Sept. 24, 2005

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2005 Notre Dame Football Post-Game Notes
#16/18 Notre Dame at Washington
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005 – Husky Stadium o Seattle, Wash.

Today’s attendance: 71,473

Notre Dame’s captains this afternoon were senior Brandon Hoyte (defense), junior Brady Quinn (offense) and junior John Carlson (special teams). The special team’s captain is selected by the Irish coaching staff week-to-week. Hoyte and Quinn were selected as season-long captains by their teammates. Washington won the toss and elected to receive. Notre Dame defended the north goal.

NOTRE DAME TEAM NOTES:

Notre Dame has scored 139 points in its first four games of the 2005 season. That is the best point total for the Irish in the team’s first four games since 1995, when the team scored 146 points. It is the best four-game point total for a non-interim head coach’s first four games since Jesse Harper’s 1913 team piled up 204 points in four games. Other first four game point totals for a coach’s first season – Rockne, 107; Hunk Anderson, 113; Elmer Layden, 56; Frank Leahy, 93; Terry Brennan, 88; Joe Kuharich, 63; Ara Parseghian, 123; Dan Devine, 68; Gerry Faust, 68; Lou Holtz, 89; Bob Davie, 55 and Tyrone Willingham 92.

With 560 yards of total offense in today’s game, Notre Dame has now piled up over 500 yards of offense in three of its first four games. The team compiled 502 at Pittsburgh and 594 against Michigan State. The last time the Irish put up 500 yards of offense three times in a single season was 1996, when the Irish accomplished that feat four times. From 1997-2004, Notre Dame reached 500 total yards of offense in a game only five times.

With 233 yards rushing in today’s game, Notre Dame has now gone over the 200-yard rushing plateau (as a team) twice in four games this season. The Irish rushed for 275 yards in the season opener at Pittsburgh.

The Notre Dame defense held Washington to 41 rushing yards in today’s game, the lowest for an Irish opponent since Oregon State rushed for 20 yards in the 2004 Insight Bowl.

Notre Dame has forced four turnovers in the red zone this season, including a fumble and interception in today’s game. The previous two red-zone turnovers occurred at Michigan.

Charlie Weis has become the ninth non-interim Notre Dame head football coach since 1913 to begin his career with at least three wins in his first four games (Tyrone Willingham, 4-0; Dan Devine, 3-1; Ara Parseghian, 4-0; Terry Brennan, 3-1; Frank Leahy, 4-0; Elmer Layden, 3-1; Hunk Anderson, 3-0-1; Jesse Harper, 4-0) this weekend at Washington.

Notre Dame now leads the all-time series with Washington 6-0. This afternoon’s game marks the third Irish appearance in Husky Stadium and first since 1995 (the other appearance occurred in 1949). Notre Dame has outscored Washington 201-68 in the six games.

Notre Dame has seen 19 players make their Irish playing debut in the first three games of the season. James Bent, Justin Brown, David Bruton*, Maurice Crum, Jr., Casey Cullen, Paul Duncan*, Leo Ferrine, David Grimes*, LaBrose Hedgemon III, Ray Herring*, Joey Hiben*, Pat Kuntz*, Terrail Lambert, Steve Quinn * Asaph Schwapp*, Dwight Stephenson, Jr., Scott Smith*, Ronald Talley and Michael Turkovich*. (* – indicates freshman) Freshman Ray Herring made his Notre Dame debut today on the opening kickoff, while Dwight Stephenson, Jr., appeared in the fourth quarter on the defensive line.

NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

With a career-high 128 yards rushing today, sophomore RB Darius Walker becomes the first Notre Dame player to rush for over 100 yards in a season’s first four games. Phil Carter ran for 100 yards in three consecutive games to start the 1980 season. In terms of overall consecutive games running for over 100 yards, Walker moves into three-way tie for third place. Lee Becton (1993) owns the Notre Dame record with seven, followed by Allen Pinkett (1983) with five, then Walker, Autry Denson (1997) and Randy Kinder (twice in his career) with four.

With eight catches in today’s game (for 164 yards), junior WR Jeff Samardzija has 21 receptions on the season, more than his entire 2004 production (17 catches). The 164 yards is a career-best and his 52-yard catch in the third quarter was the longest reception of his career. He also has caught a touchdown pass in each of Notre Dame’s first four games in 2005.

With 327 yards passing today, junior QB Brady Quinn moves into a three-way tie for second place on the Notre Dame list for most games passing for over 250 yards. He is now tied with Steve Beuerlein (1983-86) and Ron Powlus (1994-97) with eight. Jarious Jackson is first on the list with nine (from 1996-99).

Junior RB Travis Thomas’ 52 yards rushing is a career high for the junior running back (besting the 40 yards he collected at Pittsburgh this season). He also scored his first career rushing touchdown in today’s game.

Junior WS Chinedum Ndukwe’s forced fumble and fumble recovery in the first quarter is his fourth this season. It is the fifth of his career.

Junior Chase Anastasio’s blocked punt in the first quarter is the first of his career and Notre Dame’s first since the team blocked a punt against Oregon State in the 2004 Insight Bowl.

Walker’s touchdown run in the second quarter was his second of the season and ninth of his career.

Junior CB Ambrose Wooden’s interception in the second quarter was the first of his career (13 games played).

Junior TE John Carlson’s 15-yard catch in the third quarter is a career long, besting a 12-yard catch from last season.