Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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54 MARCH 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2024 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY JACK SOBLE T eddy Rezac earned the nickname "Tough Teddy" when he was about 6 years old. Around that time, Rezac's family hosted a pregame party for an Omaha (Neb.) Westside football game. Their kids weren't on the team yet, obviously, but Teddy's dad, DJ, played for the War- riors and DJ's dad, Dick, coached them. DJ Rezac and his wife, Lisa, spotted two kids in the backyard — one in kinder- garten and one around sixth grade — fighting. The kindergartner won. He was on top, going at the sixth-grader's throat. By the time the Rezac parents pulled them apart, they realized it was Teddy. They asked their son, a sweet kid who grew up to be one of the kindest people they know, what he was doing. He gave them a reasonable explanation: "He said Westside sucks!" "Don't ever mistake his kindness for weakness, because he is like a dog," DJ Rezac told BGI. Teddy Rezac, who will play linebacker at Notre Dame, grew up to be a star wide receiver and do-it-all defender for Westside. His size (6-foot-3 ½) and speed (he reportedly runs a 4.5 40-yard dash) helped him earn a scholarship of- fer from the Irish, but that toughness would always stand out most on the field. "Everyone always says, 'Tough- est dude wins. Dude who goes hard- est wins,'" Teddy Rezac said. "It is a big part of me playing football, just because that's something that I strive to be great at every day." Toughness played a big part in An- thony Rezac, Teddy Rezac's twin brother and Westside's quarterback, winning Gatorade Player of the Year honors in Nebraska this past season and leading the Warriors to their third state cham- pionship in four years. On Oct. 13, Westside led Omaha Mil- lard South 17-7. Anthony was sacked, going down awkwardly, and the Patriots recovered for a touchdown. The War- riors hadn't played in a game that close all season, and to make matters worse, Anthony partially tore the labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder on the play. It was painful, but there was no deci- sion to be made. He returned for the ensuing drive, led the Warriors 70 yards in six plays and scored a rushing touch- down. "There was no thought," Westside head coach Paul Limongi said. "He said, 'Get me back in there. Let me finish this thing. I got it.' He never missed a play." Afterward, the Rezac parents asked the team doctors if Anthony could do any further damage to his shoulder by playing. They confirmed he could not. They also warned them that playing would cause him great pain. His response: "I don't care. Give me the ball." "You're not gonna stay down on the field after you get a little hurt," Anthony said. "You're not necessarily doing it for yourself. You're doing it for your team- mates. You're doing it for the guys next to you." Anthony will walk on at Notre Dame, joining his brother Teddy with the Irish. Linebacker Teddy Rezac (right) and his twin brother, Anthony, a preferred walk-on at quarterback, will both suit up for the Irish this fall after leading Omaha (Neb.) Westside High to its third state title in four years. PHOTO COURTESY THE REZAC FAMILY Teddy And Anthony Rezac, Twins From Nebraska, Are Ready To Bring Their Signature Toughness To Notre Dame