Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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28 APRIL 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2024 S P R I N G F O O T B A L L O V E R V I E W BY JACK SOBLE W hat will life without Audric Estimé look like for Notre Dame? Fortunately for the Irish, they don't have to speculate much. Estimé handled the majority of the work- load last season, and he was the rare bell cow who was also the most efficient back on his team at 6.4 yards per carry. But behind him, three young- sters received significant playing time and showed more than enough evidence that they'd be able to take over once No. 7 inevitably left for the NFL. All have returned and should play sizable roles in 2024. Sophomore Jeremiyah Love is a taller back at 6-foot, but he moves like he's 5-foot-9. He's arguably the most explosive back on the team, and he can put a shoulder down and break a tackle better than most ex- pected when he came out of St. Louis Christian Brothers Col- lege. That "arguably" is there because junior Jadarian Price has burst for days and will be in the RB1 mix, too. Fellow junior Gi'Bran Payne probably won't start at Notre Dame, but he'll have a role. The Irish like him as a short-yardage and third-down back, valuing his ball se- curity, pass blocking and pass catching. Graduate student Devyn Ford, who was squeezed out of the running back ro- tation but played a critical role on special teams last year, has been moved to safety. The Irish had that luxury because they added two talented freshmen who enrolled early and have the tools to play right away. As it stands, Notre Dame has five capable ball carriers and not enough carries to go around. Running backs coach Deland McCullough will have to spend the offseason figuring out who's best at what, and chances are one or two talented players in this room won't end their careers at Notre Dame. That is a good problem to have for the Irish. RUNNING BACKS PERSONNEL UPDATE Position Coach: Deland McCullough (third season) Returning Starters: None Departing Starters: Audric Estimé (14 career starts) Projected New Starters: So. Jeremiyah Love (1) Top Reserves: Jr. Jadarian Price, Jr. Gi'Bran Payne Newcomers: Fr. Kedren Young, Fr. Aneyas Williams POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH CAN THE FRESHMEN FIND ROLES? The Irish had a crowded depth chart with Audric Estimé at the top and Gi'Bran Payne, Jadarian Price and Devyn Ford bringing something to the table entering fall camp last season. That didn't stop Jeremi- yah Love, then a freshman, from taking over the RB2 job by Week 4. Kedren Young (power) and Aneyas Williams (versatility) bring intriguing traits to the table, and they'll have a chance to work their way up the depth chart early. NUMBERS TO KNOW 149.2 Was junior Jadarian Price's Pro Football Focus elusiveness rat- ing — an advanced stat that measures forced missed tackles on a per-touch basis — last year. That ranked 16th among all running backs in col- lege football with at least 45 carries, just ahead of Oregon star Bucky Irving. By comparison, Audric Estimé's was 126.5 and Jeremiyah Love's was 117.3. Price also evaded multiple would-be tacklers on his way to a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against USC. 171 Carries for scholarship run- ning backs not named Es- timé in 2023. Love led the way with 71, followed by Price with 47 and Gi'Bran Payne with 45. Even with its star headed to the NFL, this group has plenty of returning experience. 385 Rushing yards for Love in his first season in South Bend. Only two Notre Dame freshmen since 2004 had more: Chris Tyree (496) in 2020 and Josh Adams (835) in 2015. His efficiency slowed down a bit late in the season, but as Estimé kept gobbling more and more carries, the Irish continued giving Love the rock. ALL EYES ON … JUNIOR JADARIAN PRICE Notre Dame brought Price along slowly last season as he came back from the torn Achilles that cost him his fresh- man year. The Irish un- leashed him in the Sun Bowl, though, and he carried 13 times for 106 yards. With the training wheels off, Price could cement a timeshare with Love or even surpass him if he shows out in spring ball. Sophomore Jeremiyah Love, arguably the most explosive ball carrier on the team, is in line to start this year but will have to earn the job. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER