Friday, September 24, 2004
A month ago he didn't know his role on the team.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Tom Zbikowski has added punch to the Notre Dame secondary.
The amateur boxer threw a stunning combination at Michigan State last week that still has Irish fans buzzing.
He intercepted a pass at the Michigan State 35 and returned it 22 yards to set up Notre Dame's first touchdown. On the next possession, he stripped the ball from running back Jason Teague and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown.
He then delivered the knockout punch in the fourth quarter, jarring the ball loose on a quarterback keeper by Drew Stanton. He finished the game with a team-leading nine tackles.
"That was a spectacular game on Tommy's part and much needed from a team standpoint," Irish coach Tyrone Willingham said.
Started at Nebraska
Not bad for a guy who was wondering about his role on the team just a month ago.
Zbikowski was a highly touted recruit out of Buffalo Grove High School in Arlington Heights, Ill., a Chicago suburb. He gained some fame for writing a weekly diary about being a top recruit for ESPN.com. He was recruited to play quarterback at Nebraska, but wanted to play defense.
"I like hitting people," he said in his first diary entry. "It's the reason I've always loved boxing. It's the reason I get angry when my coaches hold me out of football tackling drills."
Despite how highly touted he was and all the accolades, Zbikowski did not play as a freshman. He got a lot of practice with the first-team defense in the spring, though, with starting free safety Quentin Burrell injured. He made the most of his chance and was named outstanding defensive player of the spring game.
He also worked with the first team the first week of practice in August while Burrell sat out with another injury. When Burrell returned and Zbikowski was moved to backup, Zbikowski left campus and returned home for what he termed personal issues. There was speculation in the media that Zbikowski was considering transferring, but he denied that.
He returned to practice and was a surprise starter at strong safety against BYU. Through three games, he is third on the team with 18 tackles. Willingham said what impresses him most about Zbikowski is his toughness, which he said stems from his boxing background.