Notre Dame and “dream school” are often mentioned together by recruits.
Sometimes, it’s lip service, as a recruit is excited about an offer or riding the high of a recruiting visit.
Then there are players like Luke Talich.
The Wyoming native admits he doesn’t exactly know why Notre Dame became a dream school for him, but he believes it started with his faith.
“I wish I had a good answer for you, but I remember when I was a little guy watching Notre Dame on TV, they were the same colors as my high school team,” Talich stated. “My family always supported Notre Dame, because we're Catholic.
“It was just kind of, ‘I want to play Notre Dame one day. I want to wear the gold helmet.’ I still have fatheads of Notre Dame in my room from when I was 10 years old. I don't have any ties to Notre Dame or anything like that, other than just the Catholic faith.”
As Talich started the recruiting process, his love for Notre Dame never faded, but his focus shifted to other programs.
The 6-foot-4, 222-pounder eventually earned offers from Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Oregon State, Utah, Washington State and Weber State, naturally drawing his attention toward those opportunities.
Then Notre Dame came back into the picture.
The Irish offered Talich a preferred walk-on spot after he came to campus for camp, giving him an opportunity to turn his childhood dream into reality.
“It kind of faded away as I got older,” said Talich. “I didn't think it was going to be a reality, but I was blessed with the opportunity to come to camp here, did decent, and then got an offer to walk on and took a chance.”
For some players, achieving their dream would be enough, but it was just the beginning for Talich.
He wanted to play, and he quickly found out how much work that would require.
“I tell people I played quarterback and safety in Wyoming, but I didn't know anything about football,” explained Talich. “When I got here, I was lost for a solid year. I remember my first fall camp being the greatest time of my life because I was learning so much football. I'm learning so much knowledge and I really enjoy football. I love the game.”
The work eventually paid off.
Talich worked his way into the rotation as a junior, but his development didn’t stop there. He has continued to spend time around Notre Dame’s coaches, trying to absorb as much information as possible.
“I'm upstairs with the coaches every single day trying to get wisdom from them and learn the game,” Talich said. “I think the biggest jump was just familiarizing myself with Football 101 and just kind of understanding what it means. I think I've grown in that role and I've become a pretty intelligent football player.”
It wasn’t an easy journey, but Talich didn’t know any other way.
He was raised in a blue-collar household where nothing was simply handed to him.
“My parents, it's always been a blue-collar household, kind of earn-it type of mentality,” Talich explained. “I think that was just established when I was a young kid. Me and my brother would wrestle, would get after it, things like that. I think just having the mentality of having to work for it and having to earn it was just kind of learned when I was a little kid.”
That mentality has also shaped Talich’s approach to the Transfer Portal.
In today’s college football landscape, earning a role at Notre Dame could easily lead a player to wonder if there is an opportunity somewhere else to play more.
Talich never did.
“I never even thought about transferring,” Talich said. “It wasn't even a thought in my mind. I think it's just the brotherhood. I never questioned leaving this place. The people here mean too much to me and this place means too much to me.
“I think obviously the degree, I'm still seeking the degree as well. I think just all the people here is kind of the thing that kept me around. I didn't even really put any thought into that.”
Talich has also found the perfect defensive coordinator in Chris Ash.
There is plenty of tough love between the two, but that’s exactly what Talich has known his entire life.
“I think he's on my ass more than anyone,” stated Talich. “I think it's a testament to the player you are if he's chewing you because he believes in you. He wants you to be great. That's just the way he is. He's an old-school type of coach. He likes to yell. He likes to get after it a little bit, but I love him for it.
“That's kind of how I was raised with my dad. I got my butt chewed quite a bit when I was growing up. I'm pretty used to it and it helps me. I learn that way. It's been great.”
Talich will face another decision in the coming months.
With the NCAA’s 5-for-5 eligibility rule, he has an opportunity to return to Notre Dame for another season.
“We'll see,” said Talich. “I'm not making any decisions (now). This is my senior year and I'm focused on tomorrow.”
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