Notre Dame has officially named Ja’Juan Seider as its next running backs coach and associate head coach.

He replaces Deland McCollough who departed for the running backs job with the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL.

Seider spent the last seven seasons at Penn State, serving as running backs coach throughout his tenure and rising to the level of Co-Offensive Coordinator in 2022 and Assistant head coach in 2024. He’s considered one of the best running backs coaches in the country having mentored Penn State’s dynamic duo of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton.

“Ja’Juan is a great offensive mind,” Notre Dame football coach Marcus 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.”

Prior to Penn State, Seider was running backs coach at Florida State for a season and West Virginia and Marshall before that. Seider was a quarterback in his college days at West Virginia and Florida A&M.

He will inherit a loaded backfield in South Bend led by potential Heisman Trophy contender Jeremiayh Love.

Notre Dame defeated Seider and Penn State in the Orange Bowl in the College Football Playoff Semifinals.

Notre Dame says his hiring will be effective at the conclusion of the university’s standard employment process.