The Notre Dame running back room faces a Kyren Williams-sized gap in production coming into 2022. Williams, as somewhat expected, declared for the NFL draft as one of the top backs in the class. However, that leaves the Irish with a bit of an unclear situation in their running back room.
The Fiesta Bowl represented Notre Dame’s first game action without Williams, and the run game wasn’t exactly present. Expected to take a leading role, both Chris Tyree and Logan Diggs struggled. The pair combined for 15 carries and 47 rushing yards. Lingering in the background was another true freshman in Audric Estime. His only game action outside of the Fiesta Bowl came in mop-up duty versus Georgia Tech. However, the big back could see his role increase in 2022. And then, there’s the new early-enrollee. Jadarian Price is a four-star recruit who, should he impress, could factor into the rotation.
All being said, there’s plenty of mystery surrounding the running back room. Let’s look at how the depth chart stacks up at this position.
Starter: Logan Diggs, Chris Tyree (1A, 1B)
The Notre Dame running back room has some luxuries with both Diggs and Tyree available. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees should be able to find a way to keep them both on the field frequently, and the Irish will be at their best when they’re both impacting the result. In the Fiesta Bowl, Diggs received a few more carries (nine) than Tyree (six). However, Tyree saw much more burn in the passing game, catching six passes for 115 yards. Diggs reeled in four receptions for 21 yards.
Expect more of the same in 2022-2023. While the game script won’t (and shouldn’t) follow the Fiesta Bowl script, the share of running back touches could stay somewhat proportional. Expect somewhere in the vicinity of 15-18 carries for digs and 9-10 for Tyree. Those numbers dip if Tyler Buchner is under center, as he’ll steal some carries in the run game.
Tyree’s electric speed makes him an asset in the passing game. He’s got game-changing ability and he could be a three-down weapon in various capacities for the Irish. Diggs looked polished as a runner in his freshman season. His running style mirrors that of Williams. He’ll be back and toting the rock plenty for Tommy Rees’ offense.
So, in short, the Irish don’t need to pick between Diggs and Tyree. Both can and should have positive impacts on the offense this upcoming season.
2nd-String: Audric Estime
Estime entered last season the higher-ranked freshman recruit, but it was Diggs who stole the show. That’s not to say Estime doesn’t have talent. He flashed plenty of it when icing the Georgia Tech result. However, barring a significant change, it’s difficult to imagine him usurping Diggs or Tyree for snap-share. At 228 pounds, Estime is a bit of a bulldozer and could be used in short-yardage situations. He does offset the other two backs, holding 20+ pounds on them. So Estime will get used, but don’t look for much more than gritty and short runs.
Keep An Eye On: Jadarian Price
If Price entered last season, he could have competed in the open competition to be Kyren Williams’ backup. However, Diggs firmly entrenched himself in that role, and now Price is likely headed for a bench spot. Price features absurd speed that could help him see the field in some capacity, but beyond some gimmicky plays, his contributions may be limited. At this point, the freshman is full of potential, but he doesn’t bring anything to the corps that they don’t already have.
So, in conclusion, the Irish running back situation is fluid, and it could change game-to-game. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Head Coach Marcus Freeman simply ride the hot hand until the result is solidified. However the Irish do it, they’ve got four above-average backs at their disposal. With a first-time starter at quarterback, the Irish need these It’s a luxury they’ll need as they work out the kinks with a first-time starter at quarterback. The 2022 Notre Dame running back room holds plenty of intrigue and potential. They’ll likely need to be at full force in five-and-a-half months when Notre Dame visits Ohio State to open the season.
