Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BY JORDAN WELLS Not everyone dreams of following in their family's footsteps. But Wilmette (Ill.) Loyola Academy long snapper and Notre Dame com- mit John Shannon always felt the pull to continue the legacy his grandfather started. Dan Shannon was an All-American and captain for Notre Dame in the 1954 season, and John's father Gerard was a walk-on for two years with the program. The eldest Shannon started at left end for the 1953 team that finished 9-0-1, with wins over No. 6 Oklahoma 28-21 and No. 4 Georgia Tech 27-14. That team's only blemish was a 14-14 tie with No. 20 Iowa State, a game in which Shannon scored both Irish touchdowns. "Every time I've told him what schools I'm looking at, he's just said: 'But you're going to Notre Dame, right?'" Shannon said. "He always has pushed for Notre Dame. "When I committed he's one of the first people I thought of. I called him and told him, and he started crying. It was definitely emotional. He congrat- ulated me and just said how proud he was, how he had hoped it would work out. "I always thought about it when I was younger, but as I started progress- ing football-wise, it started feeling more and more like it was becoming reality. I got offered, and that's when it finally hit me, 'Wow, I can follow in my family's footsteps.'" Rubio Long Snapping, considered an industry leader in special teams training, ranks the 6-2, 225-pound ju- nior as the No. 1 snapper in the coun- try. Still, Shannon wasn't expecting a scholarship tender at Notre Dame's Ju- nior Day March 21, even if he already Long Snapper Is Ready To Continue Family Legacy At Notre Dame COMMITMENT PROFILE JOHN SHANNON Shannon is rated as the No. 1 long snapper pros- pect in the country by Rubio Long Snapping, which is considered an industry leader in special teams training. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM