Julian Love Developing Into Cornerstone On Notre Dame Defense

Last Saturday versus Syracuse, Notre Dame football achieved an unprecedented feat in its history when it started three freshmen in its defensive backfield: free safety Devin Studstill, who was an early entrant in January, and cornerbacks Julian Love and Donte Vaughn.

A fourth freshman, cornerback Troy Pride Jr., took 60 snaps while inserted for the first time this season during the disappointing 2-3 start.

Talk about building cornerstones for the future.

In taking over the implementation of the defense in place of deposed coordinator Brian VanGorder after the Sept. 24 Duke debacle, head coach Brian Kelly’s mandate was to make players such as the three frosh corners feel like “they’re part of the solution here.”

“We told each other we’re going to be on the spot,” said Love, the first and only member among the seven current Fighting Irish freshman defensive backs (and entire class) to be allowed access to the media. “We were told from day one we need to be ready, and the time is now. … I feel like we’re doing a great job just learning from the older guys and just trying to be there and be reliable players for the rest of the team.

“At first we were definitely a bit nervous, but now when we step on the field we feel natural. It’s something we’ve all worked for and we’re building off of each other.”

It became pretty clear early why Love was the first in his rookie class to serve as a spokesman with the media. Cordial, composed and confident in front of crowds, Love possesses the traits that had Kelly predict back in February that the Westchester, Ill., product “will be a leader on and off the football field at Notre Dame.”

His football acumen became evident too once preseason practice commenced in August. He grasped the tricky and more complex nickel role in VanGorder’s defense to the point where he quickly became the backup to sophomore Shaun Crawford at that spot.

“Early on it was pretty clear that he was able to pick things up pretty easily and then go back out and retain it later,” Kelly said. “We knew his athletic ability was not going to be an issue for us.

“We felt like Julian showed in camp his ability to pick things up and that's when he got a lot more work at [nickel] … I feel like that position best fits Cole Luke now. So Julian is able now to be a guy that can now go back out to corner. It has to do with knowledge and retention.”

While helping lead Nazareth Academy to back-to-back Illinois Class 5A state titles the past two seasons — their first in school history — as a standout on both sides of the ball (Love rushed for 1,070 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior), the 5-10 ½, 190-pound defensive back developed other disciplined traits that have aided his football development.

“My high school was very tough academically, and so I know how to adapt and learn from tough material,” Love said. “I treated my football work just like my school work. I came in with a mindset of just be ready to learn and absorb it all.

“…It was very complex and I did make a lot of mistakes. I just tried to eliminate mistakes each day through camp. That was very stressful. I feel like I’m still doing that right now.”

Love has become a consistent mainstay since the opening game 50-47 double-overtime setback at Texas. He saw 33 snaps, mainly at nickel, in his debut at raucous Austin.

“I was just really trying to focus on the concepts and I didn’t really have a chance to look around in the environment until after the game,” Love said. “I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to freak myself out … I just wanted to focus on my team.”

He then unofficially was credited with 19 snaps versus Nevada, 27 against Michigan State, 59 versus Duke and 46 more against Syracuse. Among the defensive backs, his 194 snaps are behind only the senior Luke, Studstill and junior safety Drue Tranquill.

Love credits veterans Luke, Tranquill, sixth-year senior safety Avery Sebastian, plus captain and Sam linebacker James Onwualu, with helping all the rookies navigate through the minutia that has led to a tumultuous first month of the season.

“We have a lot of freshmen in the big roles now, and so those guys are just really shaping us,” Love said.

When Crawford was shifted to outside corner, Love moved in at nickel. But then when Crawford suffered a season ending Achilles tear early in the Sept. 10 win over Nevada, Love took on the nickel role while cross-training at corner.

“It was very complex and I did make a lot of mistakes,” said Love of the nickel position. “I just tried to eliminate mistakes each day through camp. That was very stressful. I feel like I’m still doing that right now.”

Love grew up as a Fighting Irish devotee after attending a Notre Dame-Michigan game at age seven. His father, Detraiter, was born in Memphis and holds the basketball career scoring record (1,283 points) at Wentworth Military Academy, a Division II junior college, but he moved to the Chicago area shortly after graduation and became an avid followed of the Irish.

Working on his time management skills are among the many priorities in the younger Love’s daily life now.

“Notre Dame obviously has a tough academic curriculum,” Love said. “I’m just trying to get all my school work done, and exceed standards in that, get in my playbook every day and be ready to go.

“…I didn’t expect to play; I prepared to play. So I really worked hard, kept quiet and just tried to get better each day.”

It’s all part of being a future cornerstone on defense.