Pride Pushes Te'o To Greatness

He's more than just a big man on campus.

Manti Te'o is Notre Dame's Big Kahuna.

The junior Irish linebacker is the most popular export from paradise since pineapples and the Elvis Presley Classic, "Blue Hawaii."

Here on the mainland, or any other land, the 6-foot-2, 255-pound Te'o is special.

He's a tackling machine, fueled by skill and precision. Every stop is a clinic, heavy on fundamentals.

Te'o is so good, Notre Dame football fans might be tempted to take him for granted. Opposing offenses certainly won't.

If he's not making 21 tackles, like he did last season against Stanford, Te'o's efforts risk being considered pedestrian.

In last week's win over Purdue, Te'o had eight tackles. Hardly eye-popping. But with three tackles for loss, including a sack, his performance caught the attention of head coach Brian Kelly.

"He might have had his best game against Purdue," Kelly said. "He was very detailed. He's never a guy we worry about in terms of how he's going to play. Sometimes he tries to do too much. I thought that was his most disciplined game.

"He can recognize things before they happen. That's film study. The really great players have that."

Te'o had somewhat of a challenge going into the Purdue game. Coaches didn't hesitate to remind him that last year's season-opener against Purdue may have been his worst game.

"We talked about (how bad he played against Purdue last year)," said Irish defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Bob Diaco. "He had a lot of opportunity for production that didn't happen."

"I obviously understand what kind of game I had last year," Te'o said. "It wasn't the kind of game I want to have. I was just looking to get better, make sure it didn't happen again."

While cutting his teeth as a big-time contributor within the Notre Dame defense last year, Te'o dealt with growing pains. Consistency suffered. One time he'd lay the wood. The next, he'd whiff.

"We identified liabilities in every single player," Diaco said. "The players that are really at the top of their game, it's easy to just overlook them and focus on ...

"(Te'o) had things in his scheme that he needed to clean up. In the offseason, I made a cut-up of plays of just him and gave him an opportunity to watch it. It made a pretty big impact on him. From that moment, he's made a concerted effort, not only to do the things that we're working on, but he takes a lot of time and focuses on his liabilities - angles, foot action, transition from speed to power. He's basically eradicated that from his game."

"That cut-up (Diaco) made, showed me the mistakes I made," Te'o said. "It started from my angles. I got to see what happened. When you look at it like that, you can visualize, analyze and correct it. My dad (Brian) helped me a lot, reminding me of basic tackling fundamentals.

"I'm still trying to find a balance (in tackling). I'm trying to knock somebody out every time I hit them. I'm learning, when I'm in space and it's open-field tackling, it's not necessarily smart to try to take somebody's head off.

"If there's an opportunity to take somebody out, I'll take advantage of that. If it's open-field and I need to get the guy down, I'll get the guy down."

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Irish Want More From Te'o

The lessons learned have become more abstract, the critiques of his game more nuanced.

That's the aftermath of Manti Te'o's 21-tackle performance last weekend, the fifth-most stops in a game by a Notre Dame player ever.

To call the sophomore a finished product ignores the fact he's at the center of a defense on pace to smash last year's all-time high mark for yardage conceded. But to tag Te'o as anything but a revelation undersells just how good the former five-star recruit has been.

Te'o leads the nation with 54 total tackles. That puts him on pace for 162 stops in a 12-game season and would make him the most productive sophomore in Irish history. He's 20 tackles ahead of runner-up Harrison Smith, a sign that at least Notre Dame won't have a safety leading the team in stops for a third straight year.

But consider Bob Diaco immune to Manti Mania.

"He's playing good," said the Irish defensive coordinator. "He's making mistakes that need to get corrected.

He's got a long way to go. You can see how some of the things that he's doing in the game create a problem ? even with as productive as he was."

Diaco pointed to plays only a coordinator would notice, Te'o taking a misstep at the snap that sends the running back in the direction opposite Notre Dame's play call intended. Ask Te'o about his mistakes and he went small picture, pointing to his facemask penalty in the fourth quarter with the Stanford game out of hand.

Inside the Irish red zone Te'o latched on to running back Stepfan Taylor's grill, dragging him down. After the tackle Te'o looked over at the officials, making the kind of eye contact that guilty parties do.

"I shouldn't have looked at him, because right when I looked at him, he looked at me and he pulled his flag," Te'o said. "I was like, dang it, you got me. So I know now not to look at the ref when I accidentally grab a facemask."

Actually, Brian Kelly wants more facemask grabbing by Te'o, just of Notre Dame's other players. If somebody can bring the Irish defense along for the rise, it's the guy who's supposed to lead the team in tackles anyway. And for Notre Dame's it's a long, long rise considering the Irish rank among college football's dregs in most categories.

Kelly said he'll be pushing Te'o forward as an example of what he wants not just in a linebacker, but in a player. Te'o said he's willing to take on a new role if necessary, which doesn't mean he's exactly jumping at it.

"We always look at the grading of (players) relative to can they influence others around them?" Kelly said. "I think he's starting to get to that point where if his play is as consistent as it is, he then starts to influence others. That's a dynamic place to be."

While Kelly and Diaco insisted Te'o dropping running backs by the dozen is a good thing and not a commentary on Notre Dame's others defenders, balance isn't a bad thing either.

Last year's national leader in tackles was Carmen Messina, who played for 1-11 New Mexico. Of the nation's Top 10 tacklers last season, five played for losing teams. On the flip side, Alabama, Florida and Texas didn't have a single player among the nation's Top 100 tacklers. Cincinnati has two within a defense ranked in college football's top half in just one major category, scoring at No. 44.

Te'o's output is certainly a start, but Notre Dame needs some of its other defensive players to approach their star linebacker's production, even if matching him stop for stop is asking a too much.

"What we're trying to do more than anything else is talk about the difference between playing hard and playing with that will, that tenacity, that attitude of I'm going to just lay it on the line," Kelly said. "I think that's what we're looking for from Manti. That's what he delivered. If that gets modeled by other players, we're just better because of it."

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Manti Te'o Not Leaving For Mission Yet

 University of Notre Dame freshman linebacker Manti Te'o has decided he will return to campus for the spring semester and delay his mission trip for at least one year and possibly until later in his life.

Te'o will continue at Notre Dame during his sophomore year and will be a member of the Irish football team in 2010.

"This was probably the biggest decision that I¹I've had to face in my entire life," Te'o said in a release issued by the University. "I knew the impact of my decision could have a positive influence on those who follow me and those who watch what I do. I always want to have a positive influence on them. I just thought that I was sent to Notre Dame for a purpose and that is a purpose I have to devote to."

Te'o is a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints and expects to take a mission at some point, but he's not sure when.

"I¹m not sure if I¹m going to take it after next year or later on in life," Te'o said.

There is no age limit as to when Te'o needs to take the mission.
Te'o ranked fourth on the team in 2009 with 63 tackles including 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack and added one pass breakup. He played in all 12 games and started nine contests.

The 63 tackles recorded by Te'o were the most by a Notre Dame freshman since 1975 and the third most all time by an Irish freshman (Bob Golic, 82 tackles in 1975; Ross Browner, 68 tackles in 1973).

More importantly than the success on the field, Te'o says the it's the University life that influenced him to stay at Notre Dame.

"I think it¹s the connections I have been able to make with people and the ability I have to meet people and influence them for good," Te'o said. "I think that is a big factor in it."

"The coaching change didn't¹t have a factor. Football wasn't¹t a factor. It was strictly a spiritual thing for me."

In fact, Te'o says he has to to speak in-depth about his mission trip possibilities with new head coach Brian Kelly.

"I got to talk to him on two occasions and he¹s a really good guy," Te'o said of Kelly. "We talked about football and talked about life in general.
I respect him and have trust in him and I think he¹ll do a great job leading our team."

Te'o became a full-time starter for Notre Dame in the fifth game of the season against Washington and he ranked second on the Irish with 57 tackles over the final eight games (Safety Kyle McCarthy had 64 tackles in that stretch).

Te'o recorded 10 tackles against both Washington and Stanford and totaled nine tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup against Boston College.

A native of Laie, Hawaii, Te'o is enrolled in Notre Dame¹s First Year of Studies program.

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Te'o to Decide on Mission Soon

 Brian Kelly has a tough job in rebuilding Notre Dame's shoddy defense.

That task would be even tougher without Manti Te'o, the former prized recruit who turned in a promising freshman season at linebacker. Te'o, who's a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, may leave the Irish after this season to go on his two-year Mormon mission.

Te'o's father told Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune that the decision would come after Te'o finishes final exams this week.

"I think he's probably already come up with an answer,” Brian Te'o told the Tribune. “But he promised his mom and me that he'd let us know once he touched the ground here in Hawaii.”

The elder Te'o said his son "loves it in South Bend" and will definitely return to school if he does take his mission. Te'o could also opt to go on a one-year mission or remain in school for four years, according to Hansen's story.

It's a decision that Kelly and the Irish anxiously await.

The next time Notre Dame freshman linebacker Manti Te'o plays in a game for the Irish football team could be in Dublin, Ireland, against family friend and Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo in 2012.

Or it could be next September against Purdue in the first game of the Brian Kelly Era of Notre Dame football. ... Or something in between.

Te'o is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it is tradition for members to take a two-year Mormon mission after turning 19. However, Te'o left open the possibility he may take a two-year mission, a one-year mission or make his Notre Dame experience his mission.

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Te'o Hoping to be 'Man of Worth' for Irish

When Manti Te'o arrived at Notre Dame for his official visit last November, he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt.

That was the same weekend Mother Nature dumped almost a foot of snow on South bend, followed by lowly Syracuse dumping the Irish at home and fans throwing snowballs at their own players. No one would have blamed Te'o for dashing through the snow to the airport, catching the first plane back to Hawaii and never stepping foot in Indiana again.

Instead, one of the nation's most coveted recruits embraced the twin challenges of playing so far from home and helping a struggling program get back on its feet. Te'o will make his highly-anticipated college debut on Saturday versus Nevada, and though he won't start, he figures to see a lot of time at weakside linebacker. At 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds, he brings a mix of size and athleticism that the Notre Dame defense has been lacking recently under Charlie Weis.

But Te'o has even larger goals.

"Hopefully I influence a lot of people for good, whether it will be in football or just life in general," he said. "I want to influence people as an example of service to others."

It's easy to see, then, why Te'o chose the Irish, who despite their ups and downs, still hold one the biggest bully pulpits in college football. Speaking publicly for the first time as a collegian at Notre Dame freshman media day last month, Te'o sat at a table surrounded by more than 20 reporters, with eight TV cameras recording his every word.

That's a bit much for any 18-year-old to deal with, and Te'o admits he gets nervous every time he is in front of a camera. But he handled himself like a seasoned vet, which in some ways he is when it comes to heavy attention.

He was, after all, the top high school player in his state, the pride of Hawaii and the target of just about every major college program in the country. He starred at the Punahou School in Honolulu, the alma mater of Barack Obama and the top prep athletic factory in America, according to Sports Illustrated.

"There was never a ride home when I didn't answer the phone for him at least once," says fellow Irish freshman Roby Toma, Teo's best friend since childhood. "He had so much pressure on him. People were always asking him who he was going to sign with. But he always kept a cool head."

On the field, Te'o was a force of nature in high school. In one practice, Toma, a wide receiver, felt the full wrath of his teammate's power. The hit turned Toma's helmet around, leaving him trying to see out his ear hole.

Another time, Toma remembers, Punahou was milking a lead in the state championship game when it gave the ball to occasional fullback Te'o for a dive play on third and long.

"He broke nine tackles," Toma says. "On film, you see me out there blocking, and the play is still going on, but I just turned around and watched. You couldn't help but watch."

Those prodigious skills are why Te'o won the inaugural high school Butkus Award and was rated the No. 2 player in the Class of 2009 by ESPN's Scouts Inc. In an age where defenders are getting smaller and faster to go against the spread, Te'o has the bulk of a classic middle linebacker along with new-school speed.

"He's a lot like (former USC star) Rey Maualuga in that he has a natural instinct and nose for the football," said Tom Luginbill, Scouts Inc.'s national recruiting director. "He doesn't get caught up in misdirection, he knows where the ball is and it does not take him long to get there. And he's usually coming with a little bit of a bad attitude.

"He played in the Under Armour game, where there were a lot of former NFL and college head coaches. There wasn't a coach there who didn't come away saying essentially, 'Who the heck is that guy?' That's how much he stood out."

Te'o has been as good as advertised since coming to Notre Dame. Though he says he was lost his first week of camp, coaches and teammates have been effusive in praising how he has played and fit in right away.

"There's no question that he's ahead of the game," Irish defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta said.

"He's handled himself well," Weis said. "It's never easy when you come in here and you're playing your way up the depth chart quickly, as he is. There are guys who don't like it when a guy like that is breathing down your neck."

The hardest adjustment for Te'o so far is being more than 4,000 miles away from home. One of six children, he was despondent when he missed his younger brother Manasseh's third birthday this summer. His family will attend the Nevada game, but it might be the only trip they make to South Bend this fall.

"I think about them all the time," he said. "I talk to them every day. The nights I spend alone, I think about my parents, my little brother and my sisters."

Luckily, he has his buddy Toma as a reminder of home. And he's used to long travels to school.

He and Toma grew up about four houses apart from each other in Laie on the north shore of Oahu. To get to Punahou every day, they had to take a 90-minute car ride each way.

Te'o grew so homesick following his first year at Punahou that he transferred to his local school for one year as a ninth-grader. He went back to Punahou after realizing the opportunities that school provided.

"The experience I had at Punahou and learning how to adapt to new environments has helped me with my transition to Notre Dame," he said.

Te'o knows he will be under constant scrutiny in South Bend, and he hopes to use that spotlight to set an example. He was an Eagle Scout who was active in his community back home, and as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, he may take a two-year mission following his freshman year at Notre Dame.

"Everybody will see what you do on the football field, but I think what matters most is who you are inside," he said. "My dad always told me, 'Don't necessarily be a man of success, but be a man of worth.'"

He wants to represent his home state and his church while leading Notre Dame back to glory. Those are tall challenges for anyone, let alone a freshman. Yet Te'o says he's prepared for anything, even another round of snow.

"I brought some pants from home this time," he said. "But I've still got to go and buy me a jacket or something."

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Freshman Manti Te'o Making an Early Impression @ Irish Camp

In case you haven't heard, there is a Pacific Islander in South Bend. Not only that, he is also a Mormon at Notre Dame.

His name is Manti Te'o.

Charlie Weis is expecting big things from him immediately for the Irish. On Sunday, local Hawaii media reported that Te'o is making such an impression that he could be starting this year.

Te'o has climbed up the depth chart and is currently listed as No.2 behind Brian Smith at outside linebacker. However, there is a chance that he could move to the middle and replace Toryan Smith.

Now that is coming from Hawaii media which is understandably going to be biased for their local kid. I would be very surprised if he actually jumped ahead of Toryan Smith.

Nonetheless, I am very excited to see Te'o play. I saw him twice in high school and he was an absolute beast.

The thing I remembered most about last year was the Hawaii Bowl. While many ND haters downplay their performance, the game was very important for many reasons. I knew when I was flying over that Notre Dame not only had to win but really make a statement.

For me the primary reason was to send a message to potential recruits. One of those kids would be at that game and that of course was Te'o. If not for the strong performance, Notre Dame probably would not have been able to steal him from USC.

This was a signing that really excited me.

That was partially because Notre Dame stole him from USC, but also because I have seen many local kids that I watched in high school leave the islands and go be successful in college football. The most notable was Kaluka Maiava who played for arch rival USC.

Te'o is the first one to go to Notre Dame, the school I rooted for all my life. For that reason, it has a little sentimental value.

I am hoping that Te'o can keep up the great work in practice. If he does, I don't expect him to start but he will be an impact player off the bench.

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Fresh face: Notre Dame

Preseason camp begins in just a few weeks, and freshmen are already reporting to campus all over the country. Which new players could make an immediate impact at Notre Dame? Here is a look at one incoming freshmen to keep an eye on when practice begins:

• Manti Te'o, LB: Pick an accolade, any accolade. Te'o was USA Today's defensive player of the year, The Sporting News 2008 high school athlete of the year, the inaugural winner of the high school Butkus Award and the No. 2 overall player on the ESPNU150. Simply put, the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder from Hawaii is a can't-miss prospect and the crown jewel of this recruiting class. He could be the kind of dominating, athletic linebacker that the Irish have lacked. And given Notre Dame's defensive lapses, it wouldn't be a surprise at all if he works his way into a starting role immediately.

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2010 Prospect Utupo Picks Notre Dame

Lakewood (Calif.) defensive lineman Justin Utupo has ended the recruiting process and is headed to South Bend.

"I just committed to Notre Dame," Utupo said. "I've never been there before I've always wanted to go to Notre Dame. That has kind of been my dream school so once they offered, it was really only a matter of time.

"When I was younger, I watched that move Rudy and ever since then, I wanted to go there, even if I couldn't play football there, I just wanted to go to school there. Now to have this opportunity to go and be a part of the program, I'm just really excited about all this."

Utupo said he got the offer from the Irish about two months ago and has been doing research on the school with his parents ever since.

"My dad was especially in to Notre Dame," Utupo said. "He liked them a lot and the more research we did, the better it looked. I know it might be cold but it will be worth it to be at the school and get a great education. I knew they picked up a couple of other defensive ends as well so I didn't want to risk losing my spot there so I thought now was the best time to commit."

"UCLA was right there too and I also liked Washington, Oregon State and Nebraska. Those were the main schools I looked at but Notre Dame just had too many pluses. I called up Coach Polian this morning to commit and he was really excited and that made me feel good. I won't be taking any other visits except to Notre Dame, my commitment is strong and this is a great day for me."

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