How Notre Dame Football Kept Jeremiyah Love (Knee) on the Field in Four-Game CFP Run

As college football teams prepare for the rigors of the playoff run, every player on the roster is expected to give their all. However, the grind of a long season, combined with the intensity of high-stakes games, can take a physical toll on even the most talented athletes. This was especially true for Jeremiyah Love, one of the standout players for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in their recent four-game College Football Playoff (CFP) run. Despite dealing with a significant knee injury, Love played a pivotal role in helping the Irish achieve a deep playoff run, making critical plays in some of the program’s most important matchups.

In this article, we will explore how Notre Dame football managed to keep Jeremiyah Love on the field through the grind of the CFP, how his injury affected his performance, and how the team’s medical and coaching staff helped navigate the challenges to ensure Love remained an impactful contributor on both offense and special teams.

The Injury: Diagnosing the Knee Concern

Jeremiyah Love’s knee injury wasn’t a new development when the Irish made their push for the College Football Playoff. Love, a dynamic running back and kick returner, had been dealing with knee issues for much of the season, with the most serious setback coming late in the regular season.

During the penultimate game of the regular season, against a high-caliber opponent, Love had taken a hard hit to his knee that left him sidelined for a few series. Initial medical evaluations suggested it wasn’t a torn ACL or MCL, but rather a strained ligament and some damage to the cartilage in his knee. This kind of injury, while not necessarily requiring surgery, could still leave a player limited in terms of mobility, speed, and explosiveness — all key components for a player like Love who thrives on making quick cuts, accelerating in the open field, and dodging tacklers.

Despite the pain, Love was determined to be a part of the Irish’s postseason run, and the coaching staff and medical personnel at Notre Dame had to come together to ensure he could continue playing without further jeopardizing his health. This situation became a balancing act for the coaching staff, medical team, and Love himself. They would need to make sure Love could remain effective on the field while minimizing the risk of worsening the injury.

Medical Strategy: Pain Management and Rehabilitation

The medical staff at Notre Dame had their hands full when it came to keeping Jeremiyah Love on the field. Managing a knee injury is a complex process, as it involves both treating the pain and ensuring the injury doesn’t progress into something worse. The key factors in this process were pain management, rehabilitation, and preventative measures. Let’s break down how the medical team handled Love’s injury during the Irish’s four-game CFP run.

Pain Management: The Use of Cortisone Injections and Anti-Inflammatories

When dealing with a knee injury, one of the first lines of defense is managing inflammation and pain. For Love, this meant a careful regimen of anti-inflammatory medication and the occasional cortisone injection. Cortisone, a powerful steroid, is often used to reduce inflammation and pain in injured joints, and it can provide the relief needed for athletes to get back on the field.

While cortisone injections can temporarily mask the pain and allow athletes to continue performing, they do come with their own risks — prolonged use can weaken tendons and cartilage. With this in mind, the medical staff at Notre Dame worked to carefully monitor Love’s condition, ensuring that his knee was sufficiently healed between games while preventing the injury from getting worse. The medical team also used a combination of cold therapy, compression, and elevation to help reduce swelling between games and in the days leading up to matchups.

Rehabilitation: A Focus on Strengthening Surrounding Muscles

One of the critical components of Love’s rehabilitation was the strengthening of the muscles surrounding the knee. A strong quadriceps and hamstring muscle group can help alleviate some of the pressure placed on the knee joint, reducing the risk of further damage. Through targeted physical therapy sessions, the medical team focused on strengthening the muscles around Love’s knee while ensuring that they didn’t aggravate his existing injury.

Isometric exercises and eccentric loading movements were used to help increase stability in the knee joint without stressing it too much. Love spent time working with the training staff on strengthening the muscles surrounding the knee, which would help him absorb impact and maintain his explosive running ability.

In addition to strength training, the team utilized proprioceptive exercises that helped Love improve his balance and agility. By enhancing his proprioception — the body’s ability to sense its position in space — Love was able to move more efficiently and with greater confidence despite the injury.

Preventative Measures: Taping, Braces, and Monitoring Load

A major part of keeping Love on the field was implementing preventative measures to ensure the knee didn’t sustain any further damage. This included custom-made knee braces, which helped stabilize the joint during explosive movements, such as cutting or changing direction. These braces were designed to provide support without limiting mobility.

