The Notre Dame Football program has announced the hiring of Ja’Juan Seider (pronounced JAY-wahn cider) as associate head coach and running backs coach. The hiring will be effective at the conclusion of the University’s standard employment process.
“Ja’Juan is a great offensive mind,” said Notre Dame Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman. “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.”
Seider joins the Irish entering his 19th season of collegiate coaching and beginning his 16th season coaching college running backs. Most recently the assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Penn State, Seider mentored the Nittany Lions’ standout running backs group led by Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton to record performances.
Seider, himself a collegiate conference player of the year at Florida A&M in 1999, has coached several notable players throughout his career who went on to the professional ranks, including Miles Sanders, Charles Sims, Geno Smith and Pat White.
In Seider’s seven seasons at Penn State, he further cemented a national reputation as a successful coach, leader and recruiter. He took on assistant head coach duties beginning in 2023, in addition to his role as co-offensive coordinator since the start of the 2022 season. He was named the 247Sports Big Ten Recruiter of the Year in 2023, finishing fourth nationally in the recruiter rankings, and was recognized as a top 10 recruiter by On3 (2022) and 247Sports (2019).
Seider mentored Allen and Singleton to All-Big Ten recognition in 2023 with Allen named to the second team and Singleton selected to the third team, following it up with honorable mention honors for both in 2024.
In 2024, Allen (1,108 yards) and Singleton (1,099 yards) became the first Penn State duo to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Singleton marked his second-career season with more than 1,000 rushing yards, becoming the ninth Penn State player with multiple 1,000-yard seasons. They were the only FBS duo to achieve the feat in 2024, and the first Big Ten pair to do so since 2016.
In 2023, Allen ranked fourth in the Big Ten in yards per carry (5.2), fifth in yards (902) and tied for ninth in touchdowns (6), while Singleton was third in all-purpose yards (105.6) and tied for fifth in touchdowns (8). During the 2022 campaign, true freshmen Singleton (1,061 yards) and Allen (830 yards) became the first freshman duo in Big Ten history to both rush for 700+ rushing yards in a season.
Since 2000, Singleton and Allen and West Virginia’s Steve Slaton and Pat White (2005) are the only true freshman duos with over 800 rushing yards in a season. Singleton joined Saquon Barkley (1,076; 2015) as the only Nittany Lions freshmen to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season. In addition to being named a Freshman All-American by the FWAA, Singleton was named the Big Ten Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year, AP Big Ten Newcomer of the Year and was selected third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media.
In 2018, Penn State posted its highest rushing average (204.9) since 2008 (205.8), led by second-team All-Big Ten selection Miles Sanders. Sanders had 1,274 yards, ranking 11th on the PSU single-season chart.
Seider spent one season (2017) as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Florida, where his running backs finished with more than 1,500 rushing yards, including a pair of 500-yard rushers, and 13 touchdowns. As a unit, the Gator running backs averaged 4.0 yards per carry with freshmen Malik Davis (6.7 yards per carry) and Adarius Lemons (7.2 yards per carry) leading the way. Davis earned SEC All-Freshman honors for his efforts.
Seider spent four seasons at West Virginia University as the running backs coach where he coached a pair of NFL backs.
In 2015, Seider guided Wendell Smallwood as he led the Big 12 with 1,519 yards on the way to second-team All-Big 12 accolades. Seider was part of a staff which helped the Mountaineers finish ninth in FBS in passing, 12th in total offense and 34th in scoring in 2014.
In 2013, Seider recruited and mentored Charles Sims, who garnered first-team All-Big 12 honors and was the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year after rushing for 1,095 yards and 11 touchdowns, while catching 45 passes for 401 yards and three scores.
At Marshall, Seider helped the Thundering Herd win the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl in 2011 and recruited quarterback Rakeem Cato, who was the 2012 Conference USA Player of the Year and two-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year. Seider also mentored two Conference USA Freshmen of the Year in Kevin Grooms (2012) and Corey Tindal (2013).
During his initial stint in Morgantown, Seider worked with quarterbacks Jarrett Brown, Geno Smith and Pat White. All three quarterbacks spent time in the NFL with White being a second-round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft and Smith going in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Before his collegiate coaching career, Seider spent seven seasons as a high school football coach in Florida. He was the quarterbacks coach at Lake Worth High School (2006-07), offensive coordinator at Palm Beach Lakes High School (2003-05) and running backs coach at his high school alma mater, Glades Central High School (2001-02).