Oct. 28, 2010
Chris Watt, a sophomore guard from Glen Ellyn, Ill., is ready to make an impact in his second season with the Irish. Watt spent his freshman season learning from a veteran group of starting offensive lineman and is competing for playing time in the interior of the Irish offensive line. Watt, who was ranked the best guard in the country by Scout.com his senior year of high school, should be a fixture on the Irish line for years to come. GameDay’s Tom McGuire gives Irish fans a chance to get to know Chris Watt.
McGuire: Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?
Watt: I put on some eye black, listen to some “Explosions in the Sky” from the Friday Night Lights soundtrack and that’s pretty much it.
McGuire: If you could trade places with Coach Kelly for a day, what would you do?
Watt: I would take the team to a water park.
McGuire: What is your favorite Coach Kelly saying?
Watt: “What do you have to bring to the table today?”
McGuire: What’s your earliest football memory?
Watt: I remember in sixth grade playing center and being able to play with my brother. That was a lot of fun.
McGuire: What TV show do you never miss?
Watt: Eastbound and Down.
McGuire: What would you like to see happen before you leave Notre Dame?
Watt: I’d like to see us win a national championship.
McGuire: What do you miss most about home?
Watt: My friends and family back home, plus the food.
McGuire: North of South Dining Hall?
Watt: South. I live in Keough Hall so it’s closer, plus I think it’s just plain better too.
McGuire: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring three things with you, what would you bring?
Watt: My IPod, Tyler Stockton for comedy and a Steak ‘n Shake.
McGuire: If you were playing any other sport, what would it be?
Watt: Baseball. I played baseball up until my freshman year and liked it a lot. I played first base and pitcher growing up. I actually thought I was going to play in college, but something else happened.
McGuire: If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be?
Watt: Abe Lincoln, President Obama and Dick Butkus.
McGuire: What’s the hardest part of being a student athlete?
Watt: I would say it’s definitely time management.
McGuire: Do you have any hidden talents?
Watt: Well, I can play the piano. I took piano lessons for about five years.
McGuire: What one stadium would you like to play in, but haven’t been able to yet?
Watt: Soldier Field, but we’re going to be able to do that soon. I’m definitely looking forward to that one.
McGuire: What is your major, and why does it interest you?
Watt: I’m in the Mendoza College of Business, but I haven’t decided on a major. I’ll probably major in management or marketing. Both of those areas interest me because I like working with people and with a team.
McGuire: What attracted you to Notre Dame?
Watt: The people and the players that were here, and this beautiful campus.
McGuire: What one word would your teammates use to describe you and why?
Watt: They’d call me an ox; a nasty, agile ox though. They mean it in a good way.
McGuire: Where is your favorite place to study on campus?
Watt: Coleman-Morse. I definitely think CoMo is the best place to study on campus.
McGuire: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned while playing at Notre Dame?
Watt: This place is very important to a lot of people, and it’s a real blessing to be playing here. It’s important to just be physical and be confident in your abilities.
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