Nov. 8, 2010
DATE
– Saturday, November 13, 2010
TIME
– 2:40 p.m. ET
SITE (CAPACITY)
– Notre Dame Stadium (80,795); Notre Dame, Ind.
TICKETS
– Saturday is the 219th straight sellout at Notre Dame Stadium. Since 1966, every home game for the Irish has been a sellout except one – a 1973 Thanksgiving Day game vs. Air Force. Notre Dame has played in front of sellouts in 267 of its last 268 home games.
TELEVISION
– NBC national telecast with Tom Hammond (play-by-play), Mike Mayock (analysis), Alex Flanagan (sideline), Rob Hyland (producer) and Andy Rosenberg (director).
RADIO
– ISP Sports is the exclusive national rights-holder for Irish football radio broadcasts. ISP manages, produces and syndicates the Irish national football radio network. Notre Dame games will be broadcast by Don Criqui (play-by-play) and former Irish great Allen Pinkett (analysis). This broadcast can be heard live on SIRIUS Satellite Radio (channel 159) and XM Satellite Radio (channel 117).
– All Notre Dame home games may be heard in South Bend on Sunny 101.5 FM and NewsTalk 960 WSBT-AM.
WEB SITES
– Notre Dame (und.com), Utah (utahutes.com)
POLLS
– Utah enters this weekend’s matchup ranked No. 15 in both the AP and USA Today Coaches’ polls. Notre Dame is not ranked in either poll.
REAL-TIME STATS
– Live in-game statistics will be provided through CBS College Sports Gametracker via und.com.
SERIES INFO
– Notre Dame and Utah will meet on the gridiron for the first time in the 122-year history of Irish football. The Utes are the 139th different opponent in Notre Dame football history. The Irish have faced 69 of the other 120 teams currently competing at the FBS level.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR SATURDAY
– Utah will become the 68th different team to visit Notre Dame Stadium (since its opening in 1930) when the Utes face the Irish this week. Notre Dame owns a 55-11-1 mark (.828) in games when the opponent was making its first visit to the Stadium.
ON THIS DATE
– Notre Dame has played five previous games in its history on Nov. 13. The Irish are 4-1-0 (.800) all-time on this date. The Irish were ranked in the top 25 entering each contest.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
Nov. 13, 1993: No. 2 Notre Dame built a 21-7 halftime lead and eventually held on down the stretch to best No. 1 Florida State, 31-24. Notre Dame piled up 239 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground in the contest. Shawn Wooden knocked down a Charlie Ward pass as time runs out to ensure the victory.
Nov. 13, 1982: Notre Dame, one week off its upset of top-ranked Pittsburgh, took a 14-13 lead over Penn State entering the fourth quarter. The Nittany Lions, making their first-ever appearance inside Notre Dame Stdium, rallied for 11 unanswered points in the final stanza for a 24-14 victory. Todd Blackledge hooked up with Curt Warner on a 43-yard touchdown pass to give Penn State a 19-14 lead. The Nittany Lions used a safety and field goal to secure the win.
Nov. 13, 1976: Alabama and Notre Dame met for the first time in the regular season. Notre Dame quarterback Rick Slager enjoyed a sensational outing as he completed 15 of 23 passes for 235 yards. He staked the Irish to a 21-7 halftime lead, highlighted by a 56-yard scoring toss to Dan Kelleher to open the scoring. Freshman tailback Vagas Ferguson was shifted to fullback and responded with 24 carries for 107 yards and a 17-yard TD scamper to make it 21-7. In the second half, the Tide whittled away with a field goal, a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ozzie Newsome and then a Newsome run for two points, but Notre Dame held on for a 21-18 victory. One point in 1973, two the following year…and now a three-point victory in 1976 against the larger-than-life Bryant. “I don’t think I’ll be around for the four-pointer,” lamented Bryant, referring to the return meeting at Alabama in 1980. The Irish would win that one too, 7-0, to run Bryant’s record to 0-4 versus Notre Dame. More significant, the thrilling 1976 victory helped set a straighter path for the 1977 national title.
Nov. 13, 1920: In a near upset, Indiana led undefeated Notre Dame, 10-0, in Indianapolis. With Irish legend George Gipp out with a shoulder injury, the Irish fought back to score and close the deficit to 10-7. Then, Rockne sent in Gipp to score the final touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Some feel that this injury weakened Gipp and left him suseptible to the infection that killed him four weeks later.
NOTRE DAME IN NOVEMBER
– The Irish are 309-121-27 (.706) all-time in November.
– Notre Dame is 144-44-7 (.756) in November home games.
– The Irish are 114-65-16 (.626) in road games during November.
– Notre Dame is 51-12-4 (.791) in November neutral games.
– The Irish are 51-52-7 (.495) all-time in November against top-25 opponents.
– Notre Dame is 49-51-7 (.491) all-time in November against top-20 opponents.
– The Irish are 21-20-1 (.512) all-time at Notre Dame Stadium in November against top-25 opponents.
– Notre Dame is 19-19-1 (.500) all-time at Notre Dame Stadium in November against top-20 opponents.
A WIN THIS WEEK WOULD…
– Give Notre Dame a record of 5-5 for the first time since 1999.
– Improves Notre Dame to 92-24-4 (.783) in home finales.
– Improves the Irish to 61-19-1 (.759) in home finales in Notre Dame Stadium.
– Improves Notre Dame to 16-11 (.593) all-time against ranked opponents in home finales.
– Improve the Irish to 62-16-2 (.788) when it plays after a bye week (since 1900).
– Improve Notre Dame to 29-7-0 (.806) when it plays after a bye week (since 1984).
– Improve the Irish to 141-128-10 (.523) all-time against a top-25 opponent.
– Improve Notre Dame to 133-124-10 (.517) all-time against a top-20 opponent.
– Improve Notre Dame to 64-53-3 (.546) all-time against a top-25 opponent at Notre Dame Stadium.
– Improve the Irish to 60-52-3 (.535) all-time against a top-20 opponent at Notre Dame Stadium.
– Improve an unranked Irish squad to 28-53-1 (.348) all-time against a top-25 opponent.
– Improve an unranked Notre Dame squad to 23-50-1 (.318) all-time against a top-20 opponent.
– Improve an unranked Notre Dame squad to 12-26-0 (.429) all-time against a top-25 opponent at Notre Dame Stadium.
– Improve an unranked Irish squad to 9-25-0 (.265) all-time against a top-10 opponent at Notre Dame Stadium.
– Improve the Irish to 29-8-0 (.784) all-time against the Mountain West Conference.
– Improve Notre Dame to 16-5-0 (.762) all-time at Notre Dame Stadium against the Mountain West Conference.
– Improve the Irish to 117-19-3 (.853) all-time when facing an opponent for the first time in school history.
– Improve Notre Dame to 56-11-1 mark (.831) in games when the opponent was making its first visit to Notre Dame Stadium.
– Improve the Irish to 45-8-1 (.843) since 1930 versus teams making their first overall visit to Notre Dame.
– Improve Notre Dame to 103-13-5 (.872) in games versus all first-time visitors to Notre Dame (regardless of the site).
– Improve the Irish to 842-295-42 (.732) all-time in school history.
– Improve Notre Dame to 457-116-13 (.791) all-time at home.
– Improve the Irish to 310-104-5 (.746) all-time at Notre Dame Stadium.
– Improve Kelly’s record to 176-62-2 (.738) overall, 58-27 (.682) at the FBS level and 38-11 (.776) over the last four seasons.
– Improve Kelly’s record to 9-1 (.900) in his career following a bye week.
– Snap Notre Dame’s 11-game losing streak to ranked opponents.
– Give the Irish a victory over a ranked opponent for the first time since Sept. 9, 2006 when Notre Dame defeated No. 19 Penn State (41-17).
A LOSS THIS WEEK WOULD…
– Give Notre Dame a record of 4-6 for the first time since 2003.
– Drops Notre Dame to 91-25-4 (.775) in home finales.
– Drops the Irish to 60-20-1 (.747) in home finales in Notre Dame Stadium.
– Drops Notre Dame to 15-12 (.556) all-time against ranked opponents in home finales.
– Drop the Irish to 61-17-2 (.775) when it plays after a bye week (since 1900).
– Drop Notre Dame to 28-8-0 (.778) when it plays after a bye week (since 1984).
– Drop the Irish to 140-129-10 (.520) all-time against a top-25 opponent.
– Drop Notre Dame to 132-125-10 (.513) all-time against a top-20 opponent.
– Drop Notre Dame to 63-54-3 (.538) all-time against a top-25 opponent at Notre Dame Stadium.
– Drop the Irish to 59-53-3 (.526) all-time against a top-20 opponent at Notre Dame Stadium.
– Drop an unranked Irish squad to 27-54-1 (.335) all-time against a top-25 opponent.
– Drop an unranked Notre Dame squad to 22-51-1 (.304) all-time against a top-20 opponent.
– Drop an unranked Notre Dame squad to 11-27-0 (.289) all-time against a top-25 opponent at Notre Dame Stadium.
– Drop an unranked Irish squad to 8-26-0 (.235) all-time against a top-20 opponent at Notre Dame Stadium.
– Drop the Irish to 28-9-0 (.757) all-time against the Mountain West Conference.
– Drop Notre Dame to 15-6-0 (.714) all-time at Notre Dame Stadium against the Mountain West Conference.
– Drop the Irish to 116-20-3 (.845) all-time when facing an opponent for the first time in school history.
– Drop Notre Dame to 55-12-1 (.816) in games when the opponent was making its first visit to Notre Dame Stadium.
– Drop the Irish to 44-9-1 (.824) since 1930 versus teams making their first overall visit to Notre Dame.
– Drop Notre Dame to 102-14-5 (.864) in games versus all first-time visitors to Notre Dame (regardless of the site).
– Drop the Irish to 841-296-42 (.731) all-time in school history.
– Drop Notre Dame to 456-117-13 (.789) all-time at home.
– Drop the Irish to 309-105-5 (.743) all-time at Notre Dame Stadium.
– Drop Kelly’s record to 175-63-2 (.733) overall, 57-28 (.671) at the FBS level and 37-12 (.755) over the last four seasons.
– Drop Kelly’s record to 8-2 (.800) in his career following a bye week.
NOTRE DAME AND TOP-RANKED FOES
– The Irish have registered 132 victories in school history over opponents ranked in the top 20 of the AP poll, including 22 when Notre Dame entered the game unranked. Eight of those 22 victories when the Irish were unranked occured at home. Notre Dame’s last victory over a top 20 opponent when unranked came on Nov. 6, 2004 at Tennessee (17-13). The last victory for the Irish over a top 20 opponent when unranked at home came on Sept. 11, 2004 against Michigan (28-20).
– Notre Dame owns an all-time record of 132-124-10 (.515) against teams ranked in the top 20 of the AP poll, including a 59-52-3 (.531) mark in Notre Dame Stadium.
COMING OFF A REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULED BYE WEEK
– Notre Dame has won nearly 80 percent of its games (61-16-2, .785) when it plays after a bye week (since 1900). The Irish have an even higher percentage (28-7, .800) playing after an off week since 1984.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
FIRST-TIME VISITORS
– Utah will become the 68th different team to visit Notre Dame Stadium (since its opening in 1930) when the Utes face the Irish this week. Notre Dame owns a 55-11-1 mark (.828) in games when the opponent was making its first visit to the Stadium. Fourteen of those teams previously had played at Notre Dame (prior to 1930), with the Irish owning a mark of 44-8-1 (.840) since 1930 versus teams making their first overall visit to Notre Dame.
– Utah, ranked No. 15 in both the AP and USA Today Coaches’ polls, is the highest ranked opponent to make its inaugural debut in Notre Dame Stadium since since No. 10 Alabama made its first-ever trip to South Bend in 1976.
– Notre Dame has already played a pair first-time visitors to Notre Dame Stadium this season. The Irish routed Western Michigan, 44-20, on Sept. 16 and lost to Tulsa, 28-27, on Oct. 30.
– The Irish have not hosted three first-time visitors to Notre Dame Stadium in the same season since 1972 when Notre Dame faced Miami (Fla.), TCU and Missouri.
– The eight teams that have travelled to South Bend for the first time and come away with a victory at Notre Dame Stadium include (AP poll began in 1936): USC (1931), Texas (1934), Iowa (1940), Missouri (1972), No. 14 Clemson (1979), No. 20 Florida State (1981), Connecticut (2009) and Tulsa (2010). Purdue (1933), Michigan (1942) and Penn State (1982) also won their first games at Notre Dame Stadium but previously had played the Irish at Cartier Field.
– Following the 1981 loss to Florida State, 12 consecutive opponents lost in their first trip to South Bend: Colorado (1984), Mississippi (1985), Boston College (1987), BYU (1992), Vanderbilt (1995), Rutgers (1996), West Virginia (1997), Arizona State (1999), Texas A&M (2000), Washington State (2003), San Diego State (2008) and Nevada (2009). Connecticut snapped that streak in the home finale in 2009.
