Notre Dame officially names Ja’Juan Seider associate head coach, running backs coach
Notre Dame officially named Ja’Juan Seider its new associate head coach and running backs coach Tuesday. Irish head coach Marcus Freeman poached Seider from Penn State, where he held the same position.
With the Nittany Lions, Seider (whose name, according to Notre Dame, is pronounced JAY-wahn cider) led one of the top running back duos in the country last season in Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. He coached at Penn State from 2018-24.
“Ja’Juan is a great offensive mind,” Freeman said in a statement. “He has coached multiple offensive positions, but his ability to recruit and develop high level running backs is exceptional. His experience utilizing multiple running backs effectively within the offense and simultaneously turning them into NFL talent is one of several reasons why he is a great fit for our program.”
Before Penn State, Seider coached running backs at Florida in 2017, West Virginia from 2013-16 and Marshall from 2010-12. He has 15 years of full-time assistant coach experience in college football, all as a running backs coach.
Under Seider’s leadership, Allen rushed 220 times for 1,108 yards and 8 touchdowns last season while Singleton rushed 172 times for 1,099 yards and 12 scores.
“Ja’Juan Seider, after being with us for seven years, did a great job for us, has moved on,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said Feb. 11, according to Blue White Illustrated. “We wish him nothing but the best.
“In some way, it’s a shame that seven years is a long time. But [he] gave our program and our community seven years and did a really good job for us. So we’re appreciative of that.”
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Both backs gashed Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, which the Irish won 27-24 on a last-second field goal. They combined for 34 carries for 166 yards, while Singleton — whose commitment the Nittany Lions secured after a heated battle with the Irish — found the end zone three times.
Penn State might have one of the two best running back rooms in college football in 2025, but the other could very well be Notre Dame. In South Bend, Seider would have the chance to coach Jeremiyah Love in what is likely his final year of college football, as well as key returners Jadarian Price and Aneyas Williams.
Love emerged as one of the most electric players in college football during his sophomore season, rushing 163 times for 1,125 yards (good for 6.9 yards per carry) and 17 touchdowns. Price, who had hit-or-miss tendencies but was a threat to go the distance at any moment, had 120 carries for 746 yards and 7 scores.
Williams emerged as Notre Dame’s third-down back and saw his touches increase late in the season, ending the year with 34 carries for 219 yards and 2 touchdowns. He came up huge against Seider’s Nittany Lions, with 5 receptions for 66 yards. Love did, too, with a 2-yard touchdown run in which he broke four attempted Penn State tackles.
Seider replaces Deland McCullough, who took the running backs coach job with the Las Vegas Raiders after three seasons at Notre Dame. McCullough also had the associate head coach title.
