SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Luke Talich picked a path in college football that mirrors one of Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman’s mantras: Choose hard.
Talich, a 6-foot-4, 213-pound safety heading into his junior season this fall, committed to Notre Dame’s football program as a preferred walk-on. The Irish specifically recruited Talich out of Cody, Wyoming, to join their program without a scholarship guarantee.
After playing in eight games as a freshman primarily on special teams, Talich was awarded a scholarship the following March. He became one of the 85 full-ride scholarships Notre Dame was allowed to provide for active players on its football roster, per NCAA rules.
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Those rules could be changing soon. On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken is scheduled to hold a final settlement hearing in the House vs. NCAA class-action case. The proposed settlement, if approved, could bring FBS roster limits of 105. All 105 of those players could be supported by scholarships, but players like Talich are concerned those scholarships could end up going to highly recruited prospects or transfer portal acquisitions rather than walk-ons with big dreams.
“I think it’s tragic, honestly,” Talich said Friday after Notre Dame’s eighth spring practice. “As a walk-on myself, if I was two years younger, I would never have that opportunity. I don’t know what the system is. I don’t know how it has to work. But there’s gotta be some system for walk-ons, I believe.”
Talich grew up a Notre Dame football fan, so he made an effort to put himself on the Irish radar by attending a camp in 2022 before his senior season at Cody High. His only scholarship offer at that point came from NAIA-level Montana Tech. Not a lot of eyes were on him at Cody High where the student enrollment total was 629 in Talich’s senior year.
Even though Talich, who played quarterback and safety in high school, won a Class 3A state championship in football at Cody in 2020 and 2021, he accepted the reality of becoming a walk-on at Notre Dame. According to the Rivals database, Notre Dame hasn’t offered a scholarship to any recruit in Wyoming since at least 2002 when the database first started.
Talich did have other scholarship offers from the likes of Oregon State, Utah, Washingon State, Wyoming and Colorado State, but he believed Notre Dame was where he was meant to be.
“I feel like I kinda represent kids like that who come from small communities, want to go big and don’t really ever have those opportunities,” Talich said. “Because the truth is you’re never gonna get recruited from Notre Dame in Cody, Wyoming. Ever.
“I had to come here in order to get a chance. So, I came to a camp. There’s so many kids that have that same mentality. … Why would they give a kid from Wyoming who doesn’t play any competition a scholarship? They’re not going to, because they don’t know enough. It is difficult for kids who would grow up in small towns. I don’t know the solution.”
The proposed solution will likely leave some of Talich’s current teammates who are walk-ons without roster spots. The Irish have 106 players listed on their spring football roster and have at least 14 players still left to join this summer with 12 incoming freshman recruits and two expected transfers.
Talich said some of his teammates are worried about their spots on the roster moving forward.
“Of course. They gotta do their thing. They gotta fend for themselves. They gotta look out for their well-being,” Talich said. “They gotta have a plan if they do get cut, because they don’t know. And I don’t know how that’s gonna be communicated or whatever.”
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Fortunately for Talich, he isn’t fighting for a roster spot. He’s fighting for a spot in the starting lineup. Talich is one of a few safeties vying for the opening left behind by two-time All-American Xavier Watts. Notre Dame recruited Virginia Tech’s Jalen Stroman as a potential starter out of the transfer portal, but Stroman has been sidelined this spring by a broken collarbone that didn’t heal correctly after injuring it last season.
That’s given Talich, who totaled 20 tackles last season, even more opportunities to prove himself this spring. It’s a big similar to the circumstances that Adon Shuler took advantage of last year to propel himself in the starting lineup. At this time last year, Shuler showed his potential in the spring while incoming Northwestern transfer Rod Heard II had to wait until the summer to join the team. Shuler went on to finish fourth on the team in tackles (59) and tied for second in interceptions (3) last season.
“That was a great example,” Talich said. “Adon last year, he kinda knew it was his time. He took full advantage and didn’t let anyone come in and mess with it at all. That kinda speaks volumes about who he is as a person. He’s ultra-competitive.
“Of course, I’m gonna learn from that and ask him what he did, things like that. That’s kinda the mentality I’m bringing in this spring. I’m just gonna get better, get what I deserve. I know what I’m worth. I’m approaching it in that way.”
Most of Talich’s playing time last season came on special teams. Per Pro Football Focus, Talich played 168 snaps on special teams and 98 snaps on defense. He contributed in all 16 games on special teams and in nine on defense, primarily in lopsided results.
Talich forced a Northern Illinois fumble on a punt return in the fourth quarter of ND’s 16-14 loss to the Huskies. The Irish failed to recover the ball on a play that could have changed the outcome.
But Talich’s most memorable play of the season came late in a 52-3 victory over Florida State. Talich intercepted a third-down pass by Brock Glenn intended to hit running back Lawrance Toafili in the flat and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown.
“It was definitely a surreal moment,” Talich said. “I kinda read the quarterback’s eyes a little bit and just made a play on the ball.
“Honestly, I blacked out. I didn’t really know what was going on. I get kinda made fun of in the locker room, because I was kinda running super slow. I was locked. I was blacked out. My body was tense. I was not running right.
“It was a big moment. When I caught the ball, I was just thinking, ‘Don’t get caught by this backup quarterback.’”
Watts intercepted 13 passes in his final two seasons at Notre Dame. The way Talich reacted on that pass showed he could be a playmaker as well. He wanted to make a statement even though it was late in a blowout win. Any time Talich can draw comparisons to Watts should help his ability to play more.
“X’s instincts were out of this world as you guys saw,” Talich said of Watts. “He was always around the ball. Even in high school, that’s what my dad taught me. If you finish the play and you’re in the framework of the ball, then you’re doing the right thing.
“Just being around the ball is something that X obviously thrived at. That’s something that I want to obviously carry in my game as well.”
Talich’s father, Jim, coached him at Cody High. That’s when Luke Talich learned the importance of communication on the field, which he’s shown early in his Notre Dame career. Defensive back coach Mike Mickens described the younger Talich as consistent in his communication.
“He’s been growing each year, that’s the good thing about him,” Mickens said. “He makes strides each year. More confident, and it’s happening again this spring.”
Talich laughed at the thought of how much he’s grown since he first enrolled at Notre Dame. Playing safety was a lot easier at Cody High with fewer pass coverage responsibilities. But he’s putting all the knowledge and experience he’s gained to use this spring.
Given his path to Notre Dame, Talich knows opportunities like this are limited. He wants to know he gave everything he could regardless of the outcome.
“I’m just focused on myself every day,” Talich said. “I can’t control any of those outside factors, but I’m just trying to get better every single day. I’m getting a lot of reps with the ones. I have a lot of confidence in myself. I think I’ve built a lot of trust with my coaches and my teammates.
“The biggest thing is just building, getting better every single day, learning, polishing my game. That’s kind of what I’m focused on right now.”
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