Skip to main content

Joel Klatt: Jeremiyah Love is the best running back in college football, what past Notre Dame teams were missing

On3 imageby: Sam Gillenwater07/29/25samdg_33
Jeremiyah Love
MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Joel Klatt was admittedly unaware about some things when it came to Notre Dame over last season. Among the biggest was RB Jeremiyah Love, who now comes into this year among his ranking of the Top-10 players in college football for 2025.

Klatt released that top-ten during his show on Monday with Love just missing the top-five at No. 6. That’s a big jump for a player who he said he didn’t fully evaluate until the season had gone on for a time. Still, being fully informed now, Klatt sees Loves as a difference-making kind of player for the Fighting Irish.

“I’ll be real honest, and, Notre Dame fans, you remind me of this all the time…I was late to the train on Notre Dame. The early loss spooked me, I didn’t love that they weren’t great throwing the football last year and I thought to myself a couple of times – like, I think I picked Navy against them. And, listen, Irish fans, you remind me and good on you. You should remind me because that was a bonehead pick,” said Klatt. “But, what I was late to the party with was just how dynamic, of an athlete and a running back, Jeremiyah Love is.

“Love is something that we haven’t really seen at Notre Dame. You know, like, Brian Kelly had good, physical, tough, you know, fundamentally sound teams. But, they would go against some of the SEC teams in the playoff or in the national championship game and they didn’t have the dynamic player that allows you to go out there and really compete. Well, guess what? Jeremiyah Love gives you that ability. He is a dynamic, athletic threat. And, for the Irish, this guy is outstanding.”

Love broke out as a sophomore last season as he had 163 carries for 1,125 yards, posting 70.3 per game and 6.9 per rush, for 17 touchdowns. He also caught 28 passes for 237 yards and two more scorings, which brought his scrimmage stats on the year to 191 touches for 1,362 yards, averaging 85.1 total yardage per game at 7.1 per touch, and 19 touchdowns scores.

That said, Klatt doesn’t think some fans are even aware at this point of what Love is, especially with injuries and illnesses late in the year making him less productive during the team’s biggest games in their run to the national title game in the College Football Playoff. Love, though, will get another chance to show his talents as the feature player back on offense in South Bend.

“I don’t think he was really even able to show his full abilities, which you saw more in the middle of the year…because of that injury he sustained against USC. And he wasn’t really himself towards the end of the regular season and even into the playoffs,” said Klatt. “I don’t think he was at his best against Georgia. I believe he aggravated that injury again. Against Indiana, he was dealing with the flu. Again, like, there’s been reasons why we haven’t even seen the full potential of Jeremiyah Love, but we’re going to see that.

“He averaged nearly seven yards per carry last season. He’s a home run threat every time he touches the ball. That’s why I love him. That’s why I love him. Those type of running backs, man? They can catch it out of the backfield, you can hand it to them on any down and they can change the game with one touch of the football.”

Klatt has made up for some of his doubts from a season ago when it came to Notre Dame. That includes with Love as Klatt has him as the best running back, and among the best players overall, in the sport for this fall.