Notre Dame’s Run Game Finds Rhythm Behind Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price
Notre Dame’s run game hasn’t changed much schematically if you ask Jeremiyah Love.
The Notre Dame running back believes the struggles of Week 1 are behind them, as there was a simple fix to get him and Jadarian Price going over the last two weeks.
“I would just say the only thing different is more touches,” stated Love. “Me and him both got more touches as compared to Week 1.”
Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock has clearly made an effort to get his backs more involved since the Miami game. The offensive line has settled in, and receivers have embraced blocking on the perimeter, which has helped spring Love and Price for big plays.
The effort hasn't gone unnoticed.
“They take a lot of pride in blocking and just being a factor without the ball,” explained Love. “They practice it every day or at least do some type of blocking stuff every single day.
“They really do play a big factor in the run game. We obviously saw that last Saturday from my run, a couple of JD runs. They're out there doing what they've got to do with the ball or without the ball. They take a lot of pride in blocking.”
Against Purdue, Notre Dame simplified its approach, pulling guards less and leaning on a downhill run game. Head coach Marcus Freeman said the staff wanted to keep things straightforward against a defense that showed multiple fronts.
Denbrock hinted that strategy could continue, but emphasized the Irish will always adjust to their opponent.
“It’s more scheme, week-to-week type of thing,” Denbrock said of the run game scheme against Purdue. “We'll see how it goes. Certain defenses kind of lend themselves a little bit more to that than others, but there's always going to be some element of that every week in what we do in the run game.”
While many backs focus on their own workload, Love and Price have embraced one another’s success, which has defined the Irish backfield over the last two years.
“A lot of people try to shine a spotlight on me here and there,” Love stated. “A lot of people just don't realize, JD, he's one of the best running backs in the country. He creates explosive runs like that. At any point in the game, you need JD to show up, he's going to show up. Pass, throw, he's going to show up. Out in the space, he's going to show up.
“JD's that guy to me, and I've looked up to him ever since I've been at Notre Dame. Just seeing J.D. and the way he works every day, I respect it a lot. He’s one of the best backs in the country.”
Notre Dame’s offense will likely need to continue lighting up the scoreboard this weekend at Arkansas. The Irish defense has struggled and Arkansas boasts a top-five offense in college football.
The Razorbacks offense might have the headlines, but Love has noticed the size and ability of the Arkansas defense this week.
‘Their whole defensive unit is pretty solid,” Love said. “Nobody that I see that I'll just be like, I'm not worried about him. He's not going to make a play.
“I respect all of my opponents, no matter who I'm up against. I'm going to put my best foot forward and compete to the best of my ability. I'm watching film. I just feel like I'm going to go out there and do my thing.”
Love has never lacked confidence and he’s seeing his offense gain confidence, which could be significant as the Irish go into another hostile environment.
“We believe that no matter who we're up against, we're going to go out there and make plays,” said Love. “The only people that we think can stop us are ourselves. At the end of the day, that's literally what we think happens whenever we don't have success.
“We make errors just because of ourselves and we own that. Next play, or next game, or next week, or whatever it may be, we fix that, correct our errors, and continue to go out there and do our best - throw shots, create explosive runs, whatever it may be. As an offense, we've got a lot of confidence that we're one of the best in the nation.”
Want the latest scoop on the Fighting Irish? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD
Under Armour Navy Notre Dame Fighting Irish Sideline Meridian Cold Weather Sweatshirt
