When was the last time the Irish possessed a runner who left vapor trails in his wake and had enemy defenders choking on his exhaust?

Well, let's see. There was the legendary George Gipp. Or maybe one could be found if you go back to the stone age or when glaciers were first formed.

O.K., this reporter must admit that's an exaggeration to the extreme but that still doesn't change the fact that it's been quite a while since there was a burner of a back in South Bend.

You probably have to rewind all the way to the 1970's when Art Best and Al Hunter were toting the ball for Ara Parseghian before you'll find runners with plenty of giddyup.

And please don't count the fabulous Raghib "Rocket" Ismael. Although Lou Holtz periodically lined him up in the backfield, "Rocket" was primarily a receiver whether he was positioned in the slot or flanked out wide. A true running back he was not.

Now, that's not to imply that ND hasn't had its share of dynamite ballcarrirers in the relatively recent past. Players such as Autry Denson, Allen Pinkett, Julius Jones, Vagas Ferguson and Reggie Brooks were all standout performers in their own right.

But they weren't bolts of lightning. They were shifty, elusive backs who relied much more on moves rather than sheer speed. Breaking the long one was not their forte.

However, it looks as if things are about to change. The whoosh factor appears to have at long last returned to the Irish.

And it comes in the form of a 5-10, 175-pound blur who answers to the name of Munir Prince. Fitting name. For the freshman back from Florissant, Missouri looks to be a prince of a player.

And given time and the right set of circumstances, Munir has the potential to eventually be a king-sized talent. Someday he might rule the gridiron.

It's also apropos that Munir should hail from the Show-Me state. Because ever since preseason practice began some two weeks ago, Prince has been showing a hell of a lot.

His performance to date, along with his breathtaking swiftness, has caused both coaches and teammates alike to experience many anatomical reactions. Among these are eyes popping, jaws dropping and mouths salivating.

Even the hard to please Charlie Weis hasn't been able to contain his excitement over his incoming recruit. Weis speaks about Prince's speed as if it's a treasure that just fell into his lap.

Weis must be intoxicated just thinking about the damage Prince can do whenever he gets a sliver of daylight or just a crease of an opening.

If you combine Weis' knack for scheming with Prince's ability to motor, the results could be spectacular. If Weis can just figure out ways to get his baby back in open space, plenty of thunder will be shaken down from the sky.

Prince's impact has been so dramatic that he never had the luxury of flying under the radar. He literally thrust himself into the limelight from the get-go. As a result, he's not going to sneak up on anyone. His reputation has already proceeded him.

Before he's even taken his first snap in college, the expectations are that he's destined to be a major contributor to the Irish not only in the years to come but right off the bat.

With erstwhile back Travis Thomas having made the transition over to linebacker, there are going to be lot of carries available aside from the ones designated for the gifted Darius Walker.

If Prince continues to wow everyone like he has already, he figures to get plenty of chances to strut his stuff. Thomas' departure has created an opening that Prince seems more than capable of filling.

For Munir, the time may have already come for him to show the flash in his dash.

So just how fast is Prince? Well, as a AAU qualifier, Munir covered the 100-meters in 10.4 seconds while he negotiated the 200 in a brisk 21.0 flat.

If it's true that speed kills, Prince might someday prove to be an even more effective terminator than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But foot speed alone won't win the day if you can't translate that acceleration onto the football field.

Prince has had no such difficulty. He can slither and dance while at the same time not have to downshift. He's that rare back who can actually pick up the pace while he's maneuvering through traffic. He can shake and bake and scoot simultaneously.

His magnificent high-school career was a testament to his ability to blend his moves and speed. Price ran for over 3,600 yards, averaged 6.4 yards per carry and scored 50 touchdowns.

Oh, by the way, he was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Missouri during his senior season.

Now, Prince looks to perform his magic on a much bigger stage. He hopes to turn Notre Dame Stadium into a sort of a personal speedway. One where there don't figure to be many pit stops.

For the immensely talented youngster, the green flag is up. He's ready to ramp up the RPM's. A speed demon who bears watching is about to cut loose.