– Eight teams that were ranked at game time in the AP top-25 poll (which began in 1936) have lost in their first visit to Notre Dame, with the Irish being ranked lower in four of those games:
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– The Notre Dame football program has played home games versus a total of 120 different teams, primarily at old Cartier Field (pre-1930) or Notre Dame Stadium, with an overall home record of 102-13-5 (.871) in games versus all first-time visitors to Notre Dame (regardless of the site).
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
– Notre Dame and Utah will meet on the gridiron for the first time in the 122-year history of Irish football. The Utes are the 139th different opponent in Notre Dame football history. The Irish own an all-time record of 116-19-3 (.851) when facing an opponent for the first time in school history.
– The Irish have already faced 69 of the other 120 teams currently competing at the FBS level (does not include Utah).
– Notre Dame posted a remarkable 38-game winning streak when facing an opponent for the first time in school history from 1921-76.
– The Irish have played a number of first time foes over the last three years. Notre Dame hosted San Diego State in the 2008 season opener, Nevada in the 2009 season opener and Connecticut in the ’09 home finale. The Irish also hosted Tulsa on Oct. 30 earlier this season.
NOTRE DAME & SENIOR DAY
– Notre Dame will honor 36 seniors including RB Armando Allen Jr. (Opa Locka, FL/Hialeah-Miami Lakes), LS/DL John Belcher (Cheyenne, WY/Cheyenne Central), LB Steve Botsford (Arlington Heights, IL/St. Viator), FB/TE Bobby Burger (Cincinnati, OH/LaSalle), QB Brian Castello (Pittsburgh, PA/Chartiers Valley), RB Patrick Coughlin (Oak Lawn, IL/Brother Rice), OT Taylor Dever (Nevada City, CA/Nevada Union), C/LS Bill Flavin (Darien, IL/Benet Academy), WR Dan Franco (Granger, IN/Clay), CB Barry Gallup Jr. (Wellesley, MA/Belmont Hill), S Michael Garcia (Colorado Springs, CO/St. Mary’s), CB Gary Gray (Columbia, SC/Richland Northeast), WR Christopher Gurries (Reno, NV/Bishop Manoque), RB Derry Herlihy (Houston, TX/St. John’s), RB/FB Robert Hughes (Chicago, IL/Hubbard), WR Duval Kamara (Jersey City, NJ/Hoboken), CB Nick Lezynski (Newton, PA/Notre Dame High School), LB Kerry Neal (Bunn, NC/Bunn), OL Andrew Nuss (Ashburn, VA/Stone Bridge), DE Emeka Nwankwo (N. Miami Beach, FL/Chaminade-Madonna Prep), LB Steve Paskorz (Allison Park, PA/Hampton), DE Martin Quintana (Berwyn, IL/St. Joseph), TE Mike Ragone (Cherry Hill, NJ/Camden Catholic), CB James Redshaw (North Huntingdon, PA/Norwin), OT Matt Romine (Tulsa, OK/Union), K David Ruffer (Oakton, VA/Gonzaga), CB Ryan Sheehan (Purcellville, VA/Loudown Valley), DE Christopher Skubis (Clarence, NY/Clarence), LB Brian Smith (Overland Park, KS/Saint Thomas Aquinas), S Harrison Smith (Knoxville, TN/Knoxville Catholic), S Thomas Smith (Manchester, CT/East Catholic), OG Chris Stewart (Spring, TX/Klein), K Brandon Walker (Findlay, OH/Findlay), CB Darrin Walls (Pittsburgh, PA/Woodland Hills), C Dan Wenger (Coral Springs, FL/Saint Thomas Aquinas) and NG Ian Williams (Altamonte Springs, FL/Lyman).
– The final pep rally Friday night prior to the Notre Dame-Utah game will be held at Irish Green. In recent years the final pep rally has featured introductions of the senior Irish players and their parents – but starting last season and continuing this year those ceremonies will be moved to Notre Dame Stadium just prior to kickoff on Saturday.
– Notre Dame enters this weekend’s matchup with Utah – 2010 Senior Day – with an all-time record of 91-24-4 (.782) in home finales. The Irish are 60-19-1 (.756) in home finales in Notre Dame Stadium.
– Notre Dame has dropped each of its last two “Senior Day” contests (2008 vs. Syracuse and 2009 vs. Connecticut), but captured 12 of the previous 14 home finales prior to ’08.
– Utah is the highest ranked opponent to travel to Notre Dame Stadium on “Senior Day” since Tennessee on Nov. 9, 1991. The Volunteers were ranked No. 13 and slipped past the fifth-ranked Irish, 35-34.
– The Irish are 15-11 (.577) all-time against ranked opponents on “Senior Day.” Here is Notre Dame’s previous 26 meetings with ranked foes on “Senior Day.”
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
DON’T FORGET THE ANNIVERSARY
– The 2010 football season marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of fabled Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish have played 418 games in that facility to date and own a 309-104-5 (.745) record in the “House that Rockne Built.”
– The Irish are 3-3 in Notre Dame Stadium in 2010, running their home record to 113-45-1 (.714) over the last 25 years.
– The most wins in a season by the Irish at home is seven by the 1988 national championship team and the longest home winning streak in Notre Dame football history is 28 games (from 11/21/42 through 9/30/50).
– In 1955, the stadium’s 25th anniversary, Notre Dame went 8-2 on the season for coach Terry Brennan, including a 4-0 home record. The Irish turned in a 9-2-1 overall record, and a 5-0 home mark, to commemorate Notre Dame Stadium’s 50th anniversary in 1980. In 2005, the stadium’s 75th anniversary, the Irish went 9-3 overall, participated in the Fiesta Bowl and went 4-2 at home.
IRISH GO DOWN TO THE WIRE
– Since the start of the 2008 season, Notre Dame has played 19 games that have been decided by seven points or fewer. The Irish are 7-12 in those games including a 28-27 defeat to Tulsa.
– Notre Dame has played four games in 2010 decided by seven points or less. In fact, 14 of the last 21 games for the Irish have been decided by a touchdown or less.
– Ten of Notre Dame’s 12 games in 2009 were decided in the fourth quarter. The Irish won four games decided by a touchdown or less and lost six times by seven or less.
– The Irish snapped a six-game losing streak in games decided by a touchdown or less. The 23-17 victory over Pittsburgh was the first since defeating Boston College (20-16) on Oct. 24, 2009. The Irish concluded last year by losing to Navy (23-21), Pitt (27-22), Connecticut (33-30 in overtime) and Stanford (45-38), and fell to Michigan (28-24) and Michigan State (34-31 in overtime) this season.
ONLY THE BIG BOYS
– Notre Dame is one of just four NCAA FBS programs to have not faced a non-FBS opponent since the current setup was established in 1978. The three other remaining schools that have yet to play a non-FBS opponent are USC, UCLA and Washington.
NOTRE DAME’S MASH UNIT
– The Irish have been beset by injuries in 2010. Notre Dame has undergone season-ending injuries to junior QB Dayne Crist following the Tulsa game, junior TE Kyle Rudolph following the Pittsburgh game, senior RB Armando Allen Jr. following the Navy game, senior NG Ian Williams following the Navy game and possibly sophomore WR Theo Riddick following the Western Michigan game. The Irish also lost the services of junior WR Michael Floyd (vs. Navy), sophomore ILB Carlo Calabrese (vs. Tulsa), senior OT Taylor Dever (at Boston College and vs. Pittsburgh) and junior S Jamoris Slaughter (vs. Michigan and Navy). Notre Dame even lost its starting short snapper for the remainder of the season when senior Bill Flavin suffered a broken ankle against Tulsa.
2010 NOTRE DAME OPPONENT UPDATE
– Notre Dame once again played one of the nation’s toughest schedules in 2009, as it faced eight teams that appeared in bowl games (Nevada, Michigan State, USC, Boston College, Navy, Pittsburgh, UConn and Stanford).
– This season could prove to be just as tough as the Irish face seven teams that went to bowl games in 2009, including 2008 undefeated, Sugar Bowl champions and second-ranked Utah. Notre Dame also will play three teams that finished in the AP Top 25 (No. 15 Pittsburgh, No. 18 Utah, No. 22 USC).
– According to the NCAA, only 10 FBS schools have a tougher remaining schedule based on future opposition win-loss percentage. Notre Dame’s last three opponents have a combined record of 18-8 (.692). The Irish currently rank 12th according to the NCAA’s toughest schedule standings. NCAA ratings includes opponent’s record against only FBS schools and excludes result in meeting with the Irish.
– The following is a list of 2010 Notre Dame opponents and how they fared last week:
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Notre Dame was one of only two Football Bowl Subdivision schools to have played teams from a BCS conference in each of the first six weeks (LSU was the other).
– The Irish hope to see continued dividends from playing one of the more difficult football schedules in the country to date. Notre Dame’s past opposition is rated 22nd nationally by NCAA in degree of difficulty with a combined 37-26 record for a .587 percentage (rating includes opponent’s record against only FBS schools and excludes result in meeting with the Irish). The five teams that have beaten Notre Dame to date are a combined 35-11 – with No. 10 Michigan State 9-1 (only loss coming on the road against No. 13 Iowa), No. 7 Stanford 8-1 (only loss coming on the road against unbeaten and top-ranked Oregon), Michigan (6-3), Navy (6-3) and Tulsa (6-3).
LOOKING BACK TO TULSA
– Tulsa won the coin toss and elected to defer. Notre Dame received and defended the goal to the North end zone.
– Notre Dame has opened each of its nine games this season with the football.
– Captains for the game were junior WR Michael Floyd and sophomore LB Manti Te’o.
– Official attendance was 80,795.
– Last Saturday was the 218th straight sellout at Notre Dame Stadium. Since 1966, every home game for the Irish has been a sellout except one – a 1973 Thanksgiving Day game vs. Air Force. Notre Dame has played in front of sellouts in 266 of its last 267 home games.
– Notre Dame opened up in the pistol formation. The Irish started with two tight ends (sophomore Tyler Eifert and senior Michael Ragone), two wideouts (junior Michael Floyd and freshman TJ Jones) and one running back (sophomore Cierre Wood).
– Notre Dame played without junior TE Kyle Rudolph, sophomore WR Theo Riddick and senior RB Armando Allen Jr. Riddick and Rudolph entered today’s game as the top two receivers for the Irish on the year. They had combined for 66 receptions, 734 yards and six touchdowns over the first seven games of the season. Allen leads Notre Dame in rushing with 514 yards and has also added 138 yards in receiving.
– Tulsa rushed for 102 yards on 11 carries in the first quarter, good for an average of 9.3 yards per carry. The Irish limited the Golden Hurricane to just 18 yards on seven carries or 2.6 yards per carry in the second quarter.
– Seven different Notre Dame receivers recorded at least one catch in the first half.
– Tulsa registered six pass break-ups in the first half, while the Irish recorded four.
– Notre Dame and Navy combined for one penalty last week, but the Irish and Tulsa combined for 19 penalties, including 14 in the first half.
– Notre Dame had given up minus-one yard on punt returns to rank first in the nation entering last Saturday’s game, but Tulsa’s Damaris Johnson took one for a 59-yard touchdown in the third quarter. It was the first time an opponent returned a punt for a score against the Irish since Sept. 10, 2007, when Penn State’s Derrick Williams tallied from 78 yards in a 31-10 Nittany Lion victory.
– Notre Dame dropped its first-ever game played on Oct. 30. Entering the contest against the Golden Hurricane, Notre Dame had been 14-0 on Oct. 30 from 1909 through 1999. All nine victories on that date from 1943 through 1999 came against Navy.
– Notre Dame registered five sacks in the defeat. The total matched the single-game high for the Irish this season. Notre Dame recorded five sacks in the 31-13 victory at Boston College on Oct. 2. The Irish also registered four sacks this year against Purdue, Michigan State and Western Michigan.
– Tulsa registered a 66-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 59-yard punt return for touchdown. The last Notre Dame opponent to record a defensive and special teams touchdown in the same game was Michigan State on Sept. 12, 1998.
– Junior QB Dayne Crist registered a career-long run of 29 yards midway through the first quarter, but was injured on the play and did not return to the game. He ruptued his patella tendon on the play and was lost for the season.
– Freshman WR Bennett Jackson raced 20 yards on a fake punt to help setup Notre Dame’s touchdown that gave the Irish a 20-12 lead. The rush was the first of his career.
– Junior DE Ethan Johnson registered 1.5 sacks to give him 5.0 on the season and 12.5 in his career (which is the most of any Irish player).
– Sophomore TE Tyler Eifert finished with a career-high five catches. He equaled his career-high for receptions in a single-game in the first half alone. Eifert registered four catches for 44 yards before halftime.
– Junior WR Michael Floyd recorded a career-high 11 receptions for 104 yards. It marked his third career game with at least 10 catches in a game. Floyd eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark for third time this season and 12th time in his career (which ranks third all-time). He trails only Golden Tate (15, 2007-09) and Tom Gatewood (13, 1969-71).
