Notre Dame safety Luke Talich arrived on campus as a walk-on and it didn’t take too long for that to change.
The Wyoming native was put on scholarship before his sophomore year and now he is looking to earn a starting spot in year three.
The key to earning a starting spot? Not focusing on the depth chart and working.
“I’m just focused on myself every day,” stated Talich. “I can’t control any of those outside factors, but I’m just trying to get better every single day. I’m getting a lot of reps with the ones. I have a lot of confidence in myself. I think I’ve built a lot of trust with my coaches and my teammates. The biggest thing is just building, getting better every single day, learning, polishing my game.”
Talich had a front-row seat to watching classmate Adon Shuler's breakout season and he paid close attention.
“That was a great example,” explained Talich. “Adon last year, he knew it was his time. He took full advantage and didn’t let anyone come in and mess with it at all. That kinda speaks volumes about who he is as a person. He’s ultra-competitive.
“Of course, I’m gonna learn from that and ask him what he did, things like that. That’s kinda the mentality I’m bringing in this spring. I’m just gonna get better, get what I deserve. I know what I’m worth. I’m approaching it in that way.”
Talich’s humility and willingness to learn have helped him steadily improve in South Bend. Coming from a high school system that emphasized stopping the run more than pass coverage, he admits there was a learning curve.
“I’ve grown a lot,” Talich stated. “Coming out of high school, I was a safety who stood at the back of the line, didn’t play pass at all. I was just filling alleys. That’s what Wyoming football was. I’ve definitely developed a lot as a player. I’ve learned a lot about how to be a DB. I’ve learned a lot about coverage, things like that, technique.
“Carrying all those things, all the guys before me that have come, all the great safeties that have been performing the last few years, I’ve just been absorbing from them, learning from them. Obviously, my coaches as well. Getting everything I can out of them, because they’re gonna get what they can out of me. I’m just taking advantage of all those opportunities.”
Learning behind an All-American safety in Watts was a gift to the entire room. The 13 interceptions in two seasons are sexy, but Talich saw the behind the scenes work Watts put in to get those picks.
“The biggest thing I appreciate about X was just how professional he was,” explained Talich. “He wasn’t the most vocal guy. He wasn’t a rah-rah leader guy. H came in every single day and he did his job. He performed every single day. He just carried himself as a pro, and he is gonna be a pro here soon. I’m super excited for him. He didn’t worry about anybody else. He kinda just focused on himself. That’s something I’m trying to carry as well.”
Watts’ communication skills earned praise from NFL scouts and former defensive coordinator Al Golden and Talich knows that’s an area where he can make his mark, especially with his background as a high school quarterback.
“That’s something I’ve definitely been working on a lot,” Talich said. “I wouldn’t say that it came naturally to me at all. As a quarterback in high school, you obviously have to be that communicator, so I kinda had those attributes. I knew I did. The biggest thing was just building the confidence in myself and in the defense.”
The 6-foot-4, 213-pounder might bring 22 career tackles to the Notre Dame defense, but earning the trust of Mike Mickens and Chris Ash with good communication is how he will earn snaps and a larger role.
“It also builds trust with my coaches because they understand that I’m gonna be out there being a leader and being the guy that’s communicating and getting things done right,” stated Talich. “That’s something that has definitely helped me progress in this development at Notre Dame. I’m gonna continue to do that, and hopefully I can take a bigger role in being a vocal communicator out in the defense.”
While Talich’s highlight reel includes a pick-six against Florida State and a big hit on special teams in the Orange Bowl, he knows those moments are just the beginning.
“I expect to make plays when I’m on the field,” said Talich. “Obviously, that was the later half of the game, and we were up by a lot. I feel like anytime I’m on the field, I’m looking to make a play. That doesn’t change if I’m with the ones or if I’m with the fours. It doesn’t really matter. I expect to do that. I go out there and seek it as well.”
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