Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM MAY 2023 11 Former Notre Dame All-America defensive tackle Mike Kadish passed away March 19 after a 28-year battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 72. Kadish was a Bob Hope and Playboy All-Amer- ican as a senior in 1971. He was one of four Irish players to earn that honor that season, joining wide receiver Thom Gatewood, defensive end Walt Patulski and safety Clarence Ellis. He played his entire Notre Dame career for head coach Ara Parseghian and appeared in two Cotton Bowls, both against Texas. The Irish lost to the Longhorns 21-17 in the Cotton Bowl in Kadish's sophomore year (1969) and beat them 24-11 in his junior season (1970). They went 8-2 and did not play in a bowl in 1971, Kadish's final college season. Kadish, though, played in the Senior Bowl and the now-defunct College All-Star Football Classic after the 1971 campaign. All told, Notre Dame went 26-5-1 in Kadish's three seasons on the active roster (freshmen were not allowed to play college football until 1973). Kadish is best known for his 10-year NFL career, spent mostly with the Buffalo Bills. The Miami Dolphins selected him in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft with the No. 25 overall pick. He was one of three Notre Dame players taken in the first round that year, following Patulski (No. 1 overall, Buffalo Bills) and Ellis (No. 15, Atlanta Falcons). Kadish was a rookie on the taxi squad (now called the practice squad) for the 1972 Dolphins team that went undefeated and beat Washington in Super Bowl VII. The 1972 Dolphins remain the only NFL team to go undefeated and win a Super Bowl. The Dolphins traded Kadish to the Bills after the 1972 season. He played 172 games for the Bills from 1973-81, starting 70. He amassed 30.5 career sacks, 5 fumble recoveries and 1 touch- down. He was named team MVP in 1977. He and Patulski were teammates in Buffalo for three seasons (1973-75). Notre Dame and Parseghian recruited Kadish out of Catholic Central High School in Grand Rap- ids, Mich. He is a member of the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame. Kadish was living in Longboat Key, Fla., at the time of his death. He was diagnosed with Parkin- son's in the late 1990s. Kadish is survived by his wife of 50 years, Di- anne, sons Zack, Zane and Zeke, grandsons Mi- chael Judson, James Kenneth and John Michael Kadish, and sister Cindy Kadish. — Patrick Engel Notre Dame moved closer to the 85-scholarship limit with a flurry of roster departures that were formally an- nounced at the start of spring practice. Three players were medically disqualified and another three are no longer with the team, trimming the Irish's scholarship roster to 87. All six are rising juniors who redshirted as freshmen in 2021. Quarterback Ron Powlus III, linebacker Will Schweitzer and safety Justin Walters have retired due to medical rea- sons, head coach Marcus Freeman said after the first prac- tice. Offensive tackle Caleb Johnson, cornerback Philip Riley and kicker Josh Bryan are no longer with the team, per Freeman. None saw extensive action in their two seasons with Notre Dame. Walters' eight career games — four in 2021 and four in 2022 — were the most appearances of anyone in that group. Riley made five career appearances and Sch- weitzer three. Bryan saw action in one game. Johnson and Powlus did not see the field in two seasons. Schweitzer, in a social media post announcing his move, said he suffered a "non-football related medical event caused by a congenital heart condition called a PFO." Free- man did not disclose the specific medical reasons for Wal- ters' and Powlus' retirement. Walters was not in uniform for the final seven games of the 2022 season with an un- specified injury. Riley and Johnson were four-star prospects in the 2021 class. They were the Nos. 307 and 341 overall players, respectively, in the 2021 On3 Industry Ranking. Walters, Powlus, Bryan and Schweitzer were three-star recruits. All six players have three years of eligibility left if they choose to transfer. Players who are medically disqualified can transfer but must receive clearance from a new school. The next transfer portal window for undergraduates is May 1-15. — Patrick Engel Six Notre Dame Players Depart Program FORMER NOTRE DAME ALL-AMERICAN MIKE KADISH PASSES AWAY Junior quarterback Ron Powlus III, who did not see any game action during his two seasons with the program, was one of three Irish players who retired due to medical reasons. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER