Blue and Gold Illustrated

Oct. 7, 2013 Issue

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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Denman received second-team AllAmerica recognition in 2000 while earning MVP honors for an Irish team that went to the BCS. He recorded 207 tackles during his career, with 84 (14 for lost yardage) as a senior. An honorable mention All-American, Harrison notched a team-high 91 tackles (11 for lost yardage) as a senior, and was the recipient of the Nick Pietrosante Award, given to the Irish player who best exemplifies courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and pride, as voted by his teammates. Irons became the 13th two-time captain for the Irish while working at inside linebacker, outside linebacker and defensive end during his career. Honorable mention to Jimmy Friday (1995-98, Missouri City), who finished second in tackles (79) as a senior and first as a junior (109). DEFENSIVE BACKS: Bobby Taylor (1992-94, Longview), Vontez Duff (2000-03, Copperas Cove), A'Jani Sanders (1996-99, Houston) and Gerome Sapp (1999-02, Houston) Taylor broke into the starting lineup as a freshman free safety for the 10-1-1 Irish in 1992, had one of the best seasons ever by an Irish cornerback for the 11-1 unit in 1993 and turned pro after his junior campaign in 1994, when he received All-America notice. The second-round pick became a Pro Bowl performer for the Philadelphia Eagles., In 2002, cornerback Duff and safety Sapp helped comprise one of the best Notre Dame secondary units in the last 30 years. Duff earned third-team All-America notice (the other corner, Shane Walton, was a first-team selection), while Sapp teamed with fellow future pro Glenn Earl as playmaking safeties. Duff played three years in the NFL while Sapp was there five years. In 1999, Sanders led Notre Dame in tackles (91) and finished with 225 during his career. He also intercepted eight passes, two of them in a 1997 upset of LSU (24-6) in Baton Rouge. Also deserving notice is cornerback Greg Lane (1990-93, Austin), a threeyear starter. SPECIALISTS: punter Hunter Smith (1995-98, Sherman), kicker Nick Tausch (2009- Plano) and kick returner Allen Rossum (1994-97, Dallas) Rossum holds the NCAA record for most career touchdowns on runbacks with nine — three on interceptions, three on kickoffs and three on punt returns. He became the lone player in NFL history to tally a touchdown return with five different franchises (Philadelphia, Green Bay, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and San Francisco), and finished second to Brian Mitchell in all-time return yardage in NFL annals. As a freshman in 2009, Tausch converted a then school-record 14 straight field goals. He became the first kicker in Irish history to make five field goals in a game without a miss in a 37-30 overtime victory versus Washington. Four-year starter Smith averaged 41.2 yards per punt at Notre Dame and enjoyed a 12-year NFL career, including a Super Bowl title at Indianapolis. Honorable mention to Dallas native Joe Unis, who on his final play scored the game-winning extra point twice, after an Irish penalty, in the legendary 35-34 victory over Houston in the 1979 Cotton Bowl. ✦

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