The wisdom of that decision can and will be debated over the coming days and weeks. Based on an early sampling of those in the know, Walker seriously miscalculated by leaving prematurely. The general consensus is that the Georgia native needed another college campaign to fully mature and hone his skills so that he would be equipped to handle the rigors of life in the NFL.

To many, Walker is an unfinished product who jumped the gun way too soon.

Whether Walker erred by declaring at this stage will be determined rather quickly but for Irish fans, the question is what effect will Walker's departure have on Notre Dame's running game in particular, and on the team in general?

Is Walker's loss catastrophic, not that significant or something in between? Will his absence prove damaging or can the young stable of Domer running backs reduce Darius to being nothing more than an afterthought?

The answer will go a long way into determining the kind of team coach Charlie Weis will field come next September.

Now, no one should minimize the contributions that Walker made during his three-year stint in South Bend. For the most part, he was efficient, steady and dependable. Had he elected to complete his eligibility, he most certainly would have become ND's all-time leading rusher.

Though far from spectacular, Walker was fun to watch as he ducked in and out of traffic and sort of glided his way to picking up nice chunks of yardage.

Never a breakaway threat, Walker was more of a compiler rather than a home run hitter. For Darius, it was generally a 5-yard gain here, a 4-yard dance there and keep moving the chains.

That was primarily his role and he performed it admirably.

But, by the same token, Walker couldn't provide the Irish with instant offense. He couldn't deliver that quick-strike jaunt, that lightning-in-a-bottle dash. And in today's college environment, having that fleet-footed runner who can score from almost anywhere is incalculable if not darn near necessary.

Walker could shift and dart but he rarely busted loose.

Walker's presence also precluded any of the baby backs like James Aldridge, Munir Prince and Luke Schmidt from blossoming early. Because of Weis' somewhat stubborn preference for emphasizing a one-back attack, Walker gobbled up a lion share of the carries. Throw in Travis Thomas' periodic totes and the youngsters had precious few opportunities to strut their stuff.

It's always been this writer's contention that ND as well as Walker would have been better served had the workload been distributed more equitably. Walker would have been fresher and the young Turks would have become battle-tested. But that's spilled milk.

So with Walker now vacating the scene, what must be asked is can the Irish expect to be anywhere near as productive on the ground? Or will the rush game come to a standstill? Can they run without their Walker?

Believe it or not, Irish and  Reds confidently predicts that the Domers will be much more dynamic on land and put up even better numbers sans Darius.

Sound crazy? Not by a long shot if you look at what remains behind.

Out of necessity, the running game will become much more versatile and varied. It will become considerably more diversified and create greater confusion for enemy defenders.

How's that possible you may ask? The explanation is as simple as a handoff up the gut.

No longer forced to rely on one workhorse, the Domers can now spread the wealth and fully integrate the abundance of talent they possess in the backfield.

Though his development was somewhat stunted by a knee problem, the physical Aldridge ( 5-11/ 213) ) showed enough power and moves down the stretch to prove he can become a stud if given both opportunity and time.

If Aldridge can provide the pop inside, then Munir Prince ( 5-10/ 184 )  is perfectly capable of giving ND the breakout dimension it so desperately needs.

With his electrifying speed and quicks, if Weis can figure out ways to get Prince on the perimeter and in space, then Irish fans can expect to spend plenty of time coming out of their seats. Prince's potential is breathtaking.

Though Munir showcased his "wow" factor many times in practice, he was limited to but 15 carries during the season. His chances to shine were next to nil.

If Weis makes it a point to get Prince 10 to 15 touches a game in '07, it could be bombs away on the ground. The thought of Prince running free is enough to make ND fans salivate.

The wild card aspect not to be overlooked in all of this is the immensely gifted fullback Luke Schmidt.

Probably withheld from action to preserve a fifth year of eligibility, Schmidt ( 6-4/ 252 ) has the athletic aptitude to both hammer it in the trenches but also bounce it outside and run away from defenders. He's a battering ram with nifty feet. The fact that he could play tailback if called upon speaks to his vast promise.

He's got a lot of Aldridge in him and a little bit of Prince as well. Schmidt offers a versatility that should enable him to become a legitimate weapon sooner or later.

Now, how you mix and match and blend in the skills of Aldridge, Prince and Schmidt, we'll leave that chore to the mad scientist Weis. But should the creative Charlie come up with the right concoction, Darius Walker could become a faint memory but fast.

Three heads are better than one and six legs are better than two so if the troika of Aldridge, Prince and Schmidt is used cleverly and to maximum effect, it's hard to imagine their combined efforts not dwarfing those of Walker. There's simply too much skill and football savvy among that trio for dramatic success not to be the ultimate byproduct of their collaboration.

Yes, Darius has shuffled off and there's no denying that he'll be missed. But maybe the Irish won't yearn for him all that much. Maybe an even brighter and more prolific day is dawning.