Thursday, October 17, 2002
ND's Earl majors in big plays
Safety big part of 6-0 team's quest for BCS
The Associated Press
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame safety Glenn Earl enjoys his reputation as a hard hitter. That explains why he'd rather talk about the hit he put on Pittsburgh quarterback Rod Rutherford last week to cause a fumble than his game-saving block of an attempted field goal two years ago against Air Force.
“It's the play people won't let me forget, but it only prevented three points,” Earl said.
But the play was the difference between losing in regulation to the Falcons and the Irish winning in overtime. It also was the difference between the Irish earning a Bowl Championship Series berth that season and going to a lower tier bowl.
The bowl payout differential was worth about $12 million to Notre Dame.
Earl hasn't had that kind of impact yet this season, but heading into Saturday's game against Air Force he's looking to make a big play, hopefully a hard hit.
“Every time you hit someone you try to make something happen,” Earl said. “I try to get in on the play whenever I can. When I get there, I try to make something happen — anything, fumbles, touchdowns, interceptions, knockout. Whatever.”
The No. 7 Irish (6-0) are close to putting themselves into contention for another BCS berth. Games the next two weeks at No. 18 Air Force (6-0) and at No. 12 Florida State (5-2) probably will determine how successful a season it will be for Notre Dame.
The first BCS standings will be released Monday.
Earl is the only starter in the Irish secondary without an interception or a touchdown. His big play was knocking the ball loose when he hit Rutherford at the 12-yard line midway through the fourth quarter last week, then recovering the loose ball.
Instead of the glory of a touchdown, Earl found himself at the bottom of a pile with Pitt players trying to wrestle the ball loose.
“It gets dangerous down there,” he said. “Some guy was trying to gouge my eyes out.”
The recovery set up a game-clinching touchdown, though.
Irish coach Tyrone Willingham called the jarring hit typical of Earl's style.
“That's a huge part of what he does and how he plays,” Willingham said.
It seems out of character for the quiet Earl, third on the team with 38 tackles. His roommate, fellow safety Jerome Sapp, describes it as a “Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde type mentality.”
Earl said he's always liked to hit. That's why after playing receiver as a freshman because the Irish were shorthanded, he switched to defense as soon as possible.
“A lot of guys play offense because they don't like to hit,” he said. “I'll run through a brick wall if coach Willingham asks me.”
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ND's Earl majors in big plays
