Tim O’Neill was a walk-on spark at Notre Dame—tiny frame, big grit
Tim O’Neill’s Notre Dame story is all about production, resilience, and earning trust: in the 2002 season, the 5-foot-6 walk-on running back rushed for 74 yards on 9 carries (8.2 per carry), including a 42-yard run, and was later praised as a rare leadership-council pick for a walk-on. His differentiators were toughness, buy-in, and versatility rather than star-level volume—he was the kind of back coaches lean on when they want dependable effort, positive energy, and a player who overachieves every snap.
