{"id":9423,"date":"2017-10-02T14:00:56","date_gmt":"2017-10-02T18:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosoncfb.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=9423"},"modified":"2018-01-13T00:33:39","modified_gmt":"2018-01-13T05:33:39","slug":"bryce-love-deserves-some-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2017\/10\/02\/bryce-love-deserves-some-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Bryce Love Deserves Some Love"},"content":{"rendered":"

After the 2016 season, the Stanford Cardinal lost all-world running back Christian McCaffrey<\/a> to the NFL\u2019s Carolina Panthers. Bryce Love<\/a> served as a more-than-adequate fill in for McCaffrey during the 2016 season, gaining more than 100 yards in a start at Notre Dame and in the Cardinal\u2019s bowl game against North Carolina, which McCaffrey decided to skip. Stanford fans with eyes and the ability to read a box score expected Love to be a solid replacement for the departed McCaffrey. No reasonable CFB fan expected him to do what he has done through the first five games of his 2017 campaign. What Love has accomplished so far is worthy of Heisman front-runner status.<\/p>\n

Bryce Love Deserves Some Love<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Resume:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Love started the season well in Stanford\u2019s first three games, certainly not to be faulted for the fact that the Cardinal lost two of them. He has yet to tally fewer than 160 yards in any game this season. Love now has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of his past seven games, tying him for the second longest streak in Stanford history. His season stats to date look like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
2017 Game Log<\/td>\n<\/td>\nRushing<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Opponent:<\/td>\nAtt:<\/td>\nYds<\/td>\nAvg.<\/td>\nLong:<\/td>\nTD:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
@Rice*<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n180<\/td>\n13.8<\/td>\n62<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
@USC<\/td>\n17<\/td>\n160<\/td>\n9.4<\/td>\n75<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
@San Diego State<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n184<\/td>\n14.2<\/td>\n53<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
UCLA<\/td>\n30<\/td>\n263<\/td>\n8.8<\/td>\n69<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Arizona State<\/td>\n25<\/td>\n301<\/td>\n14.4<\/td>\n61<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/strong><\/td>\n98<\/strong><\/td>\n1,088<\/strong><\/td>\n11.1<\/strong><\/td>\n75<\/strong><\/td>\n8<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

* Neutral site game in Sydney, Austrailia.<\/p>\n

There is a word for numbers like this: stupid. Feel free to use the synonym of your choice: dumb, ignorant, silly, ridiculous, foolish, nonsensical, or ludicrous. Said more plainly, they make absolutely no sense. Here is something else to consider: there are only three running backs who have gained more than Love\u2019s 1,088 yards through five games: Byron Hanspard<\/a> (1,112 in 1996), Marcus Allen<\/a> (1,136 in 1981), and Garret Wolfe (1,181 in 2006). Love is on pace to gain 2,828 rushing yards this season, which would shatter Barry Sanders<\/a>\u2019 NCAA record of 2,628. No, that is not a realistic expectation, but neither is the fact that young Mr. Love has done what he has thus far this season.<\/p>\n

For those who live east of the mighty Rocky Mountains, seeing Love play can be a challenge. To understand how he has become the phenomenon that he is, and why he must be considered for this season\u2019s Heisman Trophy, let\u2019s break down what makes him so unique.<\/p>\n

The Speed<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Love\u2019s excelled as a track athlete as a youngster, and his fleet feet serve him well on the gridiron as well. If Love trained in track, he could be competitive at the international level. He considers himself a football player, though. So does everyone who gets to see him play. Check out this video as indicative of his speed.<\/p>\n

\n

"Bryce Love. Down the sideline!" Gus Johnson with the call on @Blovee_20<\/a>'s touchdown strike. #GoStanford<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/dSbEWE17Lv<\/a><\/p>\n

— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) September 11, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n