Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com APRIL 2021 11 UNDER THE DOME 1 Linebacker in Notre Dame history who has been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft — College Football Hall of Fame inductee Bob Crable in 1982. The 38-year drought by the Fighting Irish of not having a first-round linebacker is currently the longest of any position group — and expected to end in April with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. The 2020 Butkus Award winner has been classified a consensus first-round pick, with ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay listing him No. 18 (Miami Dolphins) and No. 17 (Las Vegas Raiders) in their most recent mock drafts, respectively. Second-round selections at linebacker the past 60 years have included Myron Pottios (1961, No. 19 overall, which would be first round today), Jim Lynch (1967), Greg Collins (1975), Bob Golic (1979, but would move to nose guard), Demetrius DuBose (1993), Courtney Watson (2004), Manti Te'o (2013) and Jaylon Smith (2016). 11 Combined basketball games canceled by the Notre Dame men's (six) and women's basketball teams (five) because of COVID-19 protocols. The men had non-conference games versus Western Michigan, Tennessee, Purdue-Fort Wayne and Howard canceled, plus home league contests versus Georgia Tech and Clemson. On the women's side, home games against Virginia and Duke were can- celed because both programs opted out of resuming their seasons. The other three were trips to Pitt and North Carolina State, and at home against Syracuse. Consequently, the women had a 39-day stretch from Jan. 17 to Feb. 25 without a home game. In the 44 days from Jan. 17 until March 3, the Irish men played at home only three times. 25 Ranking of the Notre Dame baseball team by USA Today on March 8, after taking two of three games on the road versus ACC rivals Wake Forest (when it was No. 16) and Clemson to begin the year 4-2. In both series the Irish lost the opener before bouncing back to take the next two. Last year under first-year head coach Link Jarrett the Irish cracked the top 25 for the first time in five years with an 11-2 start before the season was canceled because of COVID-19. A season-opening tournament this year at LSU also was canceled. ACC teams currently ranked ahead of the Irish are Georgia Tech (No. 10), Louisville (No. 12), Miami (No. 13), Boston College (No. 18) and Virginia Tech (No. 19), while Wake Forest, Virginia and North Carolina also had been in the top 20 before falling out. 83.7 Blocking grade given by Pro Football Focus to junior TOMMY TREMBLE, who is turn- ing pro. It was the highest grade among all tight ends, and eclipsed his 82.8 total from last year in 316 snaps. Any- thing above 80 is considered strong. 71, 99 Rankings by the M a j o r L e a g u e Baseball Network of former Notre Dame standouts Cavan Biggio (71) and Trey Mancini (99) on their top 100 play- ers for 2021. Biggio, whose father Craig is enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame, is an infielder/outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays. Mancini, who missed the 2020 season while undergoing surgery for colon cancer, is an outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles who batted .291 with 35 home runs and 97 RBI in 2019. 1973-74 Was the last men's basketball season until 2020-21 where Notre Dame defeated both Kentucky and Duke — on their home floor no less. The most recent school overall nationally to achieve the feat of conquering both traditional superpowers in the same season was North Carolina in 2007-08. This year's 10-14 Fighting Irish won both on the road, 93-89 at Duke Feb. 11 and 64-63 at Kentucky Dec. 12. Forty-seven years earlier, Notre Dame — which went 24-2 in the regular season — beat Kentucky 94-79 in Louis- ville and topped Duke 87-68 at home. The Wildcats finished 13-13 that year, and the Blue Devils 10-16. ✦ BY THE NUMBERS PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS