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Joe Borchard has experienced Tyrone Willingham's glare more times than he cares to admit, so he has to laugh now when he hears Notre Dame players talk about the look their new coach gives them when they've done something to raise his ire.
Borchard, a rookie center fielder with the Chicago White Sox, played quarterback for Willingham at Stanford from 1998 to 2000. The former Camarillo High football and baseball star keeps up with his former coach and takes a special satisfaction from the magic he's working in South Bend.
Notre Dame, a 5-6 team a year ago under Bob Davie, is 10-1 going into Saturday's showdown with USC (9-2) at the Coliseum. With the 10 victories, Willingham became the winningest first-year coach in Notre Dame history.
Borchard, who is playing winter ball in Puerto Rico, expected nothing less when Willingham left Stanford after last season for South Bend.
"I'm not the least bit surprised," Borchard said. "What I learned, and what the Notre Dame players are finding out, is that it's a privilege to play for Coach Willingham, a special experience. The guy has so many great qualities as a human being and a coach. He'll leave his mark at Notre Dame just like he did at Stanford. I mean, he took us to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 30 years. That says a lot."
And about the Willingham glare, that stern look he flashes at players, Borchard grew accustomed to it over the years.
"As a two-sport athlete and a full-time student, there were times when my schedule got pretty hectic because I had so many different obligations," Borchard said. "And every once in a while I'd go into Coach Willingham's office to talk to him about it, sort of tell him I was getting pulled in different directions and there was...