IRISH INSIDER: Lopienski happy to do the team's dirty work
By MATT LOZAR
Sports Writer
Most football fans notice Notre Dame fullback Tom Lopienski when he doesn't do his job instead of when he does. But two weeks ago, the senior's name was announced for doing something good, and it wasn't just throwing a block.
Unfortunately, Lopienski wasn't able to enjoy his first career-rushing touchdown as much as he should have. Lopienski's touchdown put the Irish ahead 9-7 in the second quarter against lowly Navy.
"During that game, things weren't going too well so I was more mad throughout the whole game," Lopienski said. "Things weren't going so well for the team so I was more focused on that than the touchdown being a big thing for me."
Even though the Irish were able to pull out the 30-23 victory, Lopienski hasn't focused on his moment in the sun.
"I just keep on working hard," he said. "I block, and to score a touchdown is a perk, but I am just as happy to throw a good block and let [Irish running back] Ryan Grant or somebody else score."
The fullback's role on offense is to open holes for the running backs, block blitzing defenders and, basically, help the offensive line do the dirty work. Even watching the fullback and concentrating on him every play doesn't necessarily reveal if he is playing well.
"Basically, it is like an offensive lineman, if you just focus on that player during the game, it's pretty hard to tell if they are doing their job," Lopienski said. "Any time you get in the open field and you can see the fullback making a block for the tailback then you can tell he is doing a good job."
The change to the pro-style offense brought by Irish coach Tyrone Willingham and his coaching staff hasn't resulted in a big change in Lopienski's role.
"I am getting the ball maybe a couple times more, but basically it is just blocking and I have no problem with that," Lopienski said.
Coming from Walsh Jesuit High School in Ohio, Lopienski had scholarship offers from Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State. The Parade prep All-American was rated as one of the top 100 high school players nationally by The Sporting News, Chicago Sun-Times and Dallas Morning News.
However, seeing his older sister Sarah run track for the Irish and knowing his dad Tom was a cornerback for the Irish in the '70s made Lopienski's decision easier.
"My dad came here and my sister came here who ran track here although she got scholarship opportunities to run elsewhere," Lopienski said. "I followed her pretty much, you know the big sister — go with her.
"Notre Dame has a good football tradition and I thought it was the best choice."
Although he has played in every game in which he has been eligible, what Lopienski will remember most won't be the plays on the field.
"I would say the friendships on the team stick out the most and is what I will remember the most with the guys on the team, the guys in my class the year before," Lopienski said. "Just remembering those memories of joking around, winning games and losing games you don't remember too much about that.
"You just remember the good times you had with your teammates."
All Sports Stories for Friday, November 22, 2002
