Blue and Gold Illustrated

Oct. 21, 2013 Issue

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

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where have you gone? "No Republican has ever won [mayor] in Atlanta in about 135 years, but I like competition, so I'll see what I can do to change that." Likes competition? He was born into it. The Family Business In 2011, Yahoo Sports charted the 10 all-time greatest brother combinations in football at one school. Finishing No. 1 were the Browners at Notre Dame — Ross, Jimmie Jr. and Willard — and then two more at USC from 1979‑83, first-round defensive back Joey and second-round linebacker Keith. (Willard left Notre Dame after his freshman season in 1976 for aca- All three of the Browner brothers — from left to right, Ross, Willard and Jimmie — were influential during Notre Dame's 13-6 win over South Carolina in 1976. photo courtesy notre dame media relations Family Day During Notre Dame's 13-6 victory at South Carolina in 1976, the Browner brothers had one of the more extraordinary family days in NCAA football history. Freshman fullback Willard scored the game's lone touchdown on a nine-yard scoring pass from Rick Slager, sophomore safety Jimmie Jr. made the game-saving interception at his 15 with 3:23 left and junior defensive end Ross was named the National Lineman of the Week for dominating along the line of scrimmage. Earlier that summer, their father, Jimmie Sr., died at age 49. In honor of the performance of the three brothers, when the Irish traveled to Cleveland the next week to play Navy, head coach Dan Devine extended an invitation to the Browners' mother, Julia, in nearby Warren, Ohio, to become the first woman to join Notre Dame at a team meal. "I felt like a queen," she told Sports Illustrated in 1983. — Lou Somogyi

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