MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — It was an early start for Penn State coach James Franklin and Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, who held their joint press conferences Wednesday morning ahead of Thursday’s College Football Playoff semifinal in the Orange Bowl (7:30 p.m., ESPN).
The biggest question of the day concerned the health of two featured players: Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
Carter suffered what the team called an upper-body injury during Penn State’s quarterfinal rout of Boise State. The former La Salle College High star did not return and was seen favoring his right arm following the game, but he is on track to play against the Fighting Irish.
“We anticipate Abdul playing,” Franklin said. “He’s doing everything he possibly can to play. His approach has been awesome. He’s lived in the training room. But it’ll be a game-time decision.”
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Carter racked up 11 sacks this season and will be a key matchup against Notre Dame’s freshman All-American left tackle, Anthonie Knapp.
Love, the Fighting Irish’s star running back, has played through a knee injury since a win over Southern Cal on Nov. 30. He aggravated the injury in the team’s Sugar Bowl victory against Georgia on Jan. 2. Freeman has limited Love’s repetitions in practice but said the sophomore who accounted for 18 touchdowns this season is “a go” for the game.
“He is a young man that has put a lot of work in to the point that he’s got to right now,” Freeman said. “We’ve got to get him ready for the game, but he’s confident.”
Both coaches later hinted at the importance of both players. Franklin said the focus is to stop the run, while Freeman said the game is about “adjustments,” and noted the strength of Penn State’s pass rush.
Carter and Love aren’t the only players who’ll have an impact. Quarterback Riley Leonard and backup running back Jadarian Price complement Love. In addition to passing for 2,383 yards and 18 touchdowns, Leonard collected 831 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. Price rushed for 720 yards and seven touchdowns.
Junior defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, meanwhile, had a sack and 2½ tackles for loss in Carter’s absence. Penn State has forced timely turnovers all season for coordinator Tom Allen, whose rushing defense is ranked among the top 10 nationally at 100.9 yards per game.
“Notre Dame does it a little bit different than what Boise State did last week, but it’s the whole philosophy of trying to make them as one-dimensional as you possibly can,” Franklin said.
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