre Dame Offense

With Notre Dame's scholarship depth chart at running back limited to juniors Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant, Brian Kelly moving somebody to running back this spring made sense. But the shift of slot receiver C.J. Prosise to running back means Kelly and the offensive staff have larger plans for one of the Irish's most underrated playmakers. 

Prosise's move is one of the bigger storylines of spring practice. After earning the first significant playing time of his career in 2014 at slot receiver, shifting Prosise to the bottom of the running back depth chart raised more than a few eyebrows. 

There were other options for a third running back. Amir Carlisle—the Irish's opening-game starter at running back in 2013—to the backfield made sense. But in cross-training the 220-pound Prosise this spring, Notre Dame's offensive staff is looking for more ways to get the football in Prosise's hands.

While Will Fuller supplied an astounding 15 of Notre Dame's 30 receiving touchdowns, it was Prosise who led the Irish in yards per catch at 17.8. Prosise was also the team's most explosive runner, averaging 12.8 yards a carry in his 10 touches, none more important than the 50-yard touchdown run against LSU in the Irish's Music City Bowl victory. 

That turns this spring's work with the running backs less about a contingency plan and more about finding a way to get the ball in Prosise's hands more. 

"I think during the year we saw that potential. We had always kind of talked about it during the year in terms of, we always like getting the ball in his hands because he’s outstanding," Kelly said last week after practice. "He gets the ball in his hands he’s got a chance to go. Certainly his speed when he has the ball in his arm is pretty clear even against SEC talent."

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Notre Dame: CJ Prosise not fazed by added RB duties - http://t.co/G0Kl0aBvbA #IrishTalk

— Irish Talk (@CSNIrish) March 22, 2015"

Getting behind the Rice secondary or beating Navy for a long touchdown is one thing. Taking a touchdown to the house against the SEC's strongest statistical defense is quite another. 

So after a relatively slow start to a college football career that started at safety, Prosise could go from supporting cast to one of the leading men on the Irish offense. 

That's music to the ears of Prosise, who is spending the spring jumping between Mike Denbrock's wide receiver drills and new running back coach Autry Denson's tutelage. After leading the Irish's receivers in rushing attempts, Prosise isn't starting from scratch. 

"There’s still a learning curve, but I think it’s definitely an easier transition because it’s stuff I’ve already been doing," Prosise told Irish Illustrated. "Running jet sweeps and stretch plays. It’s a lot new, but also some stuff I already knew.”

In many ways, a position switch might be paying Prosise a compliment. In many other football programs, a switch usually means a player is buried on the depth chart or a way to fill a depth-chart hole. But under Kelly, players who have moved have consistently succeeded.

Former captain Bennett Jackson shifted from wide receiver to starting cornerback. Matthias Farley has excelled as a safety. So did former captain Austin Collinsworth and current outside linebacker James Onwualu, who played as a freshmen wide receiver. 

Looking back to the 2012 recruiting class, who'd have thought that Prosise would be the one serving as a dual threat on offense and 4-star running back recruit KeiVarae Russell would be the lockdown cornerback? 

As Prosise gets his feet wet in the backfield this spring, we still don't know is what this offense will look like next season. New offensive coordinator Mike Sanford is only now putting his imprint on Kelly's offense, tasked with infusing new ideas and systems to get the Irish on track. 

That means not just finding ways to get the ball to Prosise, but All-American candidate Will Fuller, who is coming off the most impressive sophomore season in Notre Dame history. Throw in wideouts Chris Brown and Corey Robinson, running backs Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant, not to mention keeping both Everett Golson and Malik Zaire happy and productive. 

With an offensive stable as deep as it's been in over 20 years, it's easy to understand why the expectations are sky-high for 2015. And Prosise's spring move will likely pay huge dividends this fall. 

*Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand.