Notre Dame football is gearing up to have another exciting season – and one that should find success. We broke down the quarterback room and gave you a preview of what to expect this season and what the future holds. We’ve broken down the offense, the defense, and who is and isn’t returning to the team. Now we’ll break down the deep running back room that the Fighting Irish currently have. The workload may not be as shared as one would think, however, as Jeremiyah Love kicks things off as the team’s primary running back.
Notre Dame’s 1-2 Punch: Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price
Love will lead the way this season for Notre Dame. He popped on the scene in 2023 as a four-star, top-100 recruit and showed all of the signs of being the star.
Last season, Love was the RB2 behind Audric Estime. Now entering this season, he will be the RB1 with Jadarian Price being his running mate. Love did have some time as the main running back last season versus Oregon State and showed his capabilities. He had 15 carries for 39 rushing yards with one reception for 13 yards and one receiving touchdown.
Love brings more upside currently than red-shirt sophomore, Price, as he can be utilized more in the passing game. We’ve already discussed Riley Leonard taking over under center, but he should have this offense flourishing with the likes of the Fighting Irish receivers and this running back combo.
With Price backing up Love, his unique build and run style will cause chaos for defenses to try and slow him down. He came in as a four-star recruit, ranking as RB14 in 2022. He didn’t get the usage that Love did last season but in the game against Oregon State, he showed out.
Price recorded 106 yards on 13 carries with one touchdown versus Oregon State. What makes him have a short leash is that he hasn’t been utilized in the passing game. Love will have the upper hand over him until he gets a full workload to show what he’s capable of.
Having both running backs is a good problem to have for Notre Dame. It gives a safety net with any injuries or if an opposing team can’t stop both running backs, one will have a great day in keeping a defense on their toes.
The Freshman: Kendren Young and Aneyas Williams
Kedren Young and Aneyas Williams lead the way for the freshman group and will be looking to show what they can do when the time comes.
Young comes in as a four-star recruit and RB4 in this year’s recruitment class. He has been praised for his athleticism and his build. Young is similar to Price when it comes to his rushing upside, but somewhat lacks in the pass-catching game. He will have to hope to climb the ranks or have the opportunities pop up to make a name for himself with the coaching staff.
Williams is another four-star recruit who committed to the Notre Dame football team this year. Williams ranks as RB24 and has some skillsets that could help him excel in college.
While he was a successful running back in high school, he also showed some flashes lining up out of the slot. He showed an ability to run deep routes and catch contested balls, despite being undersized. His versatility may earn him more playing time over Young. With that said, it will be exciting to see the two freshmen climb through the ranks.
