Ismail Says He’ll Leave Notre Dame : College football: Irish star’s reality check leads to his desire to collect an NFL paycheck.

It wasn’t until the morning of Jan. 3, when he awoke to news so heartbreaking that he still nearly cries just thinking about it, that Raghib (Rocket) Ismail knew he had to forgo his senior season at Notre Dame and join the NFL.

Standing before him that morning at his family’s home in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., was his brother Qadry. He had just heard the report.

“Rocket, I don’t know how to tell you this,” Qadry said tenderly, “but Chris’ mom passed away.”

That would be sweet Zora Zorich, whose son, Chris, played nose tackle for the Irish. She had died in her tiny Chicago apartment shortly after watching Colorado defeat Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl.

Playing in his final collegiate game, Zorich was virtually unstoppable that night. It was probably the best performance of his career. A sure high-round draft choice, Zorich was planning to move his mother from her rough South Side neighborhood at 81st and Burnham into something more fashionable and safer. It was going to be his way of saying thank you.

Instead, she was gone. Ismail couldn’t and still can’t remove the image from his mind. If you want to understand why he formally declared himself available Thursday for the draft, look no farther than his family.

“It was so ironic,” Ismail said, his eyes moist with tears. “All (Chris’) life he’s been striving and working to get to this situation where he could finally make it better for her and, like, literally the day he could have done that . . . she passed away. I was, like, ‘Wow, life’s crazy.’ You just never know. I was, like, ‘Man, what if that ever happened to me? What if something like that happened and I was always banking on taking care of my mother and my brothers and one of them would suddenly up and go?’ It just made me think, ‘Hey, don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.’ ”

So he didn’t. With the blessings of his mother, of Irish Coach Lou Holtz, of his teammates, Ismail walked into a local television studio Thursday and said he was ready to leave the security of Notre Dame for the financial security an NFL contract will provide.

“This decision wasn’t one that happened overnight,” he said. “Throughout this whole entire ordeal, as soon as the Orange Bowl was over and especially after my friend Chris Zorich’s mother passed away, it’s something that made me realize that things in life don’t always happen the way you expect them to.

“Honestly and truly, when people asked me if I was planning on going to the NFL, I had no aspirations whatsoever of doing so. However, when it got to the point that his mother passed away, it was kind of a reality check for me. It made me feel that I wanted to do something for my mother and my family and I was thinking about waiting, but salary caps and everything aside, hey, what if the people you want to do something for aren’t there next year? It really crushed me.”

Ismail becomes the 12th undergraduate and fourth wide receiver to forfeit his remaining eligibility for the draft April 21-22. His speed, as well as his versatility as a kick returner, flanker and sometime running back make him the likely No. 1 choice, although there are rumors that the New England Patriots, who hold the first selection, are entertaining trade offers.

Coincidentally, the Patriots are now coached by Dick MacPherson, the longtime Syracuse coach who offered Qadry Ismail, a redshirt sophomore wide receiver, his college football scholarship.

One supposed scenario has New England swapping the No. 1 pick for the Detroit Lions’ first-round selection and quarterback Andre Ware, a former Heisman Trophy winner. The Lions would then take Ismail, where, if all went well, he would shine in Detroit’s run-and-shoot offense.

Of course, this matters little to Ismail, who said he has no preferences, except for maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers, his favorite team.

“I’ll play anywhere,” he said. “Anybody who picks me, I’ll be happy to play for them.”

Ismail’s decision wasn’t altogether surprising. Despite his mid-December announcement that he would return to Notre Dame for his senior year, rumors persisted that he might opt for the draft. As it became clear that he would be the likely No. 1 or 2 choice, Ismail began reconsidering his stance.

There were other factors, among them the possibility of an NFL rookie wage scale. If actually implemented by the league, rookie salaries would be reduced.

Last year’s No. 1 pick, Jeff George, a quarterback, signed a six-year, $15-million deal with Indianapolis. Ware, who went through last season’s draft as an undergraduate, received $5 million over four years from the Lions.

Also important was the advice given to Ismail by Holtz.

“He told me basically about reality,” Ismail said.

Holtz, who was on a recruiting trip Thursday, spent a season as coach of the New York Jets. He is well versed in the pros and cons of a pro career. In this case, he approved of Ismail’s choice.

“After visiting with him, I am convinced he is happy with his decision,” Holtz said in a statement distributed by the Notre Dame sports information department. “Because of this, we are very happy for him.”

Ismail, who finished second to Brigham Young quarterback Ty Detmer in the most recent Heisman race, may be best remembered for a play that didn’t count. His electrifying 91-yard punt return in the waning moments of the Orange Bowl would have won the game for the Irish had a clipping penalty not nullified the play.

Ismail, projected as a wide receiver, caught 38 passes for 756 yards this season in the conservative, run-oriented Irish offense. Yet, he accounted for six touchdowns and 156.6 all-purpose yards a game. In three seasons, he returned five kickoffs and one punt for scores. So careful were opposing teams, that few coaches instructed their kickers to aim his way. Miami did and Ismail returned it 94 yards for a touchdown.

Despite his departure, Ismail vowed to return to earn his degree. After this semester, he will be 30 credits shy. He also warned Notre Dame opponents not to overlook next year’s Irish.

“I feel sorry for anyone who feels sorry for Notre Dame next year,” he said. “They’re in for a rude awakening.”

Minutes later, he was off. He may soon be gone, but he won’t be forgotten. There, in the Notre Dame bookstore, is a healthy supply of blue, corduroy baseball caps with Rocket printed on the front.

“They’re selling really well,” a bookstore clerk said.

Of course they are. The caps are collectors’ items.