THE “IT” BOY

By Davin Edwards

It has been five, long, anguished years since the Fighting Irish have become eligible for a BCS Bowl. The struggle, the new coach, the outstanding leadership, and above all… the talent, the exquisite, raw talent, that makes Notre Dame football team among the elite and the privileged. Notre Dame has just been chosen to play in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on January 2, 2006, competing in one of four Bowl Championship Series college football games.

What a prestigious, amazing gift that has been bestowed upon the Fighting Irish, a chance to achieve greatness, and ascertain a title that has long eluded the Notre Dame football team. No longer one of the forgotten, Notre Dame has finished up with a spectacular sixth place finish in the final BCS standings, their highest BCS standing ever, and will face Ohio State, fourth place finish in BCS standings. The much sought after Fighting Irish have come a long way to meet this moment, and will stand center stage at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.

There are many incredible, flourishing young men on this winning football team, but there is only one who stands out among the blue and gold jerseys. #10 Brady Quinn, has the honor not only of leading this amazing football team into victory in January, but has been nominated for four awards this year. A bright quarterback who originated from Dublin, Ohio, Quinn is majoring in finance and political science, pursuing a dual degree from the Mendoza College of Business and The College of Arts and Letters.

Quinn who has already set 17 single game, single season, and career records for his passing just this year, shared the 2005 Notre Dame football MVP Award presented by the Notre Dame Monogram Club with his teammate wide receiver Jeff Samardzija, who established single season highs for his reception yardage.

At only 20 years of age, Brady Quinn has achieved such supreme eminence, which makes him the Fighting Irish It Boy. Even his coach Charlie Weis was asked recently to compare both Tom Brady and Brady Quinn, and his reply was of only one syllable. “It.” No one could have said it better. “Quinn has a special something… it. You can’t teach it, you just have it,” coach Charlie Weis remarked, and it is so true.

With all the trimmings of a fresh faced all American young man, Brady Quinn has become the quintessential face of Notre Dame. His name is mentioned everywhere, in every magazine article or newspaper written about the Fighting Irish. He is one of the five finalists for the Walter Camp Foundation Player of the Year Award, and one of three finalists for the Davey O’Brien Award as the top quarterback nationally. He is also up for this years Heisman Trophy, and is a nominee for Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Year. In this category, Quinn is up against three other incredible football players of his generation, USC quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, his teammate USC running back Reggie Bush, and Texas quarterback Vince Young. And coincidentally, all four athletes are also competing against one another for this year’s 2005 Heisman Trophy.

This Irish phenomenon leads the nation with 32 touchdown passes, while throwing for over 3,600 yards. Impressive by means, the word barely describes the outstanding achievement, the star quality that quarterback Brady Quinn has become. Now considered to be in a league with the nations top football athletes, this Irish It Boy with the dashing good looks, will undoubtedly make his mark in the NFL.

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