July 27, 2009
When Hawai’i’s third kickoff of the 2008 Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl settled into sophomore Armando Allen’s hands on Christmas Eve, little did Irish fans know they were about to witness a little bit of history.
Notre Dame had not returned a kickoff for a score since 2002, but Allen quickly ended that drought with a 96-yard sprint through the Hawai’i special team to set the school record for a postseason kick return. Al Hunter previously held the record with his 93-yard run in the 1973 Sugar Bowl.
It was the final touchdown in Notre Dame’s 49-17 victory over Hawai’i – which also ended a nine-game bowl losing streak for the Irish.
When und.com launched its redesigned site on July 8, 2009, we asked for Irish fans to vote for the top plays of the Charlie Weis era. After close to 13,000 votes, Notre Dame fans have determined the top 10 plays since 2005 – and we will be unveiling them one at a time over the next 10 business days until fall football practice begins on Aug. 8.
Allen’s kick return comes in at #10 on the list – check back tomorrow as we continue the countdown to #1.
