Familiar Name Headed To South Bend

Irish fans will recognize the name.

Yep, Elijah Burris‍ comes from that Burris family.

The 2020 North Carolina running back who is coming up to South Bend for this weekend’s game against North Carolina State is cousins with former Notre Dame star Jeff Burris.

Burris’ father, Maurice, has been cheering for the Irish ever since his cousin enrolled at Notre Dame and they’ll be in the stands on Saturday.

The 5-foot-10, 205-pounder is starting to hit the recruiting radar thanks to an outstanding sophomore season at Mountain Island Charter School in Mt. Holly, N.C.

“Elijah has that It Factor at running back,” Mountain Island Charter head coach Robert Washington Sr., said. “The last four, five years, North Carolina has traditionally put out a lot of top running backs.

“He has a good combination of power and speed and elusiveness that’s really rare at 200 pounds. He can move like a scat back, but has the power of his size.”

Washington believes Burris just need to continue gaining experience.

“Just continue to grow,” the coach said of where the sophomore can improve. “I think he has all of the tools, he’s just young. He’s just got to play more.”

Burris knows a little bit about Notre Dame.

“I know they run the ball good and have a good defense,” he said. “I’ve heard about the Engineering at Notre Dame and that’s what I’m interested in.

“I want to see the way they play and how they run the ball and everything.”

Burris has already made trips to North Carolina State and Virginia Tech among others.

He called the interest he’s begun receiving from colleges “humbling.”

“They say that I’m good with my vision up and down the field, my strength is good and I’m elusive,” he said.

He knows what he’s looking for in a college.

“The academics first and then I want to see how the program and then the football team.”