Walton started football to make his coach proud — his soccer coach, that is
By JOE HETTLER
Associate Sports Editor
Throughout his football career, Irish cornerback Shane Walton always wanted to make late Notre Dame soccer coach Mike Berticelli proud.
It's safe to say Walton has done a good job of that.
Berticelli gave Walton an opportunity to tryout for the football team before his sophomore year, even though the young superstar led the Irish soccer team in goals and was an All-Big East second team selection the year before as a freshman.
"[Berticelli] was my foot in the door," Walton said. "He wanted what was best for me and not what was best for the soccer team. That shows the true meaning of a man right there."
Berticelli's sudden death in 1999 was one of the hardest experiences Walton's ever had to endure.
"The way I got through [his death] was just knowing he was up there, looking after me, and it was his dream for me to succeed," Walton said. "If I could do that, then I'd proven something."
Berticelli's selfless act changed Walton's life forever and gave the Notre Dame football program an outstanding leader as well as a great football player. To cap off an illustrious career and 2002 season, Walton was named a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski award Tuesday, an award given annually to the best defensive player in the country.
"I had a goal," Walton said about changing sports from soccer to football. "I think if you don't set goals then there's something wrong with you. My first year I just wanted to learn the system, and if I played, it was a bonus. My second year I wanted to do well, my third year I wanted to be good, and my fourth year I wanted to be great. I'm almost there. We still have three games to go so I'm not there yet, but I want to make my mark on Notre Dame."
Walton's climb from standout soccer player to standout football player didn't come without its setbacks. After making the team as a sophomore, Walton stood on the sidelines and hardly saw any action.
"I've never sat the bench in my entire life, and that was hard for me to deal with," Walton said. "But you have to deal with it, and I think I learned from it, as far as watching the other players ahead of me."
Walton waited his turn and used one of his biggest assets — his work ethic — to put himself in a position to start in 2000. He also added weight to his then 175-pound frame.
"I basically had to change my body, the structure of my body from a soccer player to a football player," Walton said. "Football is a lot of burst, so I had to put about 10 pounds on. … I think [starting and being successful] is a tribute to my work ethic. I believe anyone can do anything they want to do. It's just a matter of how hard you're going to work to attain that goal."
In 2000, Walton recorded 31 solo tackles and assisted on nine others. One of the highlights of the season for Walton occurred when he intercepted Purdue's Drew Brees and returned the ball 60 yards for a touchdown in Notre Dame's win over the Boilermakers. Walton also led the team in minutes played that season until breaking his right forearm against Rutgers.
Just a year later, 2001 was a very bittersweet season for Walton. He had a breakout year, quickly becoming the leader of the Irish secondary by blocking a punt against Nebraska that set up the only Irish score of the game. He went on to record 43 tackles, a sack and seven tackles for a loss that season.
However, Notre Dame struggled to win and finished just 5-7 under former coach Bob Davie. The season challenged the Irish, as well as Walton, to rise above the criticism and the bad aura surrounding the team.
"It was hard for me," Walton said. "I hate losing. I think anyone that is OK with losing is a loser. So I was definitely not all right with it. It was frustrating, but I still had fun. I love doing what I'm doing."
After 2001, Walton had to decide whether he would leave school or come back for his fifth-year of eligibility. When making his decision, Walton thought back to his goals and knew he had not attained all of the ones he set before himself. So the decision to stay was made.
"I didn't think I was proven yet," Walton said. "I think I still had a lot to prove. I just wasn't ready to leave. This place kind of grows on you. I thought I was a pretty good player [in 2001], but I still think I had a lot of room to improve."
So Walton returned to a team that had been through losing seasons in two of the last three years, a coaching controversy and rape accusations aimed at four players. Despite these obstacles, Walton kept working, kept improving and kept his focus on helping the 2002 Irish football team.
He knew things could change quickly.
"I'm not too big on the individual, but for the team I definitely expected this [success this season]," Walton said. "You look at some of the games we lost last year … I knew we had talent, it was just a matter of bringing it all together."
New coach Tyrone Willingham brought all that talent together this season as the Irish sit on a 9-1 record heading into the seniors' last home game of their careers. Much of Notre Dame's success this season has been attributed to the defense, particularly a devastating secondary that has made big plays all year, and Walton has had a hand in his fair share of those game-turning plays.
He picked off three passes against Maryland in Notre Dame's 22-0 season-opening win. He came back two weeks later and broke up a potential game-tying 2-point conversion against Michigan, then sealed the upset win by intercepting Wolverine quarterback John Navarre late in the game. Walton also recovered a fumble and forced another in the 25-23 victory.
With the Irish offense struggling three weeks later against Stanford, Walton had an 18-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Cardinal and also served as a gameday captain. Against Air Force, Walton had another interception and recorded four tackles against the talented Falcon option attack.
In arguably Notre Dame's biggest game of the season at Florida State, Walton shined, recording a career-high nine tackles and breaking up three passes while again serving as a captain.
Walton attributes his knack for big plays to playing in important games throughout his life. He also credits the coaching staff for putting him in a position to be a playmaker.
"I think I've been in so many big games in my career in both soccer and football," Walton said. "I've been in so many big games where [now] the pressure doesn't really get to me, and I'm able to come through.
"I believe a lot of [being in a position to make plays] is game planning by the coaches," he added. "They let me know what's going to happen, and if I'm able to pick up on that, I'm able to be at the right spot and make a play."
With his senior season almost over, Walton knows NFL teams will be looking at him as a high round draft pick. ESPN's Mel Kiper recently projected Walton to go as high as the late second round. But Walton isn't concerned about that just yet. He knows the Irish still have a season to finish.
"It's a dream [to go pro]," Walton said. "It'd be a dream come true if that would happen, but right now I'm taking it one game at a time. That's what I think you have to do to get there."
As a leader on and off the field, it's easy to see Walton's impact on Notre Dame's 9-1 record at this point in the season. With his goals close to being reached, no one could be prouder of these accomplishments than Walton.
Except, perhaps, Berticelli.
All Sports Stories for Friday, November 22, 2002
