Notre Dame's 13-6 win over Michigan last week has earned it plenty of recognition, from a top-10 AP ranking to plenty of laudatory comments about how the Irish are "back."
Add Notre Dame's most famous walk-on to the list of those who have taken notice of the Irish's 4-0 start.
"Im excited for them," Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger told CSN Chicago at Monday's White Sox game, where he threw out the first pitch. "Im excited for the fact they found that rhythm, the confidence. Its the first time in a long time we feel passion, which is very important."
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Notre Dame is 4-0 for the first time since 2002, when the Irish wound up going 10-3 under first-year coach Tyrone Willingham. They're in the top 10 for the first time since 2006, which was also the last year the team earned a BCS berth.
And Ruettiger sees that success as the product of the team's coach.
"Im happy for Brian Kelly that he brings the passion to the table, which is good," Ruettiger explained. "I'm just excited. He gets it. When you get it, you can get it done."