Oct. 11--He's a preferred walk-on because he can run -- the triple-option, that is.
Notre Dame found Rob Regan by accident, or maybe it was the other way around.
The scout-team quarterback from Hinsdale South accompanied high school teammate Josh King on a visit to South Bend when he engaged in conversation with Irish defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder.
The rest -- and Regan's rest -- was history.
King didn't choose Notre Dame, opting instead for Michigan State, but Regan did after receiving interest from Northern Illinois and a host of Ivy League schools.
After Notre Dame's 41-24 victory against Navy on Saturday night, Regan received something players who don't see the field rarely receive -- the game ball.
Irish coach Brian Kelly commended Regan and Notre Dame's SWAG (students with attitude and game) team for helping prepare the team to defeat two triple-option attacks -- first Georgia Tech 30-22, then Navy.
"That was sweet. I think everybody was pretty jacked up for those guys," linebacker Jarrett Grace said. "You can't give an accurate look of Navy, but those guys are very close. They busted their butt."
Grace said all those guys were limping off the practice field Thursday, "counting their bumps and bruises, couldn't see straight."
Kelly sang his praises, calling Regan "tough." Regan returned the favor by doing some singing of his own.
"The guys love him. He sang the fight song," Kelly said. "That's the first time we had a true freshman stand up, and he got the game ball and sang the fight song, and there was a huge roar from the team."
Kelly's reaction to being done with triple-option teams this regular season?
"Thank God," he said.
Do you see USC? Notre Dame's next opponent, USC, has two losses, the latest to Washington.
With Texas' struggles and Georgia Tech's skid, the Irish's strength of schedule has taken a beating.
Kelly is well aware.
"You look at our schedule, and then they go, 'Oh, that team's not that good,'" Kelly said. "I think everybody knows the kind of talent USC has, and regardless of what happened against Washington, we know in this rivalry game, what kind of performance that they're going to have against us."
Would it help Notre Dame's case for making the College Football Playoff if USC carried a little more cache in the polls?
"I don't know -- certainly, if they're ranked 10th in the country, that that's going to affect us a little bit differently than them not being ranked," Kelly said. "But I still think, when you talk about beating USC, I think it still carries a lot of weight because people know the talent that they have."
Injury updates: Freshman defensive lineman Jerry Tillery left Saturday's game but returned after spraining his elbow and suffering a bone bruise. Kelly said Tillery will wear a brace and is expected to practice this week. ... Kelly said center Nick Martin sprained his ankle Saturday but finished the game. ... Grace suffered a mild wrist sprain but finished with five tackles.
Poll time: Notre Dame moved up one spot to No. 14 in this week's Associated Press poll. Ohio State remained No. 1, while Clemson moved up to fifth. ... The Irish moved up two spots to No. 13 in the USA Today coaches poll, which also has Ohio State at No. 1.
pskrbina@tribpub.com
