Notre Dame lands Penn State running back transfer Devyn Ford
The Logan Diggs departure to LSU prompted Notre Dame to make a move to bolster running back depth. So the Fighting Irish did just that.
Notre Dame landed a commitment from former Penn State tailback Devyn Ford on Friday night. Ford was the No. 5 overall running back recruit in the class of 2019 according to the On3 Industry Ranking. The former four star prospect hails from Stafford (Va.) North High School.
Ford ran for 666 yards and 6 touchdowns in four years at Penn State. He also caught 20 passes for 103 yards. He started six games in his time as a Nittany Lion, but playing time decreased by the year. He appeared in 12 games as a true freshman. As a sophomore, he appeared in six with five starts. He had 67 carries for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns that year. Penn State only played nine games as a team in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ford sustained an injury that derailed his 2021 campaign. He finished with 14 carries for 61 yards and 0 scores. Things got even worse this past season. He had 7 carries for 37 yards and no scores. He left the team in early October to focus on academics according to head coach James Franklin.
“I have a ton of respect for him and wish him nothing but the best,” Franklin said.
Diggs jumping ship altered the Notre Dame running back room, for sure. But the Irish were set to make Audric Estimé a lead back and let him ride. Ford gives Notre Dame one more option who actually has experience at the college level. Notre Dame is in the process of shifting former running back Chris Tyree to wide receiver. Sophomores Gi’Bran Payne and Jadarian Price and freshman Jeremiyah Love have 2 carries combined between the three.
That trio was always going to be enough to provide supplemental support for Estime. But with Ford, Notre Dame now has somebody to turn to who has been inside the ropes in a college uniform. At a high level, too. Big Ten football is nothing to scoff at. As long as Ford stays healthy, he’s a viable option to carry the ball for the Irish throughout the course of an entire season.
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