Notre Dame Edge Jordan Botelho Ready to Build On Week One Performance
Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman often tells his players to stay on their own path regarding playing time or development.
Some players play early, some have to wait their time and others play early, but their impact isn’t felt until later on in their careers.
Fifth-year vyper Jordan Botelho could fit into all of those categories. He played early and made an impact in his first two seasons at times, but he also didn’t quite have the consistency to take his game to the next level.
Yet, Botelho stayed the course and now sees the rewards of his hard work. In Notre Dame’s 23-13 win, the Hawaii native finished second in tackles with six and Botelho believes his big game started on the practice field.
“You just need to work harder,” stated Botelho. “Everyone did a good job preparing for the game and it carried into the game. They had really great coaching points for us, and for me, it was about setting the edge and making the plays.”
Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden isn’t one to give too much praise to his players when talking to the media, but he didn’t hold back when talking about Botelho’s game against the Aggies.
“Arguably the best performance the other night,” explained Golden. “He played really well. He played with high energy. Here’s the thing about Jordan right now. He’s playing fast. He’s not making errors.
“He’s eliminated all the distractions from his game and he’s just playing really hard. He’s playing with energy and he’s playing smarter football. It’s resulting in a lot of really good plays.”
Botelho graduated last May and now has more time to focus on his craft as he’s a non-degree-seeking student-athlete at Notre Dame this semester.
The extra time has been a positive, as Freeman noted that Botelho’s preparation has taken steps forward this fall.
“You just watch film and just attack,” Botelho said. “There’s a lot of things I can learn from that game, so I’m excited to attack and work on the small details.”
In fall camp, Botelho was highlighted by his coaches as someone who put in the time during the offseason to lose weight and reshape his body for his final season at Notre Dame.
And the 6-foot-3, 250-pounder felt the difference on the field in College Station.
“I’m a little lighter,” said Botelho. “Mentally, I feel like I can run a little better. I feel like I try to be physical, I enjoy contact and I try to work hard every day.
“I was 270 and thought that I could see how it might be to be lighter, cut down body fat but at the same strength. I wanted to feel lighter.”
Now, Botelho wasn’t the only player who played well on Saturday, as Notre Dame’s defense held the Texas A&M offense to just 246 total yards, including 100 through the air. There’s another level the Irish can get to and it starts with each player doing their job and playing as one.
“I feel like everyone works together to play complementary football,” Botelho stated. “If we all just do our jobs, everyone will be successful.”
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