Kevin Clifford/Nevada Appeal
Jim deArrieta might be the only Northern Nevadan who will be rooting against the University of Nevada on Saturday when the Wolf Pack tees it up against Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.
DeArrieta, who graduated from Humboldt County High School in 1966 and lives in Carson City, is believed to be the only Northern Nevada player ever to play and graduate from Notre Dame. DeArrieta played freshman football in 1966 and went on to play two varsity seasons as a flanker and punter for legendary coach Ara Parseghian before graduating in 1970.
He played with Terry Hanratty, Joe Theismann, Rocky Bleier and Kevin Hardy to name a few of the great Irish legends.
"I bleed blue and gold," said deArrieta as he walked into his den where he has a room full of pictures, Notre Dame garb and other Irish memorabilia. "I love Nevada, but not when they are playing the Irish.
"I'm a little concerned about the game. If Nevada were ever to beat Notre Dame this would be the year. (Colin) Kaepernick can play with anybody in the nation."
DeArrieta will be in attendance Saturday, as he has been for every home game the past seven years. The Notre Dame alum, who owns a home about five minutes from the Notre Dame campus, works as an usher on game days.
DeArrieta, who is in the Humboldt Co. High Hall of Fame and also has worked with the Carson football team for more than 20 years, hadn't been back to his alma mater for around 30 years because of his coaching responsibilities.
"Nine years ago I went back to a game, and I was hooked," deArrieta said. "Once I saw the campus again, I knew I had to be a part of it. That's when I met the guy in charge of the ushers and talked to him about working."
DeArrieta works in one end zone where his biggest responsibility is to make sure on-field media people stay in their assigned areas, and to make sure people with pre-game field access are back in the stands by the time the game starts.
"It's pretty hard duty," deArrieta joked. "I get to watch the game. I don't have to have my back to the field like the ushers up in the stands do."
DeArrieta likes to show people around the campus. To him, the whole campus is a shrine.
"Most people get it, but some don't," deArrieta said. "I still get chills (when I'm there). It's hard to explain. It's in my blood, no doubt about it."
Punting for a job
DeArrieta credits Bob O'Connor, his Humboldt County coach, for getting him to Notre Dame and
teaching him to punt.
"He took an interest," deArrieta said. "He's the one who taught me how to kick. He knew what it took to get a kid into college."
It was O'Connor that told deArrieta's dad that he needed to get film on his son playing.
"My dad got a a camera, my brother took game film and I started writing letters and sending them out," deArrieta said. "I was recruited as a quarterback, and the first day I was moved to wide receiver. There were six quarterbacks on my field. Of those six quarterbacks, only two remained quarterbacks and four went somewhere else (other positions)."
DeArretia said there were just three freshman games scheduled that year. The rest of the time, the freshmen were just daily scrimmage fodder for the varsity squad, which went on to win a national championship.
In 1967, deArrieta was a member of the scout team. He knew he had to do something to get on the field for the next season.
"I had two guys ahead of me (at flanker)," he said. "My junior year all I did was punt. My senior year, I punted and alternated at flanker.
"I think I averaged around 40 yards. We did a lot of "bunt punting" to try and get the ball inside the 20. Back then we didn't punt a whole lot because we had a pretty good offense. I remember my first game as a junior we didn't punt at all. I wanted to get that (first game) out of the way."
DeArrieta played in the 1970 Cotton Bowl, which was Notre Dame's first bowl appearance in 45 years after a self-imposed ban because of academics. Notre Dame lost to Texas 21-17.
One of deArrieta's prized possessions from his days at Notre Dame is his 1966 championship ring. When the rings were first handed out, members of the freshmen team didn't get one, according to Jim Merlitti, deArrieta's college roommate.
"Jimmy led the charge," said Merlitti, a lawyer in Ohio. "He's all about equity. Nobody ever brought it up until Jimmy thought about it. They went to the older players and asked them if we deserved it. They (the older players ) stepped up and so did Ara (Parseghian). We got our rings two or three years ago.
"Jimmy is one of those guys that will do anything for anybody. He has a big heart, no doubt about that. He was the fastest guy on the team and a very good punter."
Not slowing down
DeArrieta is a fixture at Carson practices. He walks with a slight limp, the result of a recent knee replacement.
"I love it," deArrieta said when asked what keeps him going after 20-plus years working with high schoolers. "I love being around the kids. I used to be able to show them (physically) until I got my knee replaced.
"I try to come up with nicknames for them if I can come with something that makes sense. This is my way of giving something back."
Carson coach Blair Roman has been with deArrieta for nine years, and he loves the way the veteran coach operates.
"His biggest strength is that he communicates so well," Roman said. "Kids gravitate toward him in a positive manner. He gives the kids nicknames and they love it.
"Jim tries to make the kids self sufficient; make the kids feel comfortable. He tries to train them so when something doesn't go right, they know what they did wrong and can make the adjustment."