Graduate student Logan Platz is the second coming of “Rudy.” He walked on to the football team as an offensive lineman in January of 2016 after transferring from Holy Cross.
Plantz was also a member of the rugby team his freshman year and additionally won Bengal Bouts. Luckily for the other members of the men’s boxing club, the 6-feet-2, 292 pounder has not made a return to the tournament since claiming his title.
History is important for him as well, Plantz said, as he comes from a long lineage of Notre Dame football. His father Ron graduated from the University in 1986, and his older brother Tyler walked onto the team as a running back and graduated in 2014 and now serves as a special teams analyst under Brian Polian.
“Having two great role models kind of portrayed what Notre Dame meant, especially being a part of representing the greatest university in the world,” Plantz said. “Wearing the gold helmets — nothing will ever surpass that feeling, the pressure, the emotions, the integrity that it holds.”
Plantz said he is thankful for each and every day he gets to spend with the squad and will always remember their times together.
“Just every day; every day can be a highlight,” Plantz said. “Just being a part of this. Growing up dreaming of being at Notre Dame, it’s one of those things — every day is a highlight.”
Plantz received offers to go to other schools, but he decided to follow in the footsteps of his brother and his father, rejecting those offers and transferring into Notre Dame from Holy Cross.
“Notre Dame is where I wanted to be, seeing how much of a great, powerful and amazing institution this is and what it does and truly holds,” he said. “Everybody always spoke about what Notre Dame is about, and I never really had a true taste for it, but I had a pretty good sense. I realized I wanted to be able to understand what this university is and what it is about. So I set my mind up, fulfilling my lifelong dream as a child as being a part of the world’s greatest university and the world’s greatest football team. I took an adverse path of a post-graduate year out of high school and going to Holy Cross for two semesters and achieving academic success to fulfill entering this university.”
Plantz said he credits his brother and father for his growth and development as a player at Notre Dame.
“Especially with my dad but even with my brother, Tyler,” he said. “Day in and day out, I have his guidance, and I have his hope. He is always there to turn back on and seek advice and motivation and give me a daily check of where I am and what I am doing. I never take a day for granted.”
As for his plans after this season, Plantz graduated in May 2018 with a degree in political science from the College of Arts and Letters. Although he will be seeking warmth after spending nearly five years enduring the cold winters of South Bend, he has a pretty “chill” job lined up ahead of him.
“I’m heading down to Austin, Texas, to work for Yeti Coolers,” Plantz said of his future plans.
