Marcus Freeman Reacts to Notre Dame RBs Replacing Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price in Opening Win

Notre Dame running backs Aneyas Williams and Nolan James Jr. have the unenviable task of replacing first-round picks Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price this season.

But after the pair combined to rush for 119 yards and two touchdowns in a season-opening blowout over Wisconsin, 41-19, head coach Marcus Freeman seemed pleased with the performance and realistic about his expectations for the position going forward.

"They showed to be the backs that we expected," he told reporters . "I don't expect to replace J-Love and JD with just one guy or two guys. It's going to be a committee. It's going to be keeping guys fresh and continue to let them run and continue to let them try to wear down the defense."

Williams did most of the heavy lifting on the ground, rushing 20 times for 90 yards and two scores, though Nolan James Jr. was impactful in the passing game, catching four passes for 67 yards and a touchdown.

It was a bit more of a sluggish start for No. 4 Notre Dame, which led just 13-10 over Wisconsin heading into halftime. But the Fighting Irish came out firing in the second half, outscoring their opponents by a 28-3 margin to secure the win.

"Outside of our building, here can be a narrative that college football is easy, and we should steamroll teams," quarterback CJ Carr told reporters. "The reality is that's a really good Wisconsin team with some really good players. So, adjusting and staying consistent throughout the game was really helpful for us."

It was the sort of second-half recovery that made Notre Dame's title aspirations ahead of the 2026 season seem realistic, even if tougher opponents than Wisconsin are yet to come.

"It does a lot for your mentals," Freeman told reporters of the result. "To win with the final score being 41-13 does a lot for the confidence, and it's important to have confidence as you continue to move forward."