Rockne's Roundtable

Lou - I forsee a surprise Reggie Brooks type year out of ___________.

phineas,

I'm looking at slots more like the running back moving sometimes into the slot, where Theo was effective in addition to lining up in the backfield. Robby Toma was the slot last year, but not a running back. Running backs can move to slot, but slots aren't necessarily going to be running backs.

Tony Alford coaches both, but we'll include the slots more so with the receivers.

jimlafrance,

Reggie Brooks' senior season in 1992 was the best I ever saw from a Notre Dame running back from beginning to end. He averaged 8.1 yards per carry, but could go inside and out, and finished 5th in the Heisman. I wouldn't bet on anyone this year placing that high in this year's balloting.

He did not lose a fumble in the regular season, to the best of my recollection (he did have two in the 28-3 Cotton Bowl win over Texas A&M). He caught only one pass — but that's not including the diving grab of the game-winning two-point conversion to beat Penn State, 17-16, in the Snow Bowl. I'm still not sure how he grabbed that as hard as Rick Mirer fired that hard ball in the freezing "Snow Bowl."

I'm not expecting a Brooks-like performance, but I'd sign up right now for a replicate of Riddick 2012,

Lou, no problem, I just read it a little different.

of those running backs listed, do you see any working out of the slot like Theo? i guess i can see amir and cam working out there somewhat. i do not see atkinson (kelly comments that not a receiver) or mahone (size) out there much.

flipping it the other way, do you see neal or onawalu positioned in the slot and then motioning back into the backfield? this may be in your article on the slots, so if i am jumping the gun, sorry.