Irish expect RB C.J. Prosise's return next week

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame running back C.J. Prosise did not play in Saturday's 28-7 win over Wake Forest, as the redshirt junior was not in uniform after going through the program's concussion protocol throughout the week.

Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly said he thinks Prosise could have played against the Demon Deacons but that the team took a cautious approach.

"You know, I think he could have," Kelly said. "We were going to be prudent all the way through this. We weren't going to give out too much information. We were going to obviously try to give you as much as we could, but we weren't going to really push him in a position that we didn't think we needed to. But he worked out before the game and he really felt good. But we weren't going to push it.

"So yeah, we feel like we would have him for next week."

Kelly said reserve wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown suffered a shoulder sprain this week that is "going to be significant in terms of time lost." St. Brown, a true freshman, did not dress Saturday and had his right arm in a sling.

Starting linebacker James Onwualu, meanwhile, left Saturday's game in the first quarter with what Kelly said was an MCL sprain. Onwualu, a junior, was on crutches with his left leg wrapped throughout much of the day.

Starting defensive lineman Daniel Cage did not play Saturday, either. Kelly said the sophomore "was not feeling well" after suffering an undisclosed injury during last week's game against Pitt.

Freshman Josh Adams got the start in Prosise's place, rushing for 141 yards on 17 carries, including a school-record 98-yard touchdown rush. Sophomore Andrew Trumbetti started in Cage's place and returned an interception 28 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.

No. 4 Notre Dame heads to Fenway Park next Saturday to play Boston College.