Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price Enter Legend Status with Performance vs. USC
Marcus Freeman made it abundantly clear early in the week that he wanted Saturday’s game against USC to be bloody.
Notre Dame did just that as the Fighting Irish won in the trenches all night, as they outrushed USC 306-68.
In fact, a little history was made by running back Jeremiyah Love as his 228 rushing yards were the most a Fighting Irish player has rushed for inside Notre Dame Stadium.
Love didn’t show too much emotion following the game, but he was pleased with the win and was quick to credit his teammates.
“It all just comes down to just my team,” Love stated. “I wouldn't have that performance without them. My whole line, without CJ (Carr), without the receivers, the defense giving us the ball back. Just complimentary football. That really was it. We just played our butts off.”
The St. Louis native took Freeman’s words to heart as Love didn’t hurdle any Trojans on Saturday, but he did run through them.
“I love being physical,” Love said. “I'm going out there and trying to run somebody over and making it bloody. We try to bring the other team into our environment and make them play to us.
“I love being bloody, I love being physical. We pride ourselves on being strong and dominating our opponents.”
Jadarian Price did Jadarian Price things on Saturday. The Texas native ran for 87 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries, while also adding a massive kickoff return for a touchdown.
The 100-yard return changed the momentum of the game as USC had all but captured it inside Notre Dame Stadium just moments before.
Price admitted he missed the lane where he was supposed to run, but knew he was home free after he broke the first tackle.
“I didn't do the right thing, I kind of went outside the block, but it worked out,” explained Price. “After I broke the first tackle, I knew I was going to the house. It was deja vu. It was like two, two years ago all over again.”
Who was the happiest person following Price’s return? Jeremiyah Love.
“It just hypes me up,” Love stated. “I love seeing the guys in my room, just the guys on my team in general, when there's offensive weakness, make plays. Whenever I see Jadarian breaking off for a 100-yard return, he's just crazy. I get real fired up.”
The duo has received praise for their unselfish play the last two years, so it wasn’t a surprise to hear Price was fired up to see Love hit the 200-yard mark.
“I'm super proud of that guy,” smiled Price. “We've been trying all year to get him over 200. I'm proud that he finally got over that mark. There's plenty more to come for sure. A lot of yards on offense between me and him, but he's a special human being, a special player - the offensive line doing a great job. Guys on the perimeter doing a great job.
“When it's raining, you know you're going to run the ball a little bit more. We just knew and expected it.”
The relationship between Love and Price might get taken for granted at times, but Freeman genuinely appreciates how both players come to work each day and support each other.
“It's not very common in college football, not very common in life to see two guys that are so talented who deserve the ball in their hand every snap, but choose to put the team in front of themselves and then make the most of their opportunities,” Freeman explained. “They're not pouting. They're each other's biggest supporter.
“This is what you want your team to be a reflection of. Great players that make great plays when they have the ball in their hands, but continue to, but team before me. That's hard to do. That might be one of the hardest thing we ask our plays to do, it put team before me. Everything outside of here says no, you come before team.
“When you have great -- when great things happen it's because have you and when bad things happen it's because of everybody else. For those guys to embrace team before me, like that's what I want this program to be about.”
Love and Price vaulted themselves into legend status at Notre Dame with their performances to beat USC.
It hasn’t sunk in for Love, but one day, he’ll understand the night he had.
“It means a lot,” said Love of his game. “The rivalry between USC and Notre Dame has been going on for a very long time. I feel very honored and blessed to be able to be a part of that. And to be able to have a great performance like I did tonight and just further up the record for Notre Dame against USC. Yeah, it means a lot.
“It’s a great honor to be able to play for this university, just be able to do great things and help put Notre Dame on a pedestal it's supposed to be on.”
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Jeremiyah Love Black Notre Dame Fighting Irish NIL Hurdle T-Shirt
