Listed Measurements: 5-foot-10 ½, 190 pounds
2017-18 year, eligibility: Sophomore with four years of eligibility remaining including 2017
Depth chart: McIntosh provides depth at the running back position, but, as is always the case with depth, the Irish hope not to need it. In this instance, that hope is not based on doubts about McIntosh. Instead, it simply reflects the quality of the running backs ahead of McIntosh, in order from starter to third-string: junior Josh Adams, junior Dexter Williams and sophomore Tony Jones.
Recruiting: A consensus three-star recruit, rivals.com listed McIntosh as the No. 18 back in the country and the No. 95 prospect in Florida. He chose Notre Dame over the likes of Miami, Tennessee and West Virginia.
CAREER TO DATE
McIntosh preserved a year of eligibility in 2016 while working with the receivers. This spring he moved to running back, partly due to freshman C.J. Holmes’ shoulder injury.
QUOTE(S)
If running backs are divided into groups of power, speed and a combination thereof, McIntosh fits firmly into the speed category. He may, in fact, offer the most speed on the Irish offense, even more than Williams. Combined with the overall effectiveness of Adams and Jones, McIntosh’s speed could provide Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long a multitude of options.
“You want to start with a guy like [Adams], there’s no doubt about it,” Long said in April. “Then you’ve got [Williams] and Tony Jones and [McIntosh], guys who can come out there, change the pace of play.
“[Adams] has elite speed, but he has size. Then you bring another guy in who might be a little bit different, find out what they do well. That’s hard for the defense. You can’t have enough running backs in this offense. There’s no question.”
Long also said he prefers having these different approaches, not just because of how they can force a defense to adjust, but also because they allow him to utilize different schemes. In discussing candidates to provide those changes of pace, Long seemed to describe McIntosh exactly.
“I like to have a variety,” Long said. “I like to have a big back. I like to have a guy I can put out there with receiver skills and we can put him in the backfield.”
WHAT KEITH ARNOLD PROJECTED A YEAR AGO
“I’m struggling to find a way for McIntosh to see the field this season unless he turns some heads during fall camp. Finding carries for Dexter Williams is hard enough. How someone behind Williams, [former Irish running back Tarean] Folston and Adams gets touches is beyond me.
“That said, McIntosh’s time at Notre Dame will be defined by his patience and what he does when he finally gets a chance. Pulling talented football players out of Fort Lauderdale isn’t easy. Neither is keeping them in South Bend if they aren’t seeing the field.
“[Running backs coach Autry] Denson raved about McIntosh’s game on and off the field during Signing Day festivities. We’ll see how the young coach’s first crop of backs perform once they’re on campus.”
2017 OUTLOOK
Finding McIntosh carries in a crowded backfield will be difficult. Adams has proven to be a durable ballcarrier, Williams will be the first change of pace choice, and Jones turned heads repeatedly throughout the spring. No matter how much Long may or may not favor the run, there are only so many handoffs to go around.
Moving back to receiver would not make much sense, either, even with Holmes returning to health. As of now, there are 11 receivers on the depth chart, and no specific spot is inherently thin. Adding a 12th would not serve any purpose.
McIntosh’s speed could, however, be utilized in the return game. Junior receiver C.J. Sanders enjoyed some success in 2016 on punt and kick returns, averaging 12.5 yards per punt return and 25.0 per kick return, including two for touchdowns. He could be in line for more action at receiver this season, though, especially if Long opts for a more-traditional slot receiver instead of sophomore Chase Claypool.
At that point, McIntosh’s wheels could prove to be a dynamic choice on returns. Irish coach Brian Kelly has long favored speedy returners. It was essentially the one area of the game former running back George Atkinson routinely contributed. Placing McIntosh in that role this season could be the best chance to get him some encouraging playing time, and it would allow Sanders to focus on his routes as needed.
DOWN THE ROAD
It may be all McIntosh needs is a chance to show his explosiveness. He is already known as a running back with receiver skills. Kelly has long shown a penchant for finding such players opportunities. See: Theo Riddick, C.J. Prosise and Amir Carlisle.
Time in the return game would not only give McIntosh that initial opportunity, but it would also give him reason to believe in his future in the program. As of now, he is buried on the depth chart at both running back and receiver, and in both instances, playing time is not going to be readily available in 2018, either. Showing McIntosh a path toward making an impact may be crucial moving forward.
2017’s Notre Dame 99-to-2
Friday at 4: Goodbye A-to-Z, hello 99-to-2 (May 12)
No. 99: Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle
No. 98: Andrew Trumbetti, defensive end
No. 97: Micah Dew-Treadway, defensive tackle
No. 96: Pete Mokwuah, defensive tackle
No. 95 (theoretically): Darnell Ewell, defensive tackle
No. 94 (theoretically): Kurt Hinish, defensive tackle
No. 93: Jay Hayes, defensive end
No. 92 (theoretically): Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, defensive tackle
No. 91: Ade Ogundeji, defensive end
No. 90 (theoretically): Cole Kmet, tight end
No. 89: Brock Wright, tight end
No. 88: Javon McKinley, receiver
No. 87 (theoretically): Jafar Armstrong, receiver
No. 86: Alizé Mack, tight end
No. 85: Tyler Newsome, punter
No. 84 (theoretically): Michael Young, receiver
No. 83: Chase Claypool, receiver
No. 82: Nic Weishar, tight end
No. 81: Miles Boykin, receiver
No. 80: Durham Smythe, tight end
No. 78: Tommy Kraemer, right tackle
No. 77: Brandon Tiassum, defensive tackle
No. 75: Daniel Cage, defensive tackle
No. 74: Liam Eichenberg, right tackle
No. 73: (theoretically) Josh Lugg, offensive tackle
No. 72: Robert Hainsey, offensive tackle
No. 71: Alex Bars, offensive lineman
No. 70: Hunter Bivin, offensive lineman
No. 69: Aaron Banks, offensive lineman
No. 68: Mike McGlinchey, left tackle
No. 67: Jimmy Byrne, offensive lineman
No. 65: (theoretically) Dillan Gibbons, offensive lineman
No. 58: Elijah Taylor, defensive tackle
No. 57: Trevor Ruhland, offensive lineman
No. 56: Quenton Nelson, left guard
No. 55: Jonathan Bonner, defensive lineman
No. 54: John Shannon, long snapper
No. 53: Sam Mustipher, center
No. 53: Khalid Kareem, defensive lineman
No. 52: (theoretically) Jonathan Doerer, kicker
No. 48: Greer Martini, inside linebacker
No. 47: (theoretically) Kofi Wardlow, defensive end
No. 46: (theoretically) Jonathon MacCollister; defensive end
No. 45: Jonathan Jones, inside linebacker
No. 44: Jamir Jones, linebacker/defensive lineman
No. 42: Julian Okwara, defensive end
No. 40: (theoretically) Drew White, linebacker
TRANSFERS
No. 66: Tristen Hoge, offensive lineman, transfers to BYU
No. 50: Parker Boudreaux, offensive lineman
No. 30: Josh Barajas, linebacker, to transfer to Illinois State
INJURIES
No. 13: Tyler Luatua, tight end, career ended by medical hardship