Tag: Manti Te’o

Happy Birthday to Notre Dame Legend, Manti Te’o!

Happy (belated) Birthday to a true Notre Dame legend!

In the long history of Notre Dame football few players have been as popular as linebacker Manti Te’o.

Te’o was one of the highest rated recruits to ever end up at Notre Dame, shocking the world and picking the Irish over USC on national signing day in 2009.

He found the field quickly at Notre Dame and before he left he’d become a legend in Fighting Irish lore.

Te’o is most remembered for his incredible 2012 season as a senior when he helped guide Notre Dame to a 12-0 regular season record and wound up second in the Heisman Trophy voting that year.

He ended his Notre Dame career with 437 tackles, 34 tackles for loss, and seven interceptions.  Te’o went on to play in the NFL for the Chargers, Saints, and Bears from 2013-2020.

Te’o turns 33-years old today (January 26) so big-time birthday greetings go his way.

Celebrate Manti, one of truly the greatest players to ever wear blue and gold, by checking out our photo gallery of the legend below.

Notre Dame’s JD Bertrand named First-Team Academic All-American

The captain is quite smart.

[autotag]JD Bertrand[/autotag] was a captain at Notre Dame the past two years. Somehow, that didn’t take the linebacker away from his studies enough for his grades to suffer. In fact, he absolutely thrived in the classroom, and now, he’s been recognized for that.

Bertrand has been named a First-Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators. He’s the 37th Irish player to be so honored and the first since [autotag]Drue Tranquill[/autotag] in 2016 and 2017. Other Irish honorees over the years include [autotag]Mike Golic Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Manti Te’o[/autotag], [autotag]John Carlson[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Theismann[/autotag].

Bertrand was recognized by virtue of earning a 3.62/3.74 GPA. He also was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team alongside [autotag]Jack Kiser[/autotag] and [autotag]Davis Sherwood[/autotag]. There are some smart players on the Irish indeed.

Bertand’s current focus is preparing for the NFL draft. Whoever picks him, if anybody, will be getting someone with intelligence and leadership qualities. Hopefully, those will be on full display at the next level.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

A Christmas Eve Memory: Notre Dame’s 2008 trip to Hawaii Bowl

15 years ago today!

It is Christmas Eve so first and foremost – a very Merry Christmas to you and your family.

It’s not a day that you usually think too long or hard about football but 15 years ago today Notre Dame was putting a bow on the 2008 season with an appearance in the Hawaii Bowl.

The game came after a disappointing season for Notre Dame.  After starting 2-0 and at one point being 4-1, the Irish stumbled down the stretch and finished the regular season just 6-6.

Often times that would have meant Notre Dame turning down a bowl game.  Well, it just so happened that a trip to Hawai’i for a bowl game meant another chance to try and recruit then mega-prospect [autotag]Manti Te’o[/autotag].

Was it the only reason Notre Dame accepted the invitation?  Certainly not, but it clearly helped their chances with the star linebacker, too.

Anyway, back to the game.  Notre Dame hadn’t won a bowl game since New Year’s Day 1994 at this time, having lost nine-straight.  Notre Dame came out on Christmas Eve with their names on their jerseys for the first time in decades, and proceeded to roll Hawai’i, 49-21.

Check out some of the highlights below:

It would set the table for what many thought would be a big 2009 season for Notre Dame but unfortunately the Irish would again finish just 6-6, Charlie Weis would be fired, and a bowl game wouldn’t be in the cards.

Regardless, for roughly three-and-a-half hours that Christmas Eve, seemingly everything regarding Notre Dame football was right during an era that it almost always certainly wasn’t.

[lawrence-related id=24296]

[lawrence-related id=23764]

Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts wins Bronko Nagurski Trophy

X won it!!!!

Not many expected Notre Dame football safety [autotag]Xavier Watts[/autotag] to have a huge year, but it was a pleasant surprise for Irish fans.

The senior would lead the country in interceptions with seven, also causing and recovering a fumble. Tack on 47 total tackles, and that’s quite the season for a safety.

It was more than enough to get the attention of the [autotag]Bronko Nagurski Trophy[/autotag] committee, because on Monday night, Watts won the award. The award goes out annually to the best defensive player in college football, and he becomes the first Notre Dame player to win the award since linebacker [autotag]Manti Te’o[/autotag] in 2012.

A massive honor for Watts, who came into the program as a wide receiver. It’s safe to say that the position switch paid off. Congrats Xavier!

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen

What the experts are predicting: Notre Dame vs. USC

See who thinks the Irish have a chance.

Notre Dame really needs to find a way to beat USC. The national title hopes are gone, but this could be key in determining the direction of the program. Win, and everything will seem fine, at least for one night. Lose, and even more questions will be raised.

Here are the prognostications from some college football experts:

Fittingly, Drew Brees and Manti Te’o visit Saints-Chargers practice

Having played for both teams, Drew Brees and Manti Te’o made an appearance at Friday’s Saints-Chargers practice:

Drew Brees and Manti Te’o have more in common than you may expect — they were both drafted in the second round by the Chargers (who were, at the time, based out of San Diego) before moving on to play their best football with the New Orleans Saints. The pair of playmakers met up again Friday at the Chargers practice facility, with the Saints in town for a joint practice session.

Brees, drafted No. 32 overall in 2001, eventually teamed up with Te’o in New Orleans; Te’o was selected at No. 38 out of Notre Dame, having excelled in college 12 years later and two hours away from Brees’ alma mater at Purdue.

