Notre Dame is tasked with getting an Irish playmaker out of recent slump that continued during its win over the Pitt Panthers
Notre Dame needs to get an important Irish weapon going down the stretch.
We saw a lot of good things from Notre Dame football during its 37-15 road victory against the ranked Pitt Panthers on Saturday. Head coach Marcus Freeman had his Fighting Irish team ready to go early, and this was arguably the best performance we have seen from the defense under defensive coordinator Chris Ash. Mike Denbrock’s offense also had some great moments, although it was a very inconsistent showing.
Running back Jeremiyah Love was once again the star of the show, rushing for 147 yards and a touchdown. His 56-yard touchdown run off a spin move was one of the big highlights of the day for the team. For most of the season, Notre Dame has boasted arguably the best running back duo in college football, which included Love and Jadarian Price, two of the better big-play threats in the country.
It was a quiet day for Price, who rushed for just 21 yards on eight carries. The 5-10, 210-pound runner is in the middle of a bit of an underwhelming three-game stretch against Boston College, Navy, and the Panthers. During that span, Price has managed to rush for just 80 yards on 27 carries, a mere 2.96 yards per carry average. His longest carry in those three games is also just 13 yards.
A resurgence from Jadarian Price
That is a slump that should have both Denbrock’s and Ja’Juan Seider’s attention, and Notre Dame will need to find a way to snap Price out of it. During that stretch, he has fumbled as many times as he has scored a touchdown, one apiece. He has also only hauled in one reception for three yards. On the bright side, at least Price is still making some big plays as a kick returner, but his offensive impact needs to make a return as well.
If this Irish offense is at its best, it needs to achieve as much balance as possible. That includes the running game. While Love is your star, he is a better player when defenses have to worry about Price breaking off a long run or two. Without him, this offense becomes a little bit more limited. There has never been a question that Price is an extremely important cog for this offensive attack.
If Notre Dame wants to make any type of run in the College Football Playoffs, this run game needs to be the best version of itself. You are an offense that has the ability to stress a defense, no matter who is in the game, but that hasn’t been the case recently. During the final two games against Syracuse and Stanford, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Price get a bigger workload and get back on track.
While Price isn’t the biggest threat in the passing game and is still improving as a pass protector, his impact as a runner and returner is extremely important. Price is a unique weapon, and the Irish will need him in a big way down the stretch of the 2025 season.
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