Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM APRIL 2025 15 35 Years Ago: April 22-23, 1990 On the heels of a 24-1 record the previous two years, highlighted by the 1988 national title and a school-record 23-game winning streak, nine Notre Dame players were selected in the 1990 NFL Draft — the most for the Fight- ing Irish in 11 years. Four members of head coach Lou Holtz's first recruiting class in 1986 were chosen in the second round: fullback Anthony Johnson (Indianapolis); guard Tim Grunhard (Kansas City), who would star at center; defensive tackle Jeff Alm (Houston); and free safety Pat Terrell (Los Angeles Rams). Also notable, former walk-on Mike Brennan from the lacrosse team was selected in the fourth round as an offensive tackle. Meanwhile, former walk- on flanker Pat Eilers, a transfer from Yale, was not drafted but would end up playing six years in the NFL. Making just as much news is the fact that quarterback Tony Rice, who finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting as a senior, wasn't drafted, not even as an "athlete." Because he was primarily an option quarterback, he is not deemed a pro-style passer. However, he also was timed at 4.79 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which diminished his value at running back, wide receiver and in the defensive backfield. 20 Years Ago: April 23, 2005 In the coldest Blue-Gold Game on record, with a 23-degree wind chill, first-year head coach and alumnus Charlie Weis used his NFL background to bring in Joe Montana and Chris Zorich as honorary coaches for the Blue team, while Joe Theismann and Tim Brown served in the same capacity for the Gold. The Blue team, comprised of the first-stringers, won 28-6 with Offense MVP Brady Quinn completing 8 of 12 passes for 120 yards with a 19-yard touchdown to tight end Anthony Fasano. Tackle Trevor Laws was named the MVP on defense after making 3.5 tackles for loss. Said Brown of Weis, the offensive coordinator for three-time Super Bowl champion New England: "You have to listen to him and you have to believe in what he says because he can take you to the next level. It might not be this year, it might not be next year, but certainly in the future you'll see him taking this program to the very top." 15 Years Ago: April 24, 2010 The theme of the Blue-Gold Game played in front of 27,241 in head coach Brian Kelly's first season was "The Son Also Rises." Junior walk-on quarterback Nate Montana stole the show while leading his Gold team past the Blue squad, which featured starting quarterback Dayne Crist, 27-19. With QB the No. 1 question after junior Jimmy Clausen declared for the NFL Draft, the only ones on the roster were Crist, who is coming off ACL surgery, Montana and early enrollee Tommy Rees. Montana, the son of Notre Dame quarterback icon Joe Montana and a backup at Pasadena City College the year prior, completed 18 of 30 passes for 223 yards, highlighted by touchdown passes of 4 yards to tight end Mike Ragone, 37 yards to wideout Duval Kamara and a thread-the-needle 14-yard scoring toss to slot Theo Riddick, all during the first half. After establishing himself as at least the No. 2 quarterback on the roster, Montana was put on scholarship by Kelly. 5 Years Ago: April 2020 Notre Dame's spring football activities, including the Blue-Gold Game scheduled for April 18, were canceled, as were commencement ceremonies on campus and in-person classes at Notre Dame for the rest of the 2019-20 school year. Irish head football coach Brian Kelly provided a written statement in sup- port of the university's action to suspend and eventually cancel all spring sports activities. "With our student-athletes' health and well-being at the forefront of our decision making, and given the rapidly changing environment surrounding COVID-19, I feel this is best for all the members of the Notre Dame football family," he said. UNDER THE DOME Anniversaries In Notre Dame Athletics History: April ✦ Your home address will be automatically changed to the mailing address on file with the US Postal Service? ALL addresses are cross-referenced with the USPS National Change of Address database. ✦ Your postal forwarding order expires in 60 days or less? Most forwarding requests expire in 60 days and DO NOT include periodical mail. Issues are discarded at their discretion. ✦ It can take up to 7 days for the USPS to update your address in their database? Don't assume the post office knows your vacation or moving schedule! To prevent missed issues, please notify the US Postal Service ASAP and verify your delivery address with your local post office. DID YOU KNOW... AVOID COSTLY DELAYS & REPLACEMENTS! Blue & Gold Illustrated Customer Service: 1–800–421–7751 (Monday – Friday, 10 am to 4 pm) We are happy to assist, but due to privacy laws all postal address changes must be completed by you. Nate Montana, the son of Irish legend Joe Montana and a junior walk-on who spent the previous fall at Pasadena Community College, completed 18 of 30 passes for 223 yards with 3 touchdowns in a winning effort in the 2010 Blue-Gold Game. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND