Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME 50 Years Ago: May 7, 1966 Notre Dame's Varsity Vs. Old‑Timers Game — which two years later would become the intra‑squad Blue‑ Gold Game — features stellar freshman quarterback‑receiver combinations that had been ineligible to play the year prior because eligibility for frosh was not allowed until 1972. In 1965, the 7‑2‑1 Fighting Irish lacked a passing game to complement a strong running attack and domi‑ nant defense. That 1965 team passed for only 850 yards, and the top wideout — captain Phil Sheridan — had only 10 catches for 140 yards. On this day, freshman Jim Seymour catches 10 passes for 166 yards — but classmate Curt Heneghan wins the Hering Award as the best receiver of the spring. Two freshman quarterbacks — Terry Hanratty and Coley O'Brien — also shine against the Old‑Timers, coached by Bill Early. O'Brien is briefly "borrowed" by Early to guide the unit. He leads them on a 60‑yard drive before head coach Ara Parseghian has O'Brien change his jersey back to the varsity. 35 Years Ago: May 2, 1981 The Blue‑Gold Game, which generally attracted 15,000‑20,000 spectators in a good year, shattered its attendance record with 35,675 paying customers in what is dubbed "Faust Fever." The enthusiasm and ultra‑positive outlook from first‑year head coach Gerry Faust, who built the nation's top high school program at Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller, became transcendent and had many Fighting Irish faithful wondering if Notre Dame would ever lose a game under his watch. Anniversaries In Notre Dame Athletics History: May