Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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irish in the pros Hard-Hitting Harrison Smith Excelling play in the defensive backfield." After settling in at safety, Smith interarrison Smith is regarded as one of cepted seven passes in 2010, including the hardest-hitting safeties in the three against Miami in the Sun Bowl. NFL these days. At Notre Dame, it took He returned for a fifth season in 2011 a while before he and the coaches real- and served as the lone Irish captain. ized safety was even the right position "I think [in 2010] I got them all [interfor him. ceptions] the second half During his time with of the year and was just the Irish, he played as getting comfortable with a safety (as a redshirt in what we were doing," 2007) before moving to he said. "I should've had strongside linebacker them the next year, too, (2009) and then returning but I just dropped them. to safety (2010-11) while "So I think it was really playing for two head just getting comfortable coaches, three defensive in the system and being coordinators and five pocomfortable with myself, sition coaches. Smith said and that's something that he finally felt comfortable got me to the NFL and in the defensive backfield just tried to grow by beafter Chuck Martin and ing in the right place and Bob Diaco arrived as the Smith, who has developed a repu- taking advantage of the safeties coach and defen- tation as a physical tackler, inter- opportunities that pressive coordinator, respec- cepted two passes in the first five ent themselves. Don't do games of the 2013 season for the anything over the top, tively, in 2010. "Those guys just kind Vikings.photo courtesy minnesota vikings just do your plays that of taught me things that come to you." instilled confidence in me that allowed Smith suffered a turf toe injury me to play at a higher level because against the Carolina Panthers Oct. 13 they believed that I could be an impact that sidelined him the following week kind of player," Smith said in a phone and left his availability moving forinterview with Blue & Gold Illustrated. ward uncertain, but not before he es"I think that's something that took me tablished himself as one of the league's a second to believe it. Chuck Martin top safeties after the Vikings selected used to always make fun of me, just him 29th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. because he didn't believe that I wasn't A few weeks ago, Chicago Bears wide confident. … He definitely pushed me receiver Brandon Marshall tweeted that into becoming better in that area, which Smith is the NFL's hardest hitter. is something that you have to have to "I don't know if pound for pound By Andrew Owens H