Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BY LOU SOMOGYI F ollowing the Aug. 26 practice, Notre Dame announced its four captains for the 2014 season: fifth- year senior safety Austin Collin- sworth, senior running back Cam Mc- Daniel, senior center Nick Martin and junior defensive lineman Sheldon Day. Head coach Brian Kelly noted there was much back and forth involved in the final selection. "We have some sophomores that are really dynamic leaders as well, but I didn't want to forget about our seniors," he said. Collinsworth has played in 39 career games and started 11 last year. Labeled the quarterback of the defense along with Mike linebacker Joe Schmidt, Col- linsworth recorded a career-high 43 tackles in 2013 and led the Irish with three interceptions. In 2011, Collin- sworth was named Notre Dame's Spe- cial Teams Player of the Year, but he sat out 2012 because of major back prob- lems and a torn labrum on his left shoul- der that required surgery. "That was some real dark times in my life," Collinsworth said. "I wasn't sure I was going to be able to come back and play football, but digging my way back and becoming a leader … to get that [captain] title actually granted to me was an unbelievable honor. "There's not a guy in the locker room who hasn't overcome adversity. Foot- ball's a tough game." Recently married and awaiting his first child, McDaniel led Notre Dame in carries (152) and rushing yards (705) in 2013, and was named a co-starter with sophomores Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant Aug. 26. In 2012, he temporarily worked at cornerback and also played special teams. "I want my work ethic to be conta- gious, my actions to be contagious," Mc- Daniel said. "But if it's not, you've got to be vocal about it sometimes." Martin's captaincy marks the third straight year that a Martin has earned such an honor, with older brother Zack, a first-round pick of the Dallas Cow- boys last spring, having the same duties in 2012 and 2013. The younger Martin played in all 13 games as a sophomore tackle or guard reserve in 2012 and started the first 11 contests in 2013 at center before a knee injury prematurely Four To The FOREFRONT Two captains apiece named on offense and defense