Notre Dame football’s 37-26 win over the North Carolina Tar Heels was far from perfect.

However, it did provide the blueprint for what the ideal Notre Dame running game should look like. The Fighting Irish rushed for over 240 yards for the first time this season, and the running back room finally showed what it can be when everything clicks.

Irish head coach Marcus Freeman’s team sits at 5-0 and is ranked No. 3 in the latest AP poll. A lot has gone right through the first five weeks. Still, the run game has been one of the biggest conversation points surrounding this team, and the toughest part of the schedule is on the horizon. BYU, Miami, and SMU are all coming, and Notre Dame hopes a deep playoff run follows.

True freshman Jonaz Walton, Nolan James Jr., and Aneyas Williams all averaged over five yards per carry against North Carolina. That is a great sign. But if this rushing attack is going to hit its peak at the right time, the Irish need to settle on clear roles.

Jonaz Walton needs to be the lead ball carrier

I’m not going to dance around it. Walton needs to be the main volume getter for Notre Dame’s rushing attack the rest of the 2026 season.

That doesn’t mean James and Williams should be pushed aside. Both are good running backs who can be very important pieces of a committee, and both should still get plenty of touches. In terms of snap share and volume, though, Walton needs to be the top ball carrier in this unit.

North Carolina actually came into that game with a pretty good defense under Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick. Walton showed he is the most complete runner on the roster. He brings power, explosiveness, and a higher ability to create chunk plays. At 5-9 and 214 pounds with 10.6 100-meter speed coming out of the state of Georgia, he makes the most sense as the early-down back.

He is a true freshman, so offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock isn’t going to throw everything onto his shoulders. There’s also a chance fellow true freshman Javian Osborne becomes ready to contribute at some point, though that feels more likely down the road than in 2026.

If Walton doesn’t technically start a game, I don’t care. What matters is that when the final whistle blows against the best competition, he should be the player who carried the football the most.

There will be a couple of blowouts where he takes a back seat, and that’s fine. Save his legs. Against BYU, Miami, and in the playoffs, though, Walton is the guy. You want to loosen up a defense early and then lean on it down the stretch, and his profile fits that style best.

Nolan James Jr. is the perfect change-up

James averaged over seven yards per carry against the Tar Heels and also caught a touchdown pass. He has shown in flashes that he is probably Notre Dame’s most dangerous weapon in space, including as a receiver.

That’s why he pairs so well with Walton. Where Walton is a downhill, physical, explosive runner, James is cat quick with great change of direction and a real feel for space. At 215 pounds, his style is an incredible complement to the room.

James should be the secondary weapon. That means handling more of the passing-game load and getting the ball in space as often as possible.

Aneyas Williams has a key role to play

That brings us to Williams, who the Irish absolutely still need. Right now, he is Notre Dame’s best pass blocker. That alone gives him a big role on third downs and in obvious passing situations.

Williams is a tough, physical runner. He doesn’t have the wiggle of James or the explosiveness of Walton, which is why he is best served as a complementary piece. There is nothing wrong with that.

We have seen his value before. As a true freshman in 2024 against Penn State, Williams stepped up when the run game was having tough sledding behind Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. He made a couple of incredible plays, especially in the passing game, to loosen up the defense. Every contender needs that type of player.

The formula is there

This is less about finding talent and more about using it correctly.

Walton should be the lead ball carrier. James and Williams are more valuable right now in the passing game while still getting carries of their own. Walton is the most complete runner of the group, but that doesn’t make him the most complete running back yet. I don’t know how much Notre Dame will want to put on his plate in pass protection or as a receiver.

If the Irish get this right, the running back room has the formula to be really good at the most important times of the season. That would be a massive help to quarterback CJ Carr and to Denbrock. Notre Dame has a chance to get the most out of the room it has, and the North Carolina game showed exactly how to do it.