Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Under the Dome Five Questions With … ESPN Analyst David Pollack David Pollack was a three-time All-American defensive end at the University of Georgia from 2001-04. He won the Chuck Bednarik Award for the country's top defensive player as a senior in 2004 and was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. However, a neck injury ended his career just two games into his second season. In 2011, he joined the cast of ESPN's "College GameDay" to analyze college football games. He spent the weekend leading up to the BCS National Championship Game in Miami and took time to speak with Blue & Gold Illustrated about the Irish. Blue & Gold Illustrated: As a former defender, what do you see that makes Manti Te'o special on the field? Pollack: "He's a guy that when I turn on the tape and I watch him he's got that thick lower body, the thick booty, but he reads things super quick. "[He] diagnoses things super quick. He sees things before everybody else on tape every time. That's when you know you've got a guy that's studying first, and that's instinctive. That's a great player." Blue & Gold Illustrated: Do you buy into the comparisons Blue & Gold Illustrated: What Pollack, a three-time All-American between Notre Dame and SEC Notre Dame offensive skill defensive end at Georgia from defenses? player impresses you the most? 2001-04, joined the media after an Pollack: "Stephon Tuitt Pollack: "Every time as a de- injury ended his NFL career early would start for Alabama. Louis Nix could start at nose guard fense we come out we locate in his second season. photo courtesy ESPN Media Zone for Alabama. Manti Te'o would the personnel we know if it's two backs or one back. be in the middle of Alabama's defense. So let's "If it's Theo Riddick you might think it's a two- not get into the SEC defensive thing, those guys back set, but when they come out he might come can play." out as a wide receiver. … That's why I think RidBlue & Gold Illustrated: Can Notre Dame expect dick is the key. Coming from a defensive guy, that to be in the national title conversation on a regular makes it extremely difficult." basis in years to come? Pollack: "No. You've got to do things consistently Blue & Gold Illustrated: How common is that to expect to be back on a yearly basis. I don't think type of player becoming in college football? Pollack: "You see more and more of it. [Former anybody is given that right, I think you earn it. One Florida receiver] Percy Harvin was the ace of all year doesn't say that we should expect them to be aces of that. Urban Meyer used him magically, just back next year. "Are they a great team this year? Yeah, they've perfectly like that. "The more guys that can do that, the better. The won all their games, but you look at Alabama, more guys you can get like that, it just makes you that's the only team in the country I say now you think of more things. I think it's evolving more and can expect to be back there." — Dan Murphy more to that in college football."