By David Haugh
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The spirit of Randy Walker will be felt Sunday at Super Bowl XLIV.
Saints backup offensive tackle Zach Strief, who played for Walker at Northwestern, credits the late Wildcats coach for instilling a work ethic and thinks about him all the time -- especially this week as Strief considers his good football fortunes.
"I give 90 percent of my success to Randy Walker," Strief said Tuesday at Super Bowl Media Day. "He kind of taught me how hard you had to work. It was something I didn't know. A lot of the ways I live my life came from him, and, of course, my parents (Cathy and Doug)."
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The spirit of Randy Walker will be felt Sunday at Super Bowl XLIV.
Saints backup offensive tackle Zach Strief, who played for Walker at Northwestern, credits the late Wildcats coach for instilling a work ethic and thinks about him all the time -- especially this week as Strief considers his good football fortunes.
"I give 90 percent of my success to Randy Walker," Strief said Tuesday at Super Bowl Media Day. "He kind of taught me how hard you had to work. It was something I didn't know. A lot of the ways I live my life came from him, and, of course, my parents (Cathy and Doug)."
Since Walker's sudden death in 2006, Strief has kept in touch with
Tammy Walker, Randy's widow. Strief helped make arrangements so Tammy
Walker could attend Sunday's game at Sun Life Stadium.
"She's come to a couple of our games this year and it's always special," Strief said.
Strief, 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, blocks on Saints' extra-point and field-goal attempts and also reports as a tackle-eligible in New Orleans' jumbo, short-yardage package. He has made even more important contributions in the New Orleans community, where last month his foundation helped raise more than $100,000 for at-risk kids in Louisiana.
He has immersed himself in the local culture so much that a New Orleans restaurant named a hamburger after him, with a percentage of proceeds from the sale going to charity.
Every day, Strief strives to give somebody the kind of break he received.
"I didn't think I would get to play at a place like Northwestern coming out of high school, and I thought I'd need a degree so that's why I went to Northwestern. ..so that was surprising I played there and now this ...," Strief said. "It's a lot of hard work and a lot of meeting the right people along the way."
He remains a loyal alum and was in the Saints' weight room working out New Year's Day, but worked up his biggest sweat watching the Wildcats rally to take Auburn into overtime in the Outback Bowl. Strief's reaction to coach Pat Fitzgerald's decision to attempt a fake field goal, which failed, was one shared by many Northwestern fans.
"When I saw the guy going in motion, I said, 'Fastball,' [the name of the play], and we're going to score,'' Strief said. "I loved the call. You had to go for it."
"She's come to a couple of our games this year and it's always special," Strief said.
Strief, 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, blocks on Saints' extra-point and field-goal attempts and also reports as a tackle-eligible in New Orleans' jumbo, short-yardage package. He has made even more important contributions in the New Orleans community, where last month his foundation helped raise more than $100,000 for at-risk kids in Louisiana.
He has immersed himself in the local culture so much that a New Orleans restaurant named a hamburger after him, with a percentage of proceeds from the sale going to charity.
Every day, Strief strives to give somebody the kind of break he received.
"I didn't think I would get to play at a place like Northwestern coming out of high school, and I thought I'd need a degree so that's why I went to Northwestern. ..so that was surprising I played there and now this ...," Strief said. "It's a lot of hard work and a lot of meeting the right people along the way."
He remains a loyal alum and was in the Saints' weight room working out New Year's Day, but worked up his biggest sweat watching the Wildcats rally to take Auburn into overtime in the Outback Bowl. Strief's reaction to coach Pat Fitzgerald's decision to attempt a fake field goal, which failed, was one shared by many Northwestern fans.
"When I saw the guy going in motion, I said, 'Fastball,' [the name of the play], and we're going to score,'' Strief said. "I loved the call. You had to go for it."
Register with Chicago Tribune and receive Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks newsletters for free. 
When sports news breaks, be the first to know. (To get alerts on a mobile device, text CHISPORTS to 31286.). 
Leave a comment