Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/476884
mask the challenges a student-athlete will confront. "To tell them anything other than the truth, he would be signing up for something that is not real and I wouldn't be able to coach him because I would be baby sitting him, as op- posed to being able to mentor him," Denson said. THE CALLING The Florida native Denson said he views coaching as his ministry, and to serve at Notre Dame is the ultimate calling. He approaches it the same way when he enrolled 20 years ago, as a cornerback, not running back. "I came in with a goal that I wanted to be the best that ever left here and that's the same process," Denson said. "Nothing has changed from my stand- point of when I was young … my first goal is to work my butt off to become No. 1 in everything I did. My second goal is to leave everybody as far be- hind me as I can. Both of them involve work. "I'm at the phase now of work- ing my butt off to become the best coach I can be, and then once I start hitting that end, it will be to leave everybody else in my dust. It hasn't changed. That's what I plan on do- ing." While Denson admits he wishes he had the physical ability in his playing days of current Irish running backs Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant, he is imparting a different lesson. "There is a very fine line between a good back and a great back," Denson said. "I explained to them, 'Listen, if you want to be a good back, you might want to transfer. I'm not looking to