Baylor's Ryan Parker (15) carries the ball against Rhea County earlier this season. Parker has committed to attend Notre Dame next fall as a preferred walk-on.
photo by Eddie Davis
“I am going to Notre Dame to compete for playing time and earn a scholarship …. Not just to be a preferred walk-on in football for four years.”
Baylor School all-state linebacker Ryan Parker who will attend Notre Dame next fall
It’s been a dream of Ryan Parker’s since he was three-years-old and watched the movie “Rudy” for the first time.
The Baylor School senior and three-sport athlete (football-wresting-track and field) has decided to attend Notre Dame next fall as a preferred walk-on and play football for the Fighting Irish.
“For me there is not a better feeling than to play college football for the Irish and run out that tunnel in South Bend on Saturday afternoons in the fall,” stated Parker who is all-state in football, a three-time state champ in wresting as well as a state champion in the discus and has a 3.7 grade point average in the classroom.
“I have wanted to play football for Notre Dame since I was three years old after watching the movie Rudy (the true story about a kid from the Midwest who dreamed of playing football for Notre Dame and was a walk-on who eventually earned a varsity letter.)
“I have watched that movie probably a hundred times and can quote just about the entire script by heart,” said Parker with a laugh.
He looks forward to playing on the same field as did Irish greats, including Joe Montana, Paul Hornung, Alan Page, Johnny Lujack, John Huarte, Jack Snow, Tim Brown and Ross Browner,
It’s the gold helmets, the Four Horsemen, Touchdown Jesus and the lore of Notre Dame football coaches from Knute Rockne to Frank Leahy, from Ara Parsegian to Lou Holtz to current coach Brian Kelly
“Coach Kelly loves Notre Dame football and I look forward to playing for him next fall,” Parker stated.
Parker said what sold him on committing to Notre Dame was how the coaches treated him on his recent visit to South Bend the weekend of the USC-Notre Dame game.
“The coaches showed a real interest in me and treated me just like those players who will receive scholarships.
“I will be treated just like a scholarship player, eat meals with the team, practice every day and have the opportunity to earn a chance to dress on game day home or away,” Parker stated.
What to Study: Parker plans to major in bio-medical engineering and wants to design football helmets.
“I have done a great deal of research on how to make football helmets safer and better,” said Parker. “I would enjoy working with Riddell after college and help develop the best helmet possible.”
For now, Parker wants to continue be the best player he can be for Baylor as the Red Raiders prepare for the upcoming playoffs and then it’s on to South Bend and the fulfillment of lifetime – playing football for Notre Dame.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net