ND's Crum not afraid of 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-America 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 news conference 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 by 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 5 losses, but he volunteered for an inordinate amount of blame.
After a 2-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," Irish coach Charlie Weis said. "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 Crums."
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 who 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 about. 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 '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, 3. 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.
Boston College (6-0) at Notre Dame (1-5)
When: 2:30 p.m. at Notre Dame Stadium
TV: Channel 5 Radio: WLS 890-AM Series: ND leads 9-7
Coaches: Boston College's Jeff Jagodzinski (6-0, first year at Boston College and overall); Charlie Weis (20-11, third year at Notre Dame and overall)
Players to watch: Beside that Matt Ryan guy, Boston College has plenty of playmakers, including senior running back Andre Callender, who averages 5.1 yards a carry. Senior free safety Jamie Silva ranks second nationally in interceptions with 5. … Notre Dame senior safety Tom Zbikowski has forced a turnover in each of his last two games. Last week he recorded his first sack since Nov. 5, 2005, against Tennessee. The Irish are still searching for a running game and need either sophomore James Aldridge (38.7 ypg) or freshman Armando Allen (19.5 ypg) to step it up.
The skinny: Notre Dame finally ended its losing streak and gets the chance to upset a team that has broken hearts in South Bend several times. It won't be easy against Ryan, arguably the nation's best quarterback, and an opportunistic Boston College defense that is tied for third nationally in turnovers forced (19). The Eagles have won four straight against the Irish, including three of the last four at Notre Dame Stadium. The teams will meet every year through 2010, but there are no plans to resume the natural rivalry, largely because Boston College left the Big East and Notre Dame will begin playing three Big East teams every year beginning in 2011.
-- Adam Rittenberg