The Most ‘Violent,’ ‘Dangerous’ Notre Dame Player On The Field
In the 2013 biopic “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Academy Award-winner Leonardo DiCaprio depicts Jordan Belfort, the founder of the brokerage house Stratton Oakmont and a crooked stockbroker who defrauded his customers out of $200 million.
In a pivotal scene from the film, Belfort informs a crowd of disappointed employees that he’s stepping down from Stratton Oakmont and walking away from the securities industry as part of a deal he cut with the SEC to avoid any serious legal percussions. But halfway through his impassioned speech, he flips the script.
“You know what, I’m not leaving. I’m not leaving. I’m not leaving!” shouts Belfort as the crowd of his employees erupts.
While powerful, this declaration voids his deal with the SEC and sets in motion Belfort's eventual demise. By the end of the movie, he’s sentenced to four years in federal prison and ordered to pay back $110.4 million.
Still, over the years, this clip has become a popular GIF and has been shared widely across the internet and social media.
Thus, when Notre Dame nose tackle Kurt Hinish announced on Jan. 4 that he was returning for a fifth season, he had his face imposed over DiCaprio’s at the moment Belfort has a change of heart.
He wanted Irish nation and his teammates to know he wasn’t leaving.
Unlike Belfort, Hinish’s intentions are selfless and pure. He’ll continue to be a positive influence on society, as well as on Notre Dame.
“I love this university, and I want to give my all to this university, just like it's given a lot to me,” Hinish said. “After the [Rose Bowl loss] last year, it left a sour taste in my mouth. I had one more year that was offered, so I took the opportunity to stay.”
A fifth-year was made available to him because the COVID-19 pandemic enticed the NCAA to grant all college football players an extra year of eligibility. Over the last four seasons, Hinish has played all but one game — Notre Dame’s 48-37 win over Wake Forest on Nov. 4, 2017.
Thus, he was unable to redshirt as a freshman.
In total, Hinish has already played 50 games for Notre Dame, starting 25. If the Irish make the National Championship game this fall, Hinish could play as many as 64 games over the course of his career.
The general consensus is that such a feat would easily set the all-time Notre Dame record for games played.
“When the season ends, if that's the case, I would be happy if that's how I left my mark on this program,” Hinish said, “but that's not something I'm worried about right now.”
Hinish, instead, is fixated on honing his craft throughout the spring and summer in order to finish his Notre Dame career on a high note. Even Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly has noted that, despite his extensive experience in the program, Hinish has never felt he could take a play off.
In addition to achieving an all-time high in terms of strength, Hinish is working on several technical aspects of playing along the defensive line. He wants to improve his hand placement and increase the violence in his punch as he engages with offensive linemen.
The 6-foot-1 nose tackle also intends to work on his pad level and to further develop as a pass rusher.
“It's really all about the small and minor details that will really take your game to the next level,” Hinish said.
In addition to developing in the weight room and his technique, Hinish could push his game to another level due to how his role has changed. New defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman has implemented a scheme that Hinish and several other Notre Dame defenders have said will allow them to play fast and “cut loose.”
Hinish also says that in Freeman’s scheme, he spends less time occupying double teams from opposing offensive lineman and garners more one-on-one opportunities with the center, a matchup he rarely loses.
At 296 pounds, Hinish weighs less than most Power Five nose tackles, but his size allows him to be an athletic and agile playmaker in the middle of the Irish defense.
He proved this throughout the 2020 season. Over the course of 12 games, Hinish finished with two sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss, the third-most on the team and an uncommon achievement for a nose tackle.
If Freeman really is able to put his nose tackles in a more favorable position to make plays, perhaps it’s feasible for Hinish’s havoc rate to see a noticeable uptick in 2021. At the same time, he’s not the type of player to chase personal accomplishments or pad his stats.
Any plays he makes will come from within the defensive system and with a ferocity rarely matched in college football.
“Every time I step out on the field, I tell myself to be the most violent and dangerous person on it,” Hinish said.
The other area Hinish feels he can take on a bigger role is as a leader, even if that also incorporates staying true to his personality. He’s never been the “rah-rah, cheerleader-type,” but the effort he displays on each and every rep as a “SWAT Team” captain for offseason workouts carries weight with his younger teammates and coaches.
Then there's his cutthroat mentality on the field, which is contagious and pushes those he goes against to try even harder. If they ease up for even one play, he'll expose them.
“I don't like losing with anything I do, whether it be board games I play with my family or out on the football field,” Hinish said. “I'm just very competitive. I've always been that way. Anytime I step onto the field, it's always in the back of my mind that I really don't want to lose to anybody.”
No wonder the entire program was pumped to learn he wasn't leaving.
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