Moreover, Notre Dame’s medical staff kept a close eye on Love’s practice load. While the postseason games were critically important, the medical team had to ensure that Love didn’t over-exert himself during practices, particularly during the lead-up to the CFP. During practice sessions, Love’s participation was closely monitored, with the medical staff and coaching team making adjustments to his workload to avoid putting too much stress on his knee. In many cases, Love participated in limited drills or took breaks between reps to allow for proper recovery and avoid straining the knee.

Coaching Strategy: Managing the Playcalling and Game Plan

While the medical team played a significant role in ensuring Jeremiyah Love could remain on the field, the Notre Dame coaching staff, led by Marcus Freeman, had to adjust their game plans to suit Love’s capabilities in his compromised state. The challenge for the Irish coaching staff was making sure Love could still contribute without exposing him to unnecessary hits or overloading his injured knee.

Limitations in Offensive Role

One of the first adjustments the coaching staff made was to limit Love’s role in the offensive game plan. While Love was known for his ability to be a dynamic ball carrier, the coaches opted to utilize him in a more situational role rather than making him the primary back on every play.

In the early rounds of the playoff, Love’s usage was carefully managed. He was still an integral part of the offense, but his touches were more selective. The coaching staff relied on backup running backs, such as Logan Diggs, to carry a heavier load during the first two games of the CFP, while Love came in for key moments or in short-yardage situations where his explosive speed could be maximized with fewer risks to his knee.

Emphasizing Special Teams Contributions

In addition to limiting Love’s offensive role, the coaches also emphasized Love’s impact on special teams. As a key kick returner, Love was a dangerous weapon in the return game, and his explosive speed was a valuable asset for Notre Dame in field-position battles. The coaching staff was careful not to overexert him in offensive situations, but special teams were an area where they felt confident using him in a limited capacity, as kick returns often involve less direct contact than rushing plays.

Love’s ability to make plays in the return game was critical in several playoff games, where his contributions on special teams helped shift momentum and provide Notre Dame with great starting field position. His role on special teams allowed him to stay involved in the game without overburdening his knee.

Utilizing a Committee Approach

As the playoff progressed, Freeman and the coaching staff leaned into a committee approach at the running back position. While Love remained an integral piece of the puzzle, Notre Dame’s coaching staff made sure to feature a stable of backs to reduce the wear and tear on Love’s knee. Running backs like Audric Estime and Chris Tyree saw increased opportunities in the running game, and this balanced approach helped mitigate the impact on Love’s injury.

In passing situations, Love was still used effectively as a weapon out of the backfield. His ability to make catches in the flat and create yards after the catch was key to keeping the defense on its toes.

The Results: A Strong Postseason Performance

Despite the injury concerns, Jeremiyah Love’s performance during Notre Dame’s four-game College Football Playoff run was nothing short of remarkable. Love played in all four games, contributing significantly in both the offensive and special teams phases. His ability to make big plays, despite being limited physically, was a testament to his toughness, preparation, and the support of the Notre Dame medical and coaching staffs.

While Love didn’t have the same explosive numbers he might have posted in a fully healthy state, his contributions in critical moments proved invaluable. His knee injury may have limited his touches, but his impact on the field was felt in key moments, such as crucial first downs, important returns, and making defenders miss when it mattered most.

Notre Dame’s successful four-game playoff run, which saw them reach the national championship game, was in no small part due to the ability of Jeremiyah Love to play through his injury and continue to perform at a high level. The collective efforts of the medical staff, coaching team, and Love himself helped the Irish navigate the challenges of the postseason, making it clear that in the game of college football, heart and determination often go a long way.

Jeremiyah Love’s journey through a knee injury during Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff run was a combination of resilience, teamwork, and careful planning. By managing his injury with the help of the medical staff, limiting his workload in strategic ways, and maximizing his unique skillset in critical situations, Love was able to stay on the field and help lead the Irish to a historic postseason run. His toughness and contributions on the field during this challenging stretch will go down as one of the more remarkable stories of the 2025 college football season.