Jan. 8, 2001

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Notre Dame football coach Bob Davie and his staff will make a presentation on special teams play Wednesday at the American Football Coaches Association convention in Atlanta.

The Irish staff was selected to present at the coaches’ annual convention, along with staffs from Clemson (offense), Southern Mississippi (defense), Nebraska (offense), Toledo (defense) and Miami (special teams).

Notre Dame in 2000 finished third in the country as a team in kickoff returns at 24.9 each (after 21st in ’99 at 23.1), 10th in net punting at 38.4 yards each (64th in ’99 at 35.2) and 12th in punt returns at 15.1 (17th in ’99 at 12.5).

Individually, sophomore Julius Jones ended up third in kickoff returns at 28.5 (including one for a touchdown vs. Nebraska), senior Joey Getherall finished ninth in punt returns at 16.3 (including returns for TDs vs. Nebraska and West Virginia) — and Notre Dame as a team set a record for lowest punt return average by its opponents at 4.7 each (old record was 5.0 in 1951).

Notre Dame’s coverage was good enough that its opponents’ combined totals in 2000 would have ranked them 110th in punt returns, 58th in kickoff returns and 93rd in net punting.