Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Under the Dome Point ✦ Counterpoint: Who Is The New Face Of Notre Dame's Football Program? Louis Nix III By Dan Murphy Zack Martin By Lou Somogyi If Notre Dame hopes to make it back into college If you could name only one captain for the 2013 football's top 10 this season, its defense will need Notre Dame football team, who would it be? to carry the team there again. Front and center on The logical answer is the lone returning capthat defense, in more tain from last year's dramatic ways than one, is seturnaround that led to a berth nior nose guard Louis in the BCS National ChampiNix III. onship Game: fifth-year seNix isn't the stalwart nior offensive left tackle Zack leader that will slip Martin. There was a reason comfortably into Manti why Martin was one of the Te'o's face-of-the-prochosen ones even then, and gram shoes. He can be this season there isn't a better incendiary and unpreembodiment of consistent exdictable at times. But cellence in leadership, attitude when it comes to naand performance than Martin. tional appeal, no one The All-America candidate on this year's roster is has started all 13 games each ahead of the convivial, of the past three years. If he run-clogging Nix. does it a fourth year in a row, On the field, he is as his 52 career starts would be talented and impactful Senior nose guard Louis Nix III is a force on the most in school history. He's as any one his team- the field and entertaining off it, making him there every practice, every face the team. mates. Many analysts a good candidate to be the photo of Joe Raymond game, picking up teammates, by predict he'll wind up mentoring the younger playas a first-round draft pick next spring — holding a ers, showing the way Notre Dame goes about its new NFL No. 1 jersey to match the single digit he daily business in a professional, dignified and even now wears for the Irish. He is a fulcrum for Notre humble manner. He defines leadership at its best. Dame's defensive front who can spin the 2013 When the money was there to be a high-end season in one direction or another depending on draft pick last spring — after receiving his degree his consistency and his ability to make plays. in management-entrepreneurship, of course — Off the field, Nix has long been a media darling. Martin said he couldn't pass up the opportunity He has shuttered his personality slightly as he's to start with younger brother Nick, while also learned to deal with increased exposure in the continuing to hone his own game. past year, but he's still a player that will speak his No, an offensive lineman isn't a sexy pick to be mind and provide sound bites capable of pushing the face of the program. However, nobody better him into the limelight. When the outside world emulates what it means to represent Notre Dame looks at the Irish this season, it will be Nix's grin- as a student-athlete than Martin, the bedrock of ning mug they see first. the Brian Kelly era.