Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/276022
He is worthy to be in the Hall some day, never mind first getting nomi‑ nated. 3. BOB CRABLE (1978-81) There have been 16 two‑time con‑ sensus All‑Americans in Notre Dame's football history, and Crable is one of four not yet in the Hall. The others are Lyght (1989‑90), Stonebreaker (1988 and 1990) and Taylor (1992‑93). Crable's 521 career tackles fall into the school's "unbreakable" record category. Beyond the stats, nobody at Notre Dame played with greater passion, tenacity and ferocity, even though Crable's senior year in 1981 ended with a 5‑6 finish. Crable is the lone linebacker in Irish history taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. 4. BOB GOLIC (1975-78) Second to Crable on the Irish all‑ time tackles chart (479), Golic was a second‑team All‑America selection at middle linebacker and nose guard ac‑ cording to AP and UPI for the 1977 national champs, and a consensus All‑ America pick in 1978 at middle line‑ backer. He was powerful enough to line up at nose guard, yet fluid enough to play linebacker. How many college players could do that, in his time or any other time? Also an All‑American heavyweight wrestler, Golic has been on the ballot in the past (but not the last four years). 5. GEORGE KUNZ (1966-68) AND AARON TAYLOR (1990-93) Offensive linemen get overshad‑ owed, but these two may have been the best to suit up for Notre Dame there the past 60 years. Kunz was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1969 NFL Draft (behind O.J. Simpson) and be‑ came an eight‑time Pro Bowl player (although that has nothing to do with college performance). A two‑time consensus All‑American for Irish teams that were 21‑2‑1, Taylor lined up at both guard and tackle for the Irish and was the 1993 Lombardi Award recipient. His leadership as a captain during the 11‑1 season in 1993 was as strong as any we've seen for the Irish. Notre Dame has 44 former play‑ ers — most recently 1971‑73 offensive tackle/tight end Dave Casper last year — and six former coaches already en‑ shrined in the Hall of Fame, more than any other institution. ✦ Linebacker Bob Crable was a two-time consensus All-American while compiling a school-record 521 tackles from 1978-81. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS