Oct. 26, 1999
Game No.8Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-3)vs. Navy Midshipmen (2-5)
The Date and Time: Saturday, October 30,1999,at 1:30 p.m. EST.
The Site: Notre Dame Stadium (80,012 capacity, natural grass)in Notre Dame, Ind.
The Tickets: They’re all sold -with this game marking the 148th consecutive sellout in Notre Dame Stadium (the first 130 coming at the old 59,075 capacity, the six ’97 games at 80,225). The Navy game marks the 196th home sellout in the last 197 games (back to 1964)and the 115th sellout in the last 133 games involving Notre Dame, including the first 10 games of 1998 and all eight in 1999.
The TV Plans: NBC Sports national telecast with Dick Enberg (play by play),Pat Haden (analysis), Paul Sunderland (sideline)and Jim Bell (producer). NBC’s coverage of Notre Dame games includes live broadcasts in Bermuda, Latin America, Panama, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, plus delayed show- ings in Ireland and the United Kingdom (Wednesday nights),Asia (one week)`and Japan (10 days).
The Radio Plans: For the 32nd consecutive season, all Notre Dame football games are broadcast nationally on radio by Mutual/Westwood One with Tony Roberts (play by play)and Tom Pagna (game analysis)and Paul Hornung (pregame/halftime analysis). The Mutual 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.
Real-Time Stats: Live in-game statistics are available during every Notre Dame home game, via the Notre Dame athletic website (www.und.com).
Websites: Notre Dame (www.und.com),Navy (www.navysports.com).
THE INJURY UPDATE (as of Oct.24)
| Out: | |
| Junior FS Justin Smith | Arthroscopic right knee surgery (10/17) |
| (injured in warmups prior to USC game) | |
| Freshman CB Albert Poree | Knee sprain |
| Senior FL Raki Nelson | Torn left MCL vs. Oklahoma |
| (dnp vs. ASU or USC, out 4 weeks) | |
| Junior FB Jason Murray | Shoulder surgery (9/17) |
| Soph. FB Mike McNair | Sprained arch prior to Mich. game |
| (dnp last 5 gms) | |
| Doubtful: | |
| Sophomore OT Sean Mahan | Ankle sprain (10/22) |
| Questionable: | |
| Junior DT Andy Wisne | Right shoulder sprain (10/9) |
THE KEY NOTES
GAMEDAY SCENARIOS
If Notre Dame Wins:
o The Irish will win after a bye week for the eighth consecutive time.
o The Irish will win for the 19th time in their last 24 regular-season games.
o Notre Dame will post its 14th win at home in the last 15 tries..
o The Irish will defeat Navy for the 36th straight time and for the 18th straight time at Notre Dame Stadium, dating back to a 1963 loss.
o Notre Dame will improve to 24–1-0 in its last 25 games versus the service academies.
If Navy Wins:
o The Midshipmen will end a 35-game losing streak vs. the Irish (first win since 1963).
o The Irish will lose for the sixth time in the last 10 games overall.
o The Irish will lose at home for just the second time in the last 15 home games.
o The Irish will suffer their second loss in the last 25 games versus a service academy team.
RECAPPING THE USC GAME
o Notre Dame rallied from a 24–3 third-quarter deficit for a 25-24 win, producing the program’s biggest comeback since the 1979 Cotton Bowl and the biggest comeback in the history of Notre Dame Stadium. Jarious Jackson completed 19 of 30 passes (1 TD, 1 INT)while his USC counterpart Mike Van Raaphorst completed 23 of 41 passes for a career-high 298 yards,2 TDs and one INT. Jackson connected with 10 different re- ceivers, led by Joey Getherall ‘s career-best seven catches (for 73 yards).Julius Jones led the Irish with 10 rushes for 35 yards and totaled 194 all-purpose yards (he also had a 49-yard reception, two punt returns for 17 yards and four kick returns for 79).USC’s Chad Morton rushed 21 times for 85 yards and a TD while R. Jay Soward (10 catches, 101 yards,TD)and Windrell Hayes (8,107,TD)had big receiving days.
