ACC football season preview 2020: Can Notre Dame knock off Clemson?

ACC Freshman of the Year: Chris Tyree, Notre Dame RB

Brian Kelly and the rest of the Notre Dame offensive staff must have gotten tired about hearing the same narrative. “Notre Dame lacks dynamic speed. They don’t have a player who can score from anywhere on the field.” Message received. The Irish went out and signed the fastest player in the 2020 class, all-purpose running back Chris Tyree.

Before the Camping World Bowl, Brian Kelly stated he wanted to get back to the “DNA” of Notre Dame football. That DNA he was referring to was solid offensive line play and a suffocating running game. Tyree stands to be the centerpiece of that running game.

There are some running backs in front of Tyree on the depth chart. Jafar Armstrong is the veteran starter returning from injury. Jahmir Smith and C’Bo Flemister are the young developmental backs. Neither Smith nor Flemister showed enough to take carries away from Tony Jones, Jr. last season.

Tyree is good enough to have at least one of these running backs thinking about the transfer portal. He’s the type of talent that takes his spot. Notre Dame and Kelly like power runningbacks like Dexter Williams, and there were some concerns about his size. Tyree’s talent is undeniable. It also helped that he showed up in South Bend 15 pounds heavier at 190 pounds.

Tyree is the best running back prospect that Brian Kelly has ever recruited. He has all the tools to be a transformative player for the Irish. He is going to give defensive coordinators, nightmares, gray hairs, and male pattern baldness all season long.