Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said this week he doesn’t believe in running back by committee.
But if starting running back Darius Walker were injured, Weis said he has full confidence in backup halfback Travis Thomas and Rashon Powers-Neal, currently the starting fullback, to carry the load.
Though Thomas has not seen much playing time, Weis likes him a lot.
“Every time he plays, he runs hard,” Weis said. “He’s a hammer type of guy. He’s a very physical, stout player (6 feet, 215 pounds) and he plays that way. I’d use him at any time.”
The game is still more than a week off, but already, anticipation for Notre Dame’s Oct. 15 meeting with USC is running high.
For just the fourth time in school history, and the first time since 2000, the Friday night pep rally has been moved from the Joyce Center, which holds less than 12,000 people, to Notre Dame Stadium to accommodate the anticipated crowd.