– Floyd has 24 career receiving touchdowns in just 26 games for Notre Dame. He moved past Rhema McKnight (2003-06) and Derrick Mayes (1992-95) into third on the all-time Notre Dame receiving touchdowns list. Floyd has caught two or more touchdown passes in three games this season and six times in his career.
– Floyd hooked up with freshman QB Tommy Rees on a 10-yard touchdown reception with 6:13 to go in the first quarter to cut the Tulsa lead to 7-6. He then hauled in a four-yard touchdown pass from Rees with 8:10 to go in the second quarter to give the Irish a 20-12 lead.
– On the 10-yard touchdown reception, his third catch of the game and 139th of his career, Floyd moved past Jim Seymour (138, 1966-68) into fifth place on the all-time Irish receptions list. He moved past Tim Brown (137, 1984-87) earlier in the contest.
– On a nine-yard catch midway through the second quarter, Floyd moved past Maurice Stovall (2,195; 2002-05) into seventh place on the all-time Notre Dame receiving yards list.
– Freshman QB Tommy Rees is the first Irish freshman quarterback to throw four touchdown passes in a single game. The four touchdown passes is tied with numerous others for the sixth-most in single-game school history. Rees completed 33 of 54 passes for 334 yards and four touchdowns. The 33 completions is tied for the second-most in school history. The 54 attempts is the fifth-most in school history.
– Rees connected with sophomore RB Cierre Wood on a six-yard touchdown pass with 8:47 remaining in the third quarter to give Notre Dame a 27-18 lead. The touchdown pass was Rees’ fourth of the game and fourth of his career.
– Rees hooked up with junior WR Michael Floyd for a four-yard touchdown pass with 8:10 to go in the second quarter to give the Irish a 20-12 lead.
– Rees completed 18 of 29 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns in the opening half.
– Rees connected with freshman WR TJ Jones, who lateralled to sophomore RB Cierre Wood for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 1:21 to go in the first quarter to give the Irish a 13-12 lead.
– Rees hooked up with junior WR Michael Floyd on a 10-yard touchdown reception with 6:13 to go in the first quarter to cut the Tulsa lead to 7-6. Following the injury to Crist, Rees completed 5 of 5 passes for 36 yards and one touchdown on the drive. He actually opened his play with eight consecutive completions before a dropped pass ended the streak.
– Freshman DE Kona Schwenke made his career appearance in an Irish uniform. He recovered a Tulsa fumble at the Golden Hurricane 47-yard line with 3:09 remaining in the second quarter.
– Senior LB Brian Smith registered his first start of the season and 25th of his career. He recorded a forced fumble, his first of the season and third of his career.
– Sophomore WR Robby Toma hauled in a career-best 26-yard reception late in the second quarter. He entered today’s game with six career receptions for 58 yards. In fact, his career-highs for catches and receiving yards in a game were two and 26 respectively. Toma finished the afternoon with four catches for 67 yards.
– Sophomore P Ben Turk equaled his career-high with a 53-yard punt on his second punt of the game. He later eclipsed that mark with a 56-yarder in the third quarter. Turk also registered a career-high eight punts.
– Sophomore RB Cierre Wood became the first Irish running back with two or more touchdown receptions in a game since Tony Fisher had a pair in a 42-28 victory over West Virginia on Oct. 21, 2000. He caught a six-yard touchdown pass from freshman QB Tommy Rees with 8:47 remaining in the third quarter to give Notre Dame a 27-18 lead. The touchdown was his fourth of the season, fourth of his career and fourth in the last three games. Wood also caught a lateral from freshman WR TJ Jones and raced 23 yards for a touchdown 1:21 to go in the first quarter to give the Irish a 13-12 lead. It was Wood’s first career touchdown reception.
TRIO HONORED FOR ACADEMICS
– Senior OG Chris Stewart, senior PK David Ruffer and senior CB Barry Gallup Jr. were each named to the ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District Team for District 5. Stewart and Gallup are each taking graduate level courses, while Ruffer is an economics major. All three will get placed on the national ballot for the ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees. Stewart, the only player in Notre Dame’s storied football history to tackle football and law school simultaneously, graduated with a degree from the College of Arts and Letters in history. He finished his undergraduate studies in only three and a half years with a 3.536 cumulative grade-point average. Stewart was a 2009 ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District selection. Stewart was a member of the History Honors Program and was inducted into the Phi Alpha Theta honors society. Ruffer has accumulated a 3.90 GPA while studying economics. He has excelled on the field as well. Ruffer has been named a semifinalist for the 2010 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Discover Orange Bowl. Gallup is one of three fifth-year seniors on the Irish roster, joining Stewart and center Dan Wenger. He has appeared in 27 games at Notre Dame, totaled 163 yards on nine kickoff returns in 2009 and has three career tackles, including one for loss. Gallup graduated from the Mendoza College of Business with a finance degree in just three years with an undergraduate GPA of 3.465. He was then accepted into Notre Dame’s one-year MBA program, but deferred entry until 2011. Gallup is currently enrolled in the graduate studies program.
IRISH AGAIN RANKS NUMBER ONE IN 2010 NCAA GSR COMPARISONS
– University of Notre Dame athletic programs again rank among the best in the country in graduation rates, based on Graduation Success Rate (GSR) figures released by the NCAA – including a first-place rating in football. Among the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision institutions, Notre Dame had the highest percentage of its sports with 100 percent scores (for the fifth time in six years), with a .863 figure (19 of 22). In football, Notre Dame achieved a 96 GSR rating for the highest figure among FBS schools. Here are the FBS institutions with scores of 80 or higher in that category:
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
NOTRE DAME OFFENSE, DEFENSE QUARTER BY QUARTER BREAKDOWN
– Notre Dame rushed for minus-four yards on 10 carries in the opening half against Western Michigan (the fewest total of any half this season). The Irish responded with a dominant ground attack after halftime. Notre Dame galloped for 153 yards on 24 carries in the second half, which was the most yards rushing in any half this season.
– The Irish offense single-game highs by quarters are as follows: rushing (86, 4th quarter vs. Western Michigan), passing (171, 4th quarter vs. Stanford) and total yards (180, 4th quarter vs. Stanford).
– The Notre Dame defense single-game lows by quarters are as follows: rushing (minus-16, 3rd quarter at Boston College), passing (17, 3rd quarter at Boston College) and total yards (1, 3rd quarter at Boston College).
– Notre Dame has outgained its opponent in three of the four quarters this season.
– The Irish have outgained six of their nine opponents in the fourth quarter.
– Here is a interesting look at quarter-by-quarter breakdown of rushing, passing and total yards allowed and gained.
Notre Dame Opponents Quarter-by-Quarter Yardage Breakdown
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Notre Dame Quarter-by-Quarter Yardage Breakdown
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NEARLY PENALTY FREE, AGAIN!
– Notre Dame was called for one penalty in the loss to Navy. It marked the third time this season that the Irish were whistled for two penalties or less. Notre Dame was called for two penalties in victories over Boston College (Oct. 2) and Purdue (Sept. 4). The Irish had not completed a game with one penalty since Nov. 26, 2005 (a 38-31 victory at Stanford). Notre Dame has not gone a complete game without a penalty since Nov. 15, 1997 at LSU.
– Notre Dame ranks tied for 15th in the FBS in penalties per game (4.89) and 31st in penalty yards per game (44.56). The Irish ranked 69th and 73rd, respectively, in the same categories in 2009.
FBS Leaders In Fewest Penalties/Game
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THE JACKSON FIVE
– Freshman WR Bennett Jackson has registered six tackles on special teams, including five on kickoff return. The six total special teams tackles ranks second-best on the team (only Steve Filer has more). Jackson’s five kickoff return tackles also ranks second to Filer.
– He recorded four solo stops in his Irish debut against Purdue and added another tackle against Michigan.
– Jackson raced 43 yards on his first career kickoff return, the longest return of the season for Notre Dame, against Boston College. He finished the game with 111 yards on four kickoff returns, good for a 27.8 yard average.
– Jackson ran 20 yards on a fake punt to help setup Notre Dame’s touchdown that gave the Irish a 20-12 lead over Tulsa in the second quarter. The rush was the first of his career.
David Ruffer 18 IS ENOUGH
– Senior walk-on PK David Ruffer has converted 18 consecutive field goals. The 18 straight field goals is the longest streak in school history, but even more amazing is the fact that the streak has opened Ruffer’s collegiate kicking career. He is a perfect 18 of 18 on field goals since attempting his first career field goal against Pittsburgh last season.
– The 18 consecutive field goals to open a career is also a school record. Mike Johnston made the first 13 field goal attempts in his career (was the school record for consecutive field goals until sophomore PK Nick Tausch broke in 2009) during the 1982 season.
– Ironically enough, Johnston was also a senior walk-on.
– Ruffer has been named a semifinalist for the 2010 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Discover Orange Bowl.
– Ruffer’s 18 straight field goals is the longest active streak in the FBS. The NCAA record for consecutive field goals converted is 30 by Chuck Nelson of Washington in 1981-82. He also holds the NCAA record for consecutive field goals made in a single season (25, 1982).
– Ruffer is the only kicker in the FBS still perfect through at least nine field goal attempts.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Ruffer connected on a field goal in 11 straight games, each game in which he has served as the Irish place kicker (dating back to the Pittsburgh contest in 2009), before the streak came to an end against Tulsa. The 11 consecutive games with a field goal was the longest streak by a Notre Dame kicker since Nicholas Setta set the school record with a field goal in 16 straight games (2000-02).
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Ruffer’s 13 field goals rank as the eighth-most in single-season school history. He is on pace for 17 field goals in 2010, which would rank fifth-best in single-season school history.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Ruffer’s 50-yard field goal is tied for the sixth-longest in school history. It was the longest field goal by an Irish player since D.J. Fitzpatrick booted a 50-yarder against Syracuse on Dec. 6, 2003. Ruffer became the sixth place kicker in school history to connect on a field goal of 50 yards or longer.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Ruffer connected on a 45-yard field goal with 3:04 remaining in the first quarter to cut the Navy lead to 7-3.
– Ruffer connected on a 33-yard field goal with 7:46 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Irish a 44-17 lead over Western Michigan.
– Ruffer connected on a 32-yard field goal with 3:22 remaining in the first half to give the Irish a 17-3 lead. He drilled a career-long 50-yard field goal with 12:11 to go in the third quarter to give Notre Dame a 20-3 lead. Ruffer connected on a 31-yard field goal with 9:06 left in the game to extend the Irish lead to 23-10.
– Ruffer connected on a 37-yard field goal with 5:22 remaining in the first half to give the Irish a 24-13 lead over Boston College.
– Ruffer connected on all three field goal attempts in the victory over Purdue, including a career-long kick of 46 yards. He added a 24-yard field goal in the loss to Michigan.
– Ruffer converted a 22-yard field goal with 8:11 to go in the first quarter against Stanford to give the Irish a 3-0 lead. He added a 40-yard field with 13:22 remaining in the second quarter to cut the Cardinal lead to 10-6.
– Ruffer was true from 33 yards in overtime against Michigan State.
FILER FILLS THE LANE ON SPECIAL TEAMS
– Notre Dame junior LB Steve Filer leads the Irish with nine special teams tackles this season. He has recorded eight on kickoff return and one on punt return. Filer leads the team in tackles in all three categories (kick return, punt return and total special teams). He also led the Irish in total special teams tackles in 2009 as well. Filer had 11 special teams tackles last season, including 10 on kickoff and one on punt.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
Armando Allen JR., JACK OF ALL TRADES
– Notre Dame senior RB Armando Allen Jr. has been one of the most versatile running backs in Irish history, but will miss the rest of the season following surgery to repair torn cartilage in both hip flexors. Allen Jr. has not only rushed for 2,144 yards in his career, but hauled in 119 receptions for 833 yards, added 1,247 yards on kickoff returns and another 113 yards on punt returns. In all, Allen Jr. has totaled 4,337 all-purpose yards in his career.
– Allen Jr. also ranks in the top 20 among all active players in all-purpose running plays (12th, 651), all-purpose running yards per play (17th, 6.66) and all-purpose running yards (19th, 4,337). He is also tied for 19th in two-point conversions made with two.
– Allen Jr. moved past Raghib Ismail (4,187; 1988-90) into fifth-place on the all-time Notre Dame all-purpose yards list following a six-yard run early in the first quarter against Pittsburgh. He only trails Julius Jones (5,462; 1999-2003), Autry Denson (5,327; 1995-98), Allen Pinkett (5,259; 1982-85) and Tim Brown (5,024; 1984-87).
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Allen Jr. rushed for a team-high 66 yards on 11 carries in the loss to Navy (which likely turned out to be his final game in an Irish uniform). He not only averaged 6.0 yards per rush, but also added two receptions for 24 yards. Allen moved into fourth on the all-time receiving yards list by an Irish running back. He trails Jim Morse (902, 1954-56), Bob Gladieux (947, 1966-68) and Joseph Heap (1,137, 1951-54).
