Irish's Tuck goes for record

Justin Tuck is one quarterback sack behind Kory Minor's career record.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Notre Dame defensive end Justin Tuck loves tackling quarterbacks.
"That's a great feeling to get a sack," he said. "I don't exactly know why it's a great feeling; I just know it is."
Tuck should know. He set the Notre Dame record for sacks in a season last year with 13.5 (a statistic the school began keeping in 1982) and needs just one more sack to tie Kory Minor's career record at Notre Dame with 22.5.
Tuck is eager to break the mark today against No. 15 Purdue (3-0). Not just because he wants to stop talking about the record -- something the media has asked him about since the summer -- but because he knows the Irish (3-1) need to pressure Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton if they are going to win.
"We can't let him sit back there and try to pick apart our secondary," Tuck said. "We're going to have to go out there and rattle him a little bit."
Impressive numbers
Orton doesn't rattle easily. He is 74-of-106 passing -- a 70 percent completion rate -- with 13 touchdown passes and no interceptions. He is second in the nation in pass efficiency with a rating of 188.10.
Which is why Tuck is so eager to get hold of him.
"He and I will have a chitchat," Tuck said. "Me and him are going to have some close encounters."
Tuck hasn't had many close encounters lately. He's found himself double-teamed frequently as he's gone two straight games without a sack for the first time in his career.
"We've got to do a better job as a staff to try to get him in some better situations," defensive coordinator Kent Baer said.
Asked whether it would be frustrating to play Orton, who has a quick three-step drop, Tuck quickly replied: "I had two sacks against him last year."
Actually, Tuck was credited with 1.5 sacks against the Boilermakers -- but close enough. Tuck has three sacks so far this year, ahead of last year's pace, when he had 2.5 sacks four games into the season.
Another record
The sack record isn't the only one Tuck has in sight. Tuck, who has a year of eligibility left, has 33.5 tackles for loss, including 19 last season. The career record at Notre Dame is 77, set by Ross Browner (1973, 1975-77).
"That's a long way away. If it happens, it happens," Tuck said.
It is far off, but second place isn't that far off. Anthony Weaver, who played for the Irish from 1998-2001, had 42 career tackles for loss. Tuck could pass that this season.
Baer said when he first arrived at Notre Dame nearly three years ago, he wasn't that impressed by Tuck, saying he didn't work hard enough.
"He didn't realize how good he could be," Baer said.
But Tuck, who started at Notre Dame as a linebacker, has grown in several ways, Baer said.
He's become motivated. He's become a leader. And he's gained about 25 pounds.
"He's so motivated to be a great player," Baer said.