SOUTH BEND — There's no greater or more glamorous position in sports than quarterback at Notre Dame. After appearing in eight games under center in the fall, Evan Sharpley is starting to draw the attention of pro scouts. Not for football, but for baseball!

“It takes a very special person to be able to be a two-sport athlete at Notre Dame,” admits head baseball coach Dave Schrage.

Likewise, it takes a very special athlete to achieve what Evan Sharpley has these past eight months. After taking the hits in the fall, he’s dishing them out this spring.

"He’s hit some monster home runs,” Schrage said. “You don’t know where they’ll land when they come down! That kind of power isn’t taught, it’s just there.”

Sharpley has 10 home runs so far this spring, which leads the Irish. And given his status as a two-sport star, it begs the question: What’s more fun? Throwing a touchdown, or touching them all?

“It’s so hard to compare both because they’re both awesome experiences,” Sharpley said. “There’s nothing like hitting a baseball where you make a perfect connection and you see it go out — it’s a great feeling. But at the same time when you throw a touchdown pass in front of 80,000 or 90,000 people, and the crowd erupts, it’s a great feeling both ways.”

In addition to leading the Irish in home runs, Sharpley also has a batting average of .343, with 34 RBIs in 39 games. His power has attracted the attention of pro scouts. However, no matter how many home runs he hits, there’s a certain mystique that follows him wherever he goes — the notoriety that comes from being a Notre Dame quarterback!

“We had a series at West Virginia where I took some brutal heckling,” Sharpley recalled. “Probably the worst I’ve been a part of.”

“It was very tough at West Virginia,” Schrage agreed. “I heard more Clausen chants at West Virginia! They were all over him, and then he hit a 400-foot home run to dead center, and the place was pretty silent after that.”

All in a day’s work for the busiest kid on campus.