Receiving Yards – Career (Running Back)
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– Allen Jr. led the Irish in rushing in each of their first six games, but failed to do so against Western Michigan (an injury limited him to no yards rushing on three carries). He did lead Notre Dame in rushing against Navy.
– Allen Jr. now ranks tied for 10th all-time in Notre Dame history in career carries (469). He needed just 131 yards rushing to move into the top 10 all-time at Notre Dame in career rushing.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Allen Jr. registered a career-long 30-yard run on Notre Dame’s opening touchdown drive against Boston College.
– Allen Jr. registered a six-yard rush before fumbling, but the yards moved him past Golden Tate (2007-09) on the all-time Notre Dame all-purpose yards list.
– Allen Jr. scored from two yards out to give Notre Dame a 31-13 lead with 4:39 remaining in the third quarter. The touchdown rush was Allen’s second of the season and eighth of his career.
– Allen Jr. totaled 141 all-purpose yards against Michigan State. He rushed 13 times for 71 yards (5.5/carry) and collected six catches for 70 yards. Allen became the eighth player in the history of Notre Dame football to eclipse 4,000 career all-purpose yards.
– With his sixth reception against Michigan State, Allen moved into first place all-time on the Irish receptions list for running backs with 110 career catches. He bested the previous school record of 109 held by Darius Walker (2004-06). Allen’s 18-yard reception in the first quarter was also his longest of the season.
– Allen Jr. recorded a then career-best 29-yard run in the third quarter against Michigan. It bested his previous career-long rush of 26 yards against Connecticut on Nov. 21, 2009.
– Allen Jr. rushed for a team-high 89 yards on 15 carries in the loss to Michigan. He added a nine-yard reception and nine-yard punt return.
– Allen Jr. rushed for a game-high 93 yards on 18 carries in the victory over Purdue. He also added a career-best 38-yard punt return.
– Allen Jr. did not participate in enough games in 2009 to qualify (missed the Purdue, Washington State, Navy and Stanford games due to an ankle injury), but would have ranked among the top FBS running backs in the nation in rushing yards per game (87.1, 41st) and yards per rush (4.91, t-66th). He would have also ranked 70th in the nation in all-purpose yards per game (114.1).
– Allen Jr. became the second running back in Notre Dame history to eclipse 100 career receptions. His 117 career receptions rank atop the all-time list for Notre Dame running backs. He eclipsed Darius Walker’s (109, 2004-06) previous school record. Allen Jr. also ranks tied for fifth all-time in career receiving yards by an Irish running back.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
REES GETS THE BALL THIS WEEKEND
– Freshman QB Tommy Rees will be the first freshman quarterback to start for Notre Dame since Jimmy Clausen got the call against Penn State on Sept. 8, 2007. Rees is just the ninth freshman quarterback to start for the Irish in the last 60 seasons (1951-present), joining Ralph Guglielmi (1951), Blair Kiel (1980), Steve Beuerlein (1983), Kent Graham (1987), Paul Failla (1991), Matt LoVecchio (2000), Quinn (2003) and Clausen (2007) in that elite club. Notre Dame is 6-2 since 1951 when a freshman quarterback makes his first-ever start for the Irish. Rees will get the nod in game nine of 2010 following the season-ending injury to junior QB Dayne Crist. Clausen’s start against the Nittany Lions came in the second game of the year, which was the earliest start into a season for an Irish freshman quarterback since 1951.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Rees is the first Irish freshman quarterback to ever throw four touchdown passes in a single game. The four touchdown passes against Tulsa is tied with numerous others for the sixth-most in single-game school history. Rees completed 33 of 54 passes for 334 yards – the most ever by a quarterback that did not start the game. His 300-yard game was the 35th in school history and second-ever by a Notre Dame freshman. Brady Quinn is the only other freshman signal caller to throw for at least 300 yards in a single game (350, Oct. 25, 2003 at Boston College).
– The 33 completions are tied for the second-most in school history. The 54 attempts are the fifth-most in school history.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
CRIST ESTABLISHED HIMSELF DESPITE LIMITED ACTION
– Junior QB Dayne Crist has made only nine career starts, all this season, and he entered the year following reconstructive knee surgery. Unfortunately, Crist was lost for the season after rupturing his patella tendon against Tulsa on Oct. 30. The injury occured exactly one-day shy of the one-year anniversary of his torn ACL. Crist underwent surgery on Oct. 31 and may miss six months.
– The signal caller completed 59.2% of his passes (174 of 294) for 2,033 yards and 15 touchdowns. Crist registered a passing efficiency of 129.3. He was ranked among the top 30 FBS quarterbacks in total passing yards (14th, 2,033), passing (22nd, 21.75 completions/game) and passing yards per game (27th, 254.13/game) prior to the injury.
– Here was a comparison between Crist and the more notable quarterbacks in Notre Dame history over their first eight career starts.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Here is another comparison between Crist and the same quarterbacks in their first career start on the road.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Only one quarterback in the FBS (Brandon Weeden of Oklahoma State) was ranked ahead of Crist in total passing yards that had started fewer career games prior to his season-ending injury against Tulsa. Weeden had thrown for 2,249 yards and started seven career games.
– There were only four quarterbacks (Brandon Weeden of Oklahoma State, Corey Robinson of Troy, Alex Carder of Western Michigan and Dan Persa of Northwestern) in the FBS that were ranked ahead of Crist in passing yards per game that had started fewer contests prior to his season-ending injury against Tulsa.
– There were only five quarterbacks (Carder, Weeden, Robinson, Persa and Matt Schilz of Bowling Green) in the FBS that were ranked ahead of Crist in passing that had started fewer games prior to his season-ending injury against Tulsa.
– There were only nine quarterbacks in the FBS ranked ahead of Crist in passing efficiency that had started fewer games than the Notre Dame junior (Robinson, Persa, Weeden, Carder, Tino Sunseri of Pittsburgh, Darron Thomas of Oregon, Geno Smith of West Virginia, Taylor Martinez of Nebraska and Ryan Katz of Oregon State) prior to his season-ending injury against Tulsa.
– Crist had thrown a touchdown pass in all eight of Notre Dame’s games this season and each of his last nine games in an Irish uniform (which includes the 2009 game against Washington State) before his season-ending injury against Tulsa (Crist played just one series). He had registered at least two touchdown passes in four of Notre Dame’s first eight games this season. Crist had also thrown three or more touchdown passes in two games this season.
– Crist connected with junior WR Michael Floyd on an 80-yard touchdown reception on Notre Dame’s first offensive play from scrimmage against Western Michigan. The 80-yard touchdown pass was the second-longest of Crist’s career. He hooked up with junior TE Kyle Rudolph for 95 yards against Michigan earlier this season.
– Crist scampered in from nine yards out for a touchdown with 9:16 remaining in the second quarter to give the Irish a 20-7 lead against Western Michigan. The touchdown run was Crist’s fourth of the season and career. In fact, the four touchdown runs are the most by an Irish quarterback in a single season since Jarious Jackson had seven in 1999.
– Crist hooked up with sophomore TE Tyler Eifert on a 39-yard touchdown pass with 2:19 remaining before halftime to extend Notre Dame’s lead to 27-10 over the Broncos. He then spotted Floyd for a two-yard touchdown pass with 6:34 remaining in the third quarter to extend Notre Dame’s lead to 41-17.
– Crist connected with junior WR Michael Floyd on a one-yard touchdown reception with 2:36 to go in the first quarter to give the Irish a 7-3 lead against Pittsburgh. He scampered 10 yards with 8:25 remaining in the first half to give Notre Dame a 14-3 lead.
– Crist recorded a career-best 12 consecutive completions against the Panthers. The 12 straight completions was tied for the third-longest in school history. It was the longest streak by a Notre Dame quarterback since Brady Quinn connected on 14 straight passes against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2, 2006.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Crist raced seven yards for a rushing touchdown to give the Irish a 7-0 lead with 13:12 remaining in the first quarter against Boston College. He added a two-yard touchdown pass to junior TE Kyle Rudolph with 6:26 remaining in the first quarter to push the Irish lead to 14-0 over the Eagles. Crist connected with sophomore WR Theo Riddick for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 2:19 remaining in the first quarter to give Notre Dame a 21-0 lead.
– Crist accounted for three touchdowns in the 31-13 victory over Boston College. He rushed for one score and threw two more.
– Crist surpassed the 300-yard passing barrier in consecutive weeks against Michigan State and Stanford. He completed for 25 of 44 passes for 304 yards and one touchdown against the Cardinal.
– Crist set career-highs in completions (32), attempts (55), passing yards (369) and touchdown passes (four) against Michigan State. No Irish quarterback has ever thrown for more touchdown passes in his first career start on the road. Crist’s 32 completions, 55 attempts and four touchdown passes rank tied for fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, in Notre Dame single-game history.
– Crist registered a 24-yard touchdown pass to junior WR Michael Floyd with 13:20 to go in the fourth quarter to give the Irish a 28-21 lead over Michigan State. The touchdown pass was Crist’s fourth of the game.
– Crist eclipsed 300 yards passing for the first time in his career against the Spartans. He went 12 for 14 for 149 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter alone. Crist registered a 15-yard touchdown pass to sophomore WR Theo Riddick with 1:29 to go in the third quarter to tie the score, 21-21. He was 7 of 8 for 75 yards on the scoring drive.
– Crist connected on a 10-yard TD pass to junior TE Kyle Rudolph with 12:25 to go in the third quarter to tie the score, 14-14. He was 5 for 6 for 74 yards and a touchdown on the opening scoring drive of the first half. Crist connected on a seven-yard TD pass to Floyd with 5:28 left in the first quarter to give Notre Dame a 7-0 lead. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown in the opening 15 minutes.
– Crist hooked up with freshman WR TJ Jones for 53 yards with 12:42 to go in the third quarter against Michigan to bring the Irish with seven points, 21-14.
– The 53-yard completion was the longest of the season for Notre Dame until junior TE Kyle Rudolph’s 95-yard grab late in the fourth quarter.
– Crist served as the quarterback for nine of Notre Dame’s 17 possessions in the game against Michigan. The Irish offense totaled 363 of their 535 yards in those series. Notre Dame also scored all 24 points of the contest in those series and averaged 8.9 yards per play compared to zero points and 4.8 yards per play in other eight series without Crist.
– Crist passed for 277 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in slightly more than one half of football against the Wolverines.
CRIST’S REKINDLES QUARTERBACK FIRST-START MAGIC AGAINST PURDUE
– Junior QB Dayne Crist snapped Notre Dame’s four-game losing streak with a first-time starting quarterback under center.
– Since 1975, the Irish are now 18-10 under a first-time starting quarterback. Interestingly enough, Notre Dame is 12-4 under a first-time starting quarterback when playing in Notre Dame Stadium (also since 1975).
– Crist’s completion percentage of 73.1% was the highest of any first-time starting quarterback with more than eight pass attempts since 1975.
– Crist’s 19 completions are the second-most by a first-time starting Irish quarterback since 1975. Brady Quinn completed 29 passes against Purdue on Sept. 23, 2003. His 205 yards passing are the third-most by a first-time starting signal caller since 1985. Quinn threw for 297 yards against Purdue on Sept. 27, 2003 and Ron Powlus had 291 yards against Northwestern on Sept. 3, 1994.
– Crist was the first junior quarterback to make his starting debut since Arnaz Battle in 2000.
– 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. Those openers were won by Rick Mirer (No. 1 Notre Dame def. No. 4 Michigan 28-24 in ’90), Kevin McDougal (No. 7 Notre Dame def. Northwestern 27-12 in ’93), Ron Powlus (No. 3 Notre Dame def. Northwestern 42-12 in ’95) and Jarious Jackson (No. 22 Notre Dame def. No. 5 Michigan 36-20 in ’98).
– Notre Dame’s nine-game, first-start winning 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).
– Following the snap of the nine-game winning streak under first-time starters, the Irish won three consecutive games under first-time signal callers. In fact, all three came during the same season, 2000, and occurred over the year’s first five contests. Arnaz Battle (Notre Dame def. No. 24 Texas A&M, 24-10), Gary Godsey (Notre Dame def. Purdue, 23-21) and Matt LoVecchio (No. 25 Notre Dame def. Stanford, 20-14).
– Carlyle Holiday dropped his first career start on Sept. 29, 2001 against Texas A&M, but senior walk-on Pat Dillingham was victorious against Stanford on Oct. 5, 2002.
– Notre Dame used a trio of first-time signal callers in 2007, including one in each of the first two games of the season. Demetrius Jones (Georgia Tech def. Notre Dame, 33-3), Jimmy Clausen (No. 14 Penn State def. Notre Dame, 31-10) and Evan Sharpley (No. 13 USC def. Notre Dame, 38-0) all failed to walk away with a victory.
Last 28 starting debut games by Irish QBs (Notre Dame is 18-10 in those contests).
– Dayne Crist, junior (Notre Dame vs. Purdue, Sept. 4, 2010, first game of season) … win, 23-12 … 19 of 26 passing, 205 yards, 1 TD.
– Evan Sharpley, sophomore (Notre Dame vs. No. 13 USC, Oct. 20, 2007, eighth game of season) … loss, 38-0 … 17 of 33 passing, 117 yards, 1 INT.
– Jimmy Clausen, freshman (Notre Dame at No. 14 Penn State, Sept. 8, 2007, second game of season) … loss, 31-10 … 17 of 32 passing, 144 yards, 1 INT.
– Demetrius Jones, sophomore (Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech, Sept. 1, 2007, first game of season) … loss, 33-3 … 1 of 3 passing, 4 yards, 2 fumbles … 12 rushes for 28 yards.
– Brady Quinn, freshman (Notre Dame at No. 22 Purdue, Sept. 27, 2003, fourth game of season) … loss, 23-10 … 29 of 59 passing, 297 yards, 4 INT, TD … 8 rushes for 25 yards.
– Pat Dillingham, sophomore (Notre Dame vs. Stanford, Oct. 5, 2002, fifth game of season) … win, 31-7 … 14 of 27 passing, 129 yards, 2 TDs.
– Carlyle Holiday, sophomore (Notre Dame at Texas A&M, Sept. 29, 2001, third game of season) … loss, 24-3 … 6 of 13 passing, 73 yards, 2 INT … 12 rushes for 23 yards.
– Matt LoVecchio, freshman (No. 25 Notre Dame vs. Stanford, Oct. 7, 2000, fifth game of season) … win, 20-14 … 10 of 18 passing, 100 yards, 2 TDs … 13 rushes for 36 yards, TD.
– Gary Godsey, sophomore (Notre Dame vs. Purdue, Sept. 16, 2000, 3rd game of season) … win, 23-21 … 14 of 25 passing, 158 yards, INT … 7 rushes for 3 yards, TD.
– Arnaz Battle, junior (Notre Dame vs. No. 24 Texas A&M, Sept. 2, 2000, 1st game of season) … win, 24-10 … 10 of 16 passing, 133 yards … 12 rushes for 50 yards.
– Eric Chappell, junior (No. 9 Notre Dame at USC, Nov. 28, 1998, 11th game of season) … loss, 10-0 … 0 of 3 passing, 2 INT … 7 rushes for 33 yards.
– Jarious Jackson, senior (Notre Dame vs. No. 5 Michigan, Sept. 5, 1998, 1st game of season) … win, 36-20 … 4 of 10 passing, 96 yards, 2 TDs, INT … 16 rushes for 62 yards.
– Tom Krug, junior (No. 8 Notre Dame at Air Force, Nov. 18, 1995, 11th game of season) … win, 44-14 … 8 of 13 passing, INT … 3 rushes for 13 yards … started due to Powlus’ collarbone injury, in previous week versus Navy.
– Ron Powlus, sophomore (No. 3 Notre Dame at Northwestern, Sept. 3, 1994, 1st game of season) … win, 42-15 … 18 of 24 passing, 291 yards, 4 TD … 2 rushes for 6 yards.
– Kevin McDougal, senior (No. 7 Notre Dame vs. Northwestern, Sept. 4, 1993, 1st game of season) … win, 27-12 … 6 of 8 passing, 135 yards … 5 rushes for -16 yards.
– Paul Failla, freshman (No. 8 Notre Dame at Purdue, Sept. 28, 1991, 4th game of season) … win, 45-20 … 1 of 1 passing, 10 yards … 2 rushes for 11 yards … started in place of Mirer due to team policy of “no practice, no start” (Mirer had pulled rib cartilage during the week) … Mirer replaced Failla beginning with the second series.
– Rick Mirer, sophomore (No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Michigan, Sept. 15, 1990, 1st game of season) … win, 28-24 … 14 of 23 passing, 165 yards, TD, INT … 10 rushes for 12 yards, TD.
– Kent Graham, freshman (No. 9 Notre Dame vs. Boston College, Nov. 7, 1987, 8th game of season) … win, 32-25 … 6 of 8 passing, 11 yards, INT … 3 rushes for 7 yards.
– Tony Rice, sophomore (No. 11 Notre Dame at Air Force, Oct. 17, 1987, 5th game of season) … win, 35-14 … 1 of 5 passing, 10 yards, INT … 9 rushes for 70 yards, 2 TD … played due to Andrysiak’s broken collarbone injury, in previous game at Pittsburgh.
– Terry Andrysiak, sophomore (Notre Dame vs. Mississippi, Nov. 9, 1985, 8th game of season) … win, 37-14 … 4 of 8 passing, 60 yards, TD … 2 rushes for -7 yards.
– Rick Slager, senior (#9 Notre Dame vs. Boston College, @Foxboro, Sept. 15, 1975, 1st game of season) … win, 17-3 … 7 of 12 passing, 72 yards.
– Joe Montana, sophomore (#8 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State, Oct. 4, 1975, 4th game of season) … loss, 10-3 … 2 of 5 passing, 19 yards, 1 INT.
– Rusty Lisch, sophomore (#3 Notre Dame vs. Miami, Nov. 20, 1976, 10th game of season) … win, 40-27 … 5 of 11 passing, 102 yards, 1 TD … 15 rushes for 9 yards, 3 TD.
– Tim Koegel, sophomore (#5 Notre Dame at #17 Purdue, Sept. 22, 1979, 2nd game of season) … loss, 28-22 … 6 of 18 passing, 81 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT … four rushes for 0 yards.
– Blair Kiel, freshman (#7 Notre Dame vs. #13 Miami, Oct. 11, 1980, 4th game of season) … win, 32-14 … 4 of 17 passing, 35 yards … 11 rushes for 28 yards, 1 TD.
– Ken Karcher, sophomore … (Notre Dame at #1 Pittsburgh, Nov. 6, 1982, 8th game of season) … loss, 31-16 … 2 of 4 passing, 21 yards, 1 INT … 1 rush for -10 yards … replaced by senior Jim O’Hara in second quarter.
– Steve Beurelein, freshman (Notre Dame vs. Colorado, Oct. 1, 1983, 4th game of season) … win, 27-3 … 8 of 12 passing, 133 yards.
– Scott Grooms, senior (Notre Dame vs. Air Force, Oct. 13, 1984, 6th game of season) … loss, 21-7 … 12 of 35 passing, 117 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT … 12 rushes for -9 yards.
FLOYD IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
– Junior WR Michael Floyd, who missed the game against Navy, is listed on the NCAA FBS active career charts in receiving yards, receiving yards per game, receiving yards per catch, receptions per game and receiving touchdowns. Floyd’s 86.2 yards receiving per game ranks third in the nation among active players, while his 5.7 catches per game ranks sixth. He also ranks ninth on the active career chart for receiving touchdowns with 24, 18th in career receiving yards per catch among active players at 15.3 yards per grab and 19th in career receiving yards with 2,242.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Floyd recorded a career-high 11 receptions for 104 yards against Tulsa. It marked his third career outing with at least 10 catches in a game. He is the third Notre Dame wideout joining Jim Seymour (1966-68) and Tom Gatewood (1969-71) to ever register three or more games with at least 10 catches.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Floyd eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark for third time this season and 12th time in his career (which ranks third all-time). He trails only Golden Tate (15, 2007-09) and Tom Gatewood (13, 1969-71).
– Floyd has played in 26 career games, and in two of them (at Navy in 2008 and vs. Michigan State in 2009), he missed most of the action following an injury. Yet, Floyd has 12 career 100-yard receiving games over the other 24 games played.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Floyd continues his climb up the Irish all-time receiving lists. He moved past Jim Seymour (138, 1966-68) into fifth place on the all-time Irish receptions list (147). Floyd, who already became the ninth Notre Dame wideout to ever register 2,000 career receiving yards, moved past Maurice Stovall (2,195; 2002-05) into seventh place on the all-time Notre Dame receiving yards list.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Floyd recorded nine receptions for 157 yards and three touchdowns in the victory over Western Michigan.
– Floyd recorded three touchdown receptions for the second time in his career. He had three touchdown catches against Nevada on Sept. 5, 2009. Floyd has caught two or more touchdown passes in three games this season and six times in his career. He is the third Notre Dame wideout to have three or more touchdown receptions in multiple games (Maurice Stovall, 2005; Golden Tate, 2009).
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Floyd has 24 career receiving touchdowns in just 26 games for Notre Dame. He is tied with Rhema McKnight (2003-06) and Derrick Mayes (1992-95) for third on the all-time Notre Dame receiving touchdowns list. His nine receiving touchdowns in 2009 rank tied for eighth-best in single-season Irish history, while his eight in 2010 ranked tied for 10th.
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– Floyd hooked up with freshman QB Tommy Rees on a 10-yard touchdown reception with 6:13 to go in the first quarter to cut the Tulsa lead to 7-6. He then hauled in a four-yard touchdown pass from Rees with 8:10 to go in the second quarter to give the Irish a 20-12 lead.
– Floyd hauled in an 80-yard touchdown reception on Notre Dame’s first offensive play from scrimmage against Western Michigan. He was the first player in school history to register a touchdown catch of at least 80 yards more than once in his career. Floyd also had an 88-yard scoring catch on Sept. 5, 2009 against Nevada. He has actually recorded three touchdown catches of at least 70 yards. Floyd also registered a 70-yard touchdown reception in that game against the Wolf Pack .
– Floyd hooked up with junior QB Dayne Crist on a one-yard touchdown reception with 2:36 to go in the first quarter to give the Irish a 7-3 lead against Pittsburgh.
– Floyd has now recorded a reception in 15 straight games (excluding games he missed due to injury). Floyd has a reception in 24 of the 25 games he has suited up for the Irish. The only game he failed to make a reception came against Navy in 2008 when he was injured early in the first quarter blocking down field.
– Floyd finished the game against Stanford with eight catches for 110 yards.
– Floyd has registered a touchdown pass against Michigan State in each of the last three years. He registered a 24-yard touchdown reception with 13:20 to go in the fourth quarter to give the Irish a 28-21 lead. He hauled in a seven-yard touchdown reception from Crist with 5:28 left in first quarter to give Irish a 7-0 lead.
– Floyd had five catches for 66 yards in the loss to Michigan.
– Floyd had five receptions for 82 yards in the victory over Purdue.
– Had Floyd met the NCAA requirement of playing in 75 percent of the team’s games in 2009 his 113.6 yards per game would have ranked sixth nationally. Floyd and Golden Tate would have been the only receiving tandem to rank top 10 nationally in that statistic. His 18.1 yards per catch would have also earned him 12th place on the NCAA season leader list as well.
– Floyd led all FBS wideouts in the nation with a 29.09 yards per catch average and was tied for the nation’s lead in receiving touchdowns with four (among NCAA qualifying receivers) before suffering a broken collarbone in the second quarter of Notre Dame’s 33-30 victory over Michigan State in 2009.
– Floyd recorded four catches for 189 yards and three touchdowns in the 35-0 rout of Nevada in last season’s opener. He averaged 47.3 yards per reception, which broke the previous school record of 41.6 yards per catch by Jim Morse against USC on Nov. 26, 1955.
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– Floyd set a career-high for longest reception when he raced 88 yards for a touchdown with 10:12 left in the third quarter against Nevada in 2009. The 88-yard reception is the fourth-longest in Notre Dame football history and was the longest since Nov. 7, 1981 when Blair Kiel found Joe Howard for a school record 96 yards.
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– Floyd not only became the first Irish freshman to register a touchdown catch in a season opener (2008), but also became the first freshman to register Notre Dame’s first points of a season by TD. Floyd had 48 receptions for 719 yards last year. He established new school records for receptions (48), receiving yards (719) and receiving touchdowns (7) by an Irish freshman. He also set a freshman record with 10 receptions against Pittsburgh on Nov. 1, 2008.
– Floyd was the fourth different rookie in the last 20 years whose first career catch was a TD. The others were Raghib “Rocket” Ismail and Derek Brown in 1988 and Derrick Mayes in 1992 – mighty impressive company for Floyd to join.
TJ Jones MAKING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT
– Freshman WR TJ Jones was the first Irish freshman wideout in school history to catch touchdown passes in each of his first two career games.
– Jones connected with junior QB Dayne Crist on a 16-yard touchdown pass with 6:07 left in the second quarter to bring Notre Dame within a field goal, 14-10, against Navy. The TD reception was Jones’ third of his career. He finished with a career-best five receptions.
– Jones hooked up with junior QB Dayne Crist for 37 yards to help set up a Notre Dame field goal in the second quarter against Pittsburgh. The 37-yard grab was the second longest of Jones’ brief career. He had a 53-yard touchdown catch against Michigan on Sept. 11.
– Jones hauled in a 53-yard touchdown pass from Crist with 12:42 to go in the third quarter against Michigan to bring the Irish with seven points, 21-14. He recorded a five-yard touchdown reception with 10:20 left in the third quarter against Purdue to give Notre Dame a 20-3 lead.
– Jones had already became the second freshman wideout in Notre Dame history to register a touchdown in the Irish season opener.
CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK
– Sophomore WR Theo Riddick, who has missed the last two games with an injury, started out his Irish career as a running back. He rushed for 160 yards on 29 attempts as a rookie in 2009, but first-year head coach Brian Kelly liked the idea of moving Riddick to the slot in his spread offense. Riddick was somewhat slow in his progression at wideout over Notre Dame’s first two games of 2010. He managed just four catches for 52 yards against Purdue and Michigan, but the wide receiver found his form over a four-game stretch against Michigan State, Stanford, Boston College and Pittsburgh. Riddick totaled 33 receptions for 343 yards and three touchdowns (all team-highs over the four-game stretch). He managed just one catch against Western Michigan before he was sidelined by an injury.
– Riddick hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from junior QB Dayne Crist with 2:19 remaining in the first quarter to give the Irish a 21-0 lead over Boston College. The touchdown reception was Riddick’s third of the season and career. Riddick registered a touchdown catch in three consecutive weeks (Michigan State, Stanford and Boston College).
– Riddick entered the Michigan State game with four receptions for 52 yards, but finished the contest with a career-high 10 catches for 128 yards and one touchdown. He registered his first career 100-yard receiving game. Riddick posted two grabs for 42 yards on Notre Dame’s opening scoring drive of the second half (an 18- and 24-yard grab). He hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Crist with 1:29 to go in the third quarter to tie the score, 21-21.
– Riddick’s 10 receptions against Michigan State are tied for the ninth-most in single-game school history. In fact, his output is tied for the third-most ever by an Irish sophomore wideout. Notre Dame junior WR Michael Floyd also hauled in 10 catches against Navy on Nov. 7, 2009. Jim Seymour, who was a first-year player, but a sophomore elgibility wise, has the two highest outputs. He had games with 13 and 11 catches in 1966.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
RETURN OF THE MACK (EY) AWARD SEMIFINALIST
– Junior TE Kyle Rudolph’s return for the 2010 season made him the only member of the eight announced semifinalist’s for the 2009 Mackey Award to come back for another year. Rudolph was not only named John Mackey Tight End of the Week on Sept. 15 following his record-setting performance against Michigan, but was also named a semifinalist for the award despite being lost for the year with an injury.
– Rudolph underwent surgery on a torn hamstring on Oct. 15.
– Prior to the injury, Rudolph had 28 receptions for 328 yards and three touchdowns this season.
– Rudolph was on pace to break Ken MacAfee’s single-season school record for receptions by a tight end. Rudolph had 28 catches over Notre Dame’s first six games in 2010 and was on pace for 56. MacAfee recorded 54 receptions in 1977. Rudolph also had 328 yards receiving through the halfway point of the season. He was on pace for 656 yards receiving, which would have been the second-most in school history for a tight end.
– Rudolph became the fourth Irish tight end to ever eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving barrier following a nine-yard catch in the first quarter against Pittsburgh.
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– Rudolph hauled in a two-yard touchdown pass from junior QB Dayne Crist with 6:26 remaining in the first quarter against Boston College to push the Irish lead to 14-0. The touchdown catch was Rudolph’s third of the season and eighth of his career.
– Rudolph backed up his record setting day against Michigan with another top-notch effort at Michigan State. He matched his career-high of eight catches (established the week prior) for 80 yards and one touchdown.
– Rudolph ranked among the top five tight ends in the FBS in overall receptions, receiving yards, yards per reception, receiving yards per game and receptions per game before being sidelined for the rest of the 2010 season.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Rudolph hooked up with junior QB Dayne Crist for a 17-yard reception in the first quarter against Michigan State. He moved past Dean Masztak (1978-81) into fourth place on the all-time receiving list for Irish tight ends on the grab. Rudolph hauled in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Crist with 12:25 to go in the third quarter to tie the game, 14-14.
– Rudolph’s 95-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter against Michigan was the second-longest reception in Notre Dame history. The school record pass play was a Blair Kiel to Joe Howard connection against Georgia Tech in 1981. It also was the longest by a Notre Dame tight end, breaking the previous mark of 78 by Mike Creaney versus Pitt in 1970.
– Rudolph equaled his career single-game high in receptions with eight and receiving yards with 164 against the Wolverines. He set a single-game school record for receiving yards by a tight end and fell one catch shy of the tight end record for catches in a game. Rudolph’s total surpassed Anthony Fasano’s previous mark of 155 yards in a 41-16 loss to Purdue in 2004. Ken MacAfee’s nine catches (114 yards) in a 1977 victory at Purdue is still the Irish single-game record among tight ends.
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– Rudolph recorded three receptions on Notre Dame’s opening scoring drive against Michigan alone and two resulted in first downs. In fact, both first down grabs came on critical third down conversions.
– Rudolph hauled in five catches for 43 yards in the victory over Purdue. Three of his receptions gave Notre Dame a first down.
– Last season, Rudolph had racked up 364 yards and three touchdowns on 33 receptions before suffering a shoulder injury against Navy and not recording a catch in the team’s final three games (only one of which he suited up for).
Chris Stewart MAN OF THE LAW
– Senior OG Chris Stewart will attempt the rarest of double duties this fall by playing college football while also undertaking the rigors of life as a law school student. He is believed to be the first football player in Irish history to suit-up for games on Saturday and attend graduate law classes during the week. According to a survey of FBS sports information directors, Stewart, who graduated cum laude in December ’09 with a degree in history and two internships in immigration and labor law, is the only football player who will be enrolled in law school this fall.
– Stewart is enrolled in Contracts, Criminal Law, Legal Research and Legal Writing I.
– Stewart, along with senior PK David Ruffer and senior DB Barry Gallup, were named ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District Team for District 5.
– Stewart has been selected a 2010 National Scholar-Athlete by the National Football Foundation. As a National Scholar-Athlete, Stewart receives an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and is one of 16 finalists for the 21st William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation and often referred to as “The Academic Heisman.” Renamed last fall in honor of Bill Campbell, the chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the National Football Foundation’s Gold Medal, the award comes with a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship. A total distribution of $300,000 in scholarships will be awarded that evening
– Stewart is the 16th Notre Dame football player to receive the scholarship and second in the past four years. Only Nebraska (20) and Ohio State (19) have had more players selected since the program began in 1959.
– A 2009 ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District selection, Stewart finished his undergraduate studies in History in only three and a half years. He was a member of the History Honors Program and was inducted into the Phi Alpha Theta honor fraternity.
– Stewart has started more career games (31) than any other Irish player on the offensive side of the ball. He also carries a 23-game starting streak into this weekend’s contest with Utah. Stewart helped the Irish finish last season as the eighth-best offense in the country, averaging 451.8 yards per game, and is helping the Notre Dame passing attack outgain opponents 288.6-228.6 yards per game this season.
– Actively involved in numerous outreach efforts, Stewart journeyed to Haiti during his 2009 spring break to help with the relief efforts following the deadliest earthquake in the nation’s history. He volunteered all last summer at the South Bend Youth Center and has participated in a fine arts initiative for area children. Stewart has also visited local children’s hospitals and raised funds for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
TE’O PACKS A HAWAIIAN PUNCH
– Notre Dame sophomore LB Manti Te’o leads the Irish in total tackles (100), tackles on running plays (71), tackles on passing plays (27), solo tackles (51) and assisted tackles (49). He also is tied for the team-lead in tackles for loss (7.0).
– Te’o ranks 11th in the FBS in total tackles (100), tied for 19th in assisted tackles (49), seventh in tackles per game (11.1) and tied for 20th in solo stops (51).
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Te’o has registered 10 or more tackles in six of the last eight games. He has only failed to reach double digits in tackles in three games this season (vs. Purdue in the season opener, Pittsburgh and Tulsa). Te’o finished with nine tackles against the Boilermakers and eight against the Golden Hurricane. He has recorded 10 or more tackles in a game eight times over his brief career.
– Te’o established a career-high in tackles with 21 against Stanford. He was the first player in the FBS this season to eclipse the 20-tackle barrier. In fact, no player in the FBS has had more tackles in one game against a BCS conference foe since Durell Mapp of North Carolina had 23 stops against North Carolina State on Nov. 10, 2007. In fact, it is the most tackles by a sophomore against a BCS opponent since Austin Thomas of Indiana had 22 against Michigan State on Oct. 13, 2007.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– It was the most tackles by a Notre Dame player since Chinedum Ndukwe had 22 in a victory over Air Force on Nov. 11, 2006. Te’o’s 21 tackles against Stanford not only rank as the sixth-most in single-game school history, but also the second-most ever by an Irish sophomore. Bob Crable was a sophomore when he tied the school record with 26 stops against Clemson on Nov. 17, 1979. His previous career-high for tackles in a game was 13 set earlier this year against Michigan.
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– With three games remaining in the 2010 regular season, Te’o could be headed towards one of the best tackle seasons in Irish history. He is on pace for 133 total tackles, which would rank just outside the top 10 all-time and most since Tony Furjanic had 147 in 1985. The total would also rank as the third most ever by a Notre Dame sophomore. Crable’s school record total of 187 in 1979 and Furjanic’s total of 142 in 1983 came during each of their second year in an Irish uniform.
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– Te’o has already accounted for 163 career tackles in just 21 games in an Irish uniform, good for an average of 7.8 tackles per game.
– Since becoming a full-time starter in the fifth game of the 2009 season, Te’o has started 18 consecutive games. In that time, he has totaled 158 tackles (8.8 tackles per game).
– Te’o registered 63 tackles in 2009, the third most tackles ever by a Notre Dame freshman. The only two players to register more tackles in their rookie campaign were future All-Americans Bob Golic (82, 1975) and Ross Browner (68, 1973).
JOHNSON, FLEMING ENJOYING THEIR SACK LUNCHES
– Notre Dame junior LB Darius Fleming (5.5, 11.0) and junior DE Ethan Johnson (5.0, 12.5) have combined for 10.5 sacks this season and 23.5 for their career.
– The duo rank 49th and 64th respectively in the FBS.
– Fleming and Johnson are each gaining ground on both the season and career sack totals at Notre Dame. Sacks did not become an officially recognized statistics until 1982.
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WILLIAMS (ALMOST), NEAL IN INK
– Senior LB Kerry Neal played in his 46th career game last week. He is the only Irish players to see action in every game since 2007.
– Senior NG Ian Williams had played in 45 consecutive games before missing the Tulsa and Utah games with an injury he suffered against Navy.
Prince Shembo STARTING TO MAKE A ROYAL IMPRESSON
– Freshman LB Prince Shembo had just three tackles, including half a tackle for loss, in Notre Dame’s first four games of the season. The rookie linebacker then recorded 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and quarterback hurry in the two games against Boston College and Pittsburgh.
– Shembo picked up his first career sack and forced fumble on the same play late in the third quarter against Boston College. He added a second sack in the fourth quarter.
– Shembo registered a quarterback hurry and half sack in the victory over Pittsburgh.
WALLS QUITE STURDY
– Irish senior CB Darrin Walls has registered three pass break-ups this season. He now has 19 career PBUs, which ranks tied for seventh all-time in Notre Dame history. He is tied with Thomas O’Leary (1965-67).
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
IRISH DEFENSE REAPING IMMEDIATE REWARDS FROM NEW SYSTEM
– Notre Dame registered only 20.0 sacks in the entire 2009 season, which ranked 89th in the FBS.
– The Irish have already recorded 24.0 sacks over their first nine games of 2010, which ranks 20th in the FBS. Notre Dame is on pace for 32.0 sacks this season (based on a 12-game regular season). It would be the most sacks for an Irish defense since 2003 when Notre Dame had 39.0 on the year.
– Sacks became official by the NCAA prior to the 1982 season. Here are Notre Dame’s top 10 single-season sack totals and where the 2010 defense might project.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– The Irish tied their season-best total of five sacks in a game against Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane entered the contest having allowed only nine sacks in the previous seven games.
– Notre Dame has registered at least 4.0 sacks in five of its nine games in 2010. The Irish have not posted five games with 4.0 or more sacks in the same season since 2002. In fact, a Notre Dame defense has not had more 4.0+ sack games in a single season since 1996 when the Irish had six.
– Notre Dame sacked Boston College five times in its 31-13 victory on Oct. 2. It was the most sacks by the Irish since they picked up 5.0 against Washington State on Oct. 31, 2009. In fact, a Notre Dame defense has not had more sacks in a single game season since Dec. 24, 2008 when the Irish had eight against Hawai’i.
– Notre Dame registered 4.0 sacks in the season-opening victory over Purdue. The 4.0 sacks ranked eighth-best by an NCAA FBS school in the opening week. In fact, only three of the seven schools that finished with more sacks than Notre Dame in its opener faced an FBS opponent and only two played a BCS conference foe.
– Notre Dame blanked Boston College in the second half. The last time the Irish shutout an opponent in second half was the 2009 season opener against Nevada (W, 35-0).
