Posted: Jan. 29, 2010
Last year's Best of the Midwest honoree
Watt hopes to crack lineup under new ND coach
BY PERRY A. FARRELL
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
Since Chris Watt moved from star offensive guard at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Ill., to freshman hopeful at Notre Dame, he has added more than just 10 pounds of muscle on his 6-foot-3 1/2 -inch, 305-pound frame.
As a reserve, he faced the Fighting Irish's No. 1 defense.
He quickly learned that the speed of the game is different, and now that Brian Kelly has replaced Charlie Weis as coach, Watt -- the Free Press Best of the Midwest honoree last season as a five-star player -- hopes to put that knowledge to use as he tries to dent the two-deep chart along the offensive line.
"I think the biggest adjustment for me has been balancing football and academics," Watt said. "Being in college you spend a lot of time on the football field, so it's an adjustment balancing being a college player. The speed of the game is like fast-forward. I have five classes, then there's football practice. You're always working.
"In high school, I was able to get away with some stuff, leaning on a block or striking a guy and being able to push everyone around the field. Here, it's a lot more technique. You have to really work hard if you want to get a pancake block."