▁average ), ▁scoring ▁seven ▁touch down s . ▁He ▁became ▁just ▁the ▁fourth ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁running ▁back ▁in ▁school ▁history ▁to ▁eclipse ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁r ushing ▁yards ▁in ▁consecutive ▁seasons , ▁joining ▁V agas ▁Fer g us on , ▁Allen ▁P ink ett ▁and ▁D enson . ▁He ▁ran ▁for ▁ 1 , 1 9 6 ▁yards ▁on ▁ 2 5 3 ▁car ries ▁( 4 . 7 ▁av g ) ▁and ▁nine ▁touch down s ▁as ▁a ▁s oph om ore , ▁opening ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁four ▁r ushing ▁performances ▁of ▁ 1 0 0 ▁yards ▁or ▁more , ▁the ▁first ▁player ▁in ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁history ▁to ▁do ▁so . ▁During ▁his ▁first ▁season ▁for ▁the ▁Irish , ▁he ▁set ▁the ▁fresh man ▁r ushing ▁record , ▁gain ing ▁ 7 8 6 ▁yards ▁on ▁ 1 8 5 ▁car ries ▁( 4 . 2 ▁average ), ▁breaking ▁a ▁ 3 0 - year - old ▁school ▁record . ▁ ▁Walker ' s ▁last ▁game ▁with ▁the ▁Irish ▁came ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁in ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁Louisiana ▁at ▁the ▁Sug ar ▁Bowl . ▁The ▁Fight ing ▁Irish ▁lost ▁to ▁the ▁L SU ▁Tig ers ▁ 4 1 – 1 4 , ▁with ▁Walker ▁contrib uting ▁ 1 2 8 ▁r ushing ▁and ▁ 3 0 ▁receiving ▁yards . ▁ ▁He ▁announced ▁he ▁would ▁leave ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁for ▁the ▁NFL ▁in ▁a ▁press ▁conference ▁a ▁week ▁after ▁the