Sep 5, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish leprechaun waves a Notre Dame flag as the team runs onto the field before a game against the Texas Longhorns at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
TOP 30 NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL PLAYERS
Trying to list the top 30 Notre Dame Football players of all time is an exercise in patience. It’s tough. Well over a hundred years worth of football players, and they all played for the most storied football program in the history of college athletics.
Where do we even start? There are an endless amount of lists for the best Notre Dame Football players out there, and all of them are right and all of them are wrong. A lot of them seem fairly grounded, and then others read more like a love letter to a certain era. Here, we must set some parameters.
To be considered to be one of the top 30 Notre Dame Football players ever, the player MUST have been a consensus All-American selection (twice would be nice). That’s not all though… To really make this list stand out, we are going to fill up the first string on both sides of the ball. That’s 22 players, and when you add that to the 7 Heisman Trophy winners, you are left with only one more player. A wild card of sorts.
Let’s get started…
Next: Here Come The Irish
#30 John Scully
John Scully was a backup tackle in 1977 and 1978 for the Irish and has the 1977 National Championship ring to prove it. John moved to center in 1979 and was the starter that year as well as in 1980. In 1980, he was a tri-captain and earned consensus All-American honors before being drafted by the Atlanta Falcons where he played for 10 years.
Scully is probably best known now for something other than football- his music career. He is the writer and producer of “Here Come The Irish.” Yes, THAT song. Sung by Cathy Richardson, “Here Come The Irish,” has become as notable and familiar on Notre Dame gamedays as Dahmsa Bua and even the Victory March. That’s one heck of a way to leave your mark on the university.
Next: The Third Moose
#29 Bill “Moose” Fischer
Bill Fischer was on a very good Notre Dame football team. The thing is, is that Bill Fischer helped make the team good. Bill was coached by one of the all time great Notre Dame legends, Moose Krause (the first moose), and he played along side another great in George Connor (the second moose).
Bill garnered All-American status in 1947 and 1948 as well as winning the Outland Trophy in 1948.
Next: Sweet Feet
#28 Shane Walton
Shane Walton was never supposed to play football at Notre Dame. Shane was there on scholarship to play soccer for the Fighting Irish, and in 1998 he led the Irish soccer team in scoring and was named Big East Freshman of the Year. Enter Bob Davie. Davie saw Walton’s quick feet and say what you want about Bob… he knows defensive talent.
Almost any soccer player that has ever been “drafted” by their school to play football, became the kicker. In Walton’s case, he was a cornerback and received All-American status in 2002 as a key part of a devastating defense that had to bail out the offense throughout most of the season.
Next: Gone Too Soon
#27 Mirko Jurkovic
Jurkovic started his career at Notre Dame on the defensive line in 1988. The freshman earned a monogram on a team that won the national championship after beating undefeated West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl. Jurkovic moved to guard before his sophomore year and had became the ultimate utility lineman all season long. He started at guard in 1990 and in 1991. After the 1991 season, Jurkovic was named a consensus All-American.
Mirko passed away in January of 2013 after a battle with colon cancer.
Next: Dangerous Waters
#26 Jeff Samardzija
Also known as “The Shark,” Jeff Samardzija had one of the all time great back to back seasons as a wide receiver in Notre Dame history. He had a breakout season in his junior year with 77 receptions for 1249 yards and 15 touchdowns. And in 2006, he added 78 catches for 1,017 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Samardzija was more than just a stat collector, he was a threat and a savior. He made a plethora of clutch catches throughout the 2005 and 2006 seasons. He was a big time receiver in big time games, and really started a run at Notre Dame where the school had a legitimate Bilitnikoff Award candidate every year.
Next: Breaking Things
#25 Michael Stonebreaker
Michael Stonebreaker was a charter member of the Three Amigos on Notre Dame’s 1988 National Championship team. Stonebreaker was a blue-collar, in your face, hard nose… well pick any other idiom for a tough guy playing linebacker and that’s him.
Stonebreaker was a two time consensus All-American fr the 1988 and 1990 seasons. For his career, Michael had 220 tackles, 5 sacks and 5 interceptions. He also has one of the greatest names in all of football history.
