April 23, 2005
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
The Blue Team defeated the Gold Team 28-6 in the 76th Annual Blue-Gold Football Game at Notre Dame Stadium on an unseasonably cold spring day in Northern Indiana. Led by Offensive MVP sophomore Brady Quinn, the Blue Team scored on two of its first three possessions.
“I am encouraged that some players are beginning to play themselves into the mix and we can start to establish some depth,” Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis said after his first game-day coaching situation with the Irish.
“I feel we are moving in the right direction and this is going to end up being a very competitive group.”
The Blue Team, which featured most of the projected Notre Dame `two-deep’ depth chart for next fall, scored on its first possession when Quinn rolled to his left and hit tight end Anthony Fasano with a 19-yard touchdown pass.
Quinn finished the game completing eight of his 12 passing attempts for 120 yards and two touchdowns, leading his team to 290 total yards on 34 plays. The junior-to-be quarterback also earned his second consecutive Blue-Gold Game offensive MVP award, as he also earned the plaque in the spring game last season.
With the game progressing quickly due a running clock, the Blue Team only received two more possessions in the first half. A three and out series was followed by a quick touchdown drive in the second quarter led by Quinn again, who hit tight end John Carlson for a 39-yard pass on first down, then found Rhema McKnight on a crossing pattern in the end zone for a 12 yard scoring toss.
Rashon Powers-Neal scored two more touchdowns for the Blue Team in the second half on two power runs, taking it in from seven yards out in the third quarter and three yards away in the fourth.
The Blue Team defense controlled the line of scrimmage against the Gold Team, as defensive MVP Trevor Laws (four tackles, three for a loss, one sack) led his group to seven sacks in the game. The Gold Team offense was eventually held to just 42 total yards.
The Gold Team broke the shutout in the fourth quarter, helped by some preferential field position. After the Blue Team’s fourth touchdown, the Gold Team was given the ball on the Blue’s five-yard line (the move came after a mock punishment by Weis after the Blue Team’s good-natured celebration of its final touchdown).
Junior quarterback Marty Mooney, quarterbacking the Gold Team in relief of starter sophomore David Wolke, scored the Gold’s lone touchdown when he caught his own deflected pass and scampered into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass … to himself. The point after attempt was missed, leading to the final score of 28-6.