You could tell something about that night of Notre Dame football was different for one particular player by seeing his sweat-soaked T-shirt. 
You could tell something about a College Football Playoff semifinal against Penn State was different for one particular player by looking at his flushed face. 
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Standing against an interior wall of a Hard Rock Stadium locker room late last week without pads and a helmet, Irish offensive lineman Tosh Baker looked more bouncer than football player, all 6-foot-8, 325 pounds of him. He looked like someone you definitely didn’t want to mess with over a $10 cover to hear an 80s band and consume watered-down drinks, but something about Baker’s disposition gave him away. 
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His smile made him look more teddy bear than bouncer. 
Baker stood there and smiled wide for all to see. Didn’t matter that midnight had come and gone and he could have used a shower and some fresh clothes, and a Gatorade or two, but if Baker had to stand there against that wall for another 30 minutes (even though the interview period was set to close in four) he wouldn’t have minded one bit. 
Baker became the latest Irish — position doesn’t matter, class standing doesn’t matter, playing experience doesn’t matter — to go from afterthought to excellent. In a 27-24 win over Penn State, Baker played his role as an emergency left tackle after starter Anthonie Knapp hobbled off with a high left ankle sprain. 
“You hate to see a teammate go down, but the opportunity presented itself,” Baker said. “It was my turn to step up and I had to deliver my best. The guys next to me deserve it. I had to do my best for the guy next to me.” 
One more week is all that remains in the college football career of Baker, and he’s glad for that. He might start Monday against No. 8 seed Ohio State (13-2) in the College Football Playoff national championship. He might make way to Charles Jagusah, who was supposed to open the season as the starting left tackle before suffering a pectoral injury on the first day of camp. 
He’ll prepare the same way, regardless. It’s a tenant of this program. 
“It’s every person in this program putting this football program in front of itself,” head coach Marcus Freeman said. “We need you to execute your role, whatever that role is, to the best you can to make sure that we can achieve the results that we want. That’s what we’ll continue to preach.” 
Baker will play his part. He and his brothers are one game, four quarters, 60 minutes away from the school’s first national championship since 1988. That’s all that matters. 
“We’re going to the natty,” Baker said. “Wow. It’s everything you dream of as a kid. How cool is that?” 
So cool. It’s amazing to think of how many injuries at critical positions that Notre Dame has suffered this season. The Irish have won 13 straight games and carry a 14-1 record into Monday’s championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and your first question is, well, how? 
More like … HOW?!?!? 
How does Notre Dame lose two starting left tackles (Knapp was ruled out Sunday by Freeman), a starting left guard, a starting center and starting right guard? How does it lose a starting running back for some plays here and a series there, a starting quarterback to concussion check for a series against Penn State and the team’s leading receiver in terms of catches to a calf strain? 
That’s just on offense. 
Lose even one of those aforementioned players for a game, and going 14-1 should land somewhere between impossible and improbable. Not happening. Notre Dame just keeps on keeping on. Staggering. Stunning. 
“It’s the standard of this team,” Baker said. “You’ve got to perform at the same standard and give your best to help this team succeed. That’s all that matters — doing your job the best you can for the guy next to you.” 
There’s so many good stories up and down the depth chart, and Baker certainly is one. He returned for a fifth season not necessarily to start on the offensive line (though it would’ve been nice), but to be a part of something he believed was special. 
When Jagusah was lost for the regular season on the first day of camp, Baker was inserted into the starting left tackle spot. Offensive line coach Joe Rudolph talked at length that summer day about having confidence in Baker. Pat Coogan, who started the year as the backup left tackle but is now the starting center, talked at length about the trust he had in Baker. 
Notre Dame was rolling with Baker. It did for barely one full practice. Knapp stepped into the spot and started all 15 games, relegating Baker back to a backup. If you thought he could have and probably should have left at the end of spring, no one would’ve blamed him if had chosen to leave in August. Like, that’s it, I’m out of here. 
Baker took the opposite approach. He was going to stay ready and if Notre Dame needed him somewhere down the line, he’d be ready. 
The Irish needed Baker in the biggest game it had played in years. Decades. One win from advancing to the national championship, and Baker got the call. The Irish plugged him in at left tackle for the entire second half. They then rolled up 24 points and 262 total yards (102 rush, 162 pass) and banged through the game-winning field goal with seven clicks on the clock. 
A veteran responded like a veteran. 
“I’m just happy I did it,” he said. “It wasn’t perfect by any means, but I put my best on display for the guy next to me and that’s what I’m proud of.” 
His job done well, Baker couldn’t stop smiling down there in South Florida as Thursday became Friday. Next week remains unknown, but he’s going to stay ready. 
Again. 
Always. 
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com

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