Welcome to another edition of Wu Am I? for the 2009 season. Once again- I am trying to identify the 36 players of impact for the 2009 squad. So without any further bullshit, I open chambers 31 & 32…
Manti Te’o #5
Linebacker
6’2″ 244 lbs.
Freshman
Laie, Hawai’i
Wu Name: Tha Prolific Polynesian Prince
Everyone knows the path that Te’o took to Notre Dame. Everyone. Why? Because he was the number one defensive player coming out of high school- and perhaps the best player overall. He is certainly the highest ranked defensive player that Notre Dame has got in a long- long time. There is really no other way to say how huge this commitment was other than, “WHEEEEEEEE!!!!” Keeping Te’o away from Satan- the Poodle was equally as important.
Now on to more important things- such as playing time. Whether it happens right away or not- Te’o will become a starter this year. I’ll go ahead and say that I fully expect him to win the job in fall camp. The real question is- which job. The linebacking corps is a solid amd deep group that has players that are very flexible. Te’o will probably be either the Will or Mike backer. I think the staff really wants Brian Smith as the Will, so it’s just a question of Te’o grasping the defensive playbook mentally and beating out Toryan Smith (another member of the 36 Chambers). I am not one of those guys that think that the high ranked freshman coming in should, or can start right away- but this is a different matter all together. Manti-Mania is in full effect at Subway Domer.
Brandon Newman #99
Defensive Tackle
6′ 1″ 295 lbs.
Sophomore
Louisville, Kentucky
Wu Name: Cheeky Delinquent
Brandon Newman was one of those players that I thought ND just HAD to have. He was a high ranked defensive tackle from the south, and looked like he would fit beautifully into what was the Irish 3-4 defense. The defensive scheme has changed a little, but Newman remains a guy that ND wants as a gap filler- regardless of the front. Brandon was redshirted his freshman year and used that time to help reshape his body and learn the system.
This was a hard pick for me. I chose Brandon over guys like Tyler Stockton and Emeka Nwankwo. The Fighting Irish staff love Brandon’s strength and agility- and so do I. Newman has always surprised a few people since high school, and I imagine he will surprise a few more people this year. He will be involved in the rotation with Ian Williams who is slated as the starter. If Newman can come in and just play solid- he will have an impact. I don’t expect him to just be solid however, I expect him to make plays.
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