Next: Strike A Pose?
#24 Mike McCoy
Mike McCoy was one of the most terrifying men in college football in an era where there wasn’t a shortage of terrifying players along the defensive lines. He stood out. McCoy was a consensus All-American in 1969, and was so dominant along the front, that he finished 6th in the Heisman Trophy voting that year.
Next: Smooth
#23 Luther Bradley
Luther Bradley had a stellar career at Notre Dame and was the starter on two different national championship teams (1973 and 1977). Bradley has a career total of 153 tackles and he is the all-time interception leader at Notre Dame with 17 picks.
Although some casual football fans may only have heard about Bradly through the movie, “Rudy,”Luther Bradley is truly one of the best defensive players to ever wear a gold helmet.
Next: Tight End U
#22 Ken MacAfee
When one talks about Notre Dame being “Tight End U,” Ken MacAfee is exactly the kind of player that comes to mind. MacAfee was a consensus All-American for both the 1976 and 1977 seasons. In that 1977 season as a senior, Macafee caught 54 passes for 797 yards and six touchdowns.
Not only did Ken MacAfee win a national title with the Irish in 1977, he was voted as the Walter Camp Player of the year, and he came in third for the Heisman voting- AMAZING for a tight end.
Next: BOBBY
#21 Bobby Taylor
Bobby Taylor was an uncommon cornerback. is size at 6’1″ and over 200 pounds suggests that he would be better fit for a free safety position, and he played that role in his freshman year. However, the lanky Texan moved to cornerback and showed off his silky smooth coverage skills.
Taylor was an unanimous All-American in 1994 and earned quite a few defensive back of the year awards along the way. Despite that, one of the most well known plays by Taylor involved him blocking a PAT kick against Penn State in the “Snow Bowl.” The Irish won that game 17-16.
Next: Law And Order
#20 Alan Page
Alan Page was a man ahead of his time. A dominant force along Notre Dame’s defensive line, Page was a key member of the 1966 National Championship team that was a part of the famous 10-10 tie game against Michigan State in the “Game of the Century.” Page was a unanimous All-American as well in that 1966 season, and after his time at Notre Dame he went to the NFL to play for the Minnesota Vikings, and was a member of the notorious “Purple People Eater” defense.
In 1992, Alan Page was elected to the Minnesota Supreme Court, and he cemented himself as not only a great football player, but a great and successful person that carried himself with an enormous amount of integrity.
Next: Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z
#19 Chris Zorich
Chris Zorich was the epitome of a Holtz era player. He was a little undersized, but tough as the bucket of nails Noah used to build the Ark. Zorich was a key member of the 1988 National Championship team and a consensus All-American in 1990.
Zorich won the Lombardi Award in 1990, and is considered by many, to be the best interior defensive lineman in Notre Dame history. Nowadays he rocks a bow tie and practices as a lawyer in Chicago.
Next: Hart of Gold
#18 Leon Hart
Leon Hart was one of the last great two way players in football. Hart was a 4 year starter and never lost a game as the Irish went 36-0-2 in his time there. Hart was a consensus All-American in 1948 and 1949. Hart was a phenomenal blocker and excellent pass rusher on defense. He won the Maxwell Award in 1949.
Hart went on to win the Heisman in his senior year, and was one of only two linemen to ever win the award. He is also one of only 3 players to win a national championship, the Heisman, and become the first pick in the NFL Draft within the same year.
Next: Sin City
#17 Vagas Ferguson
Ferguson was from the small town of Richmond, Indiana- but he was primed to make a huge splash. He did that at Notre Dame where he became the all-time leading rusher in school history by the time he left with 3472 yards (32 touchdowns). Ferguson holds the Notre Dame record for attempts in a season with 301 rushes and he holds the single season rushing record with 1437 yards (130 ypg avg.).
Vagas Ferguson was a consensus All-American in 1979. Despite holding all those records, Ferguson has no Maxwells or Heismans on his trophy case, which in 2015, probably makes him the most underrated Irish football player of all-time, even withing the Notre Dame fanbase.
