Gi’Bran Payne Back in Action, Ready to Compete in Loaded Notre Dame Backfield
It’s been a minute since Gi’Bran Payne stepped on the field for Notre Dame.
The last time the junior running back suited up in blue and gold was December 29, 2023, when he totaled 24 rushing yards in Notre Dame’s 40–8 Sun Bowl win over Oregon State.
A few months later, Payne tore his ACL in Notre Dame’s spring game and missed the entire 2024 campaign.
The Ohio native returned to the practice field in the spring, which allowed him to clear the mental hurdle of getting hit and making cuts.
“After that first hit, I was good,” Payne stated. “My first hit came from Adon (Shuler), so you can imagine that. Head hunter. After that hit, I even went up to him, you got me over my last barrier of getting hit. We kind of shared a moment. That’s what got me over the mental aspect and the physicality aspect of coming up.”
Payne also had an opportunity to make a strong first impression on new running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider. The two were already familiar with each other from Payne’s high school recruitment, which helped jump-start their relationship in South Bend.
“He recruited me out of high school to Penn State,” explained Payne. “Outside of Coach Deland (McCullough), he was probably the coach I had the best relationship with coming out of high school. So that wasn't really a thing.
“Just coming out here trying to prove myself because he didn't see me play last year. He saw a little bit of sophomore year. Just showing I'm still the same person in what I can provide. Come back and be even better."
It’s early in Seider’s tenure, but his impact is already being felt, especially in how the backs are reading the game.
As a former quarterback, Seider has emphasized understanding the game from under center, which Payne believes is elevating the entire room.
"Probably just pre-snap reads,” Payne said when asked what he’s learned from Seider. “Just taking what the defense is giving us before the ball is actually snapped and applying that to post-snap and being able to have an idea of where stuff is going to go and likely that is where it goes. He's teaching us everything the quarterback would know. I feel like that's the area I've grown."
Payne also played a small part in Notre Dame landing DeVonta Smith from Alabama. The two were high school teammates at LaSalle High School in Cincinnati and Payne is excited to be reunited with Smith.
"We were really close in high school,” explained Payne. “I knew him before high school. We played Little League together. We went all the way up together. For him to ultimately transfer and get back here and for us to reunite, it's been fun.
"Notre Dame is just a great place. The people, and then, where else would you rather compete at the highest level, compete for a national championship and compete in the classroom? This is probably the best of both worlds and it's the closest thing to an Ivy League. For him, because I know he's a grad transfer, so with him choosing his master's, I feel like it was a great spot for him to be here. I feel like that was really the selling point."
It’s not a secret Notre Dame’s running back room is deep and could be the deepest in the country. It would have been easy for Payne to look for another home in the offseason, but that never crossed his mind.
"I believe we have the best room in the country and I want to be a part of that,” stated Pyne. “We push each other so much every day that we all get better. I wouldn't want to be a cop out and go to where it's easier. That's our big thing here, is to choose hard. Leaving would be to choose that easier way."
Team glory is a major emphasis inside The Gug and the running back room is no different. The Irish could go six deep, but the intense competition is a healthy one.
“I think that was instilled in us when we first got here from Coach D carving out a role for us and everyone trusting in his plan,” said Payne. “Coach Sieder has done a great job of taking that over and having it as a healthy competition. Everyone is just going out competing, having fun and letting the work talk for itself.”
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