The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are in need of some help in the offensive backfield this season, and many people were wondering if they were going to tap into the graduate transfer market. Well... wonder no more, because they did just that.

Keenan Sweeney, a FULLBACK for the Auburn Tigers, has decided to transfer to Notre Dame to play his final year of eligibility for the Irish. Sweeney was a walk-on at Auburn, but he earned a scholarship in 2017 along with five other teammates.

"It's just a dream come true."



Watch as six of our walk-ons are awarded scholarships.#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/p8uiuYS0VB — Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) September 5, 2017

Sweeney, who looks every bit the part of an Irish fullback with a scruffy face and red hair, will most likely be a preferred walk-on for Notre Dame this season. Notre Dame is still over the 85 man limit, and unless something drastic changes (hello ND offseason), there won’t be a spot available for him as a scholarship player.

That last bit should in no way dampen the spirit — or my excitement. The fullback position has been dying a slow and painful death over the last 20 years in college football. Offenses have changed and became much more spread out, and the fullback has been replaced by a slot receiver or an h-back (a versatile tight end). A Brian Kelly offense, for example, did not use one.

My opinion is that a TRUE fullback is still needed, and despite the changes in offenses, can still be a very productive tool for a team to use.

Sweeney is a THIRD generation fullback for the Irish. His grandfather, Jim, played fullback in the 1940’s and his father, John, was a starter for the Irish at fullback in 1979. So, now the program welcomes Keenan to be a part of their legacy.

SUPER excited at the possibilities and the help Sweeney could provide within Chip Long’s offense.