How Loaded Is Notre Dame’s Running Back Room in 2025?

As Notre Dame's 2025 football season draws nearer, preparation for one of the most anticipated seasons in years for the program also intensifies.

You can't mention Notre Dame in 2025 without quickly mentioning its running back group, which very well could be the nation's best. How the running backs are used, however, may be the most interesting part as the group gets set for fall camp.

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New Notre Dame Running Backs Coach

Notre Dame running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider during fall cam — Notre Dame running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider during a Notre Dame football spring practice at Irish Athletic Center on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame saw running backs coach Deland McCullough leave his post in South Bend for a job with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason. Marcus Freeman and company answered by landing one of the top running back coaches in the country, Ja'Juan Seider of Penn State.

Seider left one of the nation's two best running back rooms for the other, which speaks to his potential as a position coach. How does Seider manage the room and split carries and reps with a backfield stocked full of talent?

Two Lead Backs: Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price

Jeremiyah Love (6-0, 214 pounds, Junior) enters 2025 as a pre-season All-American and longshot Heisman Trophy candidate. As fun as the conversation is, the Heisman will be nearly impossible based on his number of touches last year. Love is the most gifted running back I've seen while watching Notre Dame football (30-plus years). Strength, speed, athleticism, all of it. He's the real deal, and there's a reason he's projected to be a first-round NFL draft pick next spring. The goal is for Notre Dame to make another deep College Football Playoff run, and having Love upright instead of battling through injuries would only help accomplish that.

At roughly 125 FBS programs across the country, Jadarian Price (5-10, 209 pounds, Senior (Jr.)) would get the bulk of carries. Price averaged more than six yards per carry last season, besting 700 rushing yards for the year, while finding the end zone seven times. No doubt his touches and stats would go up significantly if there weren't as much talent around him.

Plenty of Other Key Contributors

Aneyas Williams (5-10, 200 pounds, Sophomore) enters his sophomore season after developing as a third down back in a big way last year. He's trustworthy in short yardage situations, but also a threat to throw to as he was instrumental in the passing game, hauling in five receptions for 68 yards in last year's come-from-behind Orange Bowl victory over Penn State.

Kedren Young (5-11, 242 pounds, Sophomore. (Fr.)) enters his second year on campus after bulking up in a big way. Young figures to be a short-yardage or goaline option for Notre Dame this year as he will be undoubtedly tough to bring down.

Gi'Bran Payne (5-9, 205 pounds, Senior (Jr.)) returns after missing 2024 with a knee injury. Used in short yardage situations in 2023, Payne rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns on 45 carries that fall.

Nolan James (5-10, 214 pounds, Freshman) was a late flip from Boston College this past recruiting cycle. James will have a lot of bodies to pass to get on the field but seems to offer a bit more diverse skill set than a couple of others.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Thoughts:

Jadarian Price celebrates scoring a touchdown for Notre Dame against Stanford in 202 — Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price celebrates scoring a touchdown during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The most intriguing part of all this is the workload for all parties. Top to bottom, this is the most talented running back room in college football. With Riley Leonard's 184 carries gone from last year, who picks up that slack, since it won't be whoever ends up starting at quarterback?

It's not as much about keeping everyone happy with touches in this backfield; competition will sort that part out, but in a 15-16 game season that Notre Dame hopes to again play, keeping legs as fresh and healthy as possible will be key, and having to bring in a new running backs coach to the group adds to that intruige entering fall camp.