The many followers of Notre Dame football seem to be pleased so far with Charlie Weis, the team's new head coach. One thing about him is certain - he's a man of his word.

Montana Mazuriewicz was born to be a Notre Dame football fan. The 10-year-old, who lived in Mishawaka, Ind., about four miles from the South Bend campus, was named after the great Irish quarterback Joe Montana. He also has an older brother, his name, you guessed it - Rockne.

Weis visited Montana on Sept. 21, shortly after the youngster was diagnosed with unoperable brain cancer. “It was a very compelling visit, one that I will remember the rest of my life,” Weis told Allison Hayes, a writer who wrote the story for the ND football magazine Blue and Gold.

Weis learned from the family that Montana had a couple of weeks to live. “If you looked at him, you would know that a couple of weeks was more realistically a couple of days,” Weis said to Hayes.

The two talked football and Montana even gave the coach a hard time about the overtime loss to Michigan State.

The courageous fan told Weis he wanted to stay alive long enough to watch Notre Dame beat Washington three days later. The Irish mentor gave Montana some Notre Dame gear, a football, took a couple of pictures and then made him a promise.

During their time together, Weis asked Montana, “What can I do for you? I'll tell you what: What do you want me to do on the first play of the game? Run or pass?. Like any 10-year-old kid, the answer is going to be pass.”

Montana died the following day. He never saw his favorite football team beat the Huskies - but Weis kept his promise.

On its first possession, ND got the ball on its 1-yard line and Weis was thinking, “I have a problem here, Montana had specifically asked for a pass to the right.”

The coach told quarterback Brady Quinn what he was going to do: “We're on the 1-yard line and I've got no choice.”

The play was a bootleg to the right to tight end Anthony Fasano. Fasano made the diving catch and in a rare moment of athleticism, leaped over his defender for extra yardage and a 13-yard gain.

“It's almost as if Montana was willing him to beat that defender and take it to the house,” Weis said.

Weis also made Montana a second promise: If Notre Dame won, he would bring Montana's family the game ball .

“I got the bad news when we were in Seattle that Montana had died,” Weis told Hayes. I called the family home and talked to his brother.“

Rockne told the coach the only thing they really wished on behalf of Montana was the team think of him and play in his memory. Weis said he felt awkward and embarrassed the story became public, but he also appreciated its value to the program.

“I'm not big on, 'Win one for the Gipper'.... but I want people to realize how important they are as football players at Notre Dame,” Weis said.

Montana was not used as a rally post or good luck charm. Rather his life teaches us there are things out there greater than us, and how bad things happen to good people. Montana's strength and courage reflect the image Notre Dame football has projected throughout its 118-year history.

“I hope he's smiling in heaven right now, and I'm glad he's out of pain,” Weis said to Hayes.