Notre Dame RB Logan Diggs Will Enter The Transfer Portal

In a somewhat anticipated move, Notre Dame junior running back Logan Diggs announced plans to enter the transfer portal. Diggs is the third member of the Notre Dame offense to jump in the portal in the last week, joining quarterback Tyler Buchner and wide receiver Lorenzo Styles.

Diggs was expected to be part of a dynamic one-two punch at running back in 2023, alongside classmate Audric Estime. The Louisiana native had a breakout of his own in 2022, rushing for 822 yards (5.0 YPC) and four touchdowns to go with 10 grabs for 211 receiving yards. Diggs rushed for over 100 yards three times last season, and he had 90 rushing yards and 81 receiving yards in Notre Dame's 45-38 win over South Carolina.

Diggs (1,033 yards) and Estime (1,084 yards) gave Notre Dame a pair of backs that topped 1,000 all purpose yards a season ago and they were expected to continue that strong play in 2023. Diggs, however, has a desire to be more of a featured back, something that wasn't going to happen at Notre Dame. 

That isn't because Diggs isn't a very good football player, because he is, but the Irish are loaded at running back behind he and Estime. We saw that this spring with the breakout performance of sophomore Gi'Bran Payne, who was a standout all spring while Diggs was on the sidelines. Notre Dame is also expected to get back dynamic running back Jadarian Price in the fall, and incoming freshman Jeremiyah Love is an explosive player and a Top 100 national recruit.

No one back was going to be "the guy" in the way that Diggs wants to be in an offense. Notre Dame is also expected to throw the ball more this season, which could take away some of the carries from the backs, especially Diggs, who would head into the season as the number two behind Estime.

Without Diggs, the Notre Dame offense has just four scholarship running backs, but senior Chris Tyree could easily move back there if the need arose. Four is plenty for the depth chart, as long as no further injuries are needed, so moving Tyree back right now isn't needed, but it's good to have that option. This move could end up making it much easier (numbers wise) to add a second back in the 2024 recruiting class.