Notre Dame football has found recent success in the past two seasons due the impressive standout running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. In his three years for the Irish, Love totaled 2,882 rushing yards and 42 total touchdowns. Price himself recorded 1,692 rushing yards for 27 touchdowns. Together, the two were an unstoppable unit that made the Notre Dame offense one to dread playing against.
Notre Dame fans unabashedly advocated that Price and Love were the best running backs in the nation, an opinion that only strengthened and spread as the two contributed one highlight-reel play after another. Their collegiate success did not go unnoticed, and both were selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Love went No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals, and Price went No. 32 overall to the Seattle Seahawks. The record-breaking selections are just the start of what will be promising professional careers for the two. And while Notre Dame fans are thrilled to see what the Irish alums will accomplish in the NFL, questions emerge concerning the future of the Irish offense.
It is no secret that Notre Dame has heavily relied on running backs as the primary method of attack, especially in a season like last year, when the passing game saw a transition to a rookie quarterback. So what, exactly, is Notre Dame’s plan for next season? The Irish still have a lot of the same pieces that allowed the team to win 10 straight games to close 2025, including an often overlooked running back in now-junior Aneyas Williams.
A native of Hannibal, Mo., Williams has played two seasons for Notre Dame. In 27 games played, he has recorded 443 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 16.4 rushing yards per game while simultaneously being a threat as a pass catcher. The statistics are certainly nothing to scoff at, especially considering Williams was behind Price and Love on the roster.
But as Love and Price have moved forward, Williams is finally getting the opportunity to shine as the top running back for the Irish. In the Blue-Gold Game on Saturday, Williams started with the ones for the Irish offense. He had 13 receiving yards and 38 rushing yards, scoring one of the four touchdowns of the game. Totaling 51 yards in a spring scrimmage, one where the first-strings are consistently rotating out, is a feat that should provide a sense of calm for Irish fans. Williams was the most consistent running back of the game, and with seven running backs all competing to prove they can shine at the top spot, his performance is a beacon of hope for the Irish offense.
After the game, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock spoke on Williams’ role in the upcoming season.
“My anticipation for Aneyas is the same as it’s always been. Every time we’ve given him an opportunity, and he stepped into a football game, he’s made something positive happen and I don’t see that being any different,” Denbrock said.
When speaking with Williams after the game, I asked about his specific priorities for defining his game and his competitiveness apart from all of the talk concerning Love and Price.
He said, “I just want to show that I’m an all-around [running] back. [That I can] do it all. Obviously, I’ve been thrown in multiple positions, and I just want to show that I can do it every down and be an every-down back and do what they did.”
It is important to remember that while he looked up to the successes of Love and Price, Williams is his own strong player who needs to be given the chance to define his own style of play and have room to develop into his own role as a running back. Holding him to the standards set by Love and Price is an opportunity for him to grow; however, Irish fans must remember he has his own skillset that, given the opportunity he has rightfully earned, will flourish.
With spring camp wrapping up, the competition in the running back room will continue into the summer and fall camp. There is lots of work to be done for offense and defense alike, but Aneyas Williams has proved he is able to rise to the occasion and become a running back that Notre Dame can depend on.
