Football To Meet Texas A & M For The First Time In College Station

Sept. 24, 2001

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The Date and Time: Saturday, Sept. 29, 2001, at 2:30 p.m. CDT.
The Site: Kyle Field (82,600/Natural Grass) in College Station, Texas
The Tickets: They’re all sold – with this game marking the 130th sellout in the last 152 games involving Notre Dame, including the first 10 games of 1998, the first 11 in ’99, the first five in ’00, and the first three in ’01.
The TV Plans: ABC Sports regional telecast with Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Bob Griese (analysis), Lynn Swann (sideline) and Kevin Smollon (producer).
The Radio Plans: For the 34th consecutive season, all Notre Dame football games are broadcast nationally on radio by Westwood One with Tony Roberts (play-by-play), former Irish running back Allen Pinkett (game analysis) and Paul Hornung (pregame/halftime analysis). The Westwood One Network includes more than 200 stations. A live broadcast from the Notre Dame student radio station, WVFI, is available through the Notre Dame athletic department web site at www.und.com. All Notre Dame football games are heard on WNDV-AM and -FM in South Bend and are also carried live in the Chicago market on ESPN Radio 1000 with on-site pre and post-game from Notre Dame Stadium home games featuring Dave Wills, Ed Farmer and former Irish great Dave Duerson.
Websites: Notre Dame (www.und.com), Texas A&M (sports.tamu.edu).

The Head Coach
Fifth-year Irish head coach Bob Davie owns a 30-21 (.588) career record at Notre Dame. Davie was one of three finalists for the 2000 Football News Coach of the Year Award and was one of 10 finalists for the 1998 Walter Camp Foundation/Street and Smith’s Coach of the Year Award. The 2001 season marks Davie’s eighth year at Notre Dame overall, after serving as defensive coordinator and inside linebacker coach from 1994-96. He coached nine seasons at Texas A&M (’85-’93), two at Tulane (’83-’84), four at Pittsburgh (’77, ’80-’82) and two at Arizona (’78-’79), spending both years at Tulane as defensive coordinator and the last five at Texas A&M in that role. The University announced on Dec. 5, 2000, that Davie signed a five-year contract to continue coaching the Irish through the 2005 season.

NOTRE DAME-TEXAS A&M SERIES NOTES

• Saturday’s game marks just the fifth meeting between Notre Dame and Texas A&M, and the first-ever encounter in College Station. The Irish lead the series 3-1 and have won their last three games against the Aggies.
• Three of the previous four games between Notre Dame and Texas A&M have taken place on New Year’s Day at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The Irish claimed two of the three postseason meetings with the the Aggies, winning at the end of the 1992 and ’93 seasons.
• Notre Dame has a record of 29-6 all-time against schools from the state of Texas, including a 24-10 victory over 25th-ranked Texas A&M in the 2000 season opener at Notre Dame Stadium.

Notre Dame’s Probable Starting OFFENSE
SE 21 Javin Hunter Caught career-high six passes against Michigan State
LT 78 Jordan Black Started all 12 games in ’00, most experience on line
LG 79 Sean Mahan Shared time with Jim Jones in ’00, played in all 12 games
C 52 Jeff Faine Lindy’s ranks him as the third-best center nationally
RG 75 Kurt Vollers Fifth-year player who started all 12 games last season
RT 63 Brennan Curtin Made first career start against Michigan State
TE 84 John Owens Making third start at TE after playing DL most of ’00
FL 6 David Givens Multipurpose player who can run, catch, pass and return kicks
or 80 Omar Jenkins Had career-high four catches for 39 yards against MSU
QB 7 Carlyle Holiday Making first career start against Texas A&M
FB 36 Tom Lopienski Rated 12th among fullbacks by The Sporting News
TB 12 Tony Fisher Doak Walker Award candidate, 17 career touchdowns
or 22 Julius Jones Irish leading rusher for ’00 with 657 yards

Notre Dame’s Probable Starting DEFENSE
LE 98 Anthony Weaver All-star candidate, 8 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble vs. Neb.
DT 60 Darrell Campbell Ready to impact defense after gaining 30 lbs. in offseason
NG 94 Andy Wisne Career-high six tackles (1 TFL) against Michigan State
RE 44 Grant Irons Made return vs. Neb., fully recovered from shoulder injury
ILB 51 Tyreo Harrison Emerging leader of defense, 11 tackles vs. Nebraska
ILB 33 Courtney Watson Team-high 28 tackles through two games this season
OLB 30 Rocky Boiman Named to The Sporting News “Great Unknowns” team
LCB 15 Clifford Jefferson The most experienced defensive back on the Irish roster
FS 28 Donald Dykes Had 13 tackles against Neb. in first career start
SS 5 Ron Israel Has logged career-high nine tackles in both games in ’01
RCB 42 Shane Walton Leader of the secondary, recorded 40 tackles in ’00

Notre Dame’s Probable SPECIALISTS
PK/KO 13 Nicholas Setta Cool under pressure, has made 34 consecutive PAT
P 17 Joey Hildbold Ray Guy Award candidate, #2 in nation with 48.1 avg. in ’01
HLD 80 Adam Tibble Second year as holder for Setta
SNP 53 John Crowther Walk-on who snaps on field goals, PATs and punts
PR/KR 22 Julius Jones 2000 first-team All-America kickoff returner by CNNSI.com

THE IRISH TRAVEL PLANS
Notre Dame will be headquartered at the Del Lago Golf Resort, 600 Del Lago Blvd., Montgomery, TX 77356, (936) 582-7418. The Irish are scheduled to depart by charter flight on Friday at 9:00 a.m. EST with an 11:20 a.m. CDT arrival in College Station. A brief walk-through at Kyle Field will be held at noon CDT on Friday.

IF NOTRE DAME WINS …

• The Irish will earn their first road victory over a current Big 12 member since a 27-24 victory at sixth-ranked Texas on Sept. 21, 1996.
• Notre Dame will move to 30-6 all-time against Texas schools and stretch its winning streak against teams from the Lone Star State to nine games overall and 13 consecutive regular-season games.
• The Irish would raise their record to 12-2 all-time in games played in the state of Texas, including a 7-0 mark in contests on the opposition’s home field.

IF TEXAS A&M WINS ..
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• The Aggies will defeat Notre Dame for the first time since a 35-10 victory on Jan. 1, 1988, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
• A&M would be the first Texas school to defeat the Irish in regular-season play since SMU upset third-ranked Notre Dame, 19-13, on Sept. 22, 1956, in Dallas.
• Notre Dame would fall to 0-3 for the first time in school history.

NOTRE DAME-TEXAS A&M SERIES HISTORY

• Notre Dame leads the all-time series with Texas A&M (3-1), but Saturday’s game will mark the teams’ first-ever meeting in College Station.
• The Irish have won their last three games against Texas A&M, including back-to-back Cotton Bowl victories at the end of the 1992 and ’93 seasons.
• Notre Dame is 11-2 all-time in games played in the state of Texas, including a perfect 6-0 mark in contests on the opponents’ home field (5-2 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas).
• Notre Dame and Texas A&M first met on the gridiron on New Year’s Day, 1988, when the Aggies downed the Irish, 35-10, in the Cotton Bowl. The teams would clash again five years later in the same setting, and Notre Dame played the spoiler, ruining Texas A&M’s bid for a perfect season with a 28-3 win. A year later, the Irish squeezed out a 24-21 win in the Cotton Bowl on the strength of a 31-yard field goal by Kevin Pendergast with 2:22 to play. Then, last season, A&M made its first-ever visit to Notre Dame Stadium, and the Irish proved to be ungracious hosts, rallying from a 10-7 third-quarter deficit to claim a 24-10 win over the 25th-ranked Aggies.
• The 25-point win over A&M in the 1993 Cotton Bowl is Notre Dame’s second-largest margin of victory ever in a bowl game while the Aggies’ 25-point win over the Irish in the ’88 Cotton Bowl is ND’s third-largest margin of defeat in postseason play.
• Notre Dame and Texas A&M rank among the most successful programs in college football history. Entering the 2001 season, the Irish had the best all-time winning percentage (.753) and were second with 776 career victories. Meanwhile, the Aggies owned the 24th-best winning percentage (.607) and were tied for 17th on the all-time victory list with 609 wins.
• A&M coach R.C. Slocum came into the 2001 season in ninth place on the all-time winningest coaches list (and sixth among active mentors) with a .743 winning percentage. Legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne is first on that list with an .881 career success ratio.

NOTRE DAME-TEXAS A&M CONNECTIONS

• Notre Dame boasts 14 players on its current roster from the state of Texas and 80 monogram winners all-time from the Lone Star State. Conversely, Texas A&M has no Indiana natives on its current roster.
• There are 11 Houston natives on the current rosters of both teams. Irish senior FS Dwayne Francis (Elkins HS) and junior SS Gerome Sapp (Lamar HS) join nine Texas A&M players who also hail from that city – among them are Aggie freshman RB Keith Joseph and sophomore LB Toron Wooldridge, who, like Sapp, also played at Lamar High School.
• In addition, there are five Dallas products between the two squads. Notre Dame senior CB Clifford Jefferson (Carter HS), sophomore WR Omar Jenkins (Jesuit HS) and junior non-scholarship QB Dan Novakov (St. Mark’s), along with A&M freshman DB Ronald Jones (Skyline HS) and senior LB Harold Robertson (Lincoln HS) all came out of the Metroplex.
• Notre Dame sophomore QB Carlyle Holiday (Roosevelt HS) is a native of San Antonio.
• Two Texas high schools will also be seeing a reunion of former players in Saturday’s game. Irish senior FL David Givens and Aggie junior DB Sammy Davis were teammates at Humble (Texas) High School, while Notre Dame senior DE Grant Irons and A&M senior TE Lonnie Madison were co-captains at The Woodlands (Texas) High School in 1996 – in fact, Irons and Madison both earned high school All-America honors that season as members of the same defensive unit (Irons was a linebacker, Madison was a defensive end).
• Three of Notre Dame’s more noteworthy all-time players from Texas include 1987 Heisman Trophy winner and flanker Tim Brown (Dallas) plus two other consensus All-Americans: center Dave Huffman (Dallas, ’75-’78) and defensive back Bobby Taylor (Longview, ’92-’94).
• Taylor is one of several noteworthy defensive backs from Texas who joined the Irish program during the 1990s, with that group also including current players Jefferson and Sapp plus four recent starters: cornerbacks Greg Lane (Austin) and Allen Rossum (Dallas) and safeties Jarvis Edison (Bay City) and A’Jani Sanders (Houston).
• Notre Dame’s all-time Texas natives include 19 offensive linemen, 13 receivers, 12 defensive backs, 10 linebackers, nine running backs, five quarterbacks, four tight ends, three kickers, two punters and two defensive linemen.
• Other noteworthy Texas natives who played for the Irish in the 1990s included: linebackers Bert Berry (Humble) and Jimmy Friday (Missouri City), OT Justin Hall (Dallas), DL Alton Maiden (Dallas), FL Mike Miller (Missouri City), P Hunter Smith (Sherman) and TE Leon Wallace (Bedford).
• Noteworthy Texas natives who played for the Irish in the 1980s included: OG Randy Ellis (Pearland, starting LG in ’81), FL Mike Haywood (Houston, started in ’82 before being hampered by injury the rest of his career), OG Tim Huffman (Dallas, starting OG in ’80), DT Wally Kleine (Midland, starting DT from ’84-’86) and P Mike Viracola (Dallas, starting punter in ’84).
• Those from the 1960s and ’70s included OG John Dampeer (Kermit, starting RT from ’70-’72), TE Dennis Gringinger (Dallas, starting TE in ’78), LB Bobby Leopold (Port Arthur, starting LB in ’78 and ’79), OT Rob Martinovich (Houston, starting LT in ’78 and ’70) and TE Robin Weber (Dallas, starting tight end in ’74).
• Some of the founding members of the Irish football program were Texas natives, including: RE Joe Hepburn (El Paso, starter in second and third varsity season, 1888 and ’89), RT Stafford Campbell (El Paso, starter in 1889), QB Angus McDonald (Houston, starter in 1899), LG Rob Paine (Houston, starter in 1907).
• Former Notre Dame WR Jamaar Taylor transferred to Texas A&M following the 1999 season. He sat out last season in accordance with NCAA transfer guidelines.
• Notre Dame head coach Bob Davie served as an assistant at Texas A&M from 1985-93 under veteran head coaches Jackie Sherrill (1985-88) and R.C. Slocum (1989-93). David spent his first four seasons at A&M as outside linebackers coach before taking over as inside linebackers coach and defensive coordinator for the Aggies in 1989. He was later named assistant head coach in 1993.
• Fifth-year Irish defensive coordinator Greg Mattison was the defensive line coach at Texas A&M from 1989-91, while eighth-year Notre Dame assistant head coach and linebackers coach Kirk Doll spent six seasons on the staff at Texas A&M from 1988-93. Both men teamed with Davie to produce the nation’s top-rated defense in ’91.
• The only other current member of the Aggie staff who coached alongside Davie, Mattison and Doll is current DBs coach Shawn Slocum (son of the Aggie head coach), who was a volunteer assistant at A&M during the ’89 season before coaching the Aggie tight ends and special teams from ’91-’93.
• Current Aggie defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz was on the staff at Western Michigan from ’82-’84 and one of his fellow defensive coaches during that time was Mattison, who held that same position while also coaching the LBs at WMU from ’81-’86.
• Doll coached alongside first-year Texas A&M offensive coordinator Dino Babers at Arizona State – Doll was the Sun Devils’ outside linebackers coach from ’85-’87, while Babers was a graduate assistant at ASU.

LAST YEAR’S NOTRE DAME-TEXAS A&M GAME
Notre Dame trailed 7-0 late in the first half against 25th-ranked Texas A&M before junior quarterback Arnaz Battle – making his first career start – led the Irish on a 2:09, 70-yard drive in seven plays to tie the score 7-7 at halftime. Battle completed a nine-yard touchdown pass to senior Joey Getherall for Notre Dame’s first points of the season. The Aggies took the second-half kickoff 75 yards in a drive that lasted 7:35 but were forced to settle for a field goal after the Irish defense kept Texas A&M out of the end zone after first and goal from the two-yard line. After the teams exchanged punts – with Irish sophomore Joey Hildbold booming a career-long 69-yard punt that was downed at the Aggie three-yard line – Battle connected with junior Javin Hunter for a 46-yard touchdown strike to give Notre Dame its first lead at 14-10 and the decisive score in the game. Texas A&M went three and out on its next possession and the Irish pulled away with 69-yard drive that ate up 4:44 and ended with sophomore Julius Jones finding the end zone after a 17-yard run. Another drive of 3:10 ended with sophomore Nick Setta — 3-3 on PATs in his collegiate debut — nailing his first career field goal from 32 yards for the final points of the 24-10 game. Texas A&M went 60 yards on nine plays on its final drive, but its comeback hopes ended after an interception from senior Tony Driver. Notre Dame ran out the final 4:09 with a 40-yard drive. Battle finished 10-16 for 133 yards and two touchdown passes and a team-high 50 yards rushing on 12 carries. The Irish defense held the Aggies scoreless for the final 22:25 of the game and allowed just 90 net rushing yards.

RECAPPING THE OTHER NOTRE DAME-TEXAS A&M MEETINGS
(see pp. 338, 343 and 344 of ND media guide for complete recaps and stats)

• 1988 Cotton Bowl – Texas A&M 35, Notre Dame 10 The 13th-ranked Aggies spoiled the final career game of Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown, who opened the game with a season-best 37-yard kickoff return. Terry Andrysiak returned from his collarbone injury and hit Brown with a pair of medium-range passes on the opening drive, the second coming on a 17-yard TD strike. The teams traded field goals before a one-handed interception in the end zone by Alex Morris then shifted momentum to the Aggies late in the second quarter-setting up a 24-yard halfback pass from Darrin Lewis to Tony Thompson that tied the game. The 12th-ranked Irish then fumbled two plays later and Larry Horton went on to score from two yards out for an 18-10 Aggies lead at halftime. A&M opened the third quarter by driving down the field before exchanging fumbles with the Irish, followed by a one-yard TD run by Bucky Richardson. The A&M defense went on to limit Andrysiak to two second-half completions while holding the Irish to 76 yards in the final 30 minutes. A Kip Corrington interception set up the game’s final score, an eight-yard run by Richardson. The Aggies rolled up a 294-74 rushing advantage, led by Richardson (13 rushes for 96 yards), Keith Woodside (17 for 73), Matt Gurley (15 for 60) and Lewis (7 for 52).

• 1993 Cotton Bowl – Notre Dame 28, Texas A&M 3 In a game matching two great running games, the fifth-ranked Irish rolled up a 290-78 edge in rushing yards-as the “Thunder and Lightning” tandem of Jerome Bettis (20 rushes for 75 yards) and Reggie Brooks (22 for 115) outperformed the Aggie duo of Rodney Thomas (20 for 50) and Greg Hill (who did not play due to suspension). The only first-half points came moments before halftime, as Rick Mirer connected with Lake Dawson on a 40-yard middle screen play. The Irish ground game then took over in the second half, highlighted by 34 consecutive rushing plays. One long drive ended on a 26-yard TD pass from Mirer to Bettis while Brian Hamilton’s strip and Demetrius Dubose’s recovery set up a one-yard score from Bettis. The fourth-ranked-and previously unbeaten-Aggies averted the shutout on Terry Venetoulias’ 41-yard FG and Bettis capped the scoring in the fourth quarter with a 4-yard TD run. Mirer completed eight of 16 passes for 119 yards while rushing 13 times for 55.

• 1994 Cotton Bowl – Notre Dame 24, Texas A&M 21 Defense ruled at the end of a game a that saw ND’s Lee Becton turn in his seventh straight 100-yard rushing game (26 rushes for 138) while Corey Pullig’s passing (17-for-31, 238 yards) sparked the A&M offense. The fourth-ranked Irish opened with a 91-yard drive, capped by Kevin McDougal’s 19-yard keeper, but seventh-ranked A&M countered with a scoring drive that ended with Greg Hill’s eight-yard sweep. The Aggies surged ahead shortly before halftime, converting on 4th-and-1 from the Irish 15 with a play-action TD pass to Detron Smith. The Irish opened the second half with a drive that featured 32 rushing yards by Becton and a two-yard score from Ray Zellars. But the Aggies quickly tied the game behind Pullig’s passing and a one-yard plunge by Rodney Thomas. The Irish answered back with another game-tying drive, with Mirer hitting a streaking Zellars for a key 18-yard pickup before Marc Edwards scored from two yards. With three minutes left to play, Mike Miller’s 38-yard punt return placed the Irish at the A&M 22-yard line and Kevin Pendergast drilled a 31-yard FG with 2:22 left. After a Bobby Taylor fumble recovery and three plays by the ND offense, the Aggies mounted a final push in the closing minute-but Tony Harrison’s desperation lateral was smothered by ND’s Renaldo Wynn to seal it. The Irish went on to finish a close second to Florida State in the final polls.

NOTRE DAME VS. BIG 12 TEAMS

• Notre Dame has played 56 previous games versus teams that currently comprise the Big 12 Conference, with a .679 winning percentage in those games (37-17-2)
• Notre Dame leads or is tied in every series it has played versus Big 12 teams except Nebraska (7-8-1, with the Huskers taking the lead after winning the last two games in the series in ’00 and ’01).
• Among Notre Dame’s other games versus Big 12 teams in the 1990s include the pair of Irish wins over Texas: 55-27 at home in 1994, with the Irish ranked 21st and the Longhorns 13th, and 27-24 at Texas in ’95, with the Irish No. 9 and the ‘Horns No. 6. The only other Notre Dame games vs. Big 12 teams in the 1990s were the 1998 win over Baylor (27-3), two Cotton Bowl wins over Texas A&M: 28-3 in 1992 (Notre Dame was ranked No. 5, A&M No. 4) and 24-21 in ’93 (when the Irish were ranked No. 4 and the Aggies No. 7) and the ’99 wins over Kansas (48-13) and Oklahoma (34-30).
• Most of Notre Dame’s all-time games versus the current Big 12 teams have been against three teams: Nebraska (7-8-1 series lead for the Huskers), Texas (8-2 series lead for the Irish) and Oklahoma (8-1 series lead for ND).
• Notre Dame never has played Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State or Texas Tech, with the other series versus Big 12 teams breaking down as follows: Colorado (3-2), Texas A&M (3-1), Missouri (2-2) and Baylor (2-0).
• One of the most famous games in Notre Dame football history came on Nov. 16, 1957, when the Irish won 7-0 at Oklahoma to halt the Sooners’ winning streak at 47 games (which remains the NCAA record).

IRISH LOOK TO CONTINUE QB’S FIRST-START MAGIC
For the fourth time in the last 15 games, an Irish quarterback will be making his first career start when sophomore QB Carlyle Holiday takes the reins against Texas A&M. If recent history is any indication, Notre Dame may be in good hands. Last season, freshman QB Matt LoVecchio began his first start by leading the Irish on a 91-yard drive in 11 plays in a 20-14 win over Stanford. Three weeks earlier, sophomore QB Gary Godsey engineered a game-winning drive that ended with a field goal as time expired in the 23-21 win over 13th-ranked Purdue. Two weeks before that game, junior Arnaz Battle made his first career start in Notre Dame’s 24-10 win over 25th-ranked Texas A&M. Battle became the 10th, Godsey became the 11th and LoVecchio became the 12th of the last 13 Irish quarterbacks to be victorious in their first career starts.

• From 1985-98, Notre Dame was victorious in nine straight games in which an Irish quarterback was making his first career start, including four coming in a season opener. Notre Dame’s nine-game, first-start streak ended in the 10-0 loss at USC on Nov. 28, 1998, when Eric Chappell started in place of the injured starter Jackson (then-freshman Arnaz Battle also played a large chunk of that game).

Last 13 starting debut games by Notre Dame quarterbacks

• Terry Andrysiak, sophomore (vs. Mississippi, 11/9/85, 8th game of season) … win, 37-14
• Tony Rice, sophomore (at Air Force, 10/17/87, 5th game of season) … win, 35-14
• Kent Graham, freshman (Boston College, 11/7/87, 8th game of season) … win, 32-25
• Rick Mirer, sophomore (#4 Michigan, 9/15/90, 1st game of season) … win, 28-24
• Paul Failla, freshman (at Purdue, 9/28/91, 4th game of season) … win, 45-20
• Kevin McDougal, senior (Northwestern, 9/4/93, 1st game of season) … win, 27-12
• Ron Powlus, sophomore (at Northwestern, 9/3/94, 1st game of season) … win, 42-15
• Tom Krug, junior (at Air Force, 11/18/95, 11th game of season) … win, 44-14
• Jarious Jackson, senior (#5 Michigan, 9/5/98, 1st game of season) … win, 36-20
• Eric Chappell, junior (at USC, 11/28/98, 11th game of season) … loss, 10-0
• Arnaz Battle, junior (#25 Texas A&M, 9/2/00, 1st game of season) … win, 24-10
• Gary Godsey, sophomore (#13 Purdue, 9/16/00, 3rd game of season) … win, 23-21
• Matt LoVecchio, freshman (Stanford, 10/7/00, 5th game of season) … win, 20-14

IRISH SPECIAL TEAMS TRULY SPECIAL
The Irish special teams have played key roles in both Notre Dame games this season. Here is a game-by-game look at the success and impact of Notre Dame’s special teams:

Nebraska: Late in the third quarter, Shane Walton breaks through and blocks a Husker punt, which is recovered by Justin Smith at the Husker four. Four plays later, Tony Fisher cashes in on the special teams gem with a one-yard touchdown run, Notre Dame’s first of the 2001 season.

Michigan State: With 2:16 to go in the first half, and the Irish trailing 10-3, Joey Hildbold booms a 54-yard punt that is downed at the MSU four. Five plays later, the Spartans are forced to punt back to the Irish and Julius Jones returns the kick 53 yards to the MSU six. On the very next play, Matt LoVecchio hooks up with Javin Hunter on a six-yard scoring pass to pull Notre Dame even at halftime.

NOTRE DAME KICKING GAME CONTINUES TO SHINE
One area which has been a strength for Notre Dame in 2001 has been the kicking game. Junior PK Nicholas Setta has converted both of his field goal and PAT attempts this season, and stretched his streak of consecutive extra points made to 34 when he knocked through his only PAT try against Michigan State. Setta has not missed an extra point since Oct. 7, 2000, versus Stanford, and holds the fifth-longest streak in Irish history. He needs two more successful conversion kicks to move into fourth place, passing Ted Gradel, who made 35 straight PATs from Nov. 8, 1986 to Nov. 28, 1987. Craig Hentrich holds the school record with 136 consecutive extra points made from Sept. 30, 1989 to Sept. 26, 1992. In addition, Setta booted the second-longest field goal of his career when he connected from 43 yards out against Michigan State. His personal best is a 47-yard FG against Purdue in 2000.

Meanwhile, junior P Joey Hildbold, a 2001 Ray Guy Award candidate, continues to make a strong statement to the award committee with his performance this season. Hildbold posted a career-high average of 50.1 yards on eight punts against Michigan State, narrowly missing the school record of 51.6 by Joe Restic against Air Force in 1975. Hildbold’s season average of 48.1 (15 punts, 721 yards) ranks him second in the nation in the latest NCAA rankings, and puts him in line to shatter the Irish single-season record currently held by Craig Hentrich (44.9 yards in 1990).

MANY HAPPY RETURNS FOR JONES
Junior TB Julius Jones has been a solid force as a kick returner for the Irish. In fact, his 53-yard punt return late in the second quarter set up Notre Dame’s only touchdown of the game. It was the second-longest punt return of Jones’ career, topped only by his 67-yard jaunt in the fourth quarter against Boston College in 1999. Jones also piled up 37yards on two kickoff returns against Michigan State, moving him past former teammate Tony Driver into third place on Notre Dame’s career kickoff return list with 1,119 yards on 45 returns.

For the season, Jones ranks in the top 50 in the nation in three statistical categories, according to the latest NCAA rankings – 13th in punt returns (14.2), 47th in all-purpose yardage (126.5), and 49th in kickoff returns (22.2).

WATSON RECORDS DOUBLE-DIGIT TACKLES FOR SECOND GAME IN A ROW
Junior LB Courtney Watson recorded a game-high 10 tackles against Michigan State, marking the second consecutive game in which he has reached double digits in tackles. Watson notched a career-high 18 tackles against Nebraska, earning Chevrolet Player of the Game honors, and he now leads the team with 28 tackles. Watson’s 18 stops against the Huskers were also the most by an Irish defensive player since Melvin Dansby recorded 18 against Navy in 1997. Coming into the 2001 season, Watson only had 11 tackles in his entire Irish career.

FISHER HITS THE CENTURY MARK AGAIN
Senior TB Tony Fisher carried 17 times for 103 yards against Michigan State, breaking the 100-yard barrier for the sixth time in his career and the first since last season’s Rutgers game. He was also named the NBC Chevrolet Player of the Game for his performance against Michigan State. Fisher leads the Irish ground attack with 141 yards rushing and one touchdown through two games, averaging a strong 5.9 yards per carry.

JENKINS MAKES HIS CATCHES COUNT
Sophomore FL Omar Jenkins recorded his first career reception with a nine-yard grab for a first down in the fourth quarter against Michigan State. He followed that two plays later with his second career catch, also good for a first down. In all, Jenkins caught four passes for 39 yards against MSU, with three of his catches resulting in Irish first downs.

RED ZONE REPORT
Over the last two seasons, Notre Dame has been particularly effective in the red zone. This year, the Irish are 4-of-5 (.800) inside their opponents’ 20-yard line, chalking up two touchdowns and two Nicholas Setta field goals. That follows on the heels of last season’s 33-of-35 (.943) performance in the red zone.

SCOUTING THE IRISH OFFENSE
Line — The Irish return three talented and experienced players on the offensive line in senior tackle Jordan Black, senior guard Kurt Vollers (who switched from tackle to guard beginning with the Michigan State game) and junior center Jeff Faine. All three are viable candidates for postseason honors. Black is in his third season as the starter at the left tackle position, playing in 22 games and accumulating more than 400 minutes of playing time. Vollers and Faine are starting for the second straight year on the offensive line, with Vollers spending last season at left tackle and Faine toiling at center. Vollers has seen action in 26 games, starting 16, while Faine has played in 14 games, amassing more than 350 minutes of playing time.

The question for the Irish comes at the guard positions after the graduation of both Jim Jones and third-team The Sporting News All-American Mike Gandy, a third-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears. Senior Sean Mahan started at left guard and junior Sean Milligan at right guard against Nebraska, then Vollers moved in at right guard against Michigan State. Mahan played in 11 games in ’00, seeing increased playing time as the season progressed, while Milligan, on the other hand, made his third career appearance against the Huskers. Junior Brennan Curtin made his first career start at right tackle against Michigan State. Senior John Teasdale, who missed the Nebraska and Michigan State games with a shoulder injury, is probable against the Aggies and could also see increased playing time at the guard position in a reserve role.

Backs — Sophomore Matt LoVecchio (23-46-197, 1 TD, 2 INT in 2001) began the season as the starting QB for the Irish after winning his first seven games as a starter for the Irish in 2000. LoVecchio posted impressive numbers last year, throwing 11 touchdown passes and only one interception, while smashing the Notre Dame record for interception avoidance percentage at .0080. Fellow sophomore Carlyle Holiday (6-9-46, 12 carries for 28 yards) made his first career appearance against Nebraska on Sept. 8 and will get his first opportunity in a starting role Saturday against Texas A&M. Sophomore Jared Clark is also in the quarterback mix in a reserve capacity.

A trio of tailbacks – seniors Tony Fisher (24-141, 1 TD) and Terrance Howard (4-6) and junior Julius Jones (21-75) – gives the Irish a talented and diversified running attack. Fisher, a 2001 Doak Walker Award candidate, played all 11 games last year, running up 607 yards on 132 carries (4.6 yard avg.). Fisher also is a threat with his hands as he caught 12 passes, including three for touchdowns in ’00. Jones returns as the team’s leading rusher from ’00 (657 yards on 162 carries) and is a potential All-America candidate. Howard received a lot of work in the spring as both Fisher and Jones were held out of spring drills. He adds a combination of quickness and power, averaging 5.7 yards a carry in ’00.

The fullback position includes seniors Tom Lopienski, Jason Murray and Mike McNair. Lopienski has played in 23 games in his career, carrying the ball 34 times and catching 10 passes, while Murray saw action in eight games in ’00. McNair has fought through injuries the past two seasons, but after an impressive spring could make a significant contribution in ’01.

Receivers — Even after the loss of Joey Getherall, these are the most competitive spots on the Irish depth chart. Senior flanker David Givens (7-66) was Notre Dame’s leading receiver in 2000, averaging 12.4 yards a catch. Givens also hauled in seven passes for 66 yards against Nebraska before being limited against MSU with a quadriceps injury. Senior split end Javin Hunter (10-95, 1 TD) is the Irish big-play threat, averaging 19.7 a catch in ’00, and grabbing a career-high six balls versus Michigan State. Senior flanker Arnaz Battle (3-23) made his debut at flanker for the Irish against Nebraska, catching two balls, but he will miss four to six weeks with a fractured right fibula (leg) suffered against Michigan State. Sophomore receivers Lorenzo Crawford, Omar Jenkins (4-39) and Ronnie Rodamer also could contribute, along with freshman Carlos Campbell, who has been impressive this fall. Jenkins caught four passes for 39 yards in the Michigan State game. The tight end position is a question mark for the Irish after the departures of All-Americans Jabari Holloway (fourth-round draft pick of New England Patriots) and Dan O’Leary (sixth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills). Senior John Owens and junior Gary Godsey have both been converted to the tight end position after playing defensive line and quarterback, respectively, in 2000. Both players are over 270 pounds, are excellent blockers and have good hands.

SCOUTING THE IRISH DEFENSE
Line — The Irish defensive line is one of the most experienced and deepest units on the roster. Senior captain Grant Irons (four tackles, one sack in 2001) is back at full strength after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against Nebraska in 2000. All-star candidate, senior captain and three-year starter Anthony Weaver (11 tackles, three for loss, two sacks) had an impressive game against Nebraska with eight tackles, including two for loss. He also had one sack and a forced fumble. Junior Darrell Campbell (two tackles) has taken over the tackle position after the graduation of B.J. Scott. Senior Andy Wisne (9 tackles, one for loss) has moved into the starting nose guard position this season and recorded a career-best six tackles against Michigan State. The reserves are senior Ryan Roberts (two tackles) at right end, who filled in admirably for Irons in ’00 by recording 23 tackles and five sacks, junior Cedric Hilliard (three tackles, one for loss) at nose guard, and sophomore Kyle Budinscak (did not play in ’00, but had five sacks in the spring game) at tackle.

Linebackers — Two of three starters return among the Irish linebackers, seniors Rocky Boiman (third on the team in tackles with 58, including eight for loss in ’00) and Tyreo Harrison (46 tackles and one fumble recovery). Boiman (seven tackles, two for loss, one fumble recovery) anchors the outside spot, while Harrison (17 tackles, two for loss) is in his second season starting at the inside linebacker position. Boiman recorded a season-high five tackles versus Nebraska, while Harrison had a career-high 11 stops. Junior LB Courtney Watson (28 tackles, five for loss), who came into the ’01 season with 11 career tackles, recorded a team-high 18 tackles against the Huskers, earning Chevrolet Player of the Game honors for the Irish. He then added a game-high 10 tackles against Michigan State. Sophomore Jerome Collins backs up Boiman on the outside, while junior Justin Thomas and sophomore Mike Goolsby play behind Watson and senior Carlos Pierre-Antoine spells Harrison.

Backs — Fifth-year strong safety Ron Israel (18 tackles, one for loss) and senior cornerback Shane Walton (five tackles, one for loss) return to anchor the secondary. Israel has recorded a career-high nine tackles in both games this season. Walton is in his second season as the starting right cornerback after playing in 10 games in ’00 and is one of Notre Dame’s most improved players considering he did not even play football his freshman season, instead starring on the Irish men’s soccer team. The reserves are junior Jason Beckstrom (two tackles) and sophomore Preston Jackson at left cornerback and sophomore Vontez Duff (four tackles) at right corner. Senior Donald Dykes (18 tackles, one fumble recovery), made his first career start against Nebraska and had a career-high 13 tackles after recording only 18 tackles all of last year. Key reserves include Jim Thorpe Award candidate junior SS Gerome Sapp (six tackles), who is rated the 11th best strong safety in the country by The Sporting News, and sophomore Abram Elam, who notched a career-high five tackles against Michigan State.

SCOUTING THE IRISH SPECIAL TEAMS
P Joey Hildbold and PK Nicholas Setta return, giving the Irish one of the best kicking tandems in the nation. Hildbold, a Ray Guy Award candidate, was voted one of the top three punters in the nation by Street and Smith’s after averaging 40.9 yards a kick in ’00, including 22 inside the 20. Hildbold boomed eight punts against Michigan State for a career-high average of 50.1 yards. Setta continues to make improvements after going 8-for-14 in his first season as the Irish placekicker, converting both of his field-goal attempts this season, including a 43-yarder against Michigan State. Setta also handles all kickoff duties this season. In the return game, junior All-American Julius Jones handles both kickoff (averages 22.2 yards a kick return this season) and punt return (53-yard return against Michigan State) duties for the Irish, ranking third in school history with 1,119 kickoff return yards. Sophomore cornerback Vontez Duff also returns kicks this season, along with seniors David Givens and Terrance Howard. After blocking four punts last season, Notre Dame was once again up to its old tricks when senior CB Shane Walton blocked a Nebraska punt at the beginning of the fourth quarter, eventually leading to Notre Dame’s only touchdown of the game.

THE 2001 CAPTAINS
OLB Rocky Boiman, FL David Givens, DE Grant Irons and DE Anthony Weaver serve as captains for the 2001 season. All are first-time captains, except Irons who becomes only the 13th two-time captain in Notre Dame history and the first since Ron Powlus did it for the 1996 and ’97 seasons. Other multiple-time captains for the Irish include: Edward Prudhomme (1888-1889), Frank Keough (1893-1894), Jack Mullen (1897,1998 and 1899), Louis (Red) Salmon (1902-1903), Leonard Bahan (1918-1919), Pat Filley (1943-1944), Bob Olson (1968-1969), Bob Crable (1980-1981), Phil Carter (1981-1982), Ned Bolcar (1988-1989) and Ryan Leahy (1994-1995).

NUMBER CHANGES
The Irish made three number changes from the 2001 media guide rosters as senior special teams player Chad DeBolt has changed from No. 24 to No. 58, senior snapper John Crowther has switched from No. 56 to No. 53 and freshman TE Matt Root has gone from No. 89 to No. 83.

THE 2001 SCHEDULE

• Notre Dame once again play one of the nation’s toughest schedules as it faces seven teams that appeared in bowl games in 2000 (Nebraska, Purdue, Texas A&M, Boston College, West Virginia, Tennessee and Pittsburgh).
• Four of Notre Dame’s 2001 opponents are ranked in both the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls (Nebraska – 4/4, Tennessee – 7/8, Purdue – 24/21, and Michigan State – 23/24). Four other teams (Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, USC and Stanford) also received votes in one or both of the major polls.
• The Irish schedule was voted the sixth toughest out of 116 schools by Sports Illustrated (No. 12/No. 10-ranked UCLA has the fifth toughest schedule according to SI, while Irish opponent USC has the toughest)

2001 Notre Dame Opponent UPDATE
The following is a look at Notre Dame opponents’ upcoming games. Since 1977, when the NCAA started rating strength of schedule, Notre Dame’s schedule has been rated the most difficult five times in the last 22 years (1978, 1985, 1987, 1989 and 1995) and Sports Illustrated has rated the 2001 Irish schedule the sixth toughest in the nation.

Notre Dame Opponents’ Combined Record in 2000: 70-59 (.542), Record in 2001: 21-8 (.724)

WEAVER, IRONS AND JONES EARN PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Senior DE Anthony Weaver was a second-team preseason All-America choice by Athlon — and junior TB Julius Jones also earned second-team recognition from Athlon as a kick returner. Street and Smith’s rated Jones a second-team kickoff returner and senior Grant Irons a second-team defensive end. Weaver was also named the 13th best player in the country according to Mel Kiper’s top 30 players for the 2001 season.

FIVE EARN PRESEASON HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Street and Smith’s listed senior Tony Fisher among running backs, senior Jordan Black among offensive linemen, senior Anthony Weaver among defensive linemen, senior Rocky Boiman among linebackers and junior Joey Hildbold among punters as preseason honorable mention All-America selections. Street & Smith’s also rated Fisher as one of 11 candidates for the Doak Walker Award as the top running back in the country and Hildbold as one of three candidates for the Ray Guy Award as the top punter in the nation.

IRISH PLAYERS RANK HIGH IN LINDY’S AND THE SPORTING NEWS
Lindy’s rated junior center Jeff Faine as the number-three center in the country, while The Sporting News had Faine seventh. Lindy’s rated Anthony Weaver 18th and Grant Irons 15th among defensive end, with The Sporting News putting Irons 10th and Weaver 16th. The Sporting News rated Julius Jones 15th among running backs, senior Tom Lopienski 12th among fullbacks, senior Jordan Black 14th among offensive tackles, senior Rocky Boiman 14th among outside linebackers and junior Gerome Sapp 11th among strong safeties.

POSITION UNITS AND FRESHMAN RANK NATIONALLY AS WELL
Athlon rated the Irish running backs as the fourth-best group in the nation. Lindy’s listed the Irish defensive line as eighth best. The Sporting News put Notre Dame’s offensive backfield seventh.

Athlon listed the Notre Dame freshman class as the 12th-best in the country, while Lindy’s had the Irish rookies 14th.

TB TONY FISHER NAMED TO DOAK WALKER AWARD WATCH LIST
For the second consecutive season, Irish TB Tony Fisher has been named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List. The Doak Walker Award, named in honor of the late SMU running back, is given annually to the top running back in the nation.

GEROME SAPP NAMED TO THORPE AWARD WATCH LIST
Junior SS Gerome Sapp was named to the Jim Thorpe Award watch list. The Thorpe Award is given annually to the nation’s top defensive back.

WEAVER AND FAINE NAMED TO LOMBARDI AWARD WATCH LIST, FAINE TO RIMINGTON TROPHY LIST
DE Anthony Weaver and C Jeff Faine, along with 79 other players nationally, were named to the updated Rotary Lombardi Award watch list. Weaver made a strong case for the award against Nebraska with eight tackles, including two for loss, one sack and one forced fumble. The Lombardi Award is given annually to the nation’s top lineman or linebacker. Faine was also one of 15 players named to the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s top center.

COACHING IN THE CLUTCH
Knute Rockne owns the best career winning percentage among Notre Dame coaches in games decided by seven or fewer points, at 21-1-5 (.870). Among Irish coaches with 14-plus “close games,” the other top winning percentages in tight games belong to Elmer Layden (22-7-3, .734), Frank Leahy (17-5-8, .700), Ara Parseghian (13-6-4, .652), Dan Devine (15-9-1, .620), Bob Davie (14-10, .583) and Lou Holtz (20-18-2, .525).

TICKET UPDATE
All six of Notre Dame’s home football games for 2001 are sold out, with demand for tickets to the Oct. 13 Notre Dame-West Virginia game ranking highest in the history of Notre Dame Stadium. The sellouts are based on demand from contributing alumni (contributions to the University of $100 or more in the previous calendar year earn alumni the ability to apply for two tickets to any home or away contests), with approximately 33,000 tickets per home game available via a game-by-game lottery system.

The Notre Dame ticket office received requests for 59,368 tickets for the West Virginia game, breaking the record of 57,048 from the 1997 Notre Dame-USC game in the first year of the expanded Notre Dame Stadium.

Demand for the 2001 West Virginia game was based on parents of current Notre Dame students being guaranteed four tickets for that contest — plus contributing alumni having the opportunity to apply for four tickets instead of the usual two, based on its designation as an alumni family game.

Other high demand games for 2001 included Michigan State (48,404 requests – based on senior alumni designation that guarantees two tickets to all alumni out of school 35 or more years – which made it third all-time in terms of demand), USC (47,127 requested, making it seventh all-time) and Tennessee (43,843 requests).

There also were nearly 17,000 requests for tickets to the Sept. 8 road game at Nebraska. Notre Dame received 4,000 tickets for that contest, which attracted a Memorial Stadium-record 78,118 fans.

The six guaranteed sellouts for 2001 mean the final home game in ’01 on Nov. 17 against Navy will mark the 161st consecutive sellout at Notre Dame Stadium and the 209th in the last 210 home games.

BIG CROWDS
Notre Dame has played in front of capacity crowds in 129 of the previous 151 games. Each of the first 10 regular-season games involving Notre Dame during the ’98 season-and the first 11 in ’99-was played in front of a sellout crowd. The first five games of 2000 were played before capacity crowds and nine of 12 overall. Besides being sellouts, both of Notre Dame’s games in 2001 have come before stadium record crowds – the Irish also played in front of 78,118 at Nebraska, and welcomed a Notre Dame Stadium-record of 80,795 fans for the Michigan State game.

NOTRE DAME EXCELS IN ACADEMICS AS WELL AS ON THE FIELD
Notre Dame will receive the 2001 American Football Coaches Association’s Academic Achievement Award, which is presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Memphis.

Notre Dame recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its football squad when all 20 members of its freshman class of 1995 earned a degree. Vanderbilt also recorded a 100 percent rate to share the 2001 award with Notre Dame.

Notre Dame won the award for the sixth time (previously in 1982,1983, 1984-tie, 1988, 1991). Notre Dame’s six awards are second most behind the 10 won by Duke University.

Notre Dame has earned honorable mention status 14 times.

The 2001 AFCA Academic Achievement Award will be presented to Notre Dame and Vanderbilt at the AFCA Kickoff Luncheon during the Association’s 2002 convention in San Antonio, Texas.

In addition to the 2001 AFCA Academic Achievement Award, the 2000 Notre Dame football squad had its most successful semesters in the classroom in the history of the program, based on final grades from the 2001 spring semester and the 2000 fall semester. In the spring, Notre Dame finished with a combined team grade-point average of 2.75, the highest combined GPA on record, besting the previous high of 2.67 set during the 2000 fall semester.

TWO-SPORT STANDOUTS
Notre Dame has three athletes who are two-sport standouts with the Irish:

• Cornerback Shane Walton is less than two years removed from earning all-BIG EAST honors as a freshman forward on the ’98 Irish men’s soccer team. Walton entered the 2000 season as Notre Dame’s starter at right cornerback and finished with 29 tackles, one tackle for a loss, two interceptions – including a 60-yard INT return for a touchdown against Purdue’s Drew Brees – and three passes deflected. Walton joined the Irish football squad in the spring of ’99 and saw action in three games in the secondary during the ’99 season. He played in nine games overall with 61 appearances on special teams, earning his second Notre Dame monogram in as many years and in as many sports. In the 2001 season opener at Nebraska, Walton blocked a punt which set up the Irish’s only touchdown of the game.
• Walk-on Chad DeBolt made 72 special teams appearances in ’00 — including a season-high 13 vs. USC – and was one of just four walkons on the usual travel list. He recovered a blocked punt vs. Rutgers and blocked a punt vs. USC – both of which led to Irish TDs. In the 2001 season opener at Nebraska, he made nine special teams appearances.

DeBolt also stars for the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team which advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2001. The Waterloo, N.Y., native played in all 16 games for the Irish in ’01 recording one goal, while scooping up 60 ground balls. For his career, he has one goal and 118 ground balls.

• Kicker Nicholas Setta, who finished sixth at the Illinois state track and field meet in the high jump and was the top hurdler in the state, competed for Irish head coach Joe Piane and the Notre Dame track and field program last winter. Setta ran middle distance for the Irish and competed at the 2001 BIG EAST Indoor Track and Field Championships. On the gridiron, Setta has connected on both of his field goal and PAT attempts in ’01, stretching his streak of consecutive PAT made to 34.

FORMER IRISH GREAT DAVE DUERSON
Former Notre Dame football All-American Dave Duerson is still extremely involved with the University in a number of capacities. A former team captain, Duerson was named to the Notre Dame Board of Trustees in 2001, and was the winner of the 2001 Rev. Edward F. Sorin, C.S.C., Award from the Notre Dame Alumni Association. The Sorin Award is presented annually to a graduate who has embodied “the values of Our Lady’s University” in his service to the community. The president of Fair Oaks Farms, Inc., a Wisconsin-based international meat supplier that in 1999 was ranked 64th among Black Enterprise 100 companies, Duerson previously served as a member of the advisory council for the University’s Mendoza College of Business and currently is first vice president of the Notre Dame National Monogram Club (he will serve as president from June 2003-June 2005). He also is a member of the athletic department’s student development mentoring program.

JIM FLANIGAN NAMED CO-WINNER OF NFL MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
In June, former Notre Dame football standout Jim Flanigan was named co-winner of the Walter Payton National Football League Man of the Year Award, which recognizes community service as well as playing excellence. Flanigan is the third Notre Dame graduate to win the award, joining Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann (’82) and Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson (’87). Past winners includes 12 members of the Hall of Fame.

Flanigan, an anchor of the Chicago Bears defensive line for seven years before moving to the Green Bay Packers this season, makes a difference with the James Flanigan Foundation, which raises awareness of child literacy through efforts such as the Great American Book Drive, which delivers more than 700,000 books to 400,000 underprivileged children. His programs include Reach Out & Read Chicago, the Flanigan Foundation Literacy Advocate Award, Mission 99, the James and Susan Flanigan Endowed Scholarship at Notre Dame, and the Jim Flanigan Charity Golf Outing.

Flanigan was his class valedictorian Southern Door High School in Brussels, Wis. At Notre Dame, he started on the defensive line as a junior and senior, earning honorable mention All-America honors in ’93. He twice made the Dean’s List as a business management major and received an academic leadership award.

NOTRE DAME RECEIVES A GRACIOUS COMMITMENT
The University of Notre Dame has received a commitment of $300,000 from Jim and Billy Carroll of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to endow athletic grants-in-aid at the University. Jim Carroll is the current president of Notre Dame’s national Monogram Club.

