Notre Dame true freshman cornerback Julian Love was thrust into a prominent role this fall. The unheralded, 3-star recruit responded by being one of the few bright spots in leaky defense. On Tuesday his impressive rookie season was rewarded by being named a Freshman All-American by 247 Sports. Not bad for a recruit they ranked as just the 46th best corner in the country a year ago.
Julian Love wasn’t an early enrollee for Notre Dame, but it didn’t take him long to move up the Notre Dame depth chart upon arriving on campus this summer. It wasn’t far into fall camp before Love moved into the backup nickel position behind then starter Shaun Crawford. It wasn’t long before he saw game action either. Love was on the field against Texas in the season opener well before Crawford suffered his season ending injury.
When Crawford was lost for the season in week two, it was Love’s time to shine. Notre Dame was already without junior Nick Watkins (injury) and senior Devin Butler (injury/suspension). Love stepped right in and more than held his own.
Julian Love Is As Versatile As They Come
Love showed how versatile he could be throughout the season. When Cole Luke got moved inside into the nickel position at times, Love moved to the outside. He even started at safety against Army’s option attack. That’s three positions for a true frosh to learn in a defense that was once infamously described as harder to learn than Mandarin Chinese.
That’s a lot to ask of a true freshman. Love responded well though. By the end of the season, Love racked up 45 tackles, 2 TFL, and 3 pass deflections. In a defense that struggled to produce turnovers, Love did his part to remedy that problem with an interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. As Greg Flammang wrote earlier this month, “He (Love) also hit a number of guys really hard in a way that didn’t make the refs want to eject him, which is a very useful quality these days.”
Props to Greg who also very accurately identified Love as one of the hidden gems in Notre Dame’s class of 2016 back in February months before Love ever stepped foot on campus.
Notre Dame’s Young Core Foundation
Love was one of several true freshmen to play prominent roles in the Notre Dame secondary this season. Devin Studstill, Donte Vaughn, and Troy Pride Jr all saw extensive action as well.
The experience Love, and his fellow frosh defensive backs, gained in 2016 should serve this defense well in the future. Next year’s unit will have a new leader as Notre Dame looks to replace Brian Vangorder. Whoever (and as of today it looks like that might be Mike Elko) that is will have a secondary full of experienced and talent youngster to compete with the upper class talent coming off of injury – Crawford and Watkins.
I think we need to have an intervention for SFR. Follow the link! https://youtu.be/y5vHhpaP9H8 lol!
Hey, Ryan,
I don’t know if this is an attempt at humor. I and my friends didn’t find it particularly funny to have our privacy violated.
I doubt you would either, if the shoe was on the other foot.
Nonetheless, the video was pretty darn funny!
No hard feelings. Just a joke. Take care man
What a load , who cares.
Absolutely nobody.
Love it!
To All Our Posters:
“Dick Arrington” (a.k.a., “Duranko” or “duranko”) just used my personal email to access a group list of friends asking them for “spiritual intervention” for me.
Below is the email he sent unsolicited to my friends, totally violating my privacy, I might add. With the exception of deleting my name for the sake of privacy, the rest of the text is unedited and totally the words of “Dick Arrington.”
“We need to think, in this nativity season, about scheduling an intervention with ——-.
He has begun posting evil, nasty hateful things as Steel Fan Rob on some website called
UHND.com – Notre Dame Football, Basketball, & Recruiting
His posts are filled with vitriol, personal attacks, hate, animosity,. and anger
and it’s just silly football.
Don’t take my word for it, just look up his posts and use your own conscience.
Football can never, EVER hurt our souls
It’s a kid’s game played with an oblate spheroid covered in the skin of a pig.
But THIS can defile us, per our savior.
…18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. 20These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.”…
Can you help —- with his anger, his hatred, his vitriol, his evil thoughts, his misplaced priorities over this silly game of football?
God bless you all and may you, with angelic heraldry, with the simplicity of the shepherd and the joy of the wise men’s wisdom, celebrate the nativity, the incarnation, a hint half guessed a gift half understood…….
Merry Christmas”
This is the second time my privacy has been violated on this website. Previously, the gutless “Ron Burgundy” posted my actual name and even my employment information.The administrators on here have been nonchalant in their response to my concerns.
I think all of us here should be concerned about these breaches of our personal information and our privacy.
Now, it should come as no surprise to those of us who are used to “Dick’s” self-righteousness and grandstanding that he should resort to this kind of inquisitorial posturing. But, really, to use a private email and mailing list?! That’s even below him.
The hypocrisy of this man is equally egregious. He calls for a “spiritual intervention” for me. I guess he’s without sin and can therefore not only cast the first but the only stone!
It seems that I have gotten “Dick Arrington’s” (a.ka., “Duranko” or “duranko”) goat so often, and that he’s totally unable to refute my points intellectually, so he has to resort to this shenanigan and low blow, violating someone’s privacy like this. So much for his moral high ground!
I just wanted to share this all with you as a cautionary tale of the breaches of personal records, privacy, and policy allowed by this site.
Happy Holidays!
BTW:
How many times have I not upon some self-reflection, not apologized if I felt I had said something hurtful to some one? Has “Duranko” ever apologized for his hurtful and hateful words on this site?!
I dare our archivist-in-residence “Burgundy” to find all the times I have apologized and tried to make peace with posters I’ve had heated exchanges with. Then I dare him to find the posts where “Duranko” or “duranko” has done the same thing. Let’s see who has actually humbled themselves and who hasn’t!
I bet not one of us here, if we were playing a word-association game, would first think of humility when describing “Duranko” or “duranko”!
Peace to all.
GO IRISH!
Love this kids guts!
Well Hannibal , you certainly must.