South Bend is different. If you’ve ever stood near the tunnel at Notre Dame Stadium on a Saturday in October, you feel it in the ground before you see it on the scoreboard. It’s a specific kind of thud. For decades, the running backs Notre Dame has put on the field haven't just been athletes; they’ve been the physical manifestation of a specific brand of Midwest football that refuses to go out of style. While the rest of the country started chasing "air raid" aesthetics and tiny, track-star receivers, the Irish stayed weirdly committed to the idea that a human being should be able to run through a brick wall if asked.
Jerome Bettis didn't just run; he collided.
Honestly, the "Bus" is the perfect archetype for what people expect from this program. But if you look closer at the modern era, the evolution is actually way more complex than just "big guys running straight." From the lightning-fast bursts of CJ Prosise to the relentless, high-IQ consistency of Kyren Williams, the identity is shifting. You’re seeing a blend now. It’s no longer just about who can bench press the most. It’s about who can pass protect against a blitzing NFL-caliber linebacker while also catching a swing pass on third-and-long.
The Reality of Being a Notre Dame Running Back Today
What most people get wrong about the current state of the backfield is the sheer volume of work required. At many Power 4 schools, you can be a "specialist." You’re the speed guy. You’re the goal-line guy. At Notre Dame, if you can't block, you don't play. Period. Former running backs coach Deland McCullough—who has since moved on but left a massive footprint—essentially turned the room into a mini-NFL squad. He demanded pro-level vision.
Jeremiyah Love is the name everyone is shouting about right now, and for good reason. He’s got that "home run" gear that keeps defensive coordinators awake at 2:00 AM. But even Love has to deal with the legacy of guys like Audric Estimé. Estimé was a throwback. He looked like a linebacker and ran like he had a personal grudge against the turf. Seeing a 227-pound human hurdle a defender isn't normal, but it became the standard in South Bend.
The depth is usually the story. Because the academic rigors at Notre Dame are actually real—no matter what the rivals say on message boards—the recruiting process is picky. They don't just take anyone. They take kids who can handle a chemistry lab and a 6:00 AM film session. This usually leads to a "room" full of guys who are incredibly disciplined. Jadarian Price is another one. After coming back from a devastating Achilles injury, his burst looked even better. That doesn't happen by accident. That’s the byproduct of a training staff that is arguably the best in the nation.
The Kyren Williams Effect
We have to talk about Kyren. He wasn't the biggest. He wasn't the fastest. When he ran his 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, people laughed. A 4.65? In the modern NFL? Scouts wrote him off.
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They were wrong.
What the scouts missed—and what Notre Dame fans knew—was the "dawg" factor. Williams redefined what it meant to be an elite back without having elite measurables. He would stonewall a 260-pound defensive end on a blitz, then turn around and gain eight yards on a play that should have been a loss of three. He proved that the running backs Notre Dame develops are prepared for the mental side of the league. It's why he became a fantasy football god for the Rams. He understood leverage. He understood timing. He understood that football is a game of inches played by people who aren't afraid of contact.
Why the "RBU" Debate is Actually Complicated
Is Notre Dame "Running Back U"? Maybe not in the way Georgia or Alabama claims it with five-star after five-star. But if you're looking for the highest floor? It’s hard to beat South Bend.
Think about the names.
- Ricky Watters: Pure smoothness and longevity.
- Allen Pinkett: Still the gold standard for many of the "old guard."
- Autry Denson: The guy who seemingly never had a bad game.
- Dexter Williams: The definition of "one cut and gone."
- Josh Adams: "The Bus" 2.0 but with longer strides.
The variety is the point. Notre Dame doesn't recruit a "type." They recruit talent and then mold it into a system that prioritizes the offensive line. You can’t talk about the backs without talking about the Joe Moore Award-winning lines they run behind. It’s a symbiotic relationship. A great back makes a line look good, but a Notre Dame line makes a back look like a future Hall of Famer.