The Carrolls’ gift will help further the University’s goal of providing each Olympic sport with the full number of grants-in-aid permitted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

“We aspire to excellence in everything we do, both in academics and athletics. Our aims for this grants-in-aid initiative are to give every sport at Notre Dame the means to excel and to place our athletic program among the contenders for the annual Sears Directors Cup, which recognizes overall athletic achievement,” said William P. Sexton, vice president for University relations, in acknowledging the commitment. “The Carrolls’ gift is a most generous contribution toward this effort, and we greatly appreciate this leadership support from our Monogram Club president.”

Notre Dame’s 11th place finish in the 2000-01 Sears Directors Cup matched its previous best performance in the competition. Stanford University, a perennial top finisher, won the cup.

Billy and Jim Carroll both are graduates of Marist High School in Atlanta, Ga. Jim Carroll went on to become captain of the 1964 Notre Dame football team, the first coached by Ara Parseghian. Playing inside linebacker, he was named to several All-America teams. After being graduated from the University in 1965, he played professional football with the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins.

The Carroll brothers have been in the automobile dealership business in Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida since 1967. They own insurance and real-estate holding companies and a restaurant in Cooper City, Fla.

Athletic grants-in-aid are the financial awards provided to student-athletes under NCAA regulations. The grants cover tuition, room and board, and books.

2000-01 NOTRE DAME ATHLETIC RESUME HIGHLIGHTS
Notre Dame experienced its most successful season as an athletic department in 2000-01 highlighted with an 11th place Sears Directors’ Cup finish and its fifth consecutive BIG EAST Conference Commissioner Trophy. Here are some highlights from the 2000-01 season:

• Women’s basketball 2001 NCAA Champions, track and field’s Ryan Shay won the 10,000 meters at the 2001 NCAA Track and Field Championships, fencing was third at NCAAs and two other teams (women’s soccer and men’s lacrosse) advance to the NCAA Final Four
• Four teams ranked number one at some point in season – women’s soccer, women’s basketball, men’s fencing and baseball
• 31 athletic All-Americans
• Sixteen of possible 22 teams achieved national rankings (no polls for men’s and women’s indoor or outdoor track) and ten teams achieved highest ranking in history of program
• Top NCAA finishes include 1st in women’s basketball, 3rd in men’s and women’s fencing combined, national semifinals in women’s soccer and men’s lacrosse, 9th in men’s cross country
• Three national players of the year – Anne Makinen in women’s soccer, Ruth Riley in women’s basketball, Michelle Dasso in women’s tennis

IRISH FINISH 11th IN SEARS DIRECTORS CUP
Notre Dame finished 11th in the final set of sports standings released in the 2000-2001 Sears Directors’ Cup all-sports competition, matching its highest finish ever. Spring NCAA competition earned the Irish points based on their semifinal appearance in men’s lacrosse (75 points), a third-round appearance in women’s tennis (50 points), a second-round showing in men’s tennis (30 points), regional appearances in both softball and baseball (50 and 30 points respectively), and a 21st-place finish in men’s track and field (63 points), giving Notre Dame 764.5 total points for 2000-2001. Winter sports points came from Notre Dame’s NCAA championship in women’s basketball (100 points), a third-place finish in fencing (80 points), a second-round finish in men’s basketball (30 points), a 37th-place finish in women’s swimming (31 points) and a 58th place finish in women’s indoor track and field (23.5 points). Notre Dame earned 202 points during the fall sports season, thanks to the Irish women’s soccer team’s NCAA semifinal finish, the men’s cross country team finishing ninth at the NCAA championships, the football team’s final ranking of 16, plus the volleyball team advancing to the NCAAs . Stanford (1,359 points) won the competition, followed by UCLA, Georgia, Michigan and Arizona. In previous years in which the Sears Directors’ Cup competition has been held, Notre Dame has finished 11th in 1993-94, 30th in ’94-’95, 11th in ’95-’96, 14th in ’96-’97, tied for 31st in ’97-’98, 25th in ’98-’99 and 21st in 1999-2000.

NOTRE DAME ONCE AGAIN A FAN FAVORITE
Notre Dame ranked first and Florida State second in ESPN’s “College Sports Fan Favorite Football Team” Poll. The Irish pulled in top billing with 7.1 percent, followed by Florida State at 5.4 percent. Michigan (4.7%), Penn State (4.3%) and Ohio State (3.8%) rounded out the top five. Notre Dame and Florida State also were the only two schools named in all four regions listed in the poll.

FRIDAY FOOTBALL KICKOFF LUNCHEONS
Tickets are available for the 2001 Notre Dame Football Kickoff Luncheons in the Joyce Center Fieldhouse (north dome). The luncheons will be held the same day and time (Friday at noon EST) before every Irish home football game this season. The 2001 Notre Dame Football Luncheons are sponsored by the Notre Dame Athletic Department and the speaking program each week includes a combination of special guests, head coach Bob Davie, members of the coaching staff and members of the Irish squad, in addition to video features. Tickets are $18 each (plus $3 handling charge per order) and are available by calling (219) 272-2870.

PEP RALLIES
All 2001 football pep rallies will be held on Fridays prior to home games in the Joyce Center Arena (south dome), with planned start times of 7:00 p.m.

TENNESSEE KICK OFF TIME CHANGES TO 2:30 P.M.
Kickoff for the Nov. 3 Notre Dame-Tennessee game at Notre Dame Stadium has been changed to 2:30 p.m. EST. Tickets and most schedules list it at its original 1:30 p.m. start.

ORDER YOUR MEDIA GUIDES AND YEARBOOKS TODAY
The 2001 edition of the Notre Dame Media Guide is available for $10 (plus postage and handling) by calling the Notre Dame Hammes Bookstore at 219-631-6316. This year’s edition features 480 pages of facts, figures and historical notes about Notre Dame football. The 1981, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999 versions of the media guide were voted best in the nation by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

This season marks the eighth edition of the Notre Dame Football Yearbook-an official publication by the University of Notre Dame athletic department. The 1994, ’95, ’96, ’97 and ’98 and 2000 editions were voted best in the nation in the special publications competition sponsored by the College Sports Information Directors of America. The yearbook, published with Host Communications, numbers more than 150 pages, including game action shots of returning Irish players and coaches, plus photo coverage of the Irish award winners and campus scenes. It’s a collector’s item that’s perfect for autographs – with an emphasis on outstanding color photography unavailable in any other publication. The yearbook is priced at $8 (plus $4 for postage and handling) and can be ordered by calling 1-800-313-4678 or by writing to: Notre Dame Programs, 904 N. Broadway, Lexington, KY 40505.

SEVERAL OTHER IRISH TEAMS IN ACTION AT HOME THIS WEEKEND
While the Notre Dame football team is at Texas A&M on Saturday, several other Irish teams will be competing at home over the weekend. The volleyball team continues BIG EAST play with matches against Virginia Tech (Friday, 7:30 p.m. EST) and Georgetown (Sunday, 2:00 p.m.). The men’s tennis team will play host to the Tom Fallon Invitational Friday through Sunday at the Courtney Tennis Center. The women’s golf squad will compete in the Notre Dame Invitational on Saturday and Sunday at the Warren Golf Course. And, the hockey team will conduct its annual Blue-Gold Scrimmage on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. in the Joyce Center (north dome).