Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/424772
BY DOUGLAS FARMER T he younger defensive linemen could not help themselves. All season they have relied on fifth- year senior Justin Utupo for pa- tience, encouragement and guidance. Finally, they had a chance to encour- age and guide him in his first planned media availability of the season and one of the few of his career. First, junior Jarron Jones escorted Utupo into the auditorium, alternating between heckling the elder statesman and jokingly asking him questions as a member of the press corps, even complimenting Utupo's fashionable frames on his glasses. Then freshman Jay Hayes skipped down the stairs, shouting Utupo's name — first and last — in excitement. The commotion led freshman Andrew Trumbetti to wander by, pause and leer Utupo's way as another question was asked. Utupo might not have relished Jones's exuberance, but he didn't com- plain about any of it. The youngsters' fascination resembled the respect a younger brother has for an older brother. In other words, it resembled exactly what Utupo hoped to garner when he returned for a fifth season. "I see myself as a guy the younger guys look up to," he said heading into his second career start against Lou- isville on Nov. 22. "I was coming in to help the team out, help the locker room, keep this winning culture going and keep building off that. You need fifth-year guys for that." Head coach Brian Kelly did not in- vite Utupo back for his on-field prow- ess. There had not been enough shown to warrant such an offer. Entering this season, the California native had a to- tal of seven career tackles — which he had more than doubled with 17, including two for loss and one sack, heading into his return to Southern California to face USC on Nov. 29. Utupo's ability to suitably fill in for injured junior Sheldon Day as a starter in the season's last two games was gravy. Rather, Kelly hoped Utupo could be a steadying force in the locker room, the exact role Utupo prepared for. "Justin is well respected by his team- mates," Kelly said. "He's well liked. He has a lot of credibility in our locker room, so we knew what we were get- ting as a locker room guy. If that's all we got from him, that would have been enough for him to come back as a fifth-year player. "We were hoping to get a role for Elder Statesman From locker room presence to fill-in starter, Justin Utupo has done what Notre Dame needs