Currently, he ranks ninth in Notre Dame history with 103 receptions.

Add to this the fact that with any semblance of a good year in '06, he will become not only the school's all-time catcher but will also earn the distinction of being the only player in ND annals to have snared at least 40 passes in three seasons.

That's some fairly heady stuff! That's a resume of which one could be proud. Accomplishments worthy of puffing out your chest, right? 

And yet, it's not nearly enough. Plenty of unfinished business still remains. The job is hardly complete.

And therein lies the story.

Hard as it may be to believe, wideout Rhema McKnight, the owner of the aforementioned achievements, still must prove himself. In many regards and in many ways. And to many people. Perhaps even to himself.

To begin with, the nearly 6-2 McKnight must prove he has overcome both the physical and mental remnants of a knee injury that short-circuited his 2005 season.

But that's just the beginning of what lies before him.

The fifth-year senior from California must also show he can be a prolific disciple of Charlie Weis and put up the kind of numbers expected of a starting receiver in the ND coach's wide-open offense.

In other words, McKnight must prove to be a worthy complement to All-American Jeff Samardzija and compensate for the considerable void left by the departure of his good friend and standout Maurice Stovall.

For the Irish offense to keep humming along and not suffer a slowdown, McKnight must provide Brady Quinn with another dynamic and consistent option.

And perhaps most importantly, McKnight must develop a nose for the end zone. Despite his notable deeds to date, the 212-pounder hasn't exactly been a touchdown maker in his career.

Seven scores in three seasons doesn't exactly excite anyone. McKnight must decide to make scoring touchdowns a high priority if he wishes to be considered a go-to stud. Hitting pay dirt should be among the foremost things on his mind.

No one can know for sure to what degree Rhema will bounce back after missing virtually the entire campaign last year. Too many variables are involved and some legitimate doubts do linger.

But his return to prominence is all the more essential given the youth and inexperience of those wideouts listed behind him and Samardzija. It would be a stretch to expect youngsters like David Grimes and D.J. Hord to take up the slack should McKnight falter.

If McKnight fails to come back hungrier and even better than before, it could cause the seemingly unflappable Weis some anxious moments.

But thankfully, that doesn't seem to be the case. Initially, the outlook is good. McKnight seems primed for a more than successful comeback.

McKnight's efforts during spring ball engendered lots of optimism. No less a keen observer than Weis himself noted that his veteran  receiver was moving with quickness, running crisp routes and that his hands were sure and steady.

Brady Quinn quickly seconded Weis' evaluation. The stellar quarterback happily conveyed that he and McKnight had reestablished their connection on the field. Their feel for one another was back and their simpatico was once more in evidence.

That sense of trust and confidence that Quinn had in Stovall to get it done has now been transferred back to McKnight. And with nary a reservation. To Quinn, McKnight is a rock upon which he must and can rely.

Now all that remains is for McKnight to do something he has done many times in the past. Simply put, prove himself on the field. Show that his truncated season of '05 was merely a minor roadblock and not a serious detour.