Tarean Folston Injury: Out for 2015 Notre Dame Season

Tarean Folston Injury
Photo: Matt Cashore // USA TODAY Sports

Brian Kelly confirmed what looked painfully obvious to everyone watching the Notre Dame – Texas game at home on television – Tarean Folston has been lost for the year after suffering a MCL injury in the first half of Notre Dame’s season opener.

[UPDATED: Folston’s injury is an ACL, not a MCL as originally reported. ]

Folston went down on what looked like a routine tackle, but limped off the field and was on the trainer’s table shortly after.  NBC reported that Folston was visibly emotional on the sidelines with his teammates and by the second half, Folston was in street clothes and on crutches.

Before falling to his injury, Folston had picked up 19 yards on three carries including 15 on the ill-fated tote that has now cost him his 2015 season.

With Folston lost for the year, Notre Dame is in a major bind at running back.  The Irish were already without Greg Bryant after his year long suspension and subsequent transfer and are now left with a depth chart featuring a converted wide receiver (CJ Prosise) and two true freshman (Josh Adams & Dexter Williams) – one of whom (Adams) is coming off an ACL injury of his own.

Prosise, in his first game as a running back, filled in well for Folston with 98 yards on 20 carries.  Adams meanwhile took his first touch as a collegiate athlete 14 yards into the endzone for a touchdown.  He later added a 25 yard touchdown run as well showing little signs of his ACL injury from a year ago.  Williams saw action in the second half as well picking up 24 yards on 7 carries.

Adams and Williams are going to have to be quick learners for Notre Dame to truly make a playoff run since both will now we called upon on a weekly basis to provide rest for Prosise and both will be getting playing time in crucial spots along the way.  Both looked up to the task in their limited action last night, but having to rely on two true freshmen backs so much is a dicey situation for a team with playoff hopes that looks to have the weapons to make a run.

For Folston, because the injury occurred so early in the season, he will be eligible for a medical red-shirt but that silver lining is likely of little consolation for the junior back today.  Folston was set to be the go-to, work horse back in a high powered offense this season.  A big season from Folston could have easily propelled him into the 2016 NFL Draft.  Instead, Folston will now have a long off-season of rehab and recovery ahead of him and will miss out on what could be a special season.

Folston’s injury is the second significant injury to a core member of the 2015 Fighting Irish.  Jarron Jones was lost for the season as well during training camp.  Both injuries are big blows for a team that was ravaged by injuries a season ago and puts Notre Dame in a precarious situation at both positions.

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11 Comments

  1. I figured a know it all like you Burgundy would know. I’ll make one more prediction for the season. I predict Burgundy will never be able to pull his head out of his ass and as such his input will be much like it always is….worthless dribble from a drunken keyboard commando.
    I didn’t find much info on them on Google other than they are twins and walk ons..I thought maybe someone on here who watches practice may know more.

  2. I’m not sure if everyone saw this, in addition to Folston’s injury, but Avery Sebastian broke his foot during the Texas game. He is set to miss 4-6 weeks. Another important player due to miss a key stretch of the season.

  3. I feel really bad for Folston. I know Notre Dame will go forward and probably still have a better than average run attack this season, mainly due to the offensive line, but Folston has a lot of potential at the next level. Everyone tabbed Folston to have a break-out season. To see it end within 10 minutes of the first game is a shame. I do not know what lays ahead for Folston’s future abilities I know he isn’t go to transfer, but will he come back strong like an Adrian Peterson or Frank Gore (Gore had multiple knee injuries) and have a great career? Will he be done for it? It seems lately that more and more athletes are able to overcome a serious knee injury, but that doesn’t eliminate the questions. Best of luck to Folston. He was one of my favorite players and I will miss seeing him play this season.

  4. It’s a shame about Folston. He was the best pure RB they had. Not sure how big of an impact his loss will be. I was impressed with Josh Adams. Prosise is more of a RB for certain packages. He can excel in a limited role but I don’t think he’s a guy you want lining up in the backfield all the time. Maybe Carlisle does move back to RB. We shall see.

  5. Yeah, you’re right, it is next man in Alley. My point was just impact season ending injuries have had on the team. Like for example, what happened last year to the defense with injuries, certainly had impact, and many attributed those losses incurred because of it. Yeah, get it, teams deal with injuries. It’s part of the game.

    Go ND

  6. The Freshmen looked pretty good, especially Adams, but I wonder if Kelly moves Carlisle back to RB. In the high pressure situations coming up (i.e., Death Valley at night) it be nice to have another upperclassman to rely upon. If nothing else, Prosise can’t be risked on special teams anymore. Just a bummer injury after such a great win, but next man up!

  7. Just seems ND sustain these significant type of injuries more often and on high impact players
    ===
    Are you serious? Every team deals with these types of injuries.

    Next man in and GO IRISH!

  8. Breaks my heart for the kid. TV camera was on him when the trainer told him it was his ACL and you could tell he was crushed. CJ and the rookies have to step up. We have a great O Line that they can lean on.

    NEXT MAN UP……..the show doesn’t stop.

  9. Just seems ND sustain these significant type of injuries more often and on high impact players costing the player a whole season. I can’t even imagine what Tarean is saying to himself after this incident. I feel bad for him. Pretty thin at RB as it is. It is what it is, hopefully, no further season ending injuries occur.

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