Senior linebacker Manti Te'o has helped Notre Dame to its first 3-0 start since 2002.

Manti Te'o Earns National Recognition

Sept. 20, 2012

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Following his stellar performance vs. then-No. 10 Michigan State, University of Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te’o has been named Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and the Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week.

Te’o totaled 12 tackles, including one tackle for loss, and added one fumble recovery and two pass breakups in Notre Dame’s 20-3 victory at Michigan State. Te’o has now recorded at least 10 tackles in a game 20 times in his Notre Dame career including 11 of the last 16 contests.

A captain of the Notre Dame defense, Te’o helped limit the Spartans to 237 total yards of offense and 50 rushing yards on 25 carries. Michigan State entered the contest averaging 478 yards of offense and 193 rushing yards per game. The three points permitted by Te’o and the Irish defense were the fewest points Michigan State had scored in a home game since 1991.

The Irish improved to 3-0 after the win at Michigan State, the best start by a Notre Dame team since 2002.

The Walter Camp Football Foundation honors one offensive and one defensive player as its national player of the week during the regular season. Recipients are selected by a panel of national media members administered by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

A finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy in 2011, Te’o earned player of the week honors from The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation. In recognition of the honor, sponsors of the Lott IMPACT Trophy will make a $1,000 donation to the general scholarship fund at Notre Dame.

Te’o returns to action at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 21 when Notre Dame hosts Michigan at Notre Dame Stadium. The game is available on NBC.