Te'o Declines Mission, to stay at Notre Dame
Per ESPN.COM
"Brian Kelly has just scored his first victory at Notre Dame.
Star linebacker Manti Te'o has reportedly decided to spend the next three years with the Irish instead of taking his Mormon mission, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Te'o was rated as the top defensive recruit in the nation last year. He played in all 12 games and was fourth on the team in tackles with 63 though he didn't assume a starting role until midway through the year.
Te'o's father, Brian, told the Tribune via a text message that Manti "knows why he was inspired to choose ND and is committed to spending the next 3 years there." Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints usually take a two-year Mormon mission after their 19th birthday. But Te'o apparently will make his Notre Dame experience his mission.
Te'o will be a huge building block defensively for Kelly and the Irish, who struggled on that side of the ball the past few seasons under former coach Charlie Weis."
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4772902
December 26th, 2009 at 7:16 PM ^
Meyer likely to take Notre Dame Mission Position
December 26th, 2009 at 7:20 PM ^
Now we'll never overthrow the Empire. He was our last hope.
Ohh, that kind of mission. Sure, whatever you say, T'eo.
December 26th, 2009 at 7:22 PM ^
Inspired to play football at ND? Does that mean God wants him at ND instead of out on a mission?
December 26th, 2009 at 8:09 PM ^
Wile E. Coyote. SUUUPER Genius. +1.
The real question is will BK be able to get Mr Fabulous out of his sweet gig at the Chez Paul? I hear he's pullin' down six bills a week!
December 27th, 2009 at 1:47 AM ^
DON'T YOU BLASPHEME in HERE.
December 26th, 2009 at 7:38 PM ^
Resurrecting ND football may be seen as a tougher challenge than your traditional mission trip!
December 26th, 2009 at 7:41 PM ^
may have just cut the nuts off any future hopes of Mormon recruits, especially from the heartlands in Utah/Colorado/Nevada. Although, that may be saying like he just cut the lifeline of Polish theoretical physicists. (Note: I'm Polish, so I can make that joke)
In all seriousness, as a devout Catholic myself, I think there may also be a lot of devout Catholics who also may take this the wrong way, and that is definately a ND pipeline. Kelly talking a player into football over religion may not be a message that plays out well in some traditional Catholic high schools, especially those who still hold the notion that "ND is a chosen place"...
December 26th, 2009 at 7:46 PM ^
A bigger problem than a liberal coach who is pro-choice?
I would think keeping him from spreading the word of heathens would be considered a plus!
December 26th, 2009 at 8:08 PM ^
with a edict from the univ president "don't talk about it"
With this, there's no way to deny it. And don't poo-poo the religious angle when it comes to the ND coaching job. It does still mean something in many Catholic communities in the US.
December 26th, 2009 at 8:14 PM ^
I won't buy this argument for one half of a split second. Touchdown Jesus is bigger than Nino Brown. And Mormon missions.
Ultimately, this is Te'o's decision. I know we UM fans are searching for more angles than a geometry teacher these days, but this won't register a blip on even the most devoted Catholic football fan's radar.
December 26th, 2009 at 8:28 PM ^
This will be my last comment, since I don't want to religious war this thing, but I do high school recruiting for UM in the southwest Ohio area at a LOT of Catholic high schools (including some big time athletic programs like CJ in Dayton, Archbishop Moeller in Cincy, etc) and trust me-- it DOES matter to a lot of devoted Catholic football fans' radars, including parents of a number of highly sought after football players. I'm not saying this is going to be a HUGE deal, but it may be one of those little things that gets piled on Kelly if he doesn't jump out of the gate with a lot of wins (i.e. death by a thousand cuts).
December 26th, 2009 at 9:08 PM ^
The only way this is a "HUGE deal" is for negative recruiters. Both Kelly and Teo would be able to quickly put that huge deal to death and that recruiter would look pretty ignorant at the end of the day.
December 26th, 2009 at 8:56 PM ^
It is, was and always will be Teo's decision and his decision alone. Notre Dame is more than a Catholic university, it is a religious university and that is one of the key reasons why Teo came to ND.
Honstly it sounds like your taking this the "wrong way" because your trying to find a reason to dislike Kelly.
December 26th, 2009 at 8:28 PM ^
Eternity mistake right there.
December 26th, 2009 at 8:43 PM ^
He'll be sitting next to the guy doing eternity for eating a beef jerkey on a Friday.
You know the source.
December 26th, 2009 at 9:08 PM ^
People sometimes go later on, in their early-mid-20s, if life circumstances dictate.
Te'o holds deep religious convictions; it wouldn't be surprising if he finished his education and went to do his mission work afterward.
December 26th, 2009 at 9:12 PM ^
Te'o Te'o
Hey MR. Kelly man, telling me to stay put
Mormons calling and me want to go home
Te'o Te'o
December 26th, 2009 at 10:51 PM ^
Here is what Manti had to say if your interested,
http://www.und.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/122609aaa.html
December 27th, 2009 at 12:06 AM ^
That is really too bad. Im Mormon, and the whole mission thing is a very big deal. My father, uncles and an older cousin have all served missions for the LDS church, and they all say it was the greatest decision of their lives. This is a very personal decision and he has to do what he thinks is best for him