o USC built on its 21–3 halftime lead with a 29-yard field goal early in the third quarter before the Irish began their comeback. Jackson capped a nine-play,71-yard drive by throwing across the field for a seven-yard scoring strike to Dan O’Leary .Two USC drives later, Ron Israel blitzed through the line and jarred the ball from Van Raaphorst, with Anthony Denman recovering at the USC 36-yard line. Tony Driver plowed over from the two-yard line but David Miller ‘s PAT was blocked, leaving USC with a 24-16 lead. The next Irish drive produced a 33-yard Miller field goal, with eight minutes left to play. USC managed one first down and the Irish took over on their 26.Tony Fisher went high for a 28-yard catch down the sideline and Jackson later converted a third-and-eight pass to Jabari Holloway for 11 yards. On second and seven from the 18,Jackson scrambled toward the goal line but fumbled at the three, with Holloway recovering in the end zone (the two-point try failed).
FRIDAY FOOTBALL LUNCHEONS AND PEP RALLIES
o Tickets remain available for the 1999 Notre Dame Football Luncheons, held on Fri- days before every Irish home game. The ’99 football luncheons are sponsored by the Notre Dame Athletic Department and the speaking program includes remarks from head coach Bob Davie, members of his coaching staff and the Irish squad, in addition to special guests and a video honoring the Four Horsemen. Tickets are $16 each (plus $3 handling charge per order)and are available by calling (219)272-2870.
o All ’99 pep rallies are held in the Joyce Center Arena (south dome),starting at 7:00 p.m.
FOUR HORSEMEN FAMILY REUNION PLANNED FOR NAVY WEEKEND
The 1999 football season is the 75th anniversary of the final season for Notre Dame ‘s storied Four Horsemen – the backfield of the 1924 team that included Don Miller, Elmer Layden, Jim Crowley and Harry Stuhldreher. The families of these players will be hon- ored in a pregame ceremony at the Oct.30 game vs. Navy at Notre Dame Stadium, with more than 200 family members expected to attend. A video feature of the Four Horse- men will be shown at the Friday football luncheon (Oct.29 in the Joyce Center Fieldhouse).The family members also will gather on Friday at a reception in the Notre Dame Stadium pressbox (admission by ticket only)and will view the pep rally from a special reserved section. The pregame ceremony will follow the Notre Dame band’s performance.
POSTGAME NOTES FROM THE USC GAME
o Notre Dame is 11–4-1 in its last 16 games vs.Pacific-10 Conference teams
o The win marked Notre Dame’s biggest comeback since erasing a 22-point deficit to defeat Houston in the 1979 Cotton Bowl (35-34),after trailing 34-12.
o Jarious Jackson’s interception was his first in four games, since the MSU game.
o Prior to David Miller’s second-quarter field goal, USC had shut out the Irish in seven straight quarters.
o Deke Cooper”s interception gave him four takeaways in the last two games (two fumbles, two interceptions).
o Jackson passed for 240–plus yards for the fifth time in the last six games.
o After ending its three-game losing streak vs. USC, Notre Dame still has lost four- plus straight games to the same opponent just five times since 1908.
IRISH HAVE FARED WELL AFTER RECENT OFF WEEKS
o Since 1984,,Notre Dame is 16-2 in regular-season games following a bye week, including the 1999 comeback win over then-No.23 Oklahoma (34-30),last-minute 1998 wins over Purdue (31-30)and Army (20-17)and six memorable wins over ranked teams:24-10 over 19th-ranked Army in 1985,24-19 at No.2 Michigan in ’89, 31-23 at 19th-ranked USC in ‘92,31-24 over top-ranked Florida State in ‘93,54-20 over No.16 Washington in ’96 and 24-6 at 11th-ranked LSU in ’97.
o Notre Dame has won its last seven games when coming off a regular–season bye week:34-30 over No.23 Oklahoma in 1999 (after losing 23-13 to Michigan State), 58-21 vs. Navy in 1994 (after being upset by BYU),the ’96 win over Washington (after a loss to fourth-ranked Ohio State),a 54-27 win over Navy in ’96,in Ireland (after an overtime loss to Air Force),a 24-6 upset win at 11th-ranked LSU in 1997 (after a win over Navy)and the 1998 wins over Purdue (after a loss to Michigan State)and Army (after a win over Arizona State).Five of the last seven wins after bye weeks have helped the Irish bounce back from losses in the previous game.
o The two recent losses after off weeks were 30-22 at Pittsburgh in 1987 (the Irish were ranked No.4 that week)and 23-16 versus eighth-ranked Florida State in a 1994 game played at the Citrus Bowl (the Irish were unranked for that game).
MIDSEASON CHECKUP
o With seven of 12 regular–season games in the books, Notre Dame is on pace to challenge the team record for total passing yards (2,527 in 10 games during 1970, on pace for 2,859 in ’99,including a 10-game pace of 2,379).
o On a per–game basis, the 1999 Irish offense stacks up with the record-setting 1970 aerial game, with 25.7 pass attempts/gm (28.3 in ’70),15.6 completions/gm (16.2 in ’70)and 237.9 passing yards/gm (252.7 in ’70).The Irish own a .606 pass comple- tion pct.(the record of .638 was set in ’93)while averaging 9.25 yards/pass att. (record of 10.0 in ’93)and 15.3 yards per completion (record of 17.5 in ’64).
o Jarious Jackson is on pace to set the Irish record for single-season passing effi- ciency (153.08)and could threaten the Irish season records for passing attempts (on pace for 298,record is 298),completions (185,182),completion pct.(.621,.616), passing yards (2,844,2,429)and TD passes (17,19).On a per-game basis,Jack- son also could be in the running to set records for pass attempts/gm (24.9,record is 28.1),completions/gm (15.4,16.6),passing yards/gm (237.0,242.9),passing yards per att.(9.54,10.1)and passing yards per comp.(15.36,18.1).
HOLDING ONTO THE BALL
o The Notre Dame offense totaled no turnovers versus both Oklahoma and Arizona State,marking the first time that an Irish team had gone back-to-back games without a turnover since 1993 .Taking care of the ball was a hallmark of that tal- ented 1993 squad, which had six games without a turnover, including the second and third games of the season (vs. Michigan and Michigan State)and a four-game streak of no turnovers later in the season (vs. BYU, USC, Navy and Florida State).
o Including the first four drives of the 1999 USC game, the no-turnover stretch spanned 32 drives by the Notre Dame offense and 151 plays from scrimmage (not including punts and field goal attempts).
SERIES NOTES
o Navy and Notre Dame will meet for the 73rd time, the longest series in Notre Dame football history. This season’s Notre Dame-Purdue game was the 71st in that series (tied for second-longest in Notre Dame history)while the Irish and USC also met for the 71st time earlier this season.
o Notre Dame leads the Navy series 62–9-1,in the longest continuous intersectional rivalry in the country. The Irish and Middies have met every year since 1927.
o Notre Dame has won 35 straight in the series ((37-11 average score). Navy’s last win came in ’63,when Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach helped Navy win 35-14 at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame’s 35 straight wins rank as the longest winning streak by one team over another in NCAA history (previous record: Oklahoma’s 32 straight wins over Kansas State from 1937-68).
o The Irish have scored 35-plus points in eight of the last 10 games of the series. Beginning with the 1989 meeting, Notre Dame has averaged 42.5 points per game versus the Middies.
o At least one of the teams has been ranked in 50 previous games of the series, with the higher-ranked team holding a 42-7-1 edge. An unranked team has upset a ranked team just twice: Navy over No.13 Notre Dame in 1936 (3-0)and Notre Dame over No.15 Navy in ’58 (40-20).The other upsets of a higher-ranked team:No.7 Notre Dame over No.6 Navy in ’41 (7-6),No.6 Navy over No.2 Notre Dame in ’44 (32- 13),No.9 Notre Dame over No.4 Navy in Navy in ’55 (21-7),No.16 Navy over No. 5 Notre Dame in ’57 (20-6)and No.15 Notre Dame over No.11 Navy in ’78 (27-7).
