Listed Measurements: 6-foot, 206 pounds
2017-18 year, eligibility: Early-enrolled freshman with four years of eligibility remaining including the 2017 season.
Depth chart: Holmes sits behind four other running backs and is unlikely to climb that ladder much in 2017.
Recruiting: A consensus four-star prospect, Holmes committed to Notre Dame in July of 2016 rather than accept offers from some of the biggest programs in the country such as Alabama, Michigan, Tennessee and UCLA. Rivals.com rated Holmes the No. 5 all-purpose back in the class, the No. 2 prospect in Connecticut and the No. 203 player in the country.
QUOTE(S)
Holmes separated his shoulder early enough in spring practice Irish coach Brian Kelly never had the chance to expound on the complimentary comparisons he heaped upon Holmes on National Signing Day.
“Versatility I think is what comes to mind,” Kelly said in February. “I look at him as a guy like a Theo Riddick, C.J. Prosise. He’s going to play both running back and wide receiver for us. We think we have a nice package for him right away. We’re going to ask him to compete right away. He’s going to be one of those guys that we’re going to force feed him a little bit and get him involved.
WHAT KEITH ARNOLD SAID UPON HOLMES’ EARLY ENROLLMENT
“Holmes will step in and challenge a talented group of runners, but at a position group that was stuck in neutral in 2016. He also has the ability to play receiver.”
2017 OUTLOOK
It was always going to be unlikely Holmes would see many, if any, carries at running back this season. Junior Josh Adams will see the majority of the action with junior Dexter Williams and sophomore Tony Jones earning many chances to spell Adams. Once Holmes departed spring practice with the shoulder injury, sophomore Deon McIntosh moved from receiver to running back to provide depth, and he will likely remain there in the fall.
Perhaps due to the aforementioned versatility, Holmes would have had chances to impress on special teams. Now, though, with the shoulder injury, allowing the freshman the entire season to heal seems the most likely course of action and, for that matter, the most logical. He is not needed at running back in the immediate future, and it seems rather foolish to force him to take hits on the shoulder earlier than necessary just so there is one more body on the coverage units.
It should be noted, Kelly said Holmes had surgery on the same injured shoulder his sophomore year of high school. A separated shoulder may seem a ho-hum injury, but it is far from it, especially once it qualifies as a recurring trouble.
DOWN THE ROAD
In a year, Adams and Williams will still be around, and Adams will presumably continue to lead the Notre Dame ground attack. Entering 2019, however, Jones will be primed to take over the workhorse duties. Holmes offers an ideal complement to Jones’ bruising-yet-agile style, and could fit even better when considering his ability to come out of the backfield as a receiver.
This fall will provide better insights into this aspect, but Irish offensive coordinator Chip Long has often involved tight ends and running backs in his passing attack, creating a role there for Holmes to establish himself in 2018 while readying for 2019.
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: Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, defensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 92)
No. 94: Darnell Ewell, defensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 95)
No. 93: Jay Hayes, defensive end
No. 92: Jonathon MacCollister; defensive end (originally theorized as No. 46)
No. 91: Ade Ogundeji, defensive end
No. 89: Brock Wright, tight end
No. 88: Javon McKinley, receiver
No. 87: Michael Young, receiver (originally theorized as No. 84)
No. 86: Alizé Mack, tight end
No. 85: Tyler Newsome, punter
No. 84: Cole Kmet, tight end (originally theorized as No. 90)
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. 76: Dillan Gibbons, offensive lineman (originally theorized as No. 65)
No. 75: Josh Lugg, offensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 73)
No. 75: Daniel Cage, defensive tackle
No. 74: Liam Eichenberg, right 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. 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. 48: Greer Martini, inside linebacker
No. 47: Kofi Wardlow, defensive end
No. 45: Jonathan Jones, inside linebacker
No. 44: Jamir Jones, linebacker/defensive lineman
No. 42: Julian Okwara, defensive end
No. 41: Kurt Hinish, defensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 94)
No. 40: Drew White, linebacker
No. 39: Jonathan Doerer, kicker (originally theorized as No. 52)
No. 38: Deon McIntosh, running back/receiver
No. 35: David Adams, linebacker
No. 34: Tony Jones, Jr., running back
No. 33: Josh Adams, running back
No. 32: D.J. Morgan, safety
No. 30: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, rover
No. 29: Kevin Stepherson, receiver
No. 28: Nicco Fertitta, safety
No. 27: Julian Love, cornerback
No. 26: Ashton White, safety
No. 25: Jafar Armstrong, receiver (originally theorized as No. 87)
No. 24: Nick Coleman, safety
No. 23: Drue Tranquill, rover
No. 22: Asmar Bilal, rover
No. 21: Jalen Elliott, safety
No. 19: Justin Yoon, kicker
No. 18: Troy Pride, cornerback
No. 17: Isaiah Robertson, safety
No. 16: Cameron Smith, receiver
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