SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -Notre Dame offensive tackle Paul Duncan has a new perspective on hard work after missing last season with a hip injury.
Duncan always considered himself a hard worker, but now he’s not so sure. A year on the sideline watching his teammates go 7-6 last season gave him time to reflect on his effort.
“I don’t want to say I didn’t work hard before. But just the whole attitude of going in there and making every single rep count, just pushing it that much harder,” the fifth-year senior from Dallas, Ga., said Sunday. “I’m a year older now so I’m more mature about it and I’m maturing still. That just helps.”
The effort helped the 6-foot-7 left tackle to add 20 pounds to his frame, bulking up to 320 pounds. He knows, though, he needs to prove himself on the field.
oblem.
“I just didn’t play well. I watch film and I don’t like what I see,” he said.
First-year offensive line coach Frank Verducci, who spent the past eight years coaching in the NFL, said he thinks time off can help players to better value the opportunities they have. He said in the pros he always liked to get players who had been cut by other teams because they suddenly realized their own career mortality.
“Those guys went about their work with a whole different attitude after that,” he said.
Seeing former classmate Mike Turkovich, who replaced Duncan at left tackle, graduate last year helped Duncan to see how little time he has left to prove himself.
The entire Irish line is looking to prove itself. The Irish return six linemen who have started games. But the line hasn’t been a place of strength for the Irish, who have posted the three worst rushing seasons in school history the past three years.
Coach Charlie Weis said the Irish need to be able to run the ball so teams can’t focus on stopping the passing attack. Duncan believes experience will be a key reason why the line will be better this season.
“We’ve been around each other. We know how each other think. Experience is huge on the offensive line,” he said.
e concepts. He’s focusing now on being more aggressive.
“Every single play I’m going to be running around hitting anybody I can hit. If the ball is 20 yards down the field, hopefully I’m right there, blocking 20 yards down there with them,” he said.
He wants to make sure he leaves Notre Dame with no regrets.
“I don’t want to leave here thinking what I could have been, what I could have done,” he said. “I’m doing everything I can, throwing it all out there right now.”
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