There is a legitimate argument that the program's reliance on the run has occasionally held the passing game back. Critics will tell you that the Irish get "stuck" in the mud against teams like Ohio State or Georgia because they can't simply out-muscle the elite of the elite. There’s some truth there. When you run into a defensive line that is just as big and just as disciplined as your offensive line, your running back needs to be a magician. Sometimes, the Irish have had "workhorses" when they needed "magicians."
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The Modern Transition and Riley Leonard
With the arrival of dual-threat quarterbacks like Riley Leonard, the role of the running back is changing again. It’s more about space. In the old days, you’d have two tight ends and a fullback (shoutout to the legendary fullbacks of the Lou Holtz era). Now, it’s spread. This gives guys like Jeremiyah Love more room to operate. If a linebacker has to freeze for a split second because the QB might pull the ball and run, that linebacker is dead. Love is past him before he can blink.
It’s a fun time to be a fan of the ground game in Indiana.
Developmental Wins and Recruiting Misses
No program is perfect. For every Kyren Williams, there’s a highly-rated recruit who just didn't pan out. Whether it was injuries or just not "getting" the system, there have been gaps. But the hit rate is incredibly high. Look at the NFL rosters. You’ll find Irish backs everywhere, usually contributing on special teams if they aren't starting. That’s the "pro-ready" stamp.
The recruiting trail has gotten more aggressive under Marcus Freeman. They are going after the kids who usually head to the SEC. They’re winning some of those battles because they can point to the degree and the NFL production. It’s a powerful pitch. "Come here, get a world-class education, and we’ll teach you how to pick up a blitz so you can play in the league for ten years."
It’s not just hype.
Identifying the Next Great One
How do you spot the next big thing in the Irish backfield? Look at their feet in the hole. The elite ones—the ones who end up on the walls of the Guglielmino Athletics Complex—all have "quiet" feet. They aren't dancing. They aren't wasting energy. They see the gap, they plant, and they go.
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If you watch tape of the 2024 and 2025 seasons, pay attention to the second-stringers. That’s usually where the future stars are hiding. The "next man in" philosophy isn't just a cliché at Notre Dame; it’s a necessity. Because they play such a physical schedule, the RB2 usually ends up starting at least two games by November.
Actionable Insights for Following the Irish Backfield
If you're a die-hard fan or a scout looking at the future of the position, here is how you should actually evaluate what’s happening in South Bend:
- Watch the Pass Pro first. Don't look at the yards per carry. Look at what the running back does on 3rd and 7 when a nickel-back is screaming off the edge. If he misses that block, he’s not the "guy," no matter how fast he is.
- Track the "Yards After Contact." This is the true metric of a Notre Dame back. The scheme is designed to get them to the second level, but the great ones are the ones who turn a 4-yard gain into a 9-yard gain by punishing a safety.
- Monitor the snap counts. Marcus Freeman and his staff love a "by committee" approach until a clear alpha emerges. If you see one back getting 60% of the snaps, you know the coaching staff has total trust in his mental grasp of the playbook.
- Value the versatility. In the modern game, a back who can't catch 30 balls a season is a liability. Watch how many times the RB is lined up in the slot or out wide. This tells you how the offensive coordinator views their ceiling.
The legacy of the running backs Notre Dame puts on the gridiron is secure, but it’s evolving. It’s no longer just "three yards and a cloud of dust." It’s sophisticated. It’s explosive. And most importantly, it’s still the toughest unit on the field. Whether it’s a cold night in November or a bowl game in the sun, the game plan usually starts and ends with the guys behind the quarterback. They are the heartbeat. Always have been. Always will be.
Next Steps for Deep Context:
To truly understand the trajectory of the current room, research the specific blocking schemes used by the current offensive line coach. The "counter" and "power" variations they run are uniquely designed for backs who can read "pulling" guards. Additionally, keep an eye on the transfer portal—while Notre Dame doesn't use it as much as others, their occasional additions at running back usually signal a very specific tactical need.
The era of the "all-purpose" Irish back is officially here. It’s a far cry from the 1920s, but the grit? That hasn't changed one bit.