RECAPPING THE 1998 NOTRE DAME-NAVY GAME
Notre Dame scored in every quarter for the fifth straight game while defeating Navy for the 35th consecutive time,30-0 at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in Raljon, Md. The balanced Irish attack included 261 rushing yards and 159 through the air, while the Irish defense held Navy (ranked first nationally with 297.6 rushing yards/gm)to 162 rushing yards. Senior TB Autry Denson became Notre Dame’s career rushing leader, on the 47th yard of his 107-yard rushing day (25 rushes,2 TDs).Senior QB Jarious Jackson completed his first 12 passes of the game before misfiring on his last two attempts. Senior FB Jamie Spencer opened the scoring with a four-yard TD run in the first quarter and Denson added TD runs of eight and 18 yards in the next two quar- ters. Senior SE Malcolm Johnson scored a TD for the fifth straight game, thanks to an 18-yard pass from Jackson late in the third quarter. Junior Jim Sanson capped the scoring with a 37-yard FG. Sophomore Joey Getherall’s 68-yard punt return to the Navy 20-yard line set up Johnson’s TD.
SITE SURVEY
o Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in 1998 became the eighth neutral site in the history of the series.
o The Notre Dame-Navy game in the year 2000 will be played in Orlando, Fla., which will become the ninth neutral site in the history of the series.
o Notre Dame has played once previously at the Citrus Bowl, a 23-16 loss to eighth- ranked Florida State during the 1994 season.
o The first 33 games of the series included 17 in Baltimore, Md.(in the facility re- ferred to as Municipal/Babe Ruth/Memorial Stadium),one game at Soldier Field (’28),six games at Notre Dame Stadium (including the inaugural game in ’30)and nine games in Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium.
o The games from 1960-71 alternated between Philadelphia’s Municipal/JFK Sta- dium and Notre Dame Stadium. Navy’s home sites from 1976-96 included Philadelphia’s Veteran Stadium (’72,’74,’93),Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium (’76, ’78),Giants Stadium (’80,’82,’84,’90,’92),Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium (’86,’88) and Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland (’96).
RECAPPING NAVY’S LAST VISIT TO NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame came from behind three times and withstood a last-ditch pass play by Navy to defeat the Midshipmen 21-17,on Nov.1,1997,at Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish faced deficits of 7-0,10-7 and 17-14 before marching 93 yards in 17 plays to take the lead for good. A Benny Guilbeaux interception in the end zone midway through the final period set Notre Dame up at its own seven-yard line. Autry Denson finished with 125 rushing yards despite a bruised knee suffered in the game. He scored the second of his two TDs on a five-yard run with 5:48 remaining (the first came on a 48-yard run less than two minutes into the third period to put the Irish on top 14-10).After Notre Dame tried to run out the clock, Navy took over on its own 29 with three seconds on the clock and completed a 69-yard Hail Mary throw down the left sideline from Chris McCoy (he led all rushers with 147 yards and two TDs)to Pat McGrew, who was pushed out at the one-yard line by Allen Rossum.
