The Mighty Quinn

John Mooney Reports That Big Things Are Expected From Notre Dame's Star Quarterback In 2006

"If he wins the Heisman, that probably means we win the National Championship."

Notre Dame's head football coach Charlie Weiss certainly has big expectations for the coming season. His star quarterback, Brady Quinn, is the highest returning vote getter from last year's Heisman Trophy balloting (for college football's top player). Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish are expected to win their first national championship since 1988.

Quinn, who finished fourth in the Heisman voting, has already broken every major Notre Dame passing record. The 21-year-old has a 6' 4", 230-lb. physique that Michelangelo could have sculpted and the looks of a male model. Indeed, Brady Quinn leads a charmed life.

Coach Weiss revived Notre Dame football in a big way in 2005, thanks in large part to Quinn's golden arm. While they lost to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl last January, they are an early favorite to become the national champions this season. Brady Quinn has graced the cover of every preseason college football magazine on the newsstands; if someone other than the ND senior wins the Heisman this year, it will be a surprise.

With one year left in his college career, Quinn already ranks first on Notre Dame's all-time list for most touchdown passes, attempts and completions, and yards. Last year, he completed 292 of 450 pass attempts for 3,919 yards and led all college quarterbacks with 32 touchdown passes, including a record six in one game versus BYU. His touchdown passes in 15 consecutive games shattered John Huarte's school's old mark of 10 set in 1964, the last time a Notre Dame quarterback won the Heisman.

Despite all his accomplishments last season, Quinn feels his best is yet to come. He desperately wants to go out on top, especially after his team's disappointing Fiesta Bowl performance. The quarterback is using last year's disappointments as motivation in the new season, which begins on Saturday, Sept. 2nd vs. Georgia Tech. The game will be televised nationally on ABC, beginning at 8:00 p.m.

Interestingly, he is the second great quarterback named Brady that Charlie Weiss has guided to unprecedented success. The former offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots is also credited with molding two-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady into one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL. Although the no-nonsense coach and his star player had an early adjustment period, their partnership helped lead the Fighting Irish to record of 9-2 with a Bowl appearance.

"He is always pushing us to get better," said Quinn, whom many claim was the most improved player in all of college football in 2005.

Quinn's supporting cast includes his favorite target, 6' 5" All-America wide receiver Jeff Samardzija, who caught 77 passes last year. (Interestingly, Samardzija's summer job was pitcher in the minor league system of the Chicago Cubs. He throws a 95-mile-per-hour fastball.) The quarterback's other top receiver will be Rhema McNight, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, but led Notre Dame in catches the two previous years. Running back Darius Walker, who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards last season, also returns.

It seems fitting that Quinn graduated from high school in Dublin, Ohio, to become quarterback of The Fighting Irish. An exceptional athlete with a disciplined work out routine, he also was an all-conference baseball player and was listed in Who's Who

Among America High School Students. His room was decorated with Notre Dame memorabilia since he was a little boy, and his family has produced a number of athletes. Older sister Laura played lacrosse, and younger sister Kelly, a high school soccer All-American, plays for the University of Virginia.

A football star and a former catalogue model, Quinn is the object of affection for countless female fans and bloggers, many of whom have written Internet postings that cannot be reprinted here. He understood going into Norte Dame that fame would be part of the equation.

"It's part of the job here," said Quinn, who is majoring in finance and political science.

"Autographs, phone calls to the dorm from strangers, it all comes with the territory. It's not a problem, it's just part of being in a great tradition at Notre Dame."

"Being the Notre Dame quarterback is a privilege and honor. Meeting former Irish quarterbacks like Joe Montana really made that clear to me," he said of NFL legend Montana, with whom he has spoken several times about their common experience.

"He's really helped me deal with the enormity of being the quarterback here -- both the good and bad of it. Having the greatest quarterback of all time helping you out is an amazing thing."

"I chose Notre Dame because it just seemed like I belonged here - and it will probably always be like that for me."