Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman sat down to extol the virtues of running back Jeremiyah Love. Despite football trending toward a pass-happy style, Freeman believes the run game still matters. Running backs can slam the door on opponents trying to mount late drives.
By picking up first downs, they force opponents to burn timeouts to preserve the clock. Running backs also benefit from having more downs than the defense has timeouts. The run game may not always win championships, but coaches still lean on the backfield to get there.
Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman Praises RB Jeremiyah Love’s Unique Approach
After leading the Fighting Irish to the national title game, Freeman understands what it takes to get back. Love, touted by some as a Heisman Trophy contender, rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns on 6.9 yards per carry last season. Freeman joined “The Pivot” podcast to discuss his star player.
“He is a unique guy,” Freeman said. “He didn’t talk much when I recruited him. You can spend time with him on the plane or outside football facilities. He is such a creative mind, unique in him, but a competitor.
“That dude wants the ball in his hands, and he wants to punish you, and if you go low, he’s going to jump over top of you. If you let him get open space, he will outrun you. We’ve got to find ways to get the ball in his hands, and we’ll be creative.”
Love has delivered on everything Freeman described. With every trait a running back needs to succeed, he makes Notre Dame a complete team. That, in turn, allows the quarterback to take on a complementary role. Freeman also highlighted Love’s ability to think critically in order to succeed, citing the way he approaches would-be tacklers as a key example.
Freeman also praised Love’s creativity away from football. Per his website, the running back has launched a foundation focused on mentoring and giving back to those from rough environments, similar to his own upbringing in St. Louis. In addition, Love created Jeremonstar, a comic book featuring himself as a superhero balancing life on the field and dealing with newfound powers.
Freeman values what Love brings on Saturdays, but he also understands football is not his star’s only priority. To the coach, Love is a Renaissance man, one who can handle multiple facets of life. The next question is how he will handle the Heisman buzz and the pressure of repeating last season’s success.