DODGING BULLETS
o During Notre Dame’s 35-game series winning streak, Navy has come within 10 points just four times:14-6 in 1974 at Veterans Stadium,27-21 in 1976 at Municipal Stadium,18-17 in 1984 at Giants Stadium and 21-17 in 1997 at Notre Dame Sta- dium (see above).
o In 1974 ,Navy used a pair of field goals and the strong punting of John Stufflebeem to claim a 6-0,fourth-quarter lead on the No.7 Irish. But a Tom Clements-to-Pete Demmerle pass gave Notre Dame the lead before Randy Harrison returned an interception for the final margin.
o In 1976 ,Navy nearly upset one of the nation’s top defensive teams. The No.11 Irish stormed back from a second-quarter,14-3 deficit, claiming a 24-14 halftime lead on Al Hunter’s 28-yard TD catch from Rick Slager. Navy’s Reggie Thompson scored on a short plunge with 13:24 left to play, cutting the lead to 24-21,but Dave Reeve booted a 24-yard FG and Dave Waymer tipped away a well-thrown, fourth- down pass in the end zone (from Bob Leszczynski to Steve Scott),after Navy had marched to the Notre Dame 16-yard line with 4:47 left to play.
o In 1984 ,John Carney’s 44-yard FG with 0:14 left completed an 11-point Irish comeback in the final four minutes. Notre Dame moved 56 yards in 0:46 prior to the winning kick. Eric Fudge’s interception set up Todd Solomon’s 32-yard FG for a 17- 7 Navy lead with 4:02 left. Notre Dame was ruled offsides but Navy took the points rather than a first down at the Irish 10-yard line. Three straight catches by Tim Brown (covering 59 yards),a one-yard TD dive by Allen Pinkett and a two-point pass from Steve Beuerlein to Joe Howard cut the deficit to 17-15 with 2:17 left. The Irish then used their final two timeouts, holding Navy to three plays and a punt. The winning drive included a 29-yard reverse screen to Pinkett that took the ball to the Navy 27-yard line.Controversy surrounded Carney’s winning kick, as the 25-sec- ond clock appeared to have expired before the snap.
RECENT IRISH GAMES VS.THE ACADEMIES
o Beginning with the 1986 season, Notre Dame owns a combined record of 23-1-0 versus Air Force, Army and Navy over the previous 13 seasons. The only loss in that stretch came at home in the 1996 season, when Air Force pulled out a 20-17 overtime win to upset the No.8 ranked Irish.
o Notre Dame has won nearly 83 percent of its all–time games versus the three Academy schools, going 117-22-5 (.829).That includes a 19-5-0 mark vs. Air Force, 36-8-4 vs. Army and 62-9-1 vs. Navy.
o Notre Dame’s recent encounters with the service academies have posed more than a few challenges:
o Army ’98 –Irish needed Jim Sanson’s career-long 48-yard field goal at the 1:06 mark to win,20-17.
o Navy ”97 –Irish survived 21-17 after 69-yard Hail Mary pass on final play saw Allen Rossum knock middle receiver Pat McGrew out at the Irish one-yard line.
o Air Force ’97 –Irish lost 20-17 in overtime as Falcons forced a fumble on the Irish OT attempt, then booted a 27-yard field goal to win.
ACADEMY CONNECTIONS
o Both of the coordinators on Notre Dame’s coaching staff have ties to United States service academies. First-year offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers spent eight sea- sons on the football staff at Navy (1983-90),where he coached a variety of posi- tions: tight ends and offensive tackles in 1983,tight ends and receivers in ’84 and ’85,defensive backs in ’86,running backs in ’87 and ’88 and quarterbacks in ’89 and ’90 (when he tutored Alton Grizzard, Navy’s all-time total offense leader).Third-year defensive coordinator Greg Mattison coached opposite Rogers during two of those seasons, as the defensive line coach at Army from 1987-88.
o Navy compliance coordinator Tom Bates is a 1960 Notre Dame graduate and a former student assistant in the Notre Dame sports information office.
o Second–year Navy director of strength and conditioning Kirk Woolfolk was Notre Dame’s strength and conditioning coordinator for three years (1995-98).
o Three current Notre Dame Olympic sports head coaches have past experience as head coaches at service academies. Sixth-year baseball coach Paul Mainieri coached at Air Force from 1989-94 while 13th-year Irish men’s tennis coach Bobby Bayliss spent the first 15 years of his head coaching career at Navy (1970-84). Second-year Notre Dame women’s rowing coach Martin Stone held the same posi- tion at Navy for six years prior to joining the Irish staff in October of 1997.
