David Pollack defends choosing Notre Dame running back room over Penn State

Which team can lay claim to having the best running back room in the country? According to David Pollack, it’s Notre Dame over Penn State.

Featuring the headlining act of Jeremiyah Love, Pollack cited Love as the best running back in the country period. Pollack assured Penn State fans that he is aware the Nittany Lions are returning two 1,000-yard rushers in 2025. Despite this, the nod still goes to the Irish.

“The difference for me, too, is when you go to the other guys with (Jadarian) Price and having (Aneyas) Williams in the running back spot, I think you have more variety,” Pollack argued on his podcast, See Ball Get Ball. “You have three guys that can do different things.

“Penn State’s running back room is elite. It’s elite of elite. I still take Notre Dame’s over Penn State’s. And that’s not an insult, but it’s the truth.”

Price rushed for 746 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024 while Williams averaged 6.4 yards per carry with much less production. He was limited to 34 carries on the season but still rushed for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

Backed by Price — who proved that he could he a RB1 for several power conference programs based on last season’s numbers — and Williams, who has the luxury of sitting behind two versatile backs. Pollack can’t help but lean toward the Irish on in this debate.

However, Penn State’s Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton were the fifth and sixth-leading rushers in the Big Ten Conference last season. Combined, the two Penn State tailbacks rushed for over 2,200 yards and 20 combined touchdowns. These two were responsible for 392 of the Nittany Lions’ 615 rushing attempts on the season. QB Drew Allar took 96 more, leaving just over 100 rushing attempts for other running backs on the roster in 2024.

“Listen, Penn State fans. You have a legit gripe with my debate. … Your running back room with (Kaytron) Allen and (Nicholas) Singleton, you have two starters. You have two guys that could play for almost any team in the country. You have a compliment of a 1 and 2. Because Allen, obviously, can be the hammer. They rushed for over 2k and he could be physical. Singleton has a little bit more of the lightning, more of the receiving.

“They’re a great duo, they’re great backs. The difference, to me, is Jeremiyah Love is the best back period.”

Penn State and Notre Dame will not meet during the regular season. Instead, the only time they could meet would be, for a consecutive season, in the College Football Playoff.