A very bright future at running back has arrived for Notre Dame.

Notre Dame’s first glimpse at the future of the running back position was impressive

Notre Dame had one of the nation’s best running backs in 2023, but that player Audric Estime is headed to the NFL after an All-American campaign. Estime got a head start on preparation for the NFL and opted out of the bowl game, which gave Notre Dame fans a glimpse into the future.

That initial glimpse was impressive, and the future of the Notre Dame backfield is incredibly bright.

Freshman Jeremiyah Love got the start, but sophomores Jadarian Price and Gi’Bran Payne were clearly key parts of the game plan as well. It was Price who had the biggest day, but what made the performance so impressive is the all-around level of play, and it is only going to get better.

Price had his first career 100-yard game (106), Love had 52 total yards of his own and had a highlight reel touchdown catch, and Payne did what he’s done all year, which is grind out tough yards. The trio combined for 182 rushing yards and reached the end zone twice in the 40-8 win over Oregon State.

It was quite the first showing for the young backfield, who is just scratching the surface of how good they can be. They certainly have big shoes to fill, but Notre Dame has been here before.

Just two years ago it was Estime, classmate Logan Diggs and Chris Tyree that was tasked with replacing standout running back Kyren Williams, who ended his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons while reaching the end zone 31 times in his final two seasons.

The expected replacements weren’t all that experienced, but there was plenty of talent. Diggs, Estime and Tyree combined for 512 rushing yards (4.5 YPC) and four touchdowns in 2021 while backing up Williams. The trio also combined for 30 catches for 314 yards and three more scores, giving them 826 total yards and seven touchdowns.

That trio showed talent matters a whole lot more than experience as they combined for outstanding production in 2022. Estime, Diggs and Tyree combined for 2,186 rushing yards (2,670 total yards) and scored 23 touchdowns in 2022, despite playing much of the season with very little support from the pass game.

If you want a comparison, the 2024 backfield enters the season with even more impressive production in their backup roles.

Estime’s rushing production this season far surpassed what Williams produced in 2021, but the backups still had even more production. Love, Price and Payne combined for 826 rushing yards (5.1 YPC) and six touchdowns this season, and the trio also combined for 22 catches for 200 yards and four more scores. Price also led the team with 344 kick return yards for another score, and both Love (41 yards) and Payne (42 yards) also had two returns apiece.

On the whole, the young stable of backs combined for 1,025 yards of offense and 10 touchdowns, and also added 427 kick return yards and another score. Compare that to 826 yards of offense and seven touchdowns to go with 347 kick return yards and a score from the 2021 backup runners.

Projecting to 2024, the backfield will have a chance to make a huge jump of its own, if not a bigger one.

Love will get a lot stronger after a full season in the weight room, and the experience he gained this season will be invaluable. Price will be another year removed from the Achilles injury he suffered in 2022, which means he could see another jump in speed and explosiveness. Payne will also benefit greatly from the experience he gained this season.

Notre Dame also welcomes big time freshmen Kedren Young and Aneyas Williams, who formed arguably the nation’s best one-two running back duo in the 2024 recruiting class.

When you throw in the fact the run game adds dynamic quarterback Riley Leonard, who rushed for 699 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2022, opponents are going to have nightmares trying to defend the Notre Dame backs.

The key is the group being developed properly, which is another reason for the excitement. Notre Dame has one of the nation’s best running back coaches in Deland McCullough, who coached up the 2022 group during their breakout seasons.

Needless to say, the future at running back has arrived, and that future is very, very bright.