Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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32 NOV. 21, 2016 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED J ulian Love is not afraid to speak up. But first, the Notre Dame freshman defensive back had to earn that right. His play against Navy and Army — a pair of triple- option offenses — has only strengthened his case. "These past two weeks, I feel like I've gained a lot of respect," Love said. "I'm happy I can show them what I have to offer. That's huge going forward." Love started at free safety in the 44-6 win over the Black Knights Nov. 12, and finished with three tackles (0.5 for loss), one pass bro- ken up and an interception. His effort was all the more impressive considering he was in a new position, shift- ing from cornerback in an Army-specific game plan. Love's strong play is the latest in a series of Irish freshmen defensive back contributors this season. Devin Studstill, Donte Vaughn, Troy Pride Jr. and Jalen Elliott, a core group with a bright future, have all played vital roles this year. "I'm young and so are a lot of other guys, but we're all just building that confidence going forward," Love said. The Westchester, Ill., native does not have the athleticism of some of his defensive back classmates. Pride Jr. — a state champion sprinter in South Carolina — and Vaughn, a 6-2, 200-pound rangy cornerback, offer more physical intangibles than the 5-10, 190-pound Love. But Love has navigated his way to significant playing time as a fresh- man using his smarts and technique. He's played more than 40 snaps a game this season, fourth most of any Notre Dame defensive back, and started the past six games. Though he was an under-the-radar performer at the preseason practices open to the media, he played 33 snaps — mainly at nickel — in the opener against Texas. "When you talk about leadership as a freshman, it's how he handles himself both on and off the field," Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said. "People will follow him, and they'll follow him because they re- spect him. He's not afraid to get on his teammates if they're not doing the right thing." This time a year ago, Love was helping lead Nazareth Academy to an Illinois Class 5A state title as a standout on both sides of the ball. He rushed for 1,070 yards and 18 touch- downs and made 92 tackles (19 for loss), forced three fumbles and had one fumble recovery as a senior. He was listed as a four-star talent and the nation's No. 21 cornerback by Rivals, but was not included in the site's ranking of the country's top 250 prospects. He was listed as the No. 482 player in the senior class in 247Sports' composite ranking of the major sites. Like he's doing with the Irish, he relied more on his football IQ, instincts and playmaking ability than his physical tools. Love was also doubted because of the level of competition at his small, private school. He's easily made up for those issues with a strong work ethic, which senior linebacker James Onwualu saw last spring. "The kid was here for his spring break when he was in high school, trying to learn and doing what he could," Onwualu said. "I can't say enough good things about him. The kid works so hard every single day and is al- ways asking great questions, always trying to get more time from some of the vet- erans. He's continued to get better every single week. "I can't wait to see what his career becomes." Love had eight tackles against Navy before leaving the game with a head injury. Though he went through the team's concussion protocol, Love said he did not have a concussion and was prac- ticing with the first team all week leading up to Army. Senior cornerback Cole Luke was asked what Love brings to the sec- ondary. It's not just limited to the field. "Julian is a humble guy, but when we're in the meeting room or dur- ing film, he'll speak up and he'll talk when necessary, which is good," Luke said. "Later on, he's going to have to be a leader of his class, and maybe a few others will too. "The fact that he's willing to speak up now shows a great personality." Love and the Irish freshmen will continue to be challenged. It's no se- cret that Virginia Tech and USC pose much more of a threat than the op- tion teams of recent weeks. "With all the freshmen, we're mak- ing plays, we're in this together," Love said, "and we're showing the team, the coaches, everyone, the world basically, that we can play." ✦ ON THE IRISH BEAT MATT JONES Staff writer Matt Jones has been with Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 2016. He can be reached at mjones@blueandgold.com. Julian Love Is Thriving In The Secondary After making eight tackles from the cornerback spot versus Navy, Love started at free safety against Army and recorded his first career interception. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA