Notre Dame football is back on the map.
Marcus Freeman led the Irish to the national title game in January and after stacking a few key recruiting wins, Notre Dame is making it clear that the goal isn’t just to contend, but the program wants to stay at the top.
Heading into the 2025 season, the Irish also have a true face of the program.
Running back Jeremiyah Love isn’t just a household name as he enters the year as perhaps the top non-quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy.
The 6-foot, 214-pounder rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2024. In season full of ESPN Top 10 plays, Love’s 98-yard touchdown to open the College Football Playoff stood out.
It was the first touchdown in a playoff game played on a college campus, but Love outran the Indiana defense with a nagging MCL sprain and the flu.
“That play was crazy,” recalled Love on College Football Live. “Once I saw the hole, I saw daylight. I broke out, got down the sideline just going and going and going and at some point I started looking up at the scoreboard or at the little jumbotron, making sure nobody behind me was getting a little bit too close. That whole play, I was saying I'm tired, I'm not feeling good and I hope nobody hawks me down so I don't look slow.”
Love certainly didn’t look slow despite being far from healthy, but that’s in the past.
The St. Louis native isn’t focused on last year or the hype he and Notre Dame have been receiving all offseason, whether it be the Heisman conversation or playoff discussion.
Love and Notre Dame learned tough lessons last fall as they went from the top of the mountain to the laughing stock of college football within seven days.
“I try not to pay attention to a lot of things that people say, primarily because people's opinions can change just like that,” stated Love. “All that really matters at the end of the day is how I perform.”
It’s hard not to see the hype, especially in the offseason, but Love believes he’s remained strong in keeping a focus on becoming a better player than he was a year ago.
“It's nice to see here and there,” Love said. “I don’t want to get a big head. I don’t want to think of myself as cockier or like I’m just better than everybody. I still have things I have to grow in and I’m still growing as a player. I just try to keep all of that from my head and be in my own headspace.”
The 2025 season didn’t end as Love or Notre Dame wanted. Love tried to play through the MCL injury, but recorded just 68 rushing yards on 21 carries over the final three games of the season.
“I just want to be better than I was last season,” said Love. “I’m not really going into this season thinking I have to win a National Championship, I have to do this or that, or I have to win this award. I just want to be better than I was last year. I want to be the best version of myself that I can possible be.
“I feel that’s how everybody on the team thinks., Everyone isn’t focused on material things or individual glory.”
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