Next: 2 Way
#16 Jeff Burris
Jeff Burris was a throwback kind of player during his time at Notre Dame. Burris was a dominant safety, but he was also the “go to” running back once Notre Dame got on the goaline. Burris has 10 career interceptions and 10 career rushing touchdowns- as well as a touchdown on a punt return and another touchdown receiving.
Burris was a consensus All-American in 1993 in a season that saw the Irish go 11-1 and truth be told… hosed out of a national championship. Burris was a one of a kind type of talent that was used to perfection by Lou Holtz.
Next: Not Good Bob
#15 Bob Crable
Bob Crable was an animal during his time at Notre Dame. Crable was an unanimous All-American in 1980 and 1981 and an absolute workhorse. Crable had 521 career tackles with 187 of those coming in 1979 (a record). Also in 1979, Bob Crable had a NCAA record 26 tackles against Clemson.
If there was one defensive player in that era that defined what a Notre Dame player should be, it was Bob Crable. He was all over the field and he put ball carriers and their buts on that same field at a record pace.
Next: Lyght On
#14 Todd Lyght
Todd Lyght was a three year starter at cornerback and 4 year monogram winner from 1987-1990. He lead he team in tackles in the Fiesta Bowl against West Virginia to help the Irish win the game and the national championship. He was a consensus All-American in 1989 and 1990 and was a finalist fr the Jim Thorpe Award.
Lyght had 11 career interceptions with one of those returned for a touchdown. In an era that was still predominantly consumed by the running game, Lyght was as shutdown of a cornerback as it got.
Next: Brown Out
#13 Ross Browner
Ross Browner could have arguably been number one on this list. His credentials are quite amazing. Browner was a consensus All-American in 1976 and 1977. He was a four year starter and won national championships with Notre Dame in 1973 and 1977. Browner won the 1976 Outland Trophy and the 1977 Lombardi Award. He also won the 1977 Maxwell Award and placed 5th in the Heisman.
Ross Browner has a career tally of 340 tackles, 77 tackles for loss, 10 pass break ups, 8 fumble recoveries, scored two safeties, 1 touchdown, and blocked 2 kicks.
Next: Another Stiff Arm
#12 John Huarte
John Huarte was about as unassuming of a Heisman winner as the country has ever seen. Huarte was Ara’s quarterback in his first year at Notre Dame, and with his top target Jack Snow, they took a team that was 2-7 the year before, and went 9-1. Huarte set 12 Notre Dame records on his way to New York to bring home the Heisman Trophy.
Next: Big Man On Campus
#11 Aaron Taylor
There was no one bigger almost anywhere than Notre Dame’s offensive tackle, Aaron Taylor. Taylor was a consensus All-American in 1992 and 1993 . Taylor was a captain his senior year and started the last 30 games of his career. He won the Lombardi Award in 1993 and was a finalist for the Outland Trophy as he helped lead Notre Dame to a 12-1 record. There may not have been a better offensive lineman that has ever worn the golden dome.
Next: The Best?
#10 George Connor
George Connor was a key member of those 1946 and 1947 national championship teams as an offensive tackle. He was a consensus All-American in both those years, and he won the Outland Trophy in 1946. He was a captain his senior year, and is considered by many to be the best lineman in Notre Dame history.
Next: Band Diver
#9 Golden Tate
Despite Golden Tate’s diminutive size in an era of big wide receivers, he played larger than anyone else on the field. Even with another great at Wide Receiver on the field with him in Michael Floyd, Golden Tate amassed 151 receptions, 2576 yards, and 25 touchdowns in his sophomore and junior seasons. He was a consensus All-American in 2009 and he also won the Bilitnikoff Award in 2009. Tate also garnered some Heisman votes in his Junior year.
Next: Glden Boy
#8 Paul Hornung
The Golden Boy, Paul Horning was one of the greatest all around athlete’s ever to attend Notre Dame. Athough Hornung played some halfback, fullback, and safety during his time at Notre Dame, it was his play at quarterback in his senior year that will forever be etched in the minds of Irish fans everywhere. The Irish went 2-8 that year but Paul Hornung still won the Heisman Trophy. He remains the only player to win the Heisman that played on a losing team.
Next: Win One For Who?
#7 George Gipp
Some consider George Gipp to be the best overall athlete in the history of college football. Gipp played offensive back and defensive back for the Irish from 1917-1920. He lead the Irish in rushing and passing in his sophomore, junior, and senior years. His 8.1 yards per carry and his 128.4 yards offensive average are still season records for Notre Dame today. Although he is best known and immortalized for the “Win one for the Gipper” speech given by Knute Rockne, Gipp was a great player without all of that. Gipp was a consensus All-American, and in World War II, he had a ship named after him.
Next: Utility
#6 John Lattner
John Lattner was truly a “jack-of-all-trades” player for Notre Dame and coach Frank Leahy. Lattner won the Maxwell Award in both his Junior and Senior years as well as being a consensus All-American. Lattner did it all as he led the Irish in offense by passing and running, but also on defense with 13 career interceptions AND as a punt and kick returner with a couple of touchdowns. It seemed that if the Irish needed a spark at all, John Lattner was the one to strike.
Next: Magic Man
#5 Angelo Bertelli
Legendary sports writer Grantland Rice dubbed Bertelli the “The T-Formation Magician.” Bertelli played it to perfection for coach Frank Leahy and the Notre Dame. He was a consensus All-American and Heisman Trophy winner in 1943 despite only playing in 6 games before the Marines activated Bertelli for duty for World War II. During Angelo Bertelli’s time at Notre Dame, the Irish only lost three times.
Next: Ohana
#4 Manti Te’o
Manti Te’o was a fish out of water story when he arrived as a blue-chip prospect from Hawaii’, but he left as one of the greatest players in Notre Dame history and perhaps its greatest defensive player ever. In Te’o’s senior year, he was a captain that led Notre Dame to a #2 overall defensive ranking and vaulted them to #1 in the polls. He had 113 tackles and 7 interceptions that year and in the process, he became the most decorated defensive player in NCAA history while winning the Maxwell Award, The Lott Award, Bednarik Trophy, Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Trophy, The Walter Camp Award, and the Butkus Award. He finished 2nd in the Heisman.
Next: TIMMY!
#3 Tim Brown
Tim Brown was a late bloomer, but against USC in his junior year, the flanker from Texas finally was raised up by the country. In his senior year, Brown ran back to back punt returns for touchdowns against Michigan State. He did it all, and had got double and even triple coverage throughout his senior year. He was a consensus All-American in 1987 as well as winning both the Walter Camp award and the Heisman Trophy.
Next: Lift Off
#2 Raghib “The Rocket” Ismail
The Rocket really did do it all with the ball for the Fighting Irish. More importantly, he was the most fear player in college football, and entire gameplans most weeks against Notre Dame revolved around stopping the Rocket. Well, everyone but Bo Schembechler, as his Wolverines kicked ti to Ismail twice and twice they saw him return them for touchdowns. He won a national title with the Irish as a freshman starter in 1988. In 1990, he was a consensus All-American, the Walter Camp Award winner, and he came in 2nd for the Heisman to Ty Detmer (which was criminal).
Next: Who?
#1 Johnny Lujack
Lujack was another one of Leahy’s “magicians” running the T-formation. He was a consensus All-American in 1946 and 1947. He won 3 national championships with the Irish in 1943, 1946, and 1947. Lujack was born to play for the Irish. His hometown people had tried to get him to attend West Point, but Johnny wouldn’t have anything to do with it as he loved Notre Dame. Being the top dog on a team that was truly a dynasty for the ages, as well as his overall talents gave Johnny the top spot.
Next: Leftovers
Leftover
There are plenty of names not on this list that maybe should be or could be, but given the parameters- they weren’t. Players such as:
- Joe Montana
- Joe Theisman
- Brady Quinn
- Jerome Bettis
- Moose Krause
- Rickey Watters
- Reggie Brooks
- Michael Floyd
- Justin Tuck
- Jerome Heavens
And many many more. Given the trajectory of the Irish in the future, this list can change- and be even more difficult to put together.