​Notre Dame is off to its best start in decades, and Fighting Irish faithful are ecstatic that their team is back in the hunt for BCS tickets. While the offense has been solid for the Irish, it is actually the defense that is the main source of their success in 2012, a surprising development for a team that has not been stout on D for several years. Head coach Brian Kelly and his coaching staff have ND playing very well on that side of the ball, and they are currently ranked in the top 10 in the country in total defense.

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The Irish are led on D by inside linebacker Manti Te’o, who is putting together a memorable final season in South Bend. The senior has developed into one of the most complete linebackers in the country, and he never has to leave the field for the Fighting Irish D. In fact, Te’o is just as adept in coverage as he is against the run, and his five interceptions rank him in the top 10 nationally in that category. His play this season has been so impressive that he is slowly creeping into the Heisman discussion, which is very hard to do as a defensive player. Te’o is not only the defensive catalyst, but he is also the unit’s heart and soul, and the rest of the squad rallies around him. While Te’o was fairly well known across the nation before the season, very few people had heard of sophomore defensive end Stephon Tuitt.

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It is safe to say that has changed, as the dominant lineman has piled up 10 sacks through just 9 games, and is giving opposing offensive linemen a ton of trouble up front. The massive 6-foot-6, 305 pound defensive end showed flashes of stardom a season ago, but his maturation into one of the best defensive lineman in the country has been incredibly rapid. If the Fighting Irish keep playing this well on the defensive side of the ball, they are going to be very difficult to knock from the unbeaten ranks over the final month of the season.

 

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