Eden Prairie, Minn. ? George O’Leary is rebuilding his reputation by rebuilding the Minnesota Vikings’ defense.

Both were in need of serious help about 20 months ago.

O’Leary resigned less than a week after being hired as head coach at Notre Dame in December 2001, admitting he lied on his resume two decades earlier in an effort to jump-start his career.

Minnesota’s D, meanwhile, ranked 27th in the NFL in the 2001 season. Last year, it wasn’t much better: 26th.

And now? O’Leary, hired shortly after Mike Tice replaced Dennis Green as the Vikings’ head coach, has risen from assistant in charge of the defensive line to — starting this season — defensive coordinator.

His unit ranks third in the NFC, allowing 271.3 yards per game during a 3-0 start heading into today’s game against the visiting San Francisco 49ers.

“He’s the one that gets us prepared,” defensive tackle Chris Hovan said. “He’s the one that gets us the information and puts us in the right position to make plays.”

Sure, it’s early to be looking closely at statistics, but the Vikings have made impressive strides. In addition to ranking seventh in the league for average yards allowed, the team is sixth in rushing defense (73 yards per game) and is tied for fourth in forced turnovers (nine).

Some of the credit goes to O’Leary, of whom Hovan said: “He was a great coach before he got here, and he’s a great coach now.”

Minnesota defensive coordinator George O'Leary calls a defense against Detroit. After resigning in disgrace from his dream coaching job at Notre Dame in December 2001, O'Leary is leading the Vikings' defense -- one of the worst in the league the last few seasons -- to respectability.

Of course, good defense is more than just coaching and attitude.

The Vikings finally upgraded their talent on that side of the ball, drafting defensive end Kevin Williams in the first round and signing linebacker Chris Claiborne and cornerback Denard Walker.

Defensive end Kenny Mixon, linebackers Henri Crockett and Greg Biekert and strong safety Corey Chavous came in as free agents last season. Hovan and nose tackle Fred Robbins are the only starters on defense who played for the Vikings before 2002.

“We did a great job of going out and getting guys this offseason,” Biekert said. “We really addressed the needs of the team.”

Tice played for O’Leary at Central Islip High School in New York in the 1970s. When he hired O’Leary in 2002, Tice said that the Notre Dame fiasco didn’t affect his decision “even a bit.”

Added Biekert, “I was impressed with him from the day I got here, and that hasn’t changed at all. I respect him very much, and I enjoy playing for him.”