When Notre Dame takes on Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national championship game, there may be a noticeable jersey on the Fighting Irish sideline.
With one of the most recognizable uniforms in all of college football, Notre Dame tweaks its traditional jersey by adding players name on the back of the jerseys during the postseason. During the run toward the matchup with Ohio State, the players’ last names have been spotted in each playoff game.
However, one of the names will stick out over the rest of the Fighting Irish, and that’s because it’s not written in a way you’d typically see on a jersey. Meet junior cornerback Charles Du.
Who is Charles Du?
A native of Beijing, China, Du is in his first season at Notre Dame. The 5-foot-9, 181-pound walk-on hasn’t appeared in a game this season.
Charles Du jersey’s nameplate
What’s drawn attention for Du is his nameplate. He opted to have his name written in Chinese instead of English to honor his heritage. It became a viral moment when he wore his uniform in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia, when Notre Dame wore its white road uniforms and was easy to spot with the blue font color.
Du’s jersey is similar to what former Arizona State running back Jackson He did. In 2020, He had his last name also written in his native language, and he became the the first Chinese-born player to score a touchdown in FBS history.