The strength to persevere

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Don't expect George West to take the field Saturday wearing platform cleats and a pinstriped jersey.

Lame fashion ploys designed to make someone look taller don't suit West, a sophomore wide receiver for Notre Dame. He knows that his height -- listed at 5-feet-10 on the depth chart but 5-8 in the team's media guide -- is something he can't change.

Instead, West has taken great measures to develop the things he can control: his muscles, his speed, his endurance and his preparation for college football.

And with height-obsessed skeptics still chirping in the back of his mind, West is determined to measure up.

"A lot of people say I'm too small to do the job, I'm too small to be able to make plays on this level," West said. "It's been a big thing to me to go out there and prove myself.

"This is just another chance for me to do that -- and get significant playing time doing it."

West is expected to make his first career start at wide receiver Saturday when Notre Dame opens the season against Georgia Tech (2:30 p.m., Channel 5). As coach Charlie Weis unveils his mystery starting quarterback, West will play a critical role in shaping the new-look Fighting Irish offense.

"I've got to go out there and show these people what I'm about," West said.

The need to validate himself to others is nothing new for West, especially because of his height.

He was an all-state wide receiver and defensive back at Northeast Academy in Oklahoma City, earning scholarship offers from several Big 12 schools. But Oklahoma was not one of them. Even Oklahoma State, the team West grew up rooting for, showed some initial reluctance.

"Really, Oklahoma came in the race late," West said. "They kind of left me out for a while. No hard feelings, but size was a big factor."

The Sooners' definition of size must have been limited to height alone. One look at West's sculpted frame showed a high school athlete ready for the college game.

West started powerlifting as a high school junior and placed third in the state meet (Northeast Academy won the championship). Despite weighing only 172 pounds when he signed with Notre Dame, West could bench press nearly 300 pounds and squat 455.

"There's nothing better than to look in the mirror and say, 'Oh, yeah, I'm getting bigger, I'm getting stronger,' " said West, listed at 197 pounds. "People are going to try and attack you, so I'm going to bring a little punch to the game myself."

West remains a weight-room warrior at Notre Dame.

"He's a beast," wide receiver D.J. Hord said. "He's strong to be that little. He can put up a lot of weight."

West's upper-body strength helps him run-block and fend off physical defensive backs. His leg strength builds endurance.

"You have to be able to recover," said Notre Dame wide receivers coach Rob Ianello. "You have to be able to run, run, run, run, and then come back and run again.

"George embraces being physical."

West was one of three players in his recruiting class -- running back James Aldridge and guard Chris Stewart were the others -- to enroll a semester early at Notre Dame, arriving in January 2006. The decision helped him adjust academically, bond with teammates and acclimate to football in spring practice.

The payoff came last September in Atlanta, as West took the field for the season opener against Georgia Tech.

"Crazy," West said of the atmosphere. "And the first kickoff comes to me."

His mind raced. Fortunately, so did his legs, and West returned the opening kick 33 yards.

"I always envisioned scoring a touchdown, and when I saw the lanes open up the way they did, I was thinking, 'Oh, man, here it is, right here,' " West recalled. "Unfortunately, it wasn't a touchdown, but it was a great play to get us started.

"Everybody I knew, didn't know, used to know, sent me text messages. I had phone calls, voicemails, everything. It was great."

West returned 12 kicks, averaging 26 yards per runback. He also caught 2 passes and scored a touchdown on an 11-yard end-around against Purdue.

With Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight graduating, West steps into the starting spotlight alongside another sub-6-foot wideout, junior David Grimes.

The hope is West and the 5-10 Grimes can mirror the small, effective receivers Weis coached with the New England Patriots, players such as Deion Branch (5-9) and Troy Brown (5-10).

Though West and Grimes are linked by their height, there's one problem.

"I think I'm taller than David, and David thinks he's taller than me," a smiling West said. "We go back to back all the time. My shoulders are higher than his, and he claims his head is higher than mine.

"So if you get us mixed up, we might have something to say."

Can any of their teammates settle the debate?

"I don't know," quarterback Evan Sharpley said. "We might have to measure it."

Added Hord: "I'd say David's got him by an inch or 2. David's taller, but George is stronger."

West accepts the short-but-strapping label. And his height is not without its perks.

"A smaller receiver means a smaller target for the defense," he said. "It's a plus toward getting off the line of scrimmage; it's a plus to get in and out of breaks.

"If you can get open, tall or not, you can be a successful receiver."

The West file

Name: George West Jr.

Class: Sophomore

Size: 5-10, 197 pounds

Position: Wide receiver

Hometown: Spencer, Okla.

Experience: Had 2 receptions and an 11-yard touchdown run as a true freshman. Averaged 26 yards on 12 kickoff returns.

Quote: "He's very quick, has great speed. One of his greatest strengths is his route-running ability. He's very precise."

-- Evan Sharpley, Notre Dame junior QB