Oct. 25, 2006

Irish head coach Charlie Weis talks about Notre Dame’s senior left tackle and all-star candidate, Ryan Harris.

Q. Beyond experience, what separates Ryan Harris from other left tackles that are in the college game?

COACH Charlie Weis: First of all, there aren’t too many guys playing left tackle that are really left tackles in the eyes of pro guys because left tackles are guys that have to be able to have the athleticism to handle an edge rusher by themselves, which is normally the blind side of a righty quarterback. There’s guys that are over there playing left tackle that as soon as you get to the NFL they go to right tackle because they’re more slug-it-out type of guys.

The first thing he has is the athleticism to play left tackle. What he’s done this year is added a lot of upper body strength, and that was really the direction we gave him. So a year and a half ago, we started giving it to him in December of last year, that that should be his goal, and he’s now got a much stronger upper body.