o First–year Notre Dame men’s basketball assistant coach Doug Wojcik is a 1987 Navy graduate and served as team captain of the Middies basketball team in 1986- 87.He helped Navy reach three straight NCAA tournaments, including a 1986 East Regional final appearance (on a team led by David Robinson).Prior to joining Matt Doherty’s staff at Notre Dame, Wojcik spent the previous nine seasons as an assist- tent men’s basketball coach at Navy, with the Middies reaching the NCAAs three times during that span (1994,’97 and ’98).
o Another first-year member of the Irish men’s basketball staff, assistant coach Fred Quartlebaum ,spent four seasons with Wojcik on the Navy staff (1992-96).
RECORDS SET IN THE NAVY SERIES
o Two of the top Irish rushing performances have come vs. Navy: Vagas Ferguson ‘s 219 yards in ’78 (5th place,18 att.,12.2 avg.,1 TD)and Jim Stone ‘s 211 yards in ’80 (7th,33 att.,6.4 avg.,2 TDs).
o John Huarte ‘s 27.4 yards/completion (10 for 274)and 13.7 yards/offensive play (20 for 273)vs. Navy in 1964 both rank first in the Notre Dame record book. The following rank second and came vs. Navy: Tim Brown ‘s 26.3 yards/reception in ’86 (7 for 184)and Larry Coutre ‘s 91-yard rush (’49).
o Bill Etter ‘s 146 rushing yards vs. Navy in 1969 remain most ever by an Irish QB while Blair Kiel ‘s nine consecutive completions vs. Navy in ’82 is tied for third all- time at Notre Dame.
o Three of the longest pass plays in Notre Dame history have come against Navy: Steve Beuerlein to Tim Brown for 77 yards in 1986 (10th),Bob Williams to Gary Myers for 75 yards in 1958 (11th)and John Huarte to Nick Eddy for 74 yards in 1964 (14th).
o Two of the longest punts in Irish history have come vs. the Middies: Bill Shakespeare ‘s 75-yard boot in 1935 (5th)and Nick Pietrosante ‘s 72-yard punt in 1957 (8th).
o Harry Oliver ‘s 50-yard field goal vs. Navy in 1980 ranks fifth in Irish history while Billy Barrett ‘s 74-yard punt return vs. the Middies in 1951 ranks 13th.Twelve Notre Dame players share the team record with three interceptions in a game, with the last coming by Dave Duerson vs. Navy in 1982.
o Notre Dame’s 91 rushing attempts,597 rushing yards (modern record),720 total offensive yards and 10.2 total offensive yards per play vs. Navy in 1969 all rank first in Notre Dame history.
KEYS TO VICTORY
Notre Dame is averaging 248.3 rushing yards per game in its four wins this season and just 110.7 in its three losses. Other noteworthy comparisons from 1999 wins and losses include: Jarious Jackson’s rushing yards (305 total in wins,-1 in losses),turnover ratio (+7 in wins,-6 in losses),third-down conversion pct.(.537,.422),first-quarter scoring (+13,-3)and third-quarter scoring (+32,-11).
PLAYING STREAKS
o Senior DL Brad Williams owns the longest active streak for consecutive starts (22)on the current Irish football team, followed by senior C John Merandi (19).
o The longest active Irish streaks for consecutive games played belong to senior FS Deke Cooper (42)and senior SE Bobby Brown (32).Junior FL Joey Getherall saw his streak of 23 consecutive games played end at Purdue,due to a shoulder injury suffered at Michigan.
o Just five Irish players have started 22 or more games in their careers at Notre Dame:: Williams (29),senior DE Lamont Bryant (26),Brown (24),senior CB Deveron Harper (26)and junior TE Jabari Holloway (24).