Staff photo / Greg Macafee Ursuline running back Christian Lynch tries to shake off a Farrell defender Saturday night during the Irish’s 40-38 win across the border. Lynch rushed for 278 yards and 3 TDs on 44 carries.

YOUNGSTOWN — After the graduation of record-breaking tailback DeMarcus McElroy last year, Ursuline junior running back Christian Lynch knew coming into this season that it was his turn to make his mark.

So, he went to work during the offseason.

Lynch hit the weight room and stuck to a diet program. As a result, he said he added almost 20 pounds to his 5-foot-10 frame.

“I stayed locked into the process,” Lynch said. “I stayed locked into weightlifting, running, (studying) plays and play calls, all of it.”

That extra weight and muscle has helped tremendously so far this season, as Lynch has been an instrumental part of Ursuline’s undefeated 3-0 start. Through three games, Lynch has run for 601 yards and eight touchdowns on 78 carries — an average of almost exactly 200 yards per game.

“I’m proud of how Christian attacked the offseason — he really did a great job,” said head coach Dan Reardon. “In the weight room, he changed his body and got a lot stronger. With that, comes confidence.”

Playing behind McElroy the last couple years, however, enabled Lynch to learn a lot. He picked things up from the former Irish star’s game and running style and implemented it into his own game.

“I learned how to be patient,” Lynch said. “I used to rush plays, but after seeing DeMarcus, I learned how to be patient and see the holes (in the line).”

Yet, Lynch thinks of himself more as a different type of running back than McElroy, stylistically.

“I feel like I use my power more,” Lynch said.

Reardon agreed with Lynch’s assessment, calling McElroy more of a “slasher” as a running back, while Lynch is more of a “downhill, get vertical” type of back.

“They’re both effective in their own ways,” Reardon said.

Lynch hasn’t always been a running back though. He first started playing football after his youth baseball coach suggested it. When he first started, he was tabbed as a lineman when he went out for the Little Leopards youth football team.

“I was real big, I was a little over the weight limit,” Lynch chuckled. “I didn’t play running back until I transferred to the Catholic league, then from there, it’s just been a success.”

One of the key parts of Lynch’s and Ursuline’s success offensively has been the team’s offensive line play.

With five seniors starting up front, Lynch has an experienced, veteran group opening up holes for him to run through.

“They’ve done what we’ve expected them to do,” Reardon said. “I think they’re also gaining confidence and that enables Jack (Ericson) at quarterback and Christian at tailback and some of the new faces on offense and gives them a chance to really turn it loose and not be worried about pressure. Those guys are doing a good job of cleaning up what defenses have been giving us.”

Lynch now has back-to-back games with more than 200 rushing yards and it feels like just the beginning for the burgeoning ballcarrier, especially as the Irish get deeper and deeper into the teeth of their regular season schedule.

Saturday’s win against Farrell (Pa.) felt like a coming-out party of sorts, as Lynch almost exclusively carried Ursuline’s offense. He carried the ball a whopping 44 times for 278 yards and three touchdowns.

While Reardon would like the Irish to try to be more “multiple” offensively, Lynch is ready for whatever workload the coaches want to give him.

“I’m feeling really good right now,” Lynch said after the physical workload. “If we went to overtime, I feel like I could have continued to perform well. I’m glad (the coaches) trust me that much to put the ball in my hands 44 times.”