Scott Raridon knows about responsibility.
He's a husband, a father and a senior offensive lineman for Notre Dame to boot.
A member of the small group of married college athletes, Raridon said his family supports his playing football, and he enjoys the tiring life of a football player and family man.
"For me, it's fulfilling because I feel like the breadwinner almost from [playing football] because I get like a stipend and I'm paying for education through it," he said. "So, I feel more motivation to ... be successful in school and in football. And then when I come home at the end of the day to see them and have my son scream my name and run over to me is very satisfying."
Raridon is a scholarship backup center and long snapper for the Irish.
He said he uses football lessons as life lessons, incorporating what he finds on the field into his personal life. He said one of those lessons came after the first game he ever played.
In Sept. of 2003, Notre Dame faced Washington State, and Raridon had been promoted to starting long snapper.
"It was my first game ever playing and on my first field goal snap, I looked between my legs and I got really nervous, and I biffed the snapped, and Nick Setta ended up missing the kick," Raridon said.
He said what transpired the rest of the afternoon restored his confidence and gave him reason to come back and try even harder. Setta converted his next four field goal attempts in regulation, then hit the game winner in overtime, for a school-record five field goals in one game.
"So that kind of taught me that sometimes in football you screw up, but you've got to come back and keep going, because they're going to need you later on," Raridon said. "And so, to come back and snap one in overtime for the game winner, after having my first one being a dud, that was something that taught me a life lesson and a lot about football, too."
That would not be the only game-winning field goal that Raridon snapped in 2003. In Nov., he sent the ball back on D.J. Fitzpatrick's 40-yard game-winning field goal against Navy to extend Notre Dame's winning streak over the Midshipman to 40.
Raridon said that was one of the most gratifying moments of his football career.
"It was very satisfying for me to feel like I actually helped in the win," he said. "A lot of the times I'm just snapping extra points and stuff like that, so you really don't feel like you did a whole lot as much as like Brady or Zbikowski or those guys. But that game, it felt really good. I tell you what, I was really nervous, but after it was over, the feeling was irreplaceable."
But Raridon knows not every moment of his football life is as rewarding as that, and he said sometimes he wishes he could spend more time with his family.
"Sometimes there are days when I just want to go home and be with my family, and it hurts me a little bit to not be able to be there with them," he said. "But, at the same time, they are supportive, because they know how much good it's doing for us and our family getting the degree and getting the experience for the future."
He is a management major in the college of business and credits Irish coach Charlie Weis with bringing a businesslike mentality to the team. Looking back at his time at Notre Dame, Raridon said he is happy he made the decision to come to Notre Dame.
"I know this was the right decision because I know that if football doesn't work out [as a profession] - and I don't think it will - I'll be better off for coming here."
