thanks mainly to the greater-Boston
region.
The state holds similar prominence
in Notre Dame football lore: small
in stature, but huge in production. It
might come as a surprise to many that
when BlueandGold.com did a summer
review of the states that have contrib-
uted the most and greatest football
talent to the football program, Mas-
sachusetts was rated No. 11 based on
these criteria:
• Quantity from the state who have
seen game action at Notre Dame.
• Quality and depth of athletes from
the state throughout history.
• Impact made on the program in
the past, present and how it's on the
rise or decline in the future.
By our count, 59 players from Mas-
sachusetts have seen action for Notre
Dame, most recently freshman kicker
Justin Yoon, who actually is from
Nashville, Tenn., but attended school
at Milton (Mass.) Academy.
Over the next 20 years or so, we an-
ticipate states such as North Carolina,
Virginia, Georgia, maybe even Loui-
siana, to be more prominent in Notre
Dame's recruiting efforts than Mas-
sachusetts.
Nevertheless, this is head coach
Brian Kelly's home state — born in
Everett, raised in Chelsea and a 1983
graduate of Assumption College in
Worcester — so the ties that bound
Notre Dame and Massachusetts re-
main as strong as ever. ✦
Brian Kelly — who was born in Everett, raised in Chelsea and graduated from Assumption College in
Worcester in 1983 — is Notre Dame's strongest current connection to Massachusetts, a state that has
produced 59 Fighting Irish football players.
PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND
