Blue and Gold Illustrated

Nov. 16, 2024

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1529159

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 15 of 55

16 NOV. 16, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY JACK SOBLE A don Shuler put his head in his hands during the third quarter of Notre Dame's Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois. He couldn't believe it. NIU redshirt junior quarterback Ethan Hampton was under pressure and he opted to throw it away, but he didn't throw it far enough into the Notre Dame bench. Not when graduate student Irish safety Xavier Watts was lurking. Watts leaped as high as he could, and when he realized mid-air that he wasn't going to land with his feet inbounds, he alley-ooped the ball in Shuler's direc- tion. The sophomore safety, moving in the direction of the throw, couldn't re- adjust and watched it fall incomplete. Shuler had no idea what Watts was trying to do. How could he? No one in college football has seen the game like No. 0 this season. "Man, X is different," Shuler said. "Every week, I just say, 'What crazy plays are you going to make this week?'" Watts made the decision to return to Notre Dame for his fifth and final sea- son, despite the NFL being a real option for him after he intercepted 7 passes and won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's best defensive player in 2023. It's a choice that has and will pay off. Piling up 7 picks again was always un- likely, although Watts does have 3 so far. But his body of work — the complete package of safety play — has dramati- cally improved. It's easy for those who regularly watch STEPPING IT UP Xavier Watts won the Nagurski Award in 2023 — and he's been 'markedly' better in 2024

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Blue and Gold Illustrated - Nov. 16, 2024