Notre Dame senior J.T. Tramble jumped up and down in pure elation as the Fighting Irish celebrated with their fans Friday night, the moment of jubilation coming shortly after he put the finishing touches on one of the most remarkable comebacks in their football program’s history.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Tramble found a running lane created by his offensive line for a 2-point conversion with 3:02 remaining, wrapping up a three-score rally to beat Rhea County 22-21 in Evensville. Tramble, a Football Bowl Subdivision prospect who is committed to Toledo, added the decisive points after an impressive touchdown catch by sophomore JaMari Whiteside.
Notre Dame third-year head coach Brent Hill enjoyed watching his players celebrate afer scoring 22 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for a remarkable road win at an often tough place to play. After breaking a seven-year postseason drought last season by reaching the TSSAA Division II-AA playoffs, Hill’s team is buzzing after the program’s first 2-0 start since 2016.
“We are extremely proud of how our players did not give up,” Hill said. “They truly played like a team tonight and depended on each other when things were not going well. They showed they are committed to each other and believed all the way to the finish.
“Every team talks about not giving up. But when your players truly follow through with actions behind the words, it’s special.”