Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love: 'You just gotta make plays'
Notre Dame’s run game has been all over the place after two games, but sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love has flashed a few times.
The 6-foot, 206-pounder has 170 yards on the ground through two games and he’s averaging an incredible 6.8 yards per carry, including his 34-yard hurdle for a touchdown last Saturday in the loss to NIU.
Love’s incredible run not only showed his elite athleticism but also his ability to know what was coming, as NIU had attacked his knees the whole game.
“Pretty much the whole game, they were coming at me low, trying to hit me in my knees and just go low in general,” Love stated. “Coming into the second half, I kind of knew if I got in open space, somebody’s going to try to hit me at my knees. Once I came through the hole, I knew what he was going to do, so I just jumped over him.”
It’s likely a play Love won’t forget anytime soon as it was his first time hurdling a defender.
“This was my first time hurdling somebody,” smiled Love. “It was kind of crazy because I felt like I was really high in the air, like I was flying or something like that. Shoot, it was a moment of like, ‘Damn, what did I just do?’ Landed it and went to score.”
Love, who finished with 11 carries for 79 yards, appeared to be headed for his first 100-yard game of his career, but the St. Louis native missed a large chunk of playing time following his touchdown run as a source stated he was evaluated for a concussion.
This week, Love is more than motivated to get Notre Dame back in the win column but to prove he is ready for a larger workload, especially if the reports of Riley Leonard’s alleged injury impact the quarterback run game.
“Shoot, whenever I’m in, if they give me the ball, I get the ball,” Love stated. “If I don’t get the ball — I just do whatever I’m told. If I go out there, whatever play they call, that’s what I run. I don’t really know how to get more carries. I just go out there and play, do whatever I’m told and do it to the best of my ability.”
Love also understands the Irish offense has to put up points after two weeks of struggling to get to the end zone. There was no worse feeling for the offense than looking up and seeing 14 points against a MAC program last Saturday.
“I feel like that wouldn’t sit good with any offense,” Love said of Notre Dame’s performance against NIU. “We pride ourselves in trying to score touchdowns or scoring touchdowns in general.
“It definitely didn’t leave a good taste in our mouths. We want to score more than 14 points.”
And no, Love doesn’t believe he or any other player need to make heroic plays for the offense to score. It comes down to executing and taking what’s there.
“You just gotta make plays, you feel me,” said Love. “Whoever is in or whoever gets the ball, just try to make a play. Play to the best of your ability. It’s not really like you have to hurdle somebody or you have to do something special. Play to the best of your ability every snap. If something happens, something explosive happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, on to the next play.”
Love is the first one to point the finger at himself as he’s seen plenty of areas he can improve. After two weeks, Love is focused on being decisive and understanding he doesn’t need to make moves every play, which has caused him to miss a few holes that were there.
“First game, I was a little bit indecisive,” explained Love. “First play I could have taken that to the crib. First two plays I could have done something with that, but I was indecisive. Second game I don’t really know. I maybe missed like a sliver of a hole. I just gotta get north and south.
“I make a lot of moves. What I’ve been learning is I could just hit the hole. Sometimes I miss the holes. I’ve been working in practice just getting north and not trying to make too many moves. It’s just make a decision. Don’t be indecisive.”
Looking to join a Fighting Irish community and get the latest scoop? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD
Columbia Navy Notre Dame Fighting Irish Field Bound Omni-Tech™ Full-Zip Jacket
