Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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IRISH ECHOES JIM LEFEBVRE 50 OCT. 11, 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED N ick Rassas, who died on Sept. 1 at age 81, made an incredible journey from walk-on to All-America safety and punt returner at Notre Dame in 1965. His story is part of a larger one for a fam- ily that has excelled in Notre Dame athlet- ics for four generations — as well as serv- ing our country and contributing a major leader to the Archdiocese of Chicago. George Rassas Sr. came to Notre Dame from Stamford, Conn., on a football scholarship in 1937. The son of Greek im- migrants, he was called "the first Greek boy in several years to play for the Irish" by the South Bend Tribune. While a Notre Dame student, he converted to Catholi- cism from the Greek Orthodox Church. As a sophomore for Elmer Layden's Irish in 1938, Rassas established himself as a reliable backup. The Irish were un- defeated at 5-0 when they took on Navy in the rain at Baltimore. Leading 13-0 in the fourth quarter, Layden put in back- ups with Navy pinned deep in its own territory. Rassas batted away a Middie pass in the end zone, getting credit for a safety to seal a 15-0 victory. Injuries knocked George out of the 1939 season but had an unexpected side effect. While being treated at Mercy Hospital in Chicago by an Irish Catholic doctor, he met the doc's daughter Frances, whom he married after graduating in 1941. The couple eventually settled in Win- netka, Ill., where they became members of Saints, Faith, Hope and Charity Parish. They had six children and their firstborn, George Rassas Jr., graduated from Arch- bishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago in 1961. He then attended Niles College in Chicago and the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill., obtaining a philosophy degree. He was ordained a priest of the Arch- diocese of Chicago in 1968 and worked in a variety of positions in the ensuing years before his elevation to auxiliary bishop, a post he held from 2005-18. Among his many achievements, he was a founding board member and board chair for Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep in Waukegan, Ill. Next oldest was Nick, who became a standout athlete at Loyola Academy in Wilmette. He walked on at Notre Dame when Joe Kuharich and Hugh Devore were head coaches, then blossomed af- ter the arrival of Ara Parseghian in 1964. Rassas went from reserve halfback to starting safety and leader of the defense. "Nick was a hard-working DB who picked up Ara's system very effectively," Irish teammate Tom Sullivan recalled. "He was confident and tough, inspiring those around him to step it up a notch. An overall good guy, whose work ethic allowed him to make numerous great plays. A super teammate!" From his safety position, Rassas had a penchant for hard hitting that brought a chant from the Notre Dame student body: "Rassas, Rassas, knock 'em on their asses." During his senior season in 1965, he racked up 6 interceptions, which he re- turned for a school-record 197 yards, an average of 32.8 yards per pick. But it was when he dropped back into punt return formation that the crowd really got excited, chanting "Go, Rassas, Go!" That season, he returned 24 punts for a school-record 459 yards, an average of 19.1 yards per return to lead the nation, with 3 touchdowns. The tone was set in the '65 season opener at California, a 48-6 Irish tri- umph. Rassas intercepted 2 passes and returned 3 punts for 115 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown. Then, in a 38-7 win over Northwestern, he returned an interception 92 yards for a touchdown, and returned 6 punts for 121 yards, in- cluding a 72-yard score. Against Army at Shea Stadium, it was the same story. A pair of picks and a couple of long punt returns keyed a 17-0 victory. By season's end, Rassas was a consensus first-team All-American. "From our very first game of the sea- son, Nick has been the take-charge player of the defense," Parseghian said in 1965. "He's the fellow who comes up with the big play when it's needed. He is one of those selfless football play- ers who gives everything he has for the good of the team." The third Rassas brother, Kevin, was a reserve split end for the Irish behind Jim Seymour on the 1966 national champi- ons, then a reserve defensive end in 1967. Nick Rassas was drafted in the second round in 1966 by both the NFL (Atlanta Falcons, 17th overall pick) and AFL (San Diego Chargers, 16th overall pick). He signed with the Falcons and played the next three years. He also served our coun- try for six years (1965-71) in the Army and as a staff sergeant in the Army Reserve. Along the way, Nick earned an MBA from Loyola University and entered the fi- nancial world, where he thrived due to his Rassas Family Has Excelled For Notre Dame, Nation And Church George Rassas Sr. started the family's connection to Notre Dame as a reserve lineman in 1938-40. PHOTO COURTESY ROCKNESOCIETY.ORG Nick Rassas was a fearless defender at safety and a slick punt returner as an All-American in 1965. He led the nation in punt return average that season. PHOTO COURTESY ROCKNESOCIETY.ORG