Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1526921
16 SEPT. 28, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY JACK SOBLE W ith 21 seconds left in the second quarter, Notre Dame held a 35-0 lead over Purdue, but faced first-and-20 after a holding penalty. Most expected the Irish to just run the ball and take that lead into halftime. Run the ball, they did. Take that lead into halftime, they did not. With nothing to lose — if it turned into a negative play, who cares? They would just let the clock run out — run- ning backs coach Deland McCullough gave junior running back Jadarian Price a message. "Coach told me to go in and bust one," Price said. Price didn't see an opening at the line of scrimmage, as Purdue stuffed the box with six defenders against Notre Dame's five blockers. He did, how- ever, see the edge defender to his left inching a little too far inside. He stopped the defender's feet with a head fake and ran around him, turning up the field toward green grass. Only one man to beat at that point: sophomore Boilermakers safety Dillon Thieneman, the reigning Big Ten Fresh- man of the Year. Price faked left and juked right, and Thieneman grabbed nothing but air. Fifty-five yards later, Price reached paydirt. What the junior from Denison, Texas, believes is possible every play happened again for the Irish. "In the back of my mind, every play I could hit a home run," Price said. "I have to know my plan once I get to the third level. Full-speed decisions. I can't focus on the next cut. I have to focus on this cut and just hit it. That showed in the A&M game and Purdue game." In that Texas A&M game, Price sparked Notre Dame's sluggish offense with a 47-yard touchdown run in which he jump-cut sophomore linebacker Taurean York — another 2023 Freshman All-American — out of his shoes. Price entered his end-of-half scam- per against Purdue with 4 carries for 8 yards. He had 4 carries for 4 yards be- fore his breakthrough in his home state. Any time Price touches the football, he's a threat to take it all the way. And he's not alone. Notre Dame's starting running back is sophomore Jeremiyah Love, and he's catching national attention with his explosiveness. "Yeah, he's one of the most electric backs I've ever been with in my life," senior quarterback Riley Leonard said. "You have him [run] inside zone, he could take it like 80 yards on any given play." "He's probably one of the most gifted athletes I've ever seen," sophomore linebacker Jaiden Ausberry said. "The way he cuts, the way he runs, his vision, his strength, everything. I really think that he's one of the best backs in the nation, if not the best." In Week 1, Love took one 21 yards up the middle for a game-winning score against the Aggies. In Week 3, he slammed the gas down the right sideline for a 48-yard touchdown to kick-start ONE-TWO PUNCH In Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, Notre Dame has a running back duo that can bust one at any moment Through three games, Love led the Irish in carries (35), rushing yards (279) and yards-per-carry average (8.0). PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER