Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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FOOTBALL RECRUITING BY BGI STAFF W hile reviewing and comment- ing on each of Notre Dame's 24 signed players on Feb. 4, Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly became stuck in a mode of repeating himself. The descriptions that repeatedly came up were "winner" and "state champion." Sixteen of the 24 players Notre Dame inked had played for or won a state championship during their high school careers. "These are winners, and it's no co- incidence in the recruiting process in who we are looking for," Kelly said. In reality, it's not fair to assess an individual a "winner" or "loser" in a team sport based on the collective re- sult. Paul Hornung, the 1956 Heisman Trophy winner at Notre Dame, wasn't a "loser" just because his team fin- ished 2-8. He just didn't have enough of a supporting cast. As a Green Bay Packer in the NFL, he did while win- ning multiple championships. Quarterback John Huarte, Notre Dame's 1964 Heisman recipient, wasn't a "loser" just because he couldn't even start as a junior on the 2-7 Fighting Irish team the year prior. He was just a part of a losing culture at the time, which changed the next season with dynamic new coach Ara Parseghian. The 1987 Fighting Irish Heisman winner, wide receiver/return man Tim Brown, couldn't help it that in his three high school varsity season he was on teams that were 4-25-1. Also, the four Notre Dame teams he played for from 1984-87 were only 25-21, and he sel- dom was in the playoffs in the NFL. Yet he is now in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. What is significant to Kelly is that so many of the incoming recruits come Class Of Champions Irish cornerback signee Shaun Crawford is one of 16 players in this class that won or played for a state championship while in high school. PHOTO BY TIM SULLIVAN