Don't call him 'Rudy'
Sunset Hills resident kept his football career alive by walking on at Notre Dame
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers LIVING A DOMERS' DREAM- Kevin Brooks made it to Notre Dame on his academic achievements. Hard work on the gridiron helped him become a member of the Fighting Irish football team.

Three years ago Kevin Brooks was just hoping for another chance to play football after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during a game for Crespi High School. Now Brooks is hoping for a chance to play in a game with one of the best college football programs in the nation- the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Although the tight end and long snapper who grew up in Sunset Hills was not heavily sought after by college recruiters for a football scholarship due to the injury, he still got the job done in the classroom and earned an academic scholarship to Notre Dame.

Once there, Brooks became one of just a few walk-on players to make the football team for the Fighting Irish.

And in case you were wondering, yes, Brooks knows who Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger is. Yes, he has seen the 1993 movie starring Sean Astin. No, he doesn't want to be compared to him.

"It's not demeaning or anything when you are compared to (Rudy), and I understand why people compare me to him, but it's not something I really want," Brooks said.

"I don't want to be known as someone who wasn't that great of a football player but had a lot of heart. Every walk-on has their own talent, and I just want to be known as just one of the other players."

Brooks began his Notre Dame football journey in the winter of 2006. Out of 55 walk-on players trying out, Brooks was one of the 12 players remaining after the first round of cuts. Brooks continued to practice with the team and then got to play in the Blue vs. Gold game in April of that year.

"I was told if you made the Blue Gold game, then your chances improved on making the team, but I still was very nervous," Brooks said. "After the game the coaches told the walkon players that they would let us know soon if we made the team via e-mail."

A couple weeks later a friend of Brooks on the team asked him if he had checked his e-mail. Waiting for Brooks was a message that welcomed and congratulated him on making the team.

"I was so thrilled," Brooks said. "I immediately called up my mom and my former coaches, Troy Thomas and Jeremiah Ross from Crespi, to thank them."

Brooks said the dream of playing football for the Fighting Irish started when he was a kid and saw the team play in the Fiesta Bowl. That dream kicked into a higher gear when he then made a trip with his sister, Erin, to visit the campus when she was deciding on her college of choice in 2001.

"I saw the campus with her, and I just knew this is where I wanted to go," Brooks said.

"I couldn't make it on a football scholarship, but thankfully my family is really big on academics, and I was able to make it here that way. When I made the team my sister was very happy for me because she understands the tradition here, since she attended the college herself."

Brooks, who is majoring in history, got the thrill of his life the following fall in South Bend when he was able to run out of the tunnel against Penn State.

"Coming out of the tunnel and seeing 80,000 people wearing green is an amazing feeling," Brooks said. "I think that and beating UCLA last year in the final minute are my favorite memories at Notre Dame so far."

Brooks is hoping UCLA can provide him with another great thrill this coming fall. The NCAA only allows 85 people on a team for road games. Brooks has never been on the field in a game for the Irish and would like nothing more than to play in front of his family and friends when the team visits UCLA on October 6.

Brooks, however, is hoping he can play in more than just the game in Westwood.

"My goal isn't to play in the UCLA game; it's to make the travel squad and play in every game," Brooks said. "In the end it's a personal thing. I have to make it happen in practice and prove to the older guys on the team that I belong. I'm not waiting for my senior year. I want to play now."

Brooks said that even though he is a walk-on player, the rest of the team and coaches have treated him with great respect, including head coach Charlie Weiss.

"Nothing against my other coaches in my life, but Coach Weiss is probably the smartest football coach I've ever had," Brooks said. "He is very direct and intense and prepares players very well. I also like him because he gives everyone on the team a fair shot of playing."

When Brooks resumes practice with the team starting Aug. 1, he will be receiving passes from a new quarterback this year after last season's starter, Brady Quinn, was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Quinn's replacement could possibly be former Oaks Christian quarterback Jimmy Clausen.

"It will be weird not seeing Brady this season," Brooks said. "He was one of the nicest individuals you will ever meet in your life, and a great player.

"I've only seen Clausen briefly, as he came in for just a little while in the spring. He seems like a good guy, and I believe he has just as good of a chance at starting on the team and performing well as do our other two quarterbacks competing for the job."

Although Brooks doesn't like being compared to Rudy, there is a good chance he will be watching the movie in the near future.

"I and a couple players watched it before the start of last season, and you can't help but get inspired from it," Brooks said.

"There is a great tradition of football players here. So as a player here, you definitely want to continue the great tradition. Hopefully I can soon do that on the field."