Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love was just named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Love put together a magical season, and when it was all said and done, he racked up 1,372 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, averaged 6.9 yards per carry and only did it on 199 attempts. He also added an additional 280 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns to his season total. Love is also a finalist for the Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
As a program, the Irish have had seven Heisman winners in it's entirety dating back to quarterback Angelo Bertelli who was their first Heisman winner back in 1943. Their most recent winner came in 1987 when wide receiver Tim Brown won the coveted award. In between, quarterback John Lujack (1947), right end Leon Hart (1949), half back John Lattner (1953), quarterback Paul Hornung (1956) and quarterback John Huarte (1964) also brought home the award. Their last Heisman finalist came in 2012 when star linebacker Manti Te'o was invited to New York after his 111 tackle, seven interception season.
What made Love's performance this season all the more impressive was the fact that he shared a backfield with fellow running back, and Jet Award and Paul Hornung Award Finalist, Jadarian Price who rushed for 674 yards, 11 touchdowns and had 113 carries on the season. Six players at the FBS level rushed for over 1,300 yards similar to Love.
But the main difference, they didn't share the backfield with another running back who also had at least 600 rushing yards and 113 carries. The St. Louis native was also the only player in the country to rank in the top three in scoring, total touchdowns and total scrimmage yards to conclude the regular season. This was truly a special season for the 6-0, 214-pound running back.
He posted six rushing performances over 100 yards including a 228-yard rushing performance against rival USC in prime time. Love also found the end zone at least twice in seven different games this season including a four-touchdown performance against Arkansas on the road. He seemingly picked up where he left off from last season and showcased his ability to be a complete running back. Love improved his pass protection, continued being a dominant run blocker and remained an impossible force to tackle racking up 62 total missed tackles in 12 games.
Love's time in South Bend has likely come to a close and he went out on a heck of a note. In my time watching this team, I've never seen a running back play to the level that he has, and that's saying a lot considering how many stud running backs Notre Dame has had over the years. His future in the NFL is bright and his time spent in the Blue and Gold is one all will remember for quite some time. Now, there's one final hurdle Love has to hit before he departs: bringing home the Heisman Trophy.
Other Finalists:
Indiana Quarterback, Fernando Mendoza
Vanderbilt Quarterback, Diego Pavia
Ohio State Quarterback, Julian Sayin
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