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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Alabama’s Kirby Smart is considered the preeminent defensive coordinator in college football. He has won the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach, has interviewed for head coaching jobs and it is not a question of if he will run his own program one day, rather when.
So when Smart says he can’t find a tendency on how Notre Dame uses its three running backs, he’s acknowledging the Irish’s greatest strength in Monday night’s BCS National Championship Game is its three-headed running-back beast — Theo Riddick, Cierre Wood and George Atkinson III.
“When you break Notre Dame down, they run a lot of the same plays with the same backs, so there’s not a true tendency per se unless you get a bead on one during the game,’’ Smart said. “Some guys are better outside runners than inside runners. They run all the same plays with each one of them. So they don’t give you a tendency. You look at another area and try to focus there.’’
The Post asked ESPN college football analyst David Pollack to assess the Irish’s backs. His assessment:
Riddick: Versatile.
Wood: Explosive.
Atkinson: Speed.
Versatile. Explosive. Speed. Meet Notre Dame’s three-headed monster.
Riddick, who arrived in South Bend from Manville, N.J., carried 180 times this season for 880 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and five touchdowns, and battered USC for 146 yards.
Wood, who was suspended for Notre Dame’s opener for violating team rules and had to regain the trust of the coaching staff, carried 110 times for 740 yards (6.7 yards per carry) and four touchdowns, including a 62-yarder that set the tone for the Irish’s 30-13 win at Oklahoma. He scorched Purdue for 191 yards.
Atkinson, unsuccessfully recruited by Alabama and used as a kickoff returner by the Irish, carried 51 times for 361 yards (7.1 yards per carry) and five touchdowns, including a 56-yarder that broke Miami in a 41-3 win. He busted up the Hurricanes for 123 yards.
Three backs, each with a 100-yard rushing performance and each with a unique skill set. That’s what Alabama, and its No. 1-ranked rush defense (79.8 yards per game) must stop for the Tide to win.
“The truth be told, they all could be a feature back, they all could do all the things,’’ Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chuck Martin said. “Everybody is like, [why doesn’t] he plays more, what’s wrong with him? There’s nothing wrong with any of the three.
“We’d like to get George 20 carries a game but there’s one football. Coach [Brian Kelly] and I had a discussion at the beginning of the year, ‘We have to get George more touches,’ and I’m like, ‘I’m with you, we’ve got to run more plays.’ Whose touches do we want to take away? We don’t want to take away any of the three.’’
Kelly’s teams are 160-23-1 when outrushing the opposition. He’s 39-44-1 when his teams are outrushed.
Smart was effusive when he broke down Notre Dame’s three-headed attack. When asked about Atkinson and Wood he said, “Speed. Them two dudes are fast. They are really fast.’’
But Smart and Pollack agreed Riddick is the most dangerous weapon. Because of his experience at wide receiver and running back, he can create mismatches before the defense can sub in special packages.
He also is the most physical of the runners, which figures to matter most against Alabama.
“Riddick is probably quicker than the other two,’’ Smart said. “Great one”‘-step quickness, the ability to make you miss, good stiff arm. Didn’t think a former receiver would run with that much power, but he does run with power. They’re really good backs.’’
And there are three of them.