*.**+*NFLNews

Facing Miami (Ohio) carries special meaning for Deland McCullough’s running backs

SOUTH BEND — As Notre Dame football running back Jadarian Price took the field with 41 seconds left in a one-sided first half last Saturday at Purdue, Deland McCullough made a request.

“Go in and bust one,” said the associate head coach for the Irish.

Moments later, Price was rambling 70 yards for yet another Notre Dame touchdown to make it 42-0 at the break.

“That’s a funny story,” the redshirt sophomore from Denison, Texas said this week. “And the thing is, that’s happened multiple times. I don’t know what it is. We have that look in our eyes. We make the eye contact, and he’s just like …”

Price imitates the slow, serious nod of his no-nonsense position coach.

“It’s some type of chemistry,” Price said. “It’s like he knows something is about to happen. He sees I’m itching to get out on the field and make something happen. We had that trust in one another, and it came out successfully.”

It was Price who broke the 47-yard scoring run in the third quarter at Texas A&M, the first TD of the year for Notre Dame. He’d love to get another one this Saturday against Miami (Ohio), where McCullough starred at running back three decades ago.

Notre Dame running backs coach Deland McCullough confers with freshman RB Jeremiyah Love during Notre Dame football fall camp Thursday, July 27, 2023, at the LaBar Practice Complex in South Bend.

“He’s a legend at Miami (Ohio),” Price said. “His whole family is. They have six MAC championships between his family members through Ohio, which is an interesting fact. It’s a blessing to play someone who’s familiar with our coach. It will be bittersweet to beat them, but that’s just our standard.”

McCullough, 51, was inducted into the Miami Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004. From 1992-95, he led the team in rushing four straight years, piled up 36…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/facing-miami-ohio-carries-special-123203168.html

Author : South Bend Tribune

Publish date : 2024-09-20 12:32:03

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Check Also

Kansas State football’s offense hangs its hat on DJ Giddens and a prolific rushing attack

MANHATTAN — As Kansas State football nears the midway point of its regular season this …

..........................%%%...*...........................................$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$--------------------.....