Manti Te’o blends Mormon beliefs into Notre Dame campus where he is leader of football team

Manti Te’o feels at home in South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Manti Te’o left the beautiful vistas, the sand and the ocean of his native Hawaii for a long journey to Indiana, where he’s found peace and a new home as the leader of Notre Dame’s defense.

As a Mormon, there is much more to his life than just knocking down ball carriers as a linebacker. There is self-discovery, sacrifice and an inner discipline.

A highly regarded prep recruit from Punahou High School — a guy named Barack Obama attended the same school — Te’o came to Notre Dame despite the lure of places closer to home like Southern California.

And after an adjustment period, he made an impact last season when he started 10 games and had 63 tackles, the third most ever by a Notre Dame freshman.