ND linebacker Crum not afraid to embrace his role as a team leader

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Maurice Crum Jr. appeared ready for his close-up.

Turns out Notre Dame's defensive co-captain just wanted to pass inspection.

On Friday Crum's father, Maurice Crum Sr., was scheduled to arrive on campus from Florida to see the Irish linebacker for the first time since his extraterrestrial performance against UCLA when the senior made 7 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, 1 sack and scored a touchdown. Those numbers earned Crum national defensive player of the week honors and credibility everywhere but at home.

Crum knew his dad, a first-team All-American linebacker at Miami in 1990, would talk more about the senior's hair than his harassment of quarterbacks. That's why the Irish linebacker arrived as his press conference on Thursday sporting a nearly shaved head.

"He hates my hair being long so I don't want to give him anything," Crum laughed.

But Crum should get a lecture on calling home too late.

Leaving the Rose Bowl last Saturday night, Crum burned up his cell phone minutes until nearly 1 a.m. with his dad, not letting him get a word in edgewise. The linebacker needed the release considering the toll taken a Notre Dame's season that remained winless until that 20-6 upset of UCLA.

Misery has been on scholarship around here lately, but Crum has suffered a rougher ride than most. He didn't play poorly during Notre Dame's first five losses, but he volunteered for an inordinate amount of blame.

After a two-tackle performance in a loss at Purdue last month, Crum scribbled "you owe them" on the dry erase board in his dorm room. Never mind that it was the offense that turned the ball over four times and managed just 49 yards rushing.

"There's a lot of guys that are much more insecure, and they don't want to be blamed for the loss, whereas he wants to take the blame for the loss," said head coach Charlie Weis. "He doesn't even care if you blame him. He's already taken the blame for the loss long before you start divvying it out yourself.

"Not everyone knows all the players personally, but you'd want 100 Mo Crum's"

Crum's teammates see it too, from those bloodshot eyes after a Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State two years ago to the tear that ran down his face after falling at home to Michigan State last month. There might be players that take losing as hard as Crum, but nobody takes it worse.

"He thinks those losses are on him as an individual, which I can really respect," said sophomore running back James Aldridge. "As a young guy you have that mentality that maybe because you're getting minimal reps that this isn't my fault. We've got to understand that everybody plays a role on the squad."

Crum delivers his message via deed more than word, although he's a long way from the shy freshman that teammates once clowned. Three years ago Crum was so shy that he didn't say a word at a dinner during which he was supposed to get to know the rest of the roster.

After sitting mute for the meal, some players told the waitress it was Crum's birthday, a move that triggered a wait staff serenade followed by balloons tied to the freshman's wrists. Those inflatables didn't make it home, set free once Crum stepped into the parking lot.

"As a young guy not really knowing who's who and what's going on, it is kind of the older guys poking fun and having fun with me," Crum said. "Now I look at it and laugh at it. At the time, it wasn't very funny."

"It took him a good two or three years before he started being vocal," said fifth-year senior linebacker Joe Brockington.

Not that Crum now offers weekly orations.

Aside from challenging Aldridge to a season-long competition, Crum doesn't say much. The linebacker and running back track who's delivering the most hits each day, a credit going to Crum when he sticks Aldridge in the hole and the sophomore picking up points for escaping the senior.

"Last week in practice he stuck me pretty good in the hole and he was like ȢȢ‚ˆ¬Ãƒâ€¹Ã…“Yeah, that's a W for me,' " Aldridge said. "It's probably like 7-to-8, advantage Aldridge."

Now that will get Crum talking.

"James is wrong," Crum said. "The last one I won counts for, like, three. I'd say it's more 12-7 me."

Consider that another stat in the Crum's favor.

The linebacker will take any victory he can get.