Denman Voted Irish MVP Against Nebraska
UHND.com - Frank Vitovitch
September 12, 2000

Notre Dame, Ind - In a game where the Notre Dame defense sparkled, it is fitting that their leader was voted MVP by the viewers of UHND.com.   A total of 929 voters keyed in giving Notre Dame's captain linebacker 422 votes for a total of 45% of the vote.  To anyone who watched the game, the results of this poll are not surprising.  Anthony Denman was all over the field and displayed courage and heart.

Anthony Denman was one of the bright spots on a defense that had a nightmare of a season a year ago.  His motor never stopped and he was wherever the ball was all the time.  Nothing has changed this year except this year he is a captain and is leading by example.

During the game Anthony was bleeding at some point.   Instead of getting it all cleaned up and what not, Anthony wiped off the blood, put on his helmet and went back out for battle.  He was throwing his body around and making plays.  He lead the team with 13 tackles and sacrificed his body for the team.

Notre Dame's defense in general has been much improved from last year.  The Irish were laying hits on Nebraska all day long and didn't let up at all.  The aggressiveness is a pleasant surprise after last year's defense lacked the killer instinct and was beat up by inferior offenses especially late in the season.

Denman is showing the Notre Dame faithful and the rest of the college football world why he was on the preseason Butkus Award candidate list.   After two games he has 21 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and a sack.  He and the defense will need to show up big time once again this weekend when Purdue travels to South Bend.  Notre Dame's defense will need another strong performance for the Irish to beat the #12 Boilermakers with the Irish offense struggling on top of having a quarterback take his first college snap.

Rocky Boiman came in second place in the voting with 23% of the vote (218).  Boiman was all over the field all day as well.  He sacked Crouch on a critical series in the fourth quarter and played with everything he had.   It angers me when people post that this kid is not good.  His is the best linebacker on the team after Denman.  He never stops playing and is always around the ball.  A move to defensive end could push his sack total way up since he is one of the best pass rushers on the team.

Notre Dame's special team heroes combined for 20% of the vote (17% to Jones but only 3% to Joey Getherall).  The return men tied this game for Notre Dame while the defense was busy shutting down a high powered offense.  Notre Dame's injured signal caller took home 7% of the vote while the Notre Dame kickers brought in only 1% which tied them with Brock Williams.

This week everyone in this poll will have to step up again, especially Brock Williams.  Drew Brees is going to try to pick the Notre Dame secondary apart and Brock, Tony Driver, Gerome Sapp, Ron Isreal, Jason Beckstrom, Shane Walton, and Clifford Jefferson are going to have their A game this week.  If Notre Dame's secondary can play well, Notre Dame will win this game.  That task however is much easier said than done.