He’s been called ‘Rudy… with Responsibility’ by his teammates and has become a fan favorite over the past three seasons because of his sensational special teams plays. Unlike most of his teammates, he blends into the general student body (even serves as a tour guide for all prospective students) like any other male but his story is unlike any other.

Mike Anello was not an all-state football player in Illinois; he did not even make the all-conference team at Sandburg High School in suburban Chicago. Anello was accepted to the University of Notre Dame and was not a member of the football team during his freshman season. In the spring of his freshman year, he endured a grueling tryout process for potential walk-ons and was one of a few players from the Notre Dame student body selected to practice with the Irish that spring and the following fall.

Anello learned to deal with anonymity well, in fact, in 2006 his name was misspelled and he had the wrong position listed next to his incorrect last name in the media guide. Anello did not see the field at all as a sophomore and was used more as a glorified tackling dummy than anything else during his first season on the team. This would be the last season he stood silently on the sidelines and the last time Irish fans would not know his name or position. The 5-10, 170-pound defensive back from Orland Park, Ill., burst onto the scene in the third game of the 2007 season at Michigan. After making one play after another against the Irish first team special teams unit, head coach Charlie Weis moved Anello into the starting lineup against as a gunner.

He recorded a solo tackle on his second play at the Big House and his legend was born. He played in eight games in 2007 as a gunner on the punt coverage team where he tallied six tackles including four solo stops. In August 2008, Weis acknowledged Anello’s skill and talent by awarding him a scholarship for the 2008 season. He was one of just three walk-ons to receive a scholarship for the ’08 season. Anello added the role of gunner on kickoff coverage in 2008 and his production nearly quadrupled as he led the team with 23 special teams tackles. He also forced two fumbles and recovered another fumble.

Anello registered his team-best 23rd special teams tackle on Notre Dame's first punt in the season-finale at, but was lost for the remainder of the season after breaking his leg. He was tied for 10th on the Irish in total tackles, including 15 solo stops, remarkable when you consider he plays exclusively on special teams. Prior to the injury, Notre Dame's opponents had a total of 72 punt (22) or kickoff (50) returns in 2008 and Anello had registered a tackle on 23 of those 72 opportunities. He recorded eight multi-tackle games in 2008. Following the '08 season, Anello shared with team captain Maurice Crum Jr. the prestigious Nick Pietrosante Award, presented each year to the Notre Dame student-athlete who best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and pride of the 1950s Notre Dame fullback. Anello was able to handle his athletic success while still remaining a terrific student. A member of the dean’s list every semester at Notre Dame, Anello graduated in 3.5 years with a finance degree and finished his undergraduate career with a 3.937 cumulative GPA and a perfect 4.0 in his finance courses.

He enrolled in the graduate studies program for the 2009 spring semester and returned in 2009 as a fifth-year senior after being named a second-team Academic All-American. Anello became the eighth player in Notre Dame football history to be selected on more than one occasion (as he added another second team Academic All-American honor this fall). Anello, who leads the Irish in punt return tackles (one), ranks tied for fourth in total special teams tackles (eight) and tied for fifth in kickoff return tackles (seven) this season, was also named one of 10 finalists for the Awards and Recognition Association (ARA) Sportsmanship Award. The ARA Sportsmanship Award is presented annually to an NCAA Division I college football player who exemplifies sportsmanship both on and off the field. The selection of the winner is made by a blue-ribbon panel comprised of retired coaches, ARA executives and members of the media who cover college sports.

Anello turned down job offers from Wall Street to play one more season of football for the Irish and declined the opportunity to earn his MBA from Notre Dame this year to instead focus more of his time during the season on teaching the younger players how to avoid getting blocked on kickoff and punt coverage teams. In the community, Anello has taken part in the Tackle the Arts program which invites South Bend youths onto Notre Dame’s campus to learn about different fine arts programs from members of the Fighting Irish football team. He recently shaved his head in support of St. Baldrick’s Day and he’s participated in various community service efforts in his four years at Notre Dame. Anello has become something of a cult hero among Irish fans.

The fact he is the approximate height and weight of 99 percent of other Notre Dame males on campus makes him unique to the Lott Trophy Watch List. He has the academics portion of the award more than covered virtue of earning his finance degree in 3.5 years while maintaining a 3.937 GPA. Being voted recipient of the Nick Pietrosante Award by his teammates proves his integrity and tenacity as noted by his peers. His commitment to St. Baldrick’s Day and to the kids in South Bend shows Anello is aware of his civic duties and the fact he wants to return for his fifth year and turn down jobs on Wall Street or admittance into Notre Dame’s MBA program so he could instruct his younger teammates displays the maturity he has for a 22-year old. While there are certainly bigger, stronger, faster and more athletic players than Anello on the list, there is not one player that possesses his skill set and unique story that separates him from the other student-athletes.