NORMAN, Okla. — Notre Dame running back George Atkinson III indeed is inactive for Saturday’s game at Oklahoma due to a reported illness.
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Atkinson III is listed as “inactive” on a roster of duplicate numbers distributed in the Owen Field press box and it’s not believed the sophomore made the trip to Norman with the team. ESPN.com first reported Atkinson III would not play Saturday.
The sophomore running back is averaging a team-high 8.1 yards per carry. He has 38 carries for 301 yards with four touchdowns, including scores from 56 and 55 yards out, though the bulk of his production has come against feeble defenses from Navy and Miami.
Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood each rushed for 100 yards last week against BYU and likely were going to carry the bulk of the workload anyway.
Atkinson is also the kick returner for the No. 5 Irish, which is where his absence might be most felt Saturday. He returned two kickoffs for a touchdown as a freshman last year.