It’s funny where football can take people. Brees was born and raised in Texas, played college football in Lafayette, Indiana, was drafted to turn pro in San Diego, and finished his career in New Orleans. Te’o hails from Hawaii but put himself on the map in South Bend, Indiana. He later followed Brees to San Diego and New Orleans, ultimately finishing his career with the Chicago Bears. Having returned home to Hawaii, he’s supporting relief efforts in the wake of devastating wildfires.

Both former Saints appear to have had a great time catching up with old teammates, sharing stories and enjoying the sunny Southern California weather. It’s a cool scene overall.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Former Saints LB Manti Te’o rallying support for Maui wildfire relief

Former Saints linebacker Manti Te’o rallying support for Maui wildfire relief, Chargers pledge to donate 50/50 raffle ticket proceeds from upcoming preseason game:

This is good to see: former New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Manti Te’o is working to bring relief to his home state in the wake of deadly wildfires that devastated the island of Maui. Born and raised on the nearby island Oahu, Te’o shared an emotional response to the natural disaster while encouraging fans to support relief efforts.

“I was fortunate to grow up experiencing the incredible bond of a community and the hospitality we, as Hawaiians, proudly share with the rest of the world,” Te’o said in a statement through the Chargers team website. “It’s been extremely heartening to see people from all walks of life rally around my people and return that love and support. In life there are things that we simply cannot control, but what we can control is how we respond. This weekend is an opportunity for our Chargers ‘ohana to respond; to come together and assist Maui in its time of need.”

Initially picked by the Chargers in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft, Te’o played a critical role for the Saints as a backup in the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons, though he finished his career with the Chicago Bears in 2020. He’s since retired, started a family, and enjoyed a warm welcome at his Notre Dame alma mater.

The Chargers say they plan to donate $50,000 as well as their portion of 50/50 raffle ticket sales from Sunday’s preseason game towards Maui wildfire relief efforts through their Chargers Impact Fund; proceeds from the 50/50 raffle will go towards the American Red Cross. Fans can purchase raffle tickets when gates open at SoFi Stadium on Sunday until the end of the third quarter, with the winner and final total announced in the fourth quarter.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Notre Dame football announces their 4 captains for the 2023 season

The four are set for the Irish

It’s a right of passage at many schools to be named a captain and it’s no different for [autotag]Notre Dame football[/autotag].

The Irish have a storied tradition in South Bend and many of the luminary players were once named captain. Previous players like [autotag]Brady Quinn[/autotag], [autotag]Zack Martin[/autotag], [autotag]Knute Rockne[/autotag], and [autotag]Manti Te’o[/autotag] have all been named Notre Dame captain.

The 2023 season will feature four captain, two players on each side of the ball. It’s a bit different from last season, where six different players were captains at one point during the year.

Find out below which four were named Notre Dame captain for this coming season.

Notre Dame has two players on Walter Camp Award preseason watch list

The Irish place two on the preseason watch list for one of the most prestigious awards

The [autotag]Walter Camp Award[/autotag] is given annually to the best football player in college and [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] had two of their stars named to the preseason watch list.

It should come as no surprise which two members of the Irish squad were on the list, offensive tackle [autotag]Joe Alt[/autotag] and quarterback [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag]. An argument can be made for running back [autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag] to be on the list as well, but as the website states, being on the watch list is not a requirement to win the award.

The last time a member of the Notre Dame football team took home the Walter Camp Award was in 2012 when linebacker [autotag]Manti Te’o[/autotag] was the winner.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen

How Jaylon Smith can find success in the New Orleans Saints defense

The Saints have gotten quality reps out of veteran backups like Manti Te’o, Kiko Alonso, and Craig Robertson. Now it’s Jaylon Smith’s turn:

News of the New Orleans Saints signing veteran linebacker Jaylon Smith drew mixed reviews on Thursday, with some fans criticizing the move as something of little consequence while others celebrated the addition of an experienced pro. Smith’s NFL career hasn’t met expectations after a catastrophic knee injury ended his college career, but he’s still carved out a role for himself on some good defenses with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants and occasionally earned Pro Bowl recognition.

So how can he find success in 2023? There’s actually already a blueprint for him in place. The Saints have gotten quality reps out of veteran backups before — guys like Manti Te’o, Kiko Alonso, and Craig Robertson, just to name a few. None of them were starters. Smith won’t be starting, either. But just like his predecessors, all he needs to do to make this move a positive is avoid making mistakes when the Saints call his number. Be ready when it’s his time, then get out there and execute his assignments. Don’t make mistakes.

And he’s done a great job of playing mistake-free football throughout his career. Pro Football Focus charting found that Smith missed just 7.3% of his career tackles, and that he’s allowed just 6 touchdown passes on 2,454 snaps when dropping back into coverage. For context, last year Demario Davis missed 14.4% of his tackles and yielded 2 touchdown passes. Pete Werner missed 11.7% of his tackles and gave up 2 touchdowns of his own in coverage.

Smith has a reputation as a dirty player (not helped by his infamous illegal hit on Alvin Kamara back in 2018), but he’s only been penalized 14 times in his seven-year pro career, and he hasn’t been flagged at all in each of the last two seasons. That’s something he identified early on as a weakness in his game and worked to correct.

Barring an extended absence for Davis or Werner, Smith isn’t going to play a ton of snaps this season. The Saints prefer to run nickel or dime defensive personnel to field more defensive backs than linebackers, and that isn’t going to change given their depth in the secondary. If Smith only plays 12 to 15 snaps per game and doesn’t look like a liability, that’s a win for all involved. He doesn’t need to be a starter or look to bag 100 tackles. He just needs to do his job well.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]