– The Irish held the Eagles to five yards rushing on 23 carries (0.2 yards per rush). It was the fewest yards rushing allowed by Notre Dame since the Irish held Stanford to minus-11 yards on the ground on Nov. 26, 2005. In fact, it was the fewest yards rushing allowed by Notre Dame on the road since the same game. It was also the third fewest yards rushing by an Irish foe since the start of the 1996 season. Notre Dame limited Vanderbilt (Sept. 5) and Rutgers (Nov. 23) to two yards and minus-six yards rushing, respectively, that year.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Notre Dame limited Boston College to 13 first downs in the game and only two first downs on the ground. It was the fewest rushing first downs by an Irish opponent since UCLA managed only two on Oct. 26, 2006. In fact, a Notre Dame defense has not allowed fewer rushing first downs in a single game since Vanderbilt registered just one rushing first down on Sept. 5, 1996.
– The Irish limited Boston College to minus-21 yards rushing in the second half.
– Boston College had 17 possessions in the game and 11 went for 10 yards or less, including six drives for five yards or less.
– Notre Dame forced the Eagles into nine drives that were three plays and out. The Irish also forced Boston College into 11 punts. Notre Dame has not forced an opponent into as many punts since Rutgers punted 11 times on Nov. 23, 1996. In fact, the Irish have not forced an opponent into more punts since Oct. 20, 1973 against Army when the Cadets punted 12 times in a 62-3 Notre Dame rout.
– Notre Dame registered 5.0 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss. The 11.0 tackles for loss were the most by Notre Dame since Nov. 19, 2005 when the Irish had 12.0 against Syracuse.
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
– Notre Dame limited Boston College to a total of one yard on 14 plays in the third quarter.
– Boston College finished the game with 270 total yards, 93 yards came on the Eagles final two drives which predominantly came against the Irish second-team defense. The Eagles averaged 3.9 yards per play for the game. Ironically, it was the fewest yards per play allowed by Notre Dame since posting the same exact number in its last trip to Boston College. The Irish defense has not posted a better yard per play average since Washington managed only 2.6 yards against the Irish on Oct. 25, 2008.
– If you take away the 58-yard touchdown pass play, Boston College managed 212 yards on its other 69 plays or 3.1 yards per play.
– The 13 points allowed by the Irish were the fewest against Boston College since 1995 when Notre Dame was victorious 20-10.
– Notre Dame registered 4.0 sacks against Michigan State, the second time in the first three games that the Irish recorded 4.0 or more sacks. Notre Dame also picked up 8.0 tackles for loss against the Spartans. It was the highest single-game total for the Irish against Michigan State since they registered 9.0 in the 2005 meeting. Notre Dame also forced the Spartans into four three-and-outs.
– The Irish won the battle on third down in each of their first three contests against Purdue, Michigan and Michigan State. Notre Dame limited the Spartans to 6 of 17 on third down, including denying Michigan State on each of its final five third-down plays. Even more impressive, the Spartans average length on its 17 third down plays was nine yards.
– The Irish limited their first three opponents (Purdue, Michigan and Michigan State) to just 28% on third down (14 for 50). In fact, Notre Dame’s third down defense held the Spartans and Wolverines to a combined 27% (9 of 23).
– Notre Dame limited Purdue’s offense to only 10 points and allowed just 3.2 yards per carry. The Irish forced Purdue into a trio of three-and-outs. The Boilermakers completed 31 passes on the afternoon, but the longest went for just 16 yards. Purdue averaged just 5.2 yards passing per attempt and 7.1 yards per completion. Notre Dame also limited the Boilermakers to 4.4 yards of total offense (322 yards on 74 plays) per play.
– Notre Dame held Purdue to three points in the opening half. It was the fewest points allowed by the Irish against Purdue in a half since the opening 30 minutes of the 2005 contest (Notre Dame led 28-0 at intermission). The 23 points by Notre Dame were the fewest by the winning team in the Irish-Boilermaker series since 2003 when Notre Dame beat Purdue, 20-14.
– Purdue finished with 12 points, which is the fewest for the Boilermakers in the series with Notre Dame since 1996 when the Irish blanked Purdue, 35-0.
KELLY’S WINNING WAYS
– Notre Dame first-year head coach Brian Kelly ranks as the seventh most successful active NCAA FBS coach. Here is a look at the top-10 winningest active coaches in the FBS (min. five years completed as FBS head coach, record at four-year colleges only):
Click here to see table in detailed PDF
2010: YEAR ONE FOR HEAD COACH Brian Kelly
– As Brian Kelly continues his first season with the Irish, here are a few notes on Notre Dame’s head coaches in their inaugural year.
– The previous 28 head football coaches in Notre Dame history have combined to amass a 177-63-12 (.726) record in their first year at the helm. Since 1913, Jesse Harper’s first season, Irish coaches have compiled a 112-44-5 (.711) in their initial campaign, including interim coaches Hugh Devore and Ed McKeever.
– Since Notre Dame Stadium was opened in 1930, six Notre Dame coaches – Hunk Anderson, McKeever, Ara Parseghian, Dan Devine, Tyrone Willingham and Charlie Weis – have opened away from home in their first season – going 6-0 in those games.
– Since 1913, five Notre Dame coaches – Layden, Parseghian, Holtz, Willingham and Weis – have taken over a program the year after his predecessor turned in a .500 or worse record. All but Holtz, who went 5-6 in 1986, posted a winning record in his first season and the quintet had a combined 39-16 (.709) record in such seasons. The 2009 Irish went 6-6 under Weis.
– Kelly was the first Irish coach to begin his Notre Dame tenure with the first two games inside Notre Dame Stadium since Terry Brennan in 1954 (21-0 victory vs. No. 4 Texas, 27-14 loss vs. No. 19 Purdue). Elmer Layden (1934) and Frank Leahy (1941) also opened their respective Notre Dame coaching careers with back-to-back home games. Layden split contests against Texas and Purdue, while Leahy upended Arizona and Indiana. Jesse Harper (1913) also opened his career with consecutive home games (87-0 rout vs. Ohio Northern, 20-7 victory over South Dakota).
– The last Notre Dame coach to post a winning record in his first season with the Irish was Weis, who went 9-3 in 2005. The last Irish coach to turn in a sub – .500 season in his first year was Lou Holtz, whose 1986 team finished 5-6.
– The longest winning streak for a Notre Dame head coach to begin his career with the Irish is nine games, by Harper (1913-14) and Parseghian (1964).
– Kelly was the first Notre Dame coach to face Purdue at home in his first game with the Irish.
NO TURNOVERS = VICTORY (USUALLY)
– Notre Dame is 55-4-1 since 1985 when it does not commit a turnover. The Irish had an amazing 41-game unbeaten streak (40-0-1) in games without a turnover snapped in 2004 against USC. Prior to that game, the last time a Notre Dame team lost a game without committing a turnover was a 34-30 loss at Penn State on Nov. 12, 1983.
– Notre Dame failed to commit a turnover for the first time this season against Pittsburgh. It was the first turnover-free contest for the Irish in 10 games, dating back to the 40-14 victory against Washington State on Oct. 31, 2009.
– Two of Notre Dame’s six victories in 2009 were keynoted by errorless outings in the turnover department as the Irish collected wins over Nevada (35-0) and Boston College (20-16) while not losing the ball via a turnover.
IRISH IN THE BRIGHT LIGHTS AND BIG CITY, TWICE
– Notre Dame will play a pair of games in the greater New York City metropolitan area in 2010. The Irish traveled to the $1.3 billion dollar New Meadowlands Stadium on Oct. 23 to face Navy. Notre Dame and the Midshipmen met five times in the previous Meadowlands Stadium, including 2004. The Irish will also participate in the first football game inside the New Yankee Stadium on Nov. 20 against Army. Notre Dame and the Cadets have a long history of playing in New York. They met 22 times at old Yankee Stadium, facing each other annually from 1925-46, except for 1930, and again in 1969 in the 100th anniversary of college football. They also played at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn (1923), the Polo Grounds in Manhattan (1924) and Shea Stadium in Queens (1965).
– Notre Dame has never played multiple games in the NYC area in the same season.
FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACHES OPEN STRONG
– When Notre Dame defeated Purdue in its season opener Sept. 4, head coach Brian Kelly continued a long trend of success among Irish mentors. Dating back to 1896, Irish skippers are 26-3 (.897) in their debut contests. Only Frank E. Hering in 1896 (4-0 loss to Chicago Physicians & Surgeons), Elmer Layden in 1934 (7-6 loss to Texas) and Lou Holtz in 1986 (24-23 loss to Michigan) failed to win their first game at Notre Dame. This record includes two wins by interim head coaches — Ed McKeever in 1944 (58-0 win at Pittsburgh) and Hugh Devore in 1945 (7-0 win over Illinois) spelled Frank Leahy while he was off serving his country in World War II.
IRISH DEFENSE FULL OF YOUTHFUL ENERGY
– Notre Dame first-year defensive coordinator Bob Diaco entered the 2010 season as one of the youngest coordinators in FBS football. Diaco, who was born Feb. 19, 1973, opened the campaign at 37. He ranks as the 24th-youngest coordinator in all of the FBS and eighth-youngest coordinator from a BCS conference institution.
– There are only six defensive coordinators in the FBS that are younger than Diaco. Of those six, only one (Kirby Smart, Alabama) coaches at a BCS conference school.
IRISH DEFENSE SWITCHES TO 3-4
– Brian Kelly and defensive coordinator Bob Diaco have 18 returning monogram winners on defense to work with in their first season and, of those 18, 13 players have starting experience for the Irish. Ten returning players started at least seven games in 2009 — and nine players have started at least 10 games in their Notre Dame careers.
– The Irish switch back to a 3-4 defense, featuring three down linemen, in 2010. That means players who made the transition to a 4-3 last year will resort back to the defensive front used in 2007 and 2008. Notre Dame will start a nose guard sandwiched between two defensive ends, but it won’t be uncommon to see at least one outside linebacker walk up to the line of scrimmage, giving the Irish four or five players along the line.
OPENERS AN INDICATOR?
– Notre Dame is 102-15-5 in season openers, but have they been foretelling of the season ahead? Take a look:
– The 101 seasons Notre Dame has won its opener, the Irish went on to post winning records 92 times (91.1%), with four losing seasons and five .500 records.
– The 15 seasons the Irish lost their opener, the Irish posted winning records six times and a losing mark eight times (with one .500 season).
– The five seasons Notre Dame registered a tie in its opener, the Irish had four winning records and one losing record.
WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE
– The meeting earlier this season between Notre Dame and Michigan State marked the 21st time in school history the Irish have faced the Spartans the week following the Michigan game.
– Notre Dame is 8-3 against the Spartans following a victory over the Wolverines, 5-4 following a defeat and 1-0 following a tie.
– The Irish have knocked off Michigan and Michigan State in consecutive weeks eight different times (1980, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 2002 and 2004).
– Notre Dame has dropped both rivalry games four times (1986, 2003, 2007 and 2010).
– Overall, the Irish are 14-7 against the Spartans the week after playing Michigan.
– Notre Dame has faced Michigan 38 times in the series history and 15 of the meetings have come during the second week of the regular season. The Irish are 6-8-1 all-time when playing the Wolverines in week two.
– Notre Dame has opened its season with Purdue on eight occasions. The Irish hold a 7-1 record in those season-opening meetings with the Boilermakers. Only two other programs, Michigan and Northwestern, have opened against Notre Dame more often that Purdue.
– Here are the top five programs in terms of season-opening opponents for the Irish.
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– This year’s opener with Purdue was the first opener with the Boilermakers since 1984. Notre Dame agreed to move the contest from Notre Dame Stadium to the newly opened Hoosier Dome. Future Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Fame honoree Tim Brown, then just a freshman, fumbled the opening kickoff to setup a Purdue touchdown. The Boilermakers would upset the No. 8 Irish, 23-21.
– The most famous season opener with Purdue came during the 1966 season. Both teams were ranked in the top 10, Notre Dame at No. 6 and the Boilermakers at No. 8. Purdue was led by All-American Bob Griese, but quarterback Terry Hanratty and wide receiver Jim Seymour stole the show. The duo hooked up 13 times for 276 yards, including touchdowns of 39, 84 and seven yards, en route to a 26-14 Irish victory. Seymour’s total of 276 receiving yards remains a single-game Notre Dame record. Notre Dame went on to capture the national title, while the Boilermakers captured their first and still only Rose Bowl title in school history.
WALK-ON PLAYERS JOIN THE IRISH SQUAD THIS FALL
– Eight walk-ons were added to the 2010 fall roster: junior P Mike Grieco (Glen Ellyn, Ill./St. Ignatius HS), junior S Chris Salvi (Lake Forest, Ill./Carmel Catholic HS), senior LS/DL John Belcher (Cheyenne, Wy./Cheyenne Central HS), sophomore DE Joe Marek (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham HS), sophomore OL Matt Tansey (Berkely Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston HS), junior LB Jonathan Frantz (Avon Lake, Ohio/St. Ignatius HS), sophomore WR Nick Fitzpatrick (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian HS) and freshman DB Joe Romano (River Forest, Ill./Fenwick HS).
ROSTER CHANGES
– Eight returning veterans have changed jersey numbers for the 2010 season. Junior DE Ethan Johnson will don No. 90, sophomore WR Robby Toma will sport No. 19, junior DE Hafis Williams will wear No. 94, sophomore WR Theo Riddick will don No. 6, senior TE/FB Bobby Burger will sport No. 41 and senior K Brandon Walker will wear No. 96.
– Junior S Chris Salvi changed to the No. 24 prior to the Pittsburgh game. He had worn No. 33 over Notre Dame’s first five games of the season.
– Junior C Mike Golic Jr. has worn No. 49 on occasion against Western Michigan, Navu and Tulsa to be considered an eligible receiver. Golic also wore his standard No. 57 jersey.
– Senior K David Ruffer changed to the No. 97 two weeks into fall camp after wearing No. 48 during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
– Senior S Michael Garcia will be announced on “Senior Day” as No. 29, but will don No. 34 against Utah.
– Senior K David Ruffer changed to the No. 97 two weeks into fall camp after wearing No. 48 during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
– Notre Dame sophomore OT Zack Martin and sophomore WR Robby Toma each had their first names incorrectly listed in 2009. Martin’s first name is correctly spelled Zack (not Zach) and Toma’s first name is correctly spelled Robby (not Roby).
– Notre Dame freshman WR Tai-ler Jones will be listed as TJ Jones.
– A trio of Irish players underwent position changes during spring practice. Sophomore WR Theo Riddick moved from running back and senior LB Steve Paskorz returned to the position after two years at fullback. Senior OT Lane Clelland opened spring practice at defensive end, but has since returned to his original position.
THREE STUDENT-ATHLETES APPROVED FOR FIFTH YEAR
– Three seniors on the University of Notre Dame football team were approved to return for a fifth year by the school’s Faculty Board on Athletics.
– C Dan Wenger, OG Chris Stewart and CB Barry Gallup Jr. have already graduated. Wenger and Gallup are enrolled in the graduate studies program, while Stewart is a first-year law student at Notre Dame.
RECRUITING CLASS OF 2010 FINISHES AT 20
– Twenty high school seniors will have their names added to the University of Notre Dame’s football roster and begin playing for the Irish in 2010.
– The 20 student-athletes represent 11 different states – California (two), Colorado, Florida (three), Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois (two), Indiana, Kentucky (two), New Jersey, North Carolina (two) and Ohio (four).
– As listed by position, Notre Dame added four wide receivers (Austin Collinsworth, TJ Jones, Bennett Jackson, Daniel Smith), four linebackers (Kendall Moore, Prince Shembo, Danny Spond, Justin Utupo), three quarterbacks (Andrew Hendrix, Luke Massa, Tommy Rees), two defensive ends (Bruce Heggie, Kona Schwenke), two offensive tackles (Christian Lombard, Tate Nichols), one defensive back (Lo Wood), one running back (Cameron Roberson), one tight end (Alex Welch) and one nose guard (Louis Nix III).
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL-A FAMILY AFFAIR
– The Golic family is one of just several father-son combinations who have played for Notre Dame represented on the 2010 Irish roster. Mike Sr. earned four monograms at Notre Dame from 1981-84, while Mike Jr. is a junior OL and Jake is a sophomore TE. In addition to their father, Mike and Jake’s two uncles also played for the Irish. Bob was not only a four-year monogram winner from 1975-78, but he was a two-time All-American and helped the Irish to the 1977 National Title. Greg earned a pair of monograms in 1981 and 1983.
– Irish junior QB Nate Montana is the son of NFL Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl Champion Joe (1975, 1977-78). The elder Montana helped Notre Dame to the 1977 National Championship.
– Other current Notre Dame players whose fathers also played for the Irish include senior TE Bobby Burger (Bob, 1978-80), senior LB Brian Smith (Chris, 1981-84) and freshman WR TJ Jones (Andre, 1987-90).
NFL HAS LARGE INFLUENCE ON NOTRE DAME ROSTER
– Several players also have family connections with the National Football League.
– Junior QB Nate Montana’s father Joe is widely considered the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Joe helped the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowls (he was named MVP in three). Joe was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2000. Joe played in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers (1979-92) and Kansas City Chiefs (1993-94)
– Junior OL Mike Jr. and sophomore TE Jake Golic’s father Mike Sr. played in the NFL forthe Houston Oilers (1986-87), Philadelphia Eagles (1987-92) and Miami Dolphins (1993). Their uncle, Bob, also played in the NFL for the New England Patriots (1979-81), Cleveland Browns (1982-88) and Los Angeles Raiders (1989-92).
– Other players whose fathers played in the NFL include sophomore OG Alex Bullard (Louis, Seattle Seahawks, 1978-80), freshman WR Austin Collinsworth (Chris, Cincinnati Bengals, 1981-88) and junior ILB Anthony McDonald (Mike, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, 1983-92) and sophomore K Nick Tausch (Terry, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco, 1982-89).
– Junior ILB David Posluszny’s brother Paul has played in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills since 2007.
– Sophomore P Ben Turk has two uncles that have played in the NFL. Matt is currently the punter for the Houston Texans (2007-10), but has also suited up for the St. Louis Rams (1996), Miami Dolphins (2000-01, 2003-05), New York Jets (2002) and Washington Redskins (1995-99). Dan played 15 years in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1985-86), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987-88), Los Angeles Raiders (1989-94), Oakland Raiders (1995-96) and Washington Redskins (1997-99).
NOTRE DAME EXCELS IN THE CLASSROOM
– The University of Notre Dame and University of Miami shared the American Football Coaches Association’s 2009 Academic Achievement Award, which is presented by the Touchdown Club of Memphis. Notre Dame and Miami recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its freshman football student-athlete class of 2002. This is the eighth honor for Notre Dame.
– Notre Dame has been recognized 28 of 29 years the award has been presented, the most of any school in the nation. Notre Dame has won the overall award eight times with the most recent coming in 2007. Notre Dame also won the overall award in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1991, 2001 and 2007. In 1988, Notre Dame became the only school to win the Academic Achievement Award and the National Championship in the same year.
OFFICIAL Brian Kelly RADIO SHOW
– The Brian Kelly Radio Show began Sept. 2 – and University of Notre Dame football fans can watch the show live on the Notre Dame campus or listen on one of four radio outlets. Kelly will appear at all 12 shows at Legends on the campus, just south of Notre Dame Stadium. The show will air from 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET. Audio outlets include WSBT 960AM in South Bend, www.und.com, WXNT 1430 AM in Indianapolis, and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio. WSBT, WXNT and und.com will carry the show live; Sirius/XM will carry it Friday evenings at 8pm on Sirius channel 122 and XM channel 143.
– Dates for the shows are Sept. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30; Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28; and Nov. 11, 18 and 22.
– Hosted by Jack Nolan, the Brian Kelly Radio Show is a production of Notre Dame Sports Properties.
INSIDE NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL WITH Brian Kelly (TELEVISION SHOW)
– Taped on Sunday afternoons, Inside Notre Dame Football will feature a recap of the week’s contest, Notre Dame player features and more. The show can be seen locally Sunday evenings on WNDU-TV following the late local news. It will also re-air on WNDU-TV the following Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. as well as 90 minutes prior to kickoff of Notre Dame home games. All shows can also be viewed on www.und.com beginning on Monday of each week. Inside Notre Dame Football airs on a total of 25 affiliates nationwide reaching nearly 67 million households.
THE OFFICIAL NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL POSTGAME SHOW
– Irish All-Americans Reggie Brooks and Mirko Jurkovic join Jack Nolan for the Official Notre Dame Football Postgame show immediately following every Notre Dame football game. The show can be heard live on WSBT 960 AM and Sunny 101.5 FM and watched live worldwide on und.com. The show includes Coach Kelly’s postgame press conference live, player interviews and video highlights on the und.com webcast.
2010 FOOTBALL PEP RALLIES
– The traditional, season-opening Dillon Hall pep rally was held on Friday, Sept. 3, in front of Dillon Hall on the South Quad of the University of Notre Dame campus. That rally drew a crowd of 14,000 students and fans.
– The Sept. 10 rally prior to the home game against Michigan and the Oct. 8 rally prior to the home game with Pittsburgh were held at Irish Green, south of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on the very south edge of campus.
– The Notre Dame-Stanford rally on Sept. 24 was held indoors at Purcell Pavilion in the Joyce Center.
– A Notre Dame-Boston College students-only rally was held on Oct. 1, prior to the Irish road game at Boston College, at Stepan Center. – The Notre Dame-Western Michigan rally on Oct. 15 was held held at Irish Green.
– The Notre Dame-Utah rally on Oct. 29 was cancelled.
– The site for the final Friday home-game pep rally – Nov. 12 (Utah) – will be determined at a later date.
– Rallies are expected to be held from 6:30-7:00 p.m. All pep rallies are free of charge. Outdoor rallies are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.
NOTRE DAME KICKOFF LUNCHEONS
– There’s a whole new look to the Notre Dame Football Kickoff Luncheons held on the Friday prior to each Irish football home game.
– The luncheons will still be held in the north dome of the Joyce Center – but there will be a different master of ceremonies each week, there’s a brand new set on stage, and luncheon guests will have the chance to ask questions of Irish head coach Brian Kelly.
– Guests from week to week will include a selection of Irish players and assistant coaches in addition to Kelly, as well as other special guests.
– WHME sports director Bob Nagle will coordinate three luncheon guests each week that each will ask a question on a live basis of Notre Dame’s head coach.
– Tickets remain on sale for the final luncheon for the 2010 season. The event is slated for noon ET on Nov. 12 (Utah) in the north dome (field house) of the Joyce Center.
– Tickets are $23 each and can be ordered by writing to Athletics Business Office, 112 Joyce Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 456556. Checks can be made payable to University of Notre Dame. There is a $3 handling fee per order. There are 10 seats per table. There’s also a ticket order form available on und.com.
NOTRE DAME STADIUM SCULPTURES
– Four of Notre Dame’s head football coaches, all of whom won at least one national title, are immortalized in sculpture form on the University’s campus. Prior to the 2010 season, the four statues were moved to their new locations directly outside four of Notre Dame Stadium’s six entrances — and each gate was renamed in honor of the corresponding legendary coach.
– Knute Rockne (1924, 1929, 1930) – North Tunnel, Knute Rockne Tunnel; Ara Parseghian (1966, 1973) – Gate B, Ara Parseghian Gate; Frank Leahy (1943, 1946, 1947, 1949) – Gate C, Frank Leahy Gate; Lou Holtz (1988) – Gate D, Lou Holtz gate.
– In addition, the University recognized Dan Devine, coach of the 1977 national championship team, by renaming Gate A in his honor.
MOST-WATCHED MICHIGAN-NOTRE DAME GAME ON NBC IN 16 YEARS
– NBC Sports’ broadcast of the Sept. 11 Michigan-Notre Dame was the most-watched game featuring those two teams on NBC in 16 years and the most-watched Notre Dame on NBC game against any team in five years. In addition, the average viewership and rating for the first two Notre Dame on NBC games this season are the best in four years.
– The Michigan-Notre Dame game was watched by 7.0 million viewers, making it the most-watched game on NBC between the two teams since September 10, 1994, when the Wolverines were ranked No. 6 and the Irish No. 3. It was also the most-watched Notre Dame game on NBC since October 15, 2005, when the then-No. 9 Irish hosted No. 1 USC.
– The game was also the third-most watched Michigan-Notre Dame game ever on NBC (10.1 million, 1994; 7.3 million, 1992) and the 12th most-watched Notre Dame on NBC game ever.
– The game generated a 4.5/10 rating and share, the highest for a game against Michigan in eight years (Sept. 14, 2002, 4.6/12) and highest for a Notre Dame on NBC game against any team in four years (Sept. 9, 2006, Penn State, 4.7/11).
– Notre Dame on NBC is averaging 5.4 million viewers and a 3.5/4 rating for the first two games of the 2010 season, the best average in both categories since 2006 (6.5 million; 4.5/11) when the Irish began their home season by hosting No. 19 Penn State and No. 11 Michigan.
– NBC Sports’ broadcast of the Purdue-Notre Dame season opener on September 4 was up 74 percent and 69 percent in viewers and ratings, respectively.
NOTRE DAME ALUMNI SUPPORT TOPS IN THE NATION
– Notre Dame is widely known for the support of its fans. The alumni have a lot to do with that support, and they back that up with their check books. According to research by US News & World Report, the Irish rank first in the nation in alumni giving among schools that have a Division I football program.
– Notre Dame has an alumni giving rate of 44 percent, while other 2010 foes USC (43%), Stanford (34%) and Boston College (26%) all rank among the top 10.