Stanford’s Love steps into spotlight sooner than expected

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The last time Stanford went into a game without Christian McCaffrey, Bryce Love rushed for 130 yards in a 17-10 win at Notre Dame, scoring the winning touchdown on a 7-yard run and adding the two-point conversion.

McCaffrey missed that game with an injury, and he’ll skip the Sun Bowl against North Carolina on Dec. 30 so he can prepare the NFL draft. That puts Love back in the featured tailback spot he wasn’t expected to assume until next season.

Speaking Friday night, before McCaffrey decided to skip the bowl game, Love said he was “a little bit” surprised that McCaffrey is forgoing his senior season. “He’ll definitely be off to do good things,” Love said.

The sophomore said he would relish the chance to play against his home state university. North Carolina had recruited him strongly after he piled up 5,372 all-purpose yards and 71 touchdowns in his career at Wake Forest High School.

“It’s a gorgeous place,” Love said of the Chapel Hill campus. “I had family that went there. I have nothing but respect for the coaches. The people over there are amazing.”

When he decided to go to Stanford instead, “they wished me nothing but the best,” he said. “They understood you’ve got to go where your heart takes you.”

PALO ALTO, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Bryce Love #20 of the Stanford Cardinal scores on a fifty yard touchdown run against the Rice Owls in the third quarter of their NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on November 26, 2016 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) less PALO ALTO, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Bryce Love #20 of the Stanford Cardinal scores on a fifty yard touchdown run against the Rice Owls in the third quarter of their NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on November ... more Photo: Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images Photo: Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Stanford’s Love steps into spotlight sooner than expected 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Love stands 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, but head coach David Shaw insists Love is big and sturdy enough to be an every-down tailback.

“I agree with that 100 percent,” Love said. “I feel any time I step on the field that I can do anything.”

And he’s not going to take anything for granted for the 2017 season: “I’ll definitely have to compete through the winter workouts and spring practice to earn the starting spot.”

North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora said he didn’t think Stanford would change its approach now that Love will be taking McCaffrey’s place.

“We’re very familiar with him and know how explosive he can be,” Fedora said. “I’m sure he’s excited about it.”

Love has averaged 7.4 yards per rush this year (even better than McCaffrey’s 6.3), totaling 664 yards on 90 carries with three touchdowns.

He credits McCaffrey with teaching him to be patient while blocks are developing. Another thing he picked up from McCaffrey was the need to “attack more than just the football field. Attack the film room. Attack (injury) recovery. Attack as hard as you can, and nothing but good things will happen from there.”

Love gained more and more confidence as the season went on, he said. “I started playing more to the standard I hold myself to. I started to see more (on the field), read more (of the defenses). The game started to slow down. I learned to do more from a preparation standpoint.”

He’s finally in the spotlight and doesn’t seem timid about the prospect. “I get to play North Carolina — I never thought I’d have that opportunity. It should be a good experience.”

Someday he may be Dr. Love. Having declared human biology as his major, he hopes to become a doctor but is willing to explore other options in the medical field. “We’ll see where it goes,” he said.

Remembering Reuland: Former Stanford tight end Konrad Reuland was just 29 when he died Dec. 12 after surgery for a brain aneurysm. He spent time with the 49ers, Colts, Jets and Ravens in a three-year NFL career.

“Every day he was the same guy — high energy, high effort,” Shaw said. “Anytime something positive happened to him, the whole team would jump up and down. As soon as he got here, he won guys over with his effort, his intensity.

“It’s a sad loss. He was one of those guys that lived with no regrets. He poured every ounce of his being into every single day.”

Reuland was one of four Cardinal tight ends in 2010 who went on to the NFL, joining Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo. Reuland caught his only touchdown pass of the season from Andrew Luck in a thrilling 37-35 win over USC.

Tom FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tfitzgerald